This project focuses on 'Teaching Science as Inquiry' in this 'Pathway to Inquiry-Based Science Teaching: An International Partnership' undertaken by Shodor Education Foundation. It is based on three main axes that could facilitate the uptake of IBSE (Inquiry-Based Science Education). It (a) proposes a standard-based approach to teaching science by inquiry that outlines instructional models to help teachers organize effectively their instruction, (b) deploys a series of methods to motivate teachers to adopt inquiry-based techniques and activities and (c) offers access to a unique collection of open educational resources and teaching practices (linked with science curricula) that have proven efficiency and efficacy in promoting inquiry-based education while expanding the limitations of classroom instruction. Such an approach enables all stakeholders (teachers, teachers' trainers, and curriculum developers, policy-makers) to examine their own practices in the light of the best performing approaches that set the standards on what can be achieved and provides them with a unique tool to bring about improvements in their everyday practice. Broad Impacts are based in all three objectives. They depend largely on Shodor being an active 'train the trainers' partner to ensure that National Science Digital Library (NSDL) materials form the core of the new materials effort and new efforts to change how teachers are prepared to teach while both extending their evaluation in an inquiry mode and leveraging the workshops to directly benefit a number of American (in-service and pre-service) teachers and teacher preparation faculty. This provides a broader evaluation of the effectiveness of the content and design of NSDL. Also the American participants will have a substantial international experience in culture and comparative education.
