Health Sciences Research: Educating the Public - PHASE II

描述（由申请人提供）：许多纽约市公立学校缺乏专门的实验室和学生在生命科学中进行动手实验所需的设备。毫不奇怪，这些学校大多数位于城市的部分，其中大多数学生是少数民族，在生命和健康科学方面代表性不足。为了满足这些学生的需求，我们已经与第一阶段SEPA赠款的支持下，开发和试点测试两个纽约市科学性能标准特定的便携式实验室套件，Microlab II和分子与健康。这些工具包包含了在一个只有桌子和电源插座的房间里进行相对复杂的生命科学实验所需的所有设备和其他材料。这些工具包适合7-12年级的生命和健康科学学生使用。Microlab II是一种基于显微镜的工具包，旨在探索细胞生物学和生理学的基本方面。分子与健康旨在说明分子生物学的原理，并为学生提供操作和分析DMA的实践经验。本申请寻求SEPA第二阶段的支持，以培训教师使用这些工具包，并将它们传播到整个纽约市的学校。该SEPA传播项目有四个具体目标。具体目标1：提高实验室生命科学实践教学的质量，提高健康科学专业人数不足的纽约市初中和高中学生的生命科学成绩。135名纽约市公立初中和高中科学教师将在纽约科学馆接受为期3天的Microlab II或分子和健康工具包使用培训，以及一天（如果需要）由纽约科学馆专业开发人员提供为期两天的校内帮助，以设置和使用这些工具包。具体目标#2：为那些在参加目标1所述培训计划的教师班级中设计出最好的8年级“退出”项目的学生提供机会，进一步探索他们的项目并向公众展示，同时参加为期4天的“科学夏令营”在纽约科学馆。具体目标#3：邀请6名在目标1所述的培训项目中表现出色的初中或高中教师参加哥伦比亚的夏季研究项目，以获得高级实验室培训。具体目标4：评估该项目对教师和学生的影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Many New York City public schools lack dedicated laboratories and the equipment needed for students to perform hands-on experiments in the life sciences. Not surprisingly, most of these schools are located in sections of the City in which most of the students are minorities underrepresented in the life and health sciences. To address the needs of these students we have, with the support of a Phase I SEPA grant, developed and pilot tested two New York City science performance standards-specific portable laboratory kits, Microlab II and Molecules and Health. These kits contain all the equipment and other materials needed to perform relatively sophisticated life science experiments in a room that has only tables and electrical outlets. The kits are suitable for use by life and health sciences students in grades 7-12. Microlab II is a microscopy-based kit designed to explore basic aspects of cell biology and physiology. Molecules and Health is designed to illustrate the principles of molecular biology, and to provide students with hands-on experience in manipulating and analyzing DMA. The present application seeks SEPA Phase II support to train teachers to use these kits and to disseminate them to schools throughout New York City. This SEPA dissemination project has four specific aims. Specific Aim #1: Improve the quality of hands-on laboratory life sciences instruction and life sciences achievement of New York City middle and high school students underrepresented in the health sciences. One hundred and thirty five New York City public middle and high school science teachers will receive 3 days of training at the NY Hall of Science in the use of the Microlab II or Molecules and Health kits, and one, and if needed, two days of in-school assistance by a NY Hall of Science professional developer in setting up and using these kits. Specific Aim #2: Provide an opportunity for students who devise the best 8th grade "exit" projects in classes of teachers participating in the training program described in Aim #1 to further explore their project and demonstrate it to the public, while participating in a 4-day-long "Science Summer Camp" at the New York Hall of Science. Specific Aim #3: Invite 6 middle or high school teachers who perform at an exemplary level in the training program described in Aim #1 to obtain advanced laboratory training by participating in Columbia's Summer Research Program Specific Aim #4: Assess the several impacts of this project on teachers and students.