This project will be designed to educate participants to become aware of how different teaching methods affect student understanding of selected science concepts. Building on teacher interest in doing classroom research, the STAR model will bring teachers to a summer workshop where they will become part of a classroom research team. In order to study how teaching methodology effects learning, the middle school teachers in this project will need to acquire a deep understanding of the science topics to be investigated, strategies for teaching for conceptual change, and methods for determining levels of student understanding. The first year's inservice and academic year follow up will deal with selected physics topics and the conceptual change teaching model. During the second year, leaders from twenty-five school systems will receive instruction so that they can conduct similar projects in their own systems. Years three and four will involve expanding the model to the life and earth sciences. During year five, a guide for developing such inservice programs will be produced and disseminated.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE)
Application #
8751481
Program Officer
William E. Haver
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1988-02-01
Budget End
1994-02-28
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1987
Total Cost
$256,587
Indirect Cost
Name
Tufts University
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Medford
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02155