Increasing Expertise in Earth Science Education

该奖项将用于开发和试点一个新的科学硕士学位项目，该项目旨在为中学科学教师提供一种机制，使他们有资格获得地球/空间科学学科领域的认可，并成为《不让一个孩子掉队法》所要求的“高素质”教师。这个新的学位课程将由在线、课堂和实地体验相结合组成，将主要为密歇根州的实践教师提供服务，他们：1)目前教授地球/空间科学，但在实地教学；或者2)目前在教授另一门科学，但将来有兴趣教授地球/空间科学，或者3)有兴趣获得更高的学位，以获得更多的专业机会。学位课程和组成该课程的课程正在使用“逆向设计”过程开发，这将使该课程与州教师准备标准和州学生学习内容标准和基准保持一致。作为该课程的一部分，正在开发两门新的在线地质学/地球科学核心课程和一门基于实地和课堂的人类影响课程，并与现有的基于实地和课堂的地质学课程和现有的在线科学教育课程相结合，以创建新的理学硕士学位。在为期两年的试点期间，将有6名教师参与该计划。他们的学费由该奖项赞助，因为他们将在开发和实施新的学位课程和课程时提供重要的反馈。最终，该项目将通过学费自给自足。预计该学位课程将成为培养高素质地球科学教师的国家典范。对该项目的评估将决定该项目在增加密歇根州高素质教师队伍规模和效率方面的潜力，以及其向其他州转移的潜力。

Increasing Expertise in Earth Science EducationThis award is being used to develop and pilot test a new Master of Science degree program designed to provide a mechanism for secondary level science teachers to qualify for subject area endorsement in Earth/space science and become "highly qualified" as required by the No Child Left Behind legislation. This new degree program, which will consist of a combination of on-line, classroom, and field experiences, will be developed primarily to serve practicing teachers in the State of Michigan who are: 1) currently teaching Earth/space science but are teaching out of field; or 2) currently teaching another science but are interested in teaching Earth/space science in the future, or 3) interested in working toward an advanced degree to qualify for enhanced professional opportunities. The degree program and the courses that make up the program are being developed using a "backward design" process that will result in alignment of the program with the State Standards for Teacher Preparation and the State Content Standards and Benchmarks for student learning. Two new on-line geology/Earth science core courses and one field- and classroom-based course on human impacts are being developed as part of this curriculum and integrated with existing field-based and classroom-based geology courses and existing on-line science education courses to create the new M. S. degree. Over the two-year pilot period, 6 teachers will participate in the program. Their tuition is being sponsored through this award, as they will be providing critical feedback on the new degree program and courses as they are developed and implemented. Eventually, the project will become self-sustaining through tuition fees. It is expected that this degree program will serve as a national model for preparing highly qualified Earth science teachers. Evaluation of the project will determine the program's potential for increasing the size and effectiveness of the highly qualified teacher workforce in Michigan and its potential for transferability to other states.