This project at the University of Wisconsin will help teachers improve their background in genetics and to assist them in becoming familiar with the resources available to help them keep abreast of new developments in genetics and biotechnology. It will offer teachers the opportunity to explore and examine the ethical and moral decision-making needs at both the societal and personal levels. It will challenge teachers to reconsider their own genetics curriculum and teaching strategies in a stimulating and supportive environment. It will help teachers to identify and discuss content-specific issues and misconceptions commonly held by students in genetics and will enable teachers to develop instructional activities to address them. The proposed project will act as both the catalyst and support teachers seek in their continuing efforts to revise and improve their science teaching. The proposed project will consist of the following two major components: The Summer Institute for Genetics Education - This component will allow for the continuation and expansion of the Summer Institute for Genetics Education. Existing teacher materials will be evaluated and modified and new modules will be developed. Future modules will focus on other topics such as the genetic basis of evolution and developmental biology, ethical issues and decision-making models, and student learning and problem solving in genetics and other curricular issues. In addition, future modules will be planned to address the special needs of elementary and middle school teachers and the teaching of the concepts of variation, continuity, and development. Twenty-five teachers each year will attend five separate workshops, each of one week duration. Genetics Education Institute Academic Year Activities - During this component, the Summer Institute staff will develop and conduct follow-up and promotional activities during the school year. These activities would include, but not be limited to, 10 workshops, 10 in-services, 3 convention presentations, seminar series, and assistance to teachers who wish to conduct outreach activities in his or her own community. The Institute staff will review and disseminate information to teachers on educational research, curricula, audio-visual aids, and printed materials. The staff will provide or arrange for guest lectures in classrooms, coordinate and conduct school field trips to campus, act as a clearinghouse to provide students and teachers with materials on specific requested topics, develop and field test classroom for instructional activities, write and distribute ideas and information to teachers via the GenoType newsletter and other professional journals such as The American Biology Teacher and The Science Teacher. In addition, the staff will seek to acquire long-term support for the project in the form of funding and equipment. An amount equal to 34 percent of the National Science Foundation award has been added to the project.
