The goal of this professional development for educators project, a multidisciplinary science partnership involving San Antonio College (SAC), San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) and the Project BRIDGE education/industry partnership, is to increase the number of qualified grades 6-14 science teachers in San Antonio who use technology-rich inquiry/lab-based pedagogies that are aligned with national and state science education standards. Two Summer Institutes with six follow-up sessions during the academic year are being offered to community college science faculty, middle and high school teachers, and prospective teachers enrolled in an Alternative Certification program to provide professional development in technology-supported, inquiry-based learning and discipline-specific science content. Twelve college-level and secondary science courses, including two courses for preservice students, are being revised to include inquiry-based pedagogy and technology-based laboratory experiences. A cadre of "content consultants" consisting of community college faculty serve as liaisons between secondary and community college communities and serve as mentors and curriculum content experts for SAISD teachers. Through connections to the education/industry partnership, BRIDGE (Bringing together Resources from Industry, Development, Government, and Education), industry personnel are involved in the development of the workshop curricula, providing examples of how science concepts are utilized in the workplace. Evaluation efforts are measuring the impact of the professional development on current and future educators' knowledge and practice regarding technology and inquiry-based instruction as well as impact on student learning. By increasing the number of qualified 6-14 science teachers who use technology-rich inquiry/lab-based pedagogies, this project has the potential to improve science and technology literacy for at least 400 SAC and 1000 secondary students each semester. The project is also enhancing the San Antonio and regional educational infrastructure through improvement of networks and partnerships.
