The New York Hall of Science provides a plan for the creation of a MICROLAB Institute to provide training and ongoing supporting microbiology education for 7th grade life science teachers and middle school science supervisors. Over a period of three years the program plan to model enhancement of the quality of instruction in the nation's largest school district through (1) training in content and pedagogy, (2) ongoing peer and instructional support, and (3) the continuing provision of all materials and equipment for successful classroom implementation of hands-on curricula. The major goals of the project are: increase teachers' knowledge of microbiology concepts; change teaching methodology from rote to interactive; to develop a New York City-wide ongoing support network; and to stimulate teachers' own continuing development of materials for activity-based learning. Two hundred teachers and sixty science supervisors will serve as participants for this project. Cost sharing is equivalent to 51% of the NSF award.
