Use of Research to Improve the Quality of Science Education in Urban High Schools

该项目正在纽约市的城市高中进行研究，涉及来自经济困难环境的学生和早期职业科学教师，为职业转换设计的替代认证计划的毕业生和科学及相关领域的毕业生。通过使用包括设计实验在内的参与性研究形式，该项目正在确定在成功的科学课程中采用的有前途的做法，以及旨在起到催化作用的研究形式在多大程度上改变了课程。一个由早期职业城市科学教师组成的网络正在通过一个互动网站进行合作，在他们自己的教室里参与研究，并参加以前沿科学和科学教育发展为重点的讨论会。参与教师班级的学生也被挑选出来组成一个城市青年网络，他们学习如何进行科学教学研究，并参加一系列包括科学前沿主题的讨论会。一个由大学科学教师和科学教师教育者组成的网络也正在建立，其目标是让他们在大学科学课上学习以探究为导向的大学科学教学和学习方法，并进行研究。其目标是通过研究、参与学术讨论、电子互动和进行设计实验来提高大学科学教学的质量。该项目提供了一种方法来协调城市大学内的科学教师教育，并改变科学教学的方式，包括探究的灌输。本项目的研究涉及教师（大学科学教师和早期职业城市科学教师）、学生和外部人员，采用民族志、设计实验和调查等多种方法进行研究。讨论课堂上发生的事情，特别是与教师和学生的角色有关的讨论，为课程改革奠定了基础，根据参与者确定的证据做出改变。我们正在努力发现和解决矛盾，建立集体责任，确保变革按计划实施。一个主要的目标是指导新的科学教育工作者，并且正在做出正式的努力来创建一个基础设施，以支持有前途的非终身教职员工的学术增长，以便他们继续参与城市科学教育。从这个项目中学到的东西有可能改变科学教师候选人的教育计划，科学教师的专业发展方法，以及与维持城市高中新教师所需的结构相关的政策。该项目也有可能找到提高大学科学教学质量的新方法，特别是通过将探究融入科学教学和协助大学教师在自己的课堂上进行研究。

The project is undertaking research in urban high schools in New York City, involving students from circumstances of economic challenge and early career science teachers, graduates from an alternative certification program designed for career changers and graduates in science and related fields. Through the use of participatory forms of research, including design experiments, the project is identifying promising practices that are adopted in successful science classes and the extent to which curricula are transformed by forms of research designed to be catalytic. A network of early career urban science teachers are collaborating through an interactive website, participating in research in their own classrooms, and attending colloquia in which science at the frontiers and developments in science education are foci. Students from the participating teachers' classes also are selected to comprise a network of urban youth who learn how to do research on the teaching and learning of science and participate in a colloquium series including topics on the frontiers of science. A network of college science teachers and science teacher educators also is being created with the goal of them learning about inquiry-oriented approaches to teaching and learning college science and undertaking research in their college science classes. The goal is to improve the quality of teaching and learning college science through research, in the contexts of participating in colloquia, interacting electronically and undertaking design experiments. The project is providing a means to coordinate science teacher education within CUNY and change the manner in which science is taught, including the infusion of inquiry. The research done in this project involves teachers (college science instructors and early career urban science teachers), students, and outsiders in multi-method research, using ethnography, design experiments and surveys. Discussions of what happened in class, especially pertaining to the roles of teachers and students, set a context for curriculum reform, making changes based on evidence identified by participants. We are endeavoring to identify and resolve contradictions and build collective responsibility for ensuring that changes are enacted as planned. A primary goal is to mentor new science educators and formal efforts are being made to create an infrastructure to support the scholarly growth of promising non-tenured faculty so that they remain involved in urban science education. What is learned from this project has the potential to change programs for the education of science teacher candidates, approaches to the professional development of science teachers, and policy relating to the structures needed to sustain new teachers in urban high schools. The project also has the potential to identify fresh approaches to improving the quality of college science teaching, especially by infusing inquiry into the teaching of science and assisting college instructors to undertake research in their own classroom.