A Maine ScienceCorps Promoting Excellence and Equity in High School Biological Science Education

University Of Southern Maine, Portland ME

Investigators

Abstract

A Maine ScienceCorps Promoting Excellence and Equity in Ifigh School Biological Science Education In partnership with high school biology teachers, a "ScienceCorps" of University of Southern Maine (USM) immunology and molecular biology graduate student fellows will bring laboratory and inquiry-based activities into underserved Maine classrooms while adding a focus upon inquiry methods of learning and teaching to their graduate curriculum. Students in chronically underfunded rural schools typically have inadequate access to laboratory facilities and the scientific world beyond the classroom. ScienceCorps extends the twenty-two year partnership of USM and the Foundation for Blood Research in enrichment of high school biological sciences education through programs of inquiry-based learning activities and laboratory experiences for students and teachers. ScienceWorksfor ME, an ongoing program providing summer institutes for teachers and students and hosting visiting high school bioloav classes for laboratory-based activities, provides the framework for much of the training that graduate fellows will need to serve effectively in high school biology classrooms. ScienceCorps teams, each consisting of two graduate fellows, will take activities developed and tested through ScienceWorks into rural high school classrooms across the state and will also work with skilled high school teachers in developing new activities that will facilitate these teachers'efforts to meet state and national science education standards. 0086341