Abstract

Researchhasshownthatteachereffectivenessiscloselycorrelatedwithimprovedstudentperformance intheclassroom.Thisprojectdescribesaprofessionaldevelopmentexperiencedesignedtoincrease boththecontentknowledgeofteachersandtosharpentheirpedagogicalskills.Thecontentfocusof theprojectwilladdresstheintegrationofbasicconceptsofgeneticswiththemoleculargeneticsof today,andthenewscienceofgenomeengineeringthatwillshapetomorrow.Theprojectwillalsotrain teachersinapedagogythatvaluesquestionsoveranswersandencouragesstudentstodeveloptheir criticalthinkingskills. Theprofessionaldevelopmentexperienceisdesignedaroundtwoone?weeklongworkshops,heldin successivesummers.Teacherswillbeintroducedtoacollectionofinnovativetactileteachingtools designedtofunctionasthinkingtoolsinthehandsofstudents.Inaddition,teacherswillbeintroduced toaseriesofmolecularstoriesofcurrentresearchandshownhowfoundationalconceptsofbiologycan betaughtwithinthecontextofthesestories.Auniquefeatureofthisprojectwilloccurduringthe secondsummerworkshop?hostedbythescienceoutreachgroupsattheBroadInstituteatMITand HarvardortheInnovativeGenomicsInitiative(IGI)atUCBerkeley?whereteacherswillexperience scienceasaprocessofdiscoveryastheyinteractwithresearcherswhoareactivelyinvolvedinthe developmentofgenomeeditingtechnology. ThisprojectiswellalignedwiththeCoSTEMStrategicPlanandtheSEPAprogram'sgoaloftraininga morediversebiomedicalworkforce.Threecohortsoftwenty?fourhighschoolscienceteacherseachwill bedirectlyimpactedbythisproject.Theseteacherswillberecruitedfromourlocal,urbanMilwaukee PublicSchoolsystemandfromanationalpoolofteachers.Duringteacherrecruitment,preferencewill begiventothosewhoteachinschoolswithapredominantlyURMstudentpopulation?suchthata minimumof50%oftheteachersenrolledineachcohortwillservepredominantlystudentswhoare currentlyunder?representedinsciencecareers. ThisprojectrepresentsapartnershipbetweentheMSOECenterforBioMolecularModelingand(i)the scienceoutreachgroupsatTheBroadInstituteandtheIGI,(ii)theProteinDataBank,(iii)Milwaukee PublicSchools,(iv)theCTSIofSoutheasternWisconsin,and(v)R.AltaCharo,anotedbioethicistwith expertiseingenomeediting.

Public Health Relevance

. Thisprojectsupportsthecreationofaprofessionaldevelopmentexperienceforhighschoolscience teachersthatwillupdatetheircontentknowledgeintheemergingfieldofgenomeengineeringand providethemwithtactileteachingtoolswithwhichtoengagetheirstudents.Theprojectisalignedwith thegoalsoftheCoSTEMStrategicPlan?totrainadditionalK?12STEMteachersandtobuildamore diversebiomedicalworkforce.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Education Projects (R25)
Project #
5R25GM129218-04
Application #
9998985
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1)
Program Officer
Beck, Lawrence A
Project Start
2017-08-04
Project End
2022-07-31
Budget Start
2020-08-01
Budget End
2021-07-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2020
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Biomed Engr/Col Engr/Engr Sta
DUNS #
006433452
City
Milwaukee
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53202