Statement of Objectives 1. To increase preservice biology teachers (stusdents) knowledge of the use of computerbased technologies in the sciences, including video microscopy, digital imaging, and computer interfacing with data collectors. 2. To allow students to develop inquiry-based laboratories using the above technologies. 3. To provide opportunities for students to practice intergrating these technologies with their teaching as they give demonstrations to other biology classes and to inservice teachers. Methods During the teaching methods courses for secondary and middle school biology preservice teachers, students, will participate in variety of inquiry-based laboraties and demonstrations using computer-based technologies. After they have become familiar with this equipment, they will develop their own lessons and will teach lessons to their peers. As another opportunity to develop their teaching skills using this equipment, they will conduct demonstrations and workshops for the elementary teachers biology course, graduate students who teach the introductory biology courses, and to inservice teachers. During the training workshops, participants will not only participate in or observe use of the equipment, they will have the opportunity to develop their own laboratories and /or develop videotaped or computer disks with images from the video microscopy equipment and digital imaging system. This will allow teachers, who do not have this equipment in their classrooms, to have this equipment in their classrooms, to have use of the equipment. Significance of activity to the advancement of education Currently, few biology courses at Southwest Missouri State University use computer-based technologies in their laboratories. In some cases, secondary schools have more technology in their classroom than teachers have experienced using in their university preparation. This equipment will not only provide more opportunities for preservice teachers to use the equipment, but will allow these students to develop lessons and integrate the equipment into their tracking. In addition, they will be able to develop their teaching skills by presenting training workshops and demonstrations to other teachers. By offering workshops to graduate teaching assistants, the equipment may also be used in majors biology courses. Inservice teachers will have the opportunity to learn how to use the equipment and to produce videotapes and computer files of images and laboratory exercises to use in their classrooms. This equipment will provide learning opportunities in biology and in integrating technology into teaching.
