Regional Continuing Education on Modern Genetics for Secondary School Teachers

该项目通过为堪萨斯州选定的不同教师群体提供继续教育、在职和后勤支持，解决了在当代遗传学领域保持高中和初中课程的任务。为了最大限度地提高效率，范围集中在分子遗传学和辐射遗传效应的特定跨学科主题上，使用酵母细胞作为模型系统。然而，所处理的需要和所采取的办法应适用于研究和技术进展过快，以致标准的教师教育和课程发展途径无法及时作出反应的任何领域。该项目由一个跨学科的专业团队设计，并将由他们实施，他们对改善科学教育有着坚定的承诺。他们代表了学科研究、科学教育研究以及中学和高等学校课堂教学方面的专业能力。他们包括来自堪萨斯州立大学（KSU）物理系、生物系和课程与教学系的大学教员，课程与教学专业的研究生，以及高中科学教师。每两年将有30名中学科学教师参加该项目。每期为期一年，课程开始时将在KSU校园进行为期三周的密集夏季研讨会，向参与的教师介绍内容、教学策略和技术。使用这些知识库，学员将在工作人员的密切指导下制定课程计划。这些课程将利用酵母遗传学的实验室实验、微型计算机软件、视频材料以及解决问题和概念绘图的批判性思维技能。在接下来的学年中，这些课程计划将在参与者的教室中实施。在这一阶段，项目工作人员将继续提供支持。后续行动和咨询将通过24小时电脑公告板和电子邮件服务、一系列电话会议、与堪萨斯州科学教师协会年度会议有关的一个周末会议以及通过电话和邮件进行的个人咨询来促进。这些沟通渠道将为项目工作人员和参与的教师提供持续的联系，并为教师之间提供几种直接沟通的方式。项目工作人员的一支重要队伍将是教授这些材料的同行教师。在第一年，这些教师将参加1985年nsf赞助的相关研讨会和电话会议项目。在项目的第二年，同行教师的数量将扩大到包括第一年的教师。通过保持沟通渠道对所有现在和以前的参与者开放，我们将建立一个教师网络，他们可以分享经验和信息，并可以通过项目工作人员提供持续的支持，随后，通过持续的项目，这是KSU科学教育中心的使命。

This project addresses the task of keeping the high school and middle school curriculum current in the area of contemporary genetics by providing continuing education, inservice, and logistical support to a selected and diverse group of teachers throughout the state of Kansas. For maximum effectiveness the scope is focused on the specific, interdisciplinary topic of molecular genetics and the genetic effects of radiation, using yeast cells as a model system. However, the need that is addressed and the approach taken should be appropriate for any field where progress in research and technology is moving too fast for the standard teacher education and curriculum development pathways to respond in a timely fashion. The project has been designed, and will be implemented, by an interdisciplinary team of professionals with strong commitments to improvement of science education. They represent professional competence in research in the discipline, research in science education, and classroom teaching at the secondary and post-secondary school levels. They include university faculty members from the Kansas State University (KSU) Departments of Physics, Biology, and Curriculum and Instruction, a graduate student in Curriculum and Instruction, and high school science teachers. Thirty secondary school science teachers will participate in the program during each of two years. Each of the one-year periods will begin with a three-week, intensive summer workshop on the KSU campus to introduce the participating teachers to the content, teaching strategies, and technology. Using this knowledge base, the participants will develop lesson plans under the close guidance of the staff. The lessons will utilize laboratory experiments in yeast genetics, microcomputer software, video materials, and the critical thinking skills of problem solving and concept mapping. During the subsequent school year these lesson plans will be implemented in the participants' classrooms. The project staff will provide continuing support during this phase. Follow-up and consultation will be facilitated through a 24-hour computer bulletin board and electronic mail service, a series of teleconferences, one weekend conference associated with annual conference of the Kansas Association of Teachers of Science, as well as individual consultation by telephone and mail. These communication channels will provide continuing contact between the project staff and the participating teachers as well as offering the teachers several ways to communicate directly with each other. An important contingent of the project staff will be peer teachers who have taught these materials. During the first year these will be teachers who participated in a related NSF-sponsored workshop and teleconference project in 1985. During the second year of the project the pool of peer teachers will expand to include the teachers from the first year. By keeping the lines of communication open to all current and previous participants we will be developing a network of teachers who can share experiences and information and who can be provided continuing support by the project staff, and subsequently, through continuing programs that are the mission of the KSU Center for Science Education.