An Integrated Science Sequence for Elementary Education Students

这个项目的目的是从根本上修改密西西比州立大学为非技术类学生提供的入门科学课程。将提供三个学期的课程，内容包括生物、天文学、物理、化学和地质学。该提案的主要目标是为职前教师提供扎实的学科内容，同时使他们为在小学教授科学做好准备，重点是教授实践科学。将为职前教师开发专门的实验室部分，重点是内容的应用、引导发现方法的使用和过程技能的发展。在教授修订后的课程之前，文理科教师将参加研讨会，重点讨论当前的科学教育研究，发现教学法，以及为中小学生开发的新课程教材。在完成三个学期的课程后，职前教师将通过计划增加科学含量的课程，将教学知识和实验室技能应用于基础教育科学方法课程，并将实验室活动转化为对儿童适当和有意义的活动。在他们的学生教学经验中。学生将被安排与在为期三周的暑期研讨会上接受教育的教师一起担任导师，以确保学生在教授优秀科学的课堂上。这些导师将能够提供持续服务的教师所需的鼓励和支持，以教授他们所教的科学。项目评估将包括跟踪学生通过学生教学和第一年的全日制教学。在该项目的最后几年，将举办讲习班和会议，联系密西西比州的其他师范教育机构，在全州范围内分享课程开发和评估。特别令人感兴趣的是将社区学院纳入外展目标。密西西比州分担的费用是NSF要求的金额的58%。

The purpose of this project is to radically modify the introductory science courses offered at Mississippi State University to non-technical students. A three semester sequence of courses to include content in biology, astronomy, physics, chemistry, and geology will be offered. The major objective of the proposal is to provide preservice teachers with solid content in the disciplines while preparing them to teach science in the elementary school with an emphasis on the teaching of hands-on science. Special laboratory sections will be developed for the preservice teachers which focus on application of content, use of guided-discovery methods, and the development of process skills. Prior to teaching of the revised courses, Arts and Sciences faculty will attend seminars focusing on current science education research, methods of teaching by discovery, and newly developed curriculum materials for the elementary and middle school student. The preservice teachers, upon completion of the three-term sequence, will apply content knowledge and laboratory skills to the elementary education science methods course by planning lessons with increased science content and will translate laboratory activities into activities that are appropriate and meaningful to children. During their student teaching experience. students will be placed with teachers who have been educated in a three weeks summer workshop to serve as mentors to insure that students are in classrooms where good science is being taught. These mentors will be able to provide the encouragement and support that the perservice teachers need to teach science as they have been taught. The project evaluation will include following the students through student teaching and the first year of full time teaching. In the latter years of the project, there will be workshops and conferences to reach out to the other teacher education institutions in the state of Mississippi to share the course development and evaluation on a state wide basis. Of Particular interest is the inclusion of the community colleges in the target for outreach. The cost sharing by Mississippi State is 58% of the amount requested from NSF.