Professional
Developers |
Science specialists and
resource teachers, curriculum coordinators, museum educators,
university faculty |
|
| A series of workshops about inquiry and professional-development
design provides professional developers with experiences and materials
that enable them to provide workshops for others. |
Fundamentals
of Inquiry |
Provides an overview of inquiry through science investigations that
explore the relationship between process skills and conceptual understanding.
Examines the anatomy, structure, and facilitation of the inquiry experience. |
| Assessing for Learning |
Explores methods for assessing student learning when using inquiry-based
approaches. Includes opportunities to practice and critically review
ways to assess students’ science skills and conceptual understanding “as
you go.” |
| Classroom Strategies for Teaching Inquiry |
Provides techniques and strategies to help teachers implement inquiry
in the classroom in incremental steps. Employs a series of activities
with strong connections to curriculum and standards to illuminate aspects
of inquiry. Uses videos and vignettes to provide “images” of
inquiry in the classroom. |
| Teaching Science Content through
Inquiry |
Provides experience with investigations in several physical, earth,
or life science topics that serve as models for developing learners’ knowledge
of conceptual scientific ideas. Examines strategies for teaching science
content through inquiry within the curriculum, exploring what content
lends itself to inquiry and why. |
| Administrators |
Superintendents and assistant
superintendents, principals, curriculum specialists |
|
| Seminars examine policy issues central to science education
reform. Focuses on the exploration of standards-based inquiry teaching
and learning and how to support their implementation. Uses case studies
to illuminate effective reform efforts in districts across the country. |
| Teachers |
Classroom teachers, mentor
teachers, lead teachers |
|
| Workshops provide strategies for integrating inquiry
into classroom practice. Draws upon topics in earth, physical, and
life sciences. Includes exploration of techniques for building fundamental
skills for inquiry learning, such as helping students raise questions
and design ways of investigating their questions. |
National
Leaders |
Education reform leaders,
policy makers, researchers, funders |
|
| Seminars for educators in leadership roles across the
country. Creates new visions, research, and publications that influence
the national discussion on science education reform. Provides a platform
for presenting new exemplary practices and exploring viable solutions
to implementing inquiry in the schools. Forums are organized around
special topics, such as “Inquiry Across Disciplines” and “Supporting
Inquiry through Assessment.” |
Out-of-School
Educators |
Program Leaders |
|
| Workshops for out-of-school program leaders illustrating
hands-on approaches to science learning that can complement classroom
instruction in schools and extend field trips to informal learning
centers (museums, aquaria, etc.). Introduces activities that provide
science-rich, student-centered learning experiences for youth. Supports
ways for programs to develop their staff’s capacity to create
standards-based, engaging science activities for youth. |
University
Community |
Undergraduate and graduates
students, post-docs and faculty in the education and science
fields |
|
| Workshops tailored to students and faculty in schools
of education, and to scientists in science departments and research
centers that address learning science content through inquiry and pedagogical
approaches to learning inquiry. Helps support scientists and labs in
planning and preparing educational outreach programs in order to address
the broader-impact plans now required for many grants. |
|
Consultation and portfolios designed specifically
for the needs of science education reform projects. Includes a range
of materials, on-site visits, workshops structured to match and enhance
reform efforts, and methods of implementing approaches to inquiry
teaching and learning. |
