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Project ARISE: Advancing Rhode Island Science Education

Grant Code: R25RR022719

Funding Years: 09/15/2006 - 06/30/2009

Institution: Brown University

Department:

Address:
Box G-LN
Providence, RI, 02912

PI:
STEIN, JOHN,
Phone: (401) 863-2263
Fax: (401) 863-7908
Email: john_stein@brown.edu

Co-PI:
AIZENMAN, JENNIFER,
Phone: (401) 863-3798
Fax: (401) 863-7908
Email: Jennifer_Aizenman@brown.edu

Co-PI:
WAKEFORD, LAWRENCE,
Phone: (401) 863-3428
Fax: (401) 863-7908
Email: Lawrence_Wakeford@brown.edu

URL: http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Continuing_Studies/ap/projectarise/
Audience

High school biology teachers and students

Subjects Addressed

Neuroscience, physiology, molecular biology and bioinformatics; Inquiry-based approaches to learning

Project Description

1. Engage high school teachers and students in inquiry-based approaches to learning about science. During the summers of the program, fifteen Rhode Island high school biology teachers, hereafter referred to as -fellows- will learn active, inquiry-based teaching methods and content in neuroscience, physiology, molecular biology and bioinformatics. 2. Bring cutting-edge research into the biology classroom. During the academic year, fellows will have access to mobile laboratory equipment as well as qualified scientific advisors, so they may implement new curriculum into their classroom. 3. Improve awareness of the relevance of science to everyday life. The program will address fundamental scientific questions: How do we sleep? How do we learn and remember? How do our genes determine who we are? Can genomic studies show how we have evolved? Because exploration of these questions is highly relevant to major social issues, including learning disorders and addiction, genetic testing and making informed health care choices, students and teachers will learn to connect brain science and genomics to the larger world.

Resources for Sharing

1. Mobile laboratory equipment. Trained fellows will have access to mobile lab equipment and reagents to conduct both lab exercises and independent research. Selected abstracts describing independent research projects will be posted on the Project ARISE website. 2. Shared lesson plans. Fellows will produce teaching materials such as lesson plans, mini-units, or curricular modules based on information learned in the program. Selected materials will be presented during the -summer workshops- held at Brown University during Years 2 and 3 of the program and will be posted on the program web site. 3. Discussion groups moderated by science/teaching expert 4. Nature of Discovery Symposium. 5. Website. The program website will post lab protocols, lesson plans and best practices. This material will serve NH and VT teachers given the alignment of science standards. 6. Project Kaleidoscope. Brown University participates in this NSF-supported consortium of liberal arts colleges and universities committed to the dissemination of progress in science pedagogy.

Abstract

Project ARISE: Advancing Rhode Island Science Education is a professional development program for teachers, designed to engage students in inquiry-based approaches to learning about science, bring cutting-edge research into the classroom, and improve the understanding of the relevance of science to everyday life. The core of Project ARISE is a year-long program for Rhode Island high school science teachers that will be co-taught by university faculty and graduate students. The goal of the program is to develop the tools and perspective that will enable high school teachers to integrate national science education standards and high-level concepts in molecular and genomic biology, bioinformatics, neuroscience, and physiology into their high school science classroom. During the first year of the program, Brown faculty and staff will work with a science education specialist from the Rhode Island Department of Education, high school science teachers, and an evaluation expert from the Education Alliance to design and refine course modules, mobile laboratory projects, and lesson plans focused on an inquiry-based approach to science and the broad-based concepts that are integral to it. During the summers of the program, Brown faculty members and graduate students will team-teach a two-week course to 15 Rhode Island high school science teachers selected as fellows, who will learn active, inquiry-based teaching methods that will assist them in achieving the national science education standards for teacher professional development and for science teaching. Fellows will have access to mobile laboratory equipment as well as qualified scientific advisors during the school year, so that they may implement new curriculum and concepts in their classrooms and conduct professional development in-service workshops. With the guidance of scientific advisors and trained fellows, students will define a research question, write an application for exploration, carry out and interpret controled experiments, and report their findings at the Nature of Discovery Symposium held at Brown University at the end of the school year. Lesson plans for middle and high school teachers developed by fellows will be posted on the Project ARISE Web site and will be presented to invited teachers at a meeting held at Brown University.

Keywords

inquiry, inquiry-based teaching, high school science professional development, mobile lab

View the Poster as presented at the 2006
SEPA Program Director's Conference

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