Teaching Science with TOYS is a three-year teacher enhancement project for K-12 teachers involving faculty from the Departments of Chemistry and Physics on the Oxford, Hamilton, and Middleton campuses of Miami University as well as master pre-college teachers. The primary project activity is a series of Teaching Science with TOYS workshops for K-12 teachers. During the summers of 1992 and 1993, the three- week workshops will have 40 teachers and eight university affiliates from a nationwide pool. During (1991-92), (1992- 93) and (1993-94) academic year (AY), regional workshops will include 16 teams of 4-teachers each and (2-4) university affiliates. Development activities begin June 1, 1991. In the workshops participants will learn the principles of chemistry and physics embodied in commercially-available toys; they also learn and practice pedagogical strategies for engaging students in physical science education through inquiry-oriented, toy-based activities. Teachers of grades K-12 will participate as intra-district teams to strengthen the presence of hands-on collaborative science education in the schools. Individually and collectively they will be dedicated to working together to strengthen their content knowledge, to learn pedagogical strategies and develop means for applying those strategies within their school system's present curriculum, and to assume a leadership role within their school system. Upon completing the workshop, these teams will become resource persons and conduct peer-led workshops for others in their district, thus multiplying the effect of the project beyond the scope of the direct participation. Three written products will result. First, a facilitators' handbook will be developed to enable University Affiliates to replicate the project regionally. Second, a collection of toy-based activity write-ups will be tested and revised for use in pre-college classrooms. These will be used in the workshop and incorporated into the Teacher Resource Modules, (TRM) the third written product. The TRM will provide teachers with content background and classroom activities to supplement their existing science curriculum. Each module will contain a general content review, pedagogical methods for applying the content in the classrooms, and related toy- based activities. The TOYS program and its materials will be evaluated through on-going, multi-step process that will allow continual monitoring of progress towards goals. Special attention will be given to evaluating the impact of second generation peer- led workshops. Cost-sharing equals 179% of the NSF award.
