Biotechnology Integration Opportunities for Teacher Education and Content (BIOTEC) will enhance inquiry-based science teaching while expanding the interdisciplinary preparation of graduate students. Biotechnology powerfully integrates scientific knowledge with knowledge generated through scientific research, while providing a context to explore the reciprocal relationship between technology and science. The biotechnology theme will add relevance and interest in STEM concepts in K-12 classrooms (specifically grades 5, 7, & 9). Existing cyberinfrastructure will be used to reach teachers and students in remote Navajo reservation schools. Project goals are to: 1) establish, strengthen, and sustain partnerships between GK-12 teachers, STEM Fellows, the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), local school districts, schools on the reservation, and NAU researchers; 2) develop and implement professional development opportunities for GK-12 teachers and Fellows; and 3) determine the effectiveness of partnering schools, teachers, students, and Fellows across rural and urban contexts.
Teacher and Fellow teams will develop the content and skills to engage K-12 students in appropriate biotechnology laboratories. Classroom teachers will serve as teaching mentors for the Fellows. The Fellows will convey the purpose of scientific research and how it provides the foundation for improving our choices about personal and community health. These experiences will enhance the Fellows as researchers, collaborators, and future teachers. Students will experience scientific inquiry and become aware of careers in science, biotechnology, and technology support services. It is expected that all participants in BIOTEC will gain a better understanding of scientific research and how it affects our understanding of the world.
