An Experimental Teacher Education Program in Elementary Science

怀俄明大学将为该州未来的小学教师实施一项新的教师培训计划。这个项目的一个主要特点将是开发三门新的连续的、五小时的科学入门课程，这些课程将是基础教育专业的必修课，也适用于其他非科学专业。这些课程将由来自生物、化学、物理和地质部门的科学家团队围绕综合主题开发。每门课程中许多附带的实验室实验将使用学习循环方法。新计划的其他特点是为职前小学教师举办的教学方法研讨会，重点是合作学习和学习循环方法，以及早期和持续的实地经验。通过安排实地经验和研讨会与科学课程同时进行，未来的教师将有机会将科学入门课程中介绍的科学应用于小学的科学教学。该项目还包括培训指导教师的讲习班，这些教师将在小学课堂上使用合作学习和学习周期方法，并将在早期实地经验中接受未来教师的观察。怀俄明大学将参与分担13.5%的项目成本。

The University of Wyoming will implement a new teacher preparation program for prospective elementary teachers in the state. A major feature of this project will be the development of three new sequential, five-hour, introductory science courses that will be required for elementary education majors and appropriate for other nonscience majors. These courses will be developed by teams of scientists from the biology, chemistry, physics, and geology departments around integrating themes. Many of the accompanying laboratory experiments in each course will use a learning cycle approach. Other features of the new program are seminars for the preservice elementary teachers on teaching methodology that will focus on cooperative learning and the learning cycle approach, and early and continuous field experiences. By scheduling the field experiences and seminars concurrently with the science courses, prospective teachers will be given the opportunity to adapt the science presented in the introductory science courses to the teaching of science in the elementary schools. The project also includes workshops for preparing mentor teachers who will use both cooperative learning and the learning cycle approach in their elementary school classrooms, and who will be observed by the prospective teachers during their early field experiences. The University of Wyoming will participate in sharing 13.5% of the cost of the project.