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Program Director:
Dr. William Folk
Professor of Biochemistry and Senior Associate Dean for Research
University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine
Office of the Dean
Columbia, MO 65212
573/882-2841
folkw@missouri.edu
The links below describe the outcomes and challenges this grantee experienced and what resources they are willing to share.
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The University of Missouri-Columbia, the Missouri Botanical Garden and three Missouri school districts will collaborate to enhance science education in secondary school classrooms. The project is innovative in its integration of geospatial and biological imaging technologies to promote scientific inquiry in, and an understanding of, cell and developmental biology and health.
Multicomponent Activities: Two major investigative strands combine to provide the intellectual context of the curriculum, with a nested series of basic and advanced modules that relate directly to state and national science standards:
Mapping Health: student interest in science and technology will be stimulated by using biogeographic data and modeling of the spread of avian influenza virus, a topical issue of great importance to human health. Students will model interventions to block development of a pandemic and will evaluate their effectiveness.
Mapping Cell Fate: students will learn structural and functional elements of cells and their organization into tissues. Scientific inquiry into the process by which these are instructed to form a complex organism will be developed by mapping cell fate with zebrafish embryos. This will conceptually link to the use of biogeospatial mapping tools and concepts employed in Mapping Health, as will exploring how humans are altered by avian influenza virus infection. The project will be enhanced by discussion of cultural differences in the approaches to treatment of disease, as a result of an NIH/NCCAM-funded research center evaluating African traditional healing.
Teacher Professional Development: A total of 36 high school teachers from three school districts highly committed to the project and 12 preservice teachers will participate in the first phase (years 1-2). During the second phase (years 3-4) an additional 36 educators from districts that are members of the MU Partnership for Educational Renewal (a consortium of 21 school districts), and an additional 12 preservice teachers will participate.
Student Activities: In yrs 3-4, ten students recommended by each school district in phase 1 will participate in a five-day summer academy at MU. So as to have maximum impact, these students will be predominantly from backgrounds without significant experience in higher education or that are underrepresented in the scientific workforce.
Assessment: Formative and summative evaluations of the project process and outcomes will be conducted by a professional, highly experienced team.
In year 5, all inservice and preservice teachers, students, project staff members, and evaluators will share in a Community of Learners meeting to showcase what educators and students have gained, participate in summative evaluations and finalize the curricular materials for dissemination in digital and print forms to be widely accessible to educators and the public. Significant efforts will be made to have strong participation by all members of the university community, including post-secondary students and postdoctoral fellow, educators and the general public.
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