Tulsa Community College (TCC) is partnering with secondary schools, universities, research laboratories, and industry to increase the number of students in the biotechnology pipeline by implementing SEEDBEd, a biotechnology education program for middle and high school students and teachers. SEEDBEd is adapting existing biotech-related instructional materials for use in middle and high school science courses, providing teachers with relevant professional development, and offering students an articulated educational pathway in biotechnology from middle school to college. The goals of the project are to (1) increase middle and high school students' knowledge of biotechnology and biotechnology careers, (2) increase middle school and high school teachers' knowledge of biotechnology content and reform-oriented pedagogy (for example, inquiry-based learning), (3) increase the number of high school graduates who enter TCC's biotechnology technician program, and (4) engage TCC faculty in biotech-related professional development.
The project is achieving its goals by (1) offering summer biotechnology training academies for middle and high school teachers and high school students, (2) providing industry-based internships and additional training courses to TCC faculty, (3) developing "biotechnology learning modules" for use in middle schools science courses and "Biotech Footlockers" for use in high school science courses, (4) creating a dual-credit biotechnology course for high school students, (5) forging articulation agreements between TCC and area universities (for example, Oklahoma State University), and (6) producing manuals that permit institutions in other areas to replicate SEEDBEd. An external evaluator is conducting question-driven summative and formative evaluations. The project is disseminating project materials and findings via a project website, local media outlets, presentations/poster sessions at state and national science and education conferences, journal articles, and a curriculum clearinghouse (Bio-Link).
