The WISE (Workshops for the Improvement of Science Education) project is enhancing the scientific laboratory skills of and knowledge base of pre-college science teachers in western New York State. This helps the teachers prepare their students to acquire the scientific and technological expertise needed in the region and the nation in the 21st century. This project is a collaborative effort facilitated by experienced MCC faculty working with a consortium of local school districts in the region. Secondary teachers and MCC faculty are working together to develop lesson plans that incorporate fundamental scientific principals, the appropriate modern laboratory materials and cooperative learning techniques. The principal aim is strengthening the skill of teachers by helping them to attain pedagogical content knowledge, or the blending of content and pedagogy into an understanding of how particular topics, problems, or issues are organized, represented, and adapted to the diverse abilities of the learner and presented for instruction. Science teachers are being recruited to participate in one-week summer workshops with appropriate follow-up activities in the next academic year. Over the three-year period, a total of 288 teachers are participating in workshops in four scientific disciplines: biology, chemistry, physics and earth sciences. The broader impacts of the WISE project address a need identified in a National Science Foundation Report (December 1998) that indicates many high school science students are taught by teachers with poor preparation in their discipline. The WISE project is giving preference in its application process to those teachers teaching in resource-poor urban or rural districts and lacking the discipline-based educational background. In addition to the critical shortage of teachers with discipline-based education, the WISE project is helping teachers address major revisions to the high school science curricula in New York State. The major aims of the revised curricula are to increase students' scientific literacy, problem solving and reasoning skills. Some key features of the project are: instruction and supervision by experienced, well-qualified MCC faculty; hands-on training in the use of modern technology, instrumentation and software; secondary teachers bringing the equipment/software back to their home schools; teachers working cooperatively to develop laboratory projects and experiments; participation of teachers from schools with large minority populations (Rochester City School District); participation of teachers from high-need rural school districts; follow-up activities to assist and reward teachers in implementation; emphasis on pedagogical content knowledge; and a web page for continuous sharing of materials and networking. The WISE project is being evaluated by independent, professional evaluators to assess the impact of the project on teacher knowledge, attitudes, and the impact on their classroom activities. Project results are being disseminated nationally and regionally through journal publications, conference presentations, and a web site.
