|
|
This proposal requests funding of a comprehensive, long-term plan for professional development for teachers which advances the concepts of innovative reform and sustainability. The continuous professional development program is anchored in the Problem-Based learning (BPL) philosophy. This methodology has demonstrated effectiveness for grounding students in hands-on, interactive, and inquiry based activities in math and science education. Beyond introducing teachers to the methodology, this proposal provides the needed infrastructure to sustain through the continuity of experiences, support for implementation and on-going classroom instruction, and make available necessary resources consistent with the methodology and with national curriculum standards.
It is well accepted that long-term professional development is one pathway to empowering teachers to effect change in teaching and learning as it occurs in the classroom. This proposal is for a unique model of continuous professional development which not only engages teachers, but supports them over the minimum of one academic year with opportunity for support beyond that time frame. It is anticipated that this project is the first step in responding to the National Education Association's recommendation on strengthening professional development over teachers' entire careers.
Please note that the scope of this project has been modestly adjusted commiserate with the award amount.
While 40% of the requested funding was not awarded, the project has not been scaled down by 40% of its activities or participants. In the section on cross-cutting activities we have increased the support in order to best dovetail on-going and currently funded activities with this project. This approach eliminates any potential for duplication of effort and allows current personnel to support this project in ways not originally proposed. By using exising resources and additional outside funding with the awarded support we are able t
|
