Horizon Research Inc. and faculty from the University of North Carolina (UNC) will develop and implement a teacher enhancement model for middle school earth science teachers. A "Topics In Earth Science Course" will be developed for use in the in-service workshops. Materials for the course will be drawn from the many excellent though widely dispersed curriculum materials available. The course will have a total of 90 hours of earth science instruction so that in-service leaders will be able to select those components that best match the needs and interests of a particular group of teachers. These leader team in-service programs will also emphasize and use instructional methodologies which research has shown enables students to learn most effectively. Course materials will be field tested in local districts. Topics will be included from geology, astronomy, oceanography and meteorology. Initially, nine two-person leader teams participate in an intensive two-week workshop at UNC. One member is a middle school earth science teacher the other a science supervisor with experience in in-service education delivery. Then these leader teams will polish their skills delivering 2 two-week sessions, each with 18 underprepared teachers at UNC. Finally, each team will provide in-service workshops on-site, customized to local needs, for 30 teachers in groups of 10. Throughout the workshops leader teams continue to receive support from project staff. The leader team workshops begin July, 1990 following development of the topics course in September, 1989. All project activities will be guided by a National Advisory Panel of distinguished scientists and educators. Key features of the in-service model are: the ability to customize the on-site in-service workshop based on local needs, the continued support provided to the leadership teachers and the model's resulting transportability. Area districts have made commitments to provide leader teams and funding support for the on-site workshops. I strongly recommend a standard award for 24 months in the amount of $483,968. There is cost sharing in the amount of $151,578 which is equal to 31% of the NSF award.
