Interpreting Current Research on Global Environmental Issuesfor Middle-School Teachers and Their Students

这项建议旨在通过为向中学教育工作者转让海洋和水生研究成果和方法提供一个结构，在中学教师和他们的学生中提高对全球环境问题的认识和理解。共有150名教师将参加为期三年的五个为期三周的暑期讲习班。这五个研讨会中的每一个都将在位于密西西比州海洋斯普林斯的墨西哥湾沿岸研究实验室进行。讲习班的目的是：(A)提高与会者对全球环境问题的认识和理解；(B)向与会者提供各种实地、实验室和课堂教学技术；(C)为教师与研究科学家的互动提供一个论坛；以及(D)将研究转化为教学应用。参加这些研讨会的教师将代表密西西比州、阿拉巴马州、佛罗里达州和路易斯安那州。每个讲习班都将从这四个州招募参与者。每期为期三周的讲习班将由参加州、区域和/或国家会议的“后续”活动提供支持。在本学年期间，参加培训的教师将在各自的学区内制定在职培训计划。该项目将解决全球环境问题的四个普遍领域。它们是：(1)气候变化，(2)海洋和河口污染，(3)生物多样性下降，(4)人口过剩。将通过研究科学家、海洋和科学教育工作者以及课堂教师之间的互动，采用多学科方法。教学方法将包括科学/技术/社会哲学方法。总之，通过中学课堂教师、海洋教育工作者和海洋科学家的互动，该项目应该为科学教师和其他科学教育工作者提供一个极好的机会，提高他们在研究全球环境问题方面的知识和技能。代表四个州的150名教师有可能接触到超过22,000名学生。费用分摊相当于NSF奖励的39%。

This proposal is designed to create among middle-school teachers and their students an enhanced awareness and understanding of global environmental issues by providing a structure for the transfer of marine and aquatic research results and methods to middle-school educators. A total of 150 teachers will participate in five, three-week summer workshops during a three-year period. Each of the five workshops will be conducted at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory located in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The workshops are designed to: (a) raise the awareness and understanding of the participants concerning global environmental issues; (b) give the participants a variety of field, laboratory, and classroom teaching techniques; (c) provide a forum for teachers' interaction with research scientists; and (d) translate research into teaching applications. The teachers participating in these workshops will represent Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana. Each of the workshops will recruit participants from these four states. Each of the three-week workshops will be supported by "follow-up" participation in state, regional, and/or national meetings. During the academic year, participating teachers are expected to develop an inservice training program within their respective school districts. Four general areas of global environmental concern will be addressed by this project. They are: (1) climatic changes, (2) marine and estuarine pollution, (3) decline in biodiversity, and (4) overpopulation. A multi-disciplinary approach will be utilized through the interactions of research scientists, marine and science educators, and classroom teachers. Teaching methodologies will encompass the science/technology/society philosophical approach. In summary, this project, through the interaction of the middle-school classroom teachers, marine educators and marine scientists should provide an excellent opportunity for science teachers and other science educators to improve their knowledge and skills relating to the study of global environmental issues. The 150 teachers, representing four states, have the potential of reaching more than 22,000 students. Cost sharing equals 39% of the NSF award.