Coal in the Heart of Appalachia: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of the Science and Culture of Coal

跨学科（99）为非科学专业学生和在职科学教师开设的课程通过探索与社会和个人相关的问题，即阿巴拉契亚的煤炭工业，将科学和人文科学结合起来。利用该地区特有的问题，作为他们文化遗产的一部分，使学生的科学个性化。学生们正在学习和重视科学，因为他们与科学建立了情感联系。该项目是对学习型社区概念的适应，在这个概念中，学生小组共同参加跨学科科学课程“阿巴拉契亚心脏地带的煤炭”和人文课程“民俗学概论”。后一门课程强调煤炭对文化的影响。为职前、中等科学教育专业的学生举办的专题综合科学研讨会，提高了学生对科学之间相互联系的理解，并提高了他们将这些知识应用于社会问题的能力。这些课程以建构主义为基础，促进公民责任，示范科学教育的最佳实践。

Interdisciplinary (99) Courses for non-science majors and pre- and in-service science teachers are integrating the sciences and the humanities through the exploration of a socially and personally relevant issue, the coal industry in Appalachia. Use of an issue unique to the region that is a part of their cultural heritage personalizes science for the students. The students are learning and valuing science as a result of the emotional connection they are making with it. The project is an adaptation of the learning community concept in which groups of students are co-enrolled in the interdisciplinary science course Coal in the Heart of Appalachia and the humanities course, Introduction to Folklore Studies. The latter course emphasizes the cultural impacts of coal. A seminar for pre-service, secondary science education majors, Thematic Integration of Sciences, is improving the students' understanding of the interconnectedness among the sciences and is enhancing their ability to apply this knowledge to societal issues. The courses are constructivist-based, promote civic responsibility and model best practices in science education.