An analysis of need of groups revealed that science teachers need additional training to effectively teach ecological concepts, principles, related process skills and environmental issues to their students. To help meet this specific need, an ecological institute is being offered for twenty-five middle grades and high school teachers per year for two years. The proposed objectives of the institute are: (1) To develop and assess a course in ecology for science teachers that emphasizes acquisition of concepts, principles, and inquiry processes; (2) To teach the course to selected teachers using the Keller Plan and modular techniques for acquiring an understanding of environmental issues, ecological knowledge, and process skills; and (3) To provide the teachers with ecological activities that permit "hands-on" experiences in studying, collecting, identifying and preserving terrestrial and aquatic organisms. To ensure the achievement of the objectives, the institute will be conducted for six weeks each year during the summer (8:00 a.m. Mondays - 5:00 p.m. Fridays) and during the academic year. The institute will be composed of two segments. The first will occur on Albany State College's campus and on Sapelo Island, Georgia. During the first four weeks of the summer, participants will be engaged in the modular/ discussion part of the course, including laboratory activities. The last two weeks will involve activities conducted at Georgia Marine Institute on Sapelo Island. The second segment of the institute (workshops) will be conducted at the schools of the participants during the following academic year. During this time, the institute staff will teach ecological concepts and process skills of the institute to the in- service teachers' colleagues. Additionally, at these workshops, the staff will conduct local field trips for the teachers, and provide advice to them while they develop teaching materials that reflect information learned in the institute.
