MITS: A National Model for a State-Wide Collaboration of Science Museums for Improving Science Literacy among Elementary School Teachers

马萨诸塞州的11家博物馆组成了一个独特的合作项目，以帮助小学教师提高他们的整体科学素养，并将这种素养传授给他们所教的孩子。主要的重点是一个为期三周的暑期学院和学年后续项目，在课堂教师和博物馆的各种资源、员工、藏品和展品之间建立了专业的合作伙伴关系。这些伙伴关系有助于提高这些教师及其学生的科学素养，并改善他们对科学的态度。来自马萨诸塞州至少35个学区的132名小学教师将有机会在以下设施中选择一个研讨会：哈佛大学阿诺德植物园、波士顿儿童博物馆、马萨诸塞州奥杜邦学会、大都会动物园、哈佛大学比较动物学博物馆、波士顿科学博物馆、新英格兰水族馆、马诺梅特鸟类天文台、科德角自然历史博物馆、新英格兰科学中心和斯普林菲尔德科学博物馆。整个小组的老师在研讨会的开始和结束时聚集在一起，然后参加他们选择的研讨会，他们的不同重点是生命科学，物理科学和/或环境科学。所有课程都以探究为基础，强调活动和发现。暑期活动的重点是帮助教师了解不同科学领域的共性。教师们了解探究的本质，如何在学校内外培养孩子们的探究精神，并研究可以在课堂上直接使用的活动。全年，各种项目帮助教师进行课程规划，通过各种非正式科学设施进行资源咨询，借阅材料和其他支持服务。通过定期向项目参与者分发内容丰富的通讯《科学是基础》，鼓励开展网络活动。其中35%的费用由新英格兰水族馆、合作博物馆、学校和私营部门共同承担。

Eleven museums in Massachusetts have formed a unique collaboration to help elementary school teachers improve their over all science literacy and their ability to transmit such literacy to the children that they teach. The main focus is a three-week summer institute and school year follow-up program that has created a professional partnership between classroom teachers and the diverse resources of the museums, their staffs, collections and exhibits. These partnerships contribute to the development of greater science literacy and improved attitudes toward science by these teachers and their students. One hundred and thirty two elementary teachers from at least thirty-five school districts in Massachusetts will be provided the opportunity to choose a workshop at one of the following facilities: The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, The Children's Museum, Boston, The Massachusetts Audubon Society, The MetroPark Zoos, The Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard, The Museum of Science, Boston, The New England Aquarium, The Manomet Bird Observatory, The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, The New England Science Center and The Springfield Science Museum. The whole group of teachers meet together for one day at the beginning and end of the workshop, but then attend the workshop of their choice, with their varying emphases on life science, physical science, and/or environmental science. All programs are inquiry-based with a heavy emphasis on activities and discovery. Key summer activities focus on helping teachers understand the commonalities among diverse scientific fields. The teachers develop an understanding of the nature of inquiry, the ways to foster it among children in school and out and investigate activities that can be modified for direct use in their classrooms. Throughout the year, a variety of programs help the teachers with lesson planning, resource consultation through the various informal science facilities, the loan of materials and other support services. Networking activities are encouraged through the publication of "Science is Elementary", a rich newsletter that is distributed on a regular basis to participants of the program. Thirty-five percent of the request has been cost-shared by the New England Aquarium, the collaborating museums, schools and private sector contributions.