Title: Memphis Curriculum Reform Initiative The University of Memphis, a state supported comprehensive university, and LeMoyn-Owen College, a private, historically African American undergraduate institution, are organizing a workshop and ancillary activities for faculty members of the two institutions to develop ways to incorporate and illustrate exemplary teaching methods in the science content and pedagogy courses taken by future elementary school teachers at the two institutions. The content courses are taken by a wide range of students in addition to those planning careers in teaching. Opportunities are provided for input and evaluation of the resulting changes by in-service teachers and two year college faculty as well as by current undergraduate students who have recently completed the unmodified courses. In its initial phase a group of science and pedagogy faculty are meeting toreview pertinent research literature and to identify four or more individuals to be brought to the workshops as discussion and activity leaders. After the workshop participants will serve as change agents within their own departments. Assessment will include an ethnographic study of cultural changes among the teaching faculties of the two institutions.
