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University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Outcomes, Challenges, and Resources
Outcomes
- A. Perhaps the most significant outcome of this grant has been the continued interest and excitement in neuroscience by BrainU teachers. At the end of each BrainU workshop, the teachers have asked, "when is BrainU part 2 beginning?" This input provided a basis for a NIH funded grant, BRAINS to Middle Schools, designed to work with middle school teachers over a three-year instead of one-year span of time. BrainU teachers have arranged for release time to travel to the Society for Neuroscience meeting, and some are presenting for the first time at the meeting. Other teachers are teaching summer enrichment classes, teacher training classes and after school classes to share their neuroscience knowledge with more people.
- B. Each year, students have been consistently engaged in neuroscience activities and in the design of experiments to test their own ideas. Consistently, the program has involved a high proportion of minority students (37% of student participants during the 2002-2003 school year; the Minnesota average is 18% under age 18) and students eligible for free or reduced lunches (45% of participating students during the 2002-2003 school year; the Minnesota average is 27%).
- C. All of the class activities, exhibit hall stations and computer animations developed for the BrainScience on the Move program has been posted to its website, http://www2.neuroscience.umn.edu/brainscience/. These resources provide easy access to download materials for teachers who have not attended BrainU, but are looking for neuroscience activities to share with their students.
Challenges
- One challenge has been the turnover of Science Museum of Minnesota staff involved in the BrainScience on the Move program. Training new personnel and maintaining continuity has been difficult. However, this difficulty has been solved with the hiring of a dedicated museum staff member for brain programs. This position was created as a result of new NIH award.
- As with many public institutions, the University of Minnesota faces major budgetary challenges. As a result, funding for outreach within the University is diminishing. Although the school continued to provide matching funds for our original proposal, the reduction of local support threatens the long-term viability of these types of outreach.
Resources
- BrainU 101
Teachers Invited to Attend "BrainU 101"
BrainU 101 will be held at the University of Minnesota and the Science Museum of Minnesota, July 19-30, 2004 to update 5-8th grade Minnesota and Wisconsin teachers on the latest in neuroscience research and provide curriculum materials for using neuroscience topics in support of the Intermediate and Middle level standards.
Modeling an inquiry approach, teachers will be exposed to the latest neuroscience findings, design and share curriculum integration strategies, investigate local resources, and receive needed educational materials for their students. Participants will also receive school assembly and exhibit hall presentations and use of BrainTrunk resource kits in their classrooms during the 2004-2005 school year. Outstate teachers are especially encouraged to apply.
For more information, please contact Carrie MacNabb: (612) 626-6757 or macna001@umn.edu at the University of Minnesota, or Sarah Hick at the Science Museum of Minnesota: (651) 221-2519, shick@smm.org.
- An eight-minute sheep brain dissection video is available through the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota. Please contact Carrie MacNabb at: macna001@umn.edu or 612-626-6757 to receive a copy.
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