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Since 1991, the Science Education Partnership has created partnerships between research scientists and over 300 secondary school science teachers in Washington State. Through workshops and lab experience with scientist mentors, teachers gain knowledge and skills in life sciences research. At the same time, scientists hone their teaching skills and learn how science is being taught in classrooms. Ongoing technical support for participants and access to SEP¿s resources and network are key program elements. The program¿s successful design started with the founding committee of teachers and scientists and evolves through ongoing evaluation and reflective practice.
Each year, 25 teachers participate in the initial training that includes Saturday workshops and the intensive 13-day Summer Session. Teachers spend 5 days of the Summer Session working side-by-side with scientist mentors in the research labs. The remaining days are conducted in the Teaching Lab, working to integrate techniques and concepts in genetics and molecular biology with effective pedagogy, refining curriculum, and learning about resources at the Center. Lead Teachers, a team of experienced SEP veterans, join SEP staff in teaching the workshops and help bridge the school and research cultures. The Summer Session culminates with classroom projects developed by each teacher, presented in a public poster session.
One unique aspect of the mentorship component is that the scientists are directly involved in setting up the partnerships. Each scientist selects one teacher from the applicant pool, and the two work together to design a lab research experience that is mutually satisfying and tailored to the pair. This arrangement often leads to partnerships that extend beyond the summer to include classroom visits by scientists during the school year. Importantly, partnerships help to dispel some of the common stereotypes that each group perceives about the other. Mentor scientists are drawn from the Center as well as collaborating partner sites including the University of Washington (UW) Department of Genome Sciences, ZymoGenetics, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Amgen, and the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB). Teachers thus have the opportunity to experience a range of research settings and topics.
In 1996, we expanded our scientist-mentor group to include graduate students in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program (MCB), a joint program between the Center, ISB, and UW. To date, we have worked with 107 MCB students. Graduate students elect to work with SEP as a component of their teaching requirement, giving them an unparalleled opportunity to work closely with outstanding teachers to strengthen their ability to share their passion for science with teachers, students, and the public in general.
All SEP teachers have ongoing access to the Kit Loan Program. Last year, over 12,000 students used SEP kits in their science classes. These kits offer teachers the opportunity to share hands-on laboratory experiences with students, giving them a unique chance to experience an authentic, problem-solving approach to science, using the techniques and equipment of research scientists. Kits contain all the equipment and supplies necessary for experiments in such areas as DNA gel electrophoresis, bacterial transformation, fruit fly genetics, column chromatography, and more.
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