The WGBH Educational Foundation is expanding its TEACHERS' DOMAIN initiative to include an integrated set of digital pathways to promote, guide, and support the effective use of rich-media science resources by K-12 teachers, both in the classroom and for professional development. Addressing each of the core subject areas in the K-12 science curriculum (Life, Physical, and Earth Sciences), this initiative features: 1) aggregation of video, interactive, and other rich-media resources drawn from across the National Science Digital Library (NSDL) and other collections; 2) adaptation of all assembled resources to conform to the validated TEACHERS' DOMAIN model, presenting contextualizing information such as background essays, lesson plans, and correlations to national and state-level standards; and 3)dissemination, outreach, and support provided through digital pathways produced specifically for this target audience, including a professional development course, online workshops, classroom videos, and CD-ROM demonstrations, to assure widespread distribution and informed use in schools.
The intellectual merit of this initiative lies in the active participation of scientists and science education experts from the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS), the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE), and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and by WGBH's established capacity to develop compelling teacher training resources that fully engage and inspire the user. The Center for Children and Technology (CCT) at EDC is conducting ongoing evaluation to assess needs of target audience as well as impact of products and services provided. The project is ensuring broad and sustained national impact by working through the NSDL Core Integration Team, its Policy Committee and Standing Committees, and other developers of library collections and services. Additional activities underway to assure the sustainability of this stewardship function include the exploration of a partnership with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and its 349 independent member stations. The Office of Multidisciplinary Activities in the NSF Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) and the Division of Earth Sciences in the NSF Directorate for Geosciences are providing significant co-funding of this project in recognition of the value of this work in advancing the larger educational goals of MPS and GEO.
