Support Program for Instructional Competency in Astronomy (Project SPICA)

天文学教学能力支持计划（SPICA）项目提出了一项统一的国家支持计划，通过为期三年的暑期强化培训，每年培养32名有兴趣从事天文学教学的高中教师骨干。这些机构将为参与者提供各种必要的经验，以便参与者向准备不足的小学，初中和高中教师进行短期讲习班。本项目遵循美国物理教师协会建立的物理教师资源代理项目模式。在夏季研究所，参加者将听取那些从事当前光学、无线电和x射线研究、建造下一代观测仪器和发展理论模型的科学家的报告，这些模型将指导未来天体物理学研究的进程。教师也将能够与这些科学家进行非正式的交谈。参与者将使用光学和射电望远镜。教师们将接受最新的科学教育方法的培训，并将对以前在STAR项目、劳伦斯科学馆和教育发展中心下开发的广泛的天文学教育材料有实际的经验。他们将学习如何最有效地与同年级教师合作。这些专家教师将以“变革代理人”的身份回到他们的家乡学校。他们将在参加讲习班后的三年内在其家乡举办地方、地区和区域天文学教育讲习班。该项目不仅将评估研究所参与者的经验，还将评估其讲习班的有效性及其对学生学习和态度的影响。该机构将分摊该项目的费用，约占美国国家科学基金会（National Science Foundation）请求的34%。

The Support Program for Instructional Competence in Astronomy (SPICA) project proposes a unified, national support program for teachers interested in teaching astronomy by developing a cadre of 32 expert high school teachers each year for three years through intensive summer institutes each of four-week duration. The institutes will provide the participants with a variety of experiences necessary for the participants to give short workshops to less well-prepared elementary, junior high and high school teachers. This project follows the model established by American Association of Physics Teachers as the Physics Teacher Resource Agent program. At the summer institutes, the participants will hear presentations from those scientists who are involved with current optical, radio and x-ray research, building the next generation of observational instruments, and developing the theoretical models which will direct the course of future astrophysical research. Teachers will be able to talk with these scientists informally as well. Participants will work with optical and radio telescopes. Teachers will be trained in the latest science education methods and will have hands- on experience with a wide range of astronomy education materials previously developed under Project STAR, the Lawrence Hall of Science, and the Education Development Center. They will learn how to most effectively work with those who teach at grade levels other than their own. These expert teachers will return to their home schools as "agents-of-change." They will conduct local, area and regional astronomy education workshops in their home areas during the three years following their workshop participation. The project will evaluate not only the institute participants' experiences, but the effectiveness of their workshops and the resultant impact on student learning and attitudes. The institution will cost-share the project in an amount which represents about 34% of the National Science Foundation request.