Track 2, GK-12: Let's Explore Applied Physical Science (LEAPS)

“让我们探索应用物理科学”（LEAPS）项目将以2002年UCSB建立的成功的GK-12模式为基础。LEAPS的研究生和本科生科学与工程研究员将与当地3所初中的科学和数学教师组成跨学科团队，在物理科学中提供以发现为导向的教学。除了课堂创新之外，LEAPS还将组织课后科学俱乐部和由研究员和志愿者研究生指导的科学博览会项目，并将参与“问科学家”互联网项目。每所学校的LEAPS家庭科学之夜将让家长参与讨论同伴和学生的互动。智力优势：LEAPS项目将创建一个由研究科学家和工程师组成的社区，这些科学家和工程师在有效的研究性教学、支持性指导和向公众传播科学技术方面具有专业知识。LEAPS将通过科学探究的个性化参与和研究员的指导来丰富K-12学生的科学经验。LEAPS将探索大学研究人员成为初中生有效榜样的能力。更广泛的影响：教师将获得新的课堂活动资源；帮助指导科学展览项目，以及吸引家长参与的机制。LEAPS将与三所拉丁裔人口众多的当地学校合作，为八年级学生提供创新的科学教学。在加州，八年级的科学课程是所有学生必修的最后一门科学课程，因此对他们的大学轨迹非常重要。因此，对学生的指导和榜样是这个项目的一个基本焦点。制度化的努力将增加教师的参与，发展社区、工业和大学的支持，并培养扩大的UCSB志愿者网络。LEAPS将开设一门新课程，“面向公众的科学：沟通与指导”，这门课程将吸引更多的UCSB社区参与公众对科学和科学家的看法的研讨会，并指导K-12学校的实地工作。评估将侧重于长期跟踪学生对科学的态度和衡量学生的表现。参与者将提供关于他们的跨越式学习经历的反馈，以及它如何影响他们的教育和职业发展。项目影响和评估结果将由LEAPS研究员、教师、评估员和项目负责人通过校园通讯、当地媒体、UCSB的LEAPS系列研讨会、专业教育和科学会议上的演讲以及科学教育期刊上的出版物传播。

The "Let's Explore Applied Physical Science" (LEAPS) program will build on the successful GK-12 model established at UCSB in 2002. LEAPS graduate and undergraduate science and engineering Fellows will work in interdisciplinary teams with science and math teachers at 3 local junior high/middle schools to deliver discovery-oriented instruction in Physical Science. In addition to classroom innovations, LEAPS will organize after-school science clubs and science fair project mentorship by Fellows and volunteer graduate students and will participate in an "Ask-a-Scientist" internet project. LEAPS Family Science Nights at each school will engage parents in discussion of Fellow and student interactions.Intellectual Merit: The LEAPS program will create a community of research scientists and engineers who have expertise in effective teaching of inquiry-based instruction, supportive mentorship, and accessible communication of science and technology to the general public. LEAPS will enrich K-12 student science experiences through individualized engagement in scientific inquiry and mentorship by Fellows. LEAPS will explore the capacity of university researchers to become effective role models for Junior High School students.Broader Impacts: LEAPS teachers will gain new resources for classroom activities; help with mentoring science fair projects, and mechanisms for engaging parents. LEAPS will partner with 3 local schools with sizable Latino populations to deliver innovative science instruction to 8th grade students. In California, grade 8 Science is the last science course that all students must take, and therefore has great importance on their college tracking path. Thus, mentorship and role modeling for students is an essential focus of this project. Institutionalization efforts will increase faculty participation, develop community, industrial and university support, and cultivate an expanded network of UCSB volunteers. LEAPS will create a new course, "Science for the Public: Communication and Mentoring", which will engage the greater UCSB community in seminars on public perceptions of science and scientists, and in mentoring field-work in K-12 schools. Evaluation will focus on long-term tracking of student attitudes towards science and on measures of student performance. Participants will provide feedback on their LEAPS experience and how it shapes their educational and career progress. Program impacts and evaluation findings will be disseminated by LEAPS Fellows, Teachers, Evaluator and PI's through campus newsletters, local media, a LEAPS seminar series at UCSB, presentations at professional education and science conferences, and publications in science education journals.