Hello Oklahoma High School Science Teacher,
To advance science fair opportunities for high school students, OSU researchers and science education faculty are preparing an NSF grant proposal. The proposed project, SPIRIT (Science Partnerships to Inspire Research and Innovative Teaching), will prepare high school teachers to coach students in science research competitions. Once funded, we expect to increase the science literacy of all SPIRIT teachers’ students and to increase the number of Oklahoma students who participate in science research competitions. This will be accomplished in 6 ways:
1. Teachers will receive funds to attend the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in May. This will give teachers a sense of the caliber of projects at the international level of competition, observe the project review protocol, attend teacher meetings to network with experienced science fair coaches, and attend award ceremonies..
2. Five teachers and 10 students (two students per teacher) will engage in a six-week summer research experience on the OSU campus with science, engineering, or mathematics faculty on current research that could develop into student projects for regional/state science fair, Oklahoma Junior Academy of Science (OJAS), or the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS).
3. Teachers will receive professional development during the summer research experience and throughout the year. These sessions will help teachers mentor students in science research and coach them in science research competitions.
4. OSU research and science education faculty will visit SPIRIT teachers’ schools (physically and virtually) to provide continued support throughout the school year.
5. Housing and stipends will be provided for teachers and students who attend the summer research experience and teachers will receive a stipend for coaching students in science research competitions.
6. Schools will receive compensation for a “course buy-out” which will allow SPIRIT teachers to teach a science research course in lieu of a traditionally taught course. .
If you are interested in the SPIRIT program, please send a Letter of Commitment from your school administrator to:
Dr. Julie Angle, NBCT
Secondary Science Education
226 Willard, College of Education
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078
Phone: 405-744-9505
FAX: 405-744-6290
Email: julie.angle@okstate.edu
A template for the Letter of Commitment that can be used to aid in writing the letter is found here and Dr. Angle can provide assistance in preparing your Letter of Commitment. Letters of Commitment must be printed on school letterhead and received no later than December 13, 2010.
Thank you in advance for your support of the SPIRIT effort to strengthen the Oklahoma science teaching profession and ultimately student learning.