This project is an 18 month program that includes 1) a 1991 summer institute for 32 high school biology teachers with two academic year follow-up sessions, and 2) a pilot leadership program consisting of five two-week workshops taught, during the summer of 1992, by teams of lead teachers selected from previous institutes. The institute and follow-up sessions will be held on the campus of Indiana University and the workshops will be held in five different local sites, yet to be selected. The workshops will serve an additional 100 teachers. The purpose of this program, which builds upon the success of a previous teacher enhancement effort, is to develop a leadership program that can serve as a national model for dissemination of knowledge and pedagogical techniques in a specific subject matter area. The objectives of this program are 1) to improve the quality of instruction of the nature of science and evolution; 2) to encourage and enable biology teachers to begin with these matters and to integrate them throughout the biology course; 3) to demonstrate how the use of humans as biological examples can enhance student interest and learning; 4) to assist teachers in developing a more dynamic teaching methodology. Applications sessions will emphasize a shift in laboratory focus toward exploratory activities. In addition the use of cooperative learning, concept mapping, and textbooks as reference sources will be encouraged. An amount equal to 28% of NSF costs will be provided as cost sharing.
