1. Train The Trainer
The Train the Trainer program consists of series of workshops that are designed to instruct pre-college educators how to develop classroom environments in which students feel comfortable solving math & science problems. Research has shown that Inquiry-based instruction has been proven to improve student’s learning aptitude by providing hands-on activities that require cognitive thinking skills to solve problems. The National Science Teachers Association has made inquiry instruction a best practice in teaching and inquiry has been adopted as a teaching method in the National Science Education Standards. Although widely accepted as the most effective teaching method, many teachers are simply not aware of its advantages, even though they are encouraged by CountySchool Boards and the Florida Dept. of Education. A total of 10 workshops will serve 250 teachers from across the state in which they will learn how to implement inquiry methods in their classroom.
2. Engineering Connection
The Engineer-Teacher Connection program will be established to provide a mechanism whereby pre-college teachers and practicing engineers may connect for purposes of collaborating to strengthen science and engineering education. Teachers benefit from the engineers’ useful technical guidance they will provide for science and technology projects, as well their advisement on the implementation of engineering into pre-college curricula. Participating engineers are interested in promoting their field, fulfilling their employer’s corporate community responsibilities, and becoming positive role models fro young potential engineers and scientists.
3. GE Foundation Summer workshop at Kennedy Space Center
- Training workshop for teachers at the NASA Educators Resource Center
- Teachers selected by the GE Foundation
4. CPET Teacher Training Programs (CPET)
- “Emerging Pathogens” workshop for teachers from limited-resource schools in five counties in the State of Florida
- In partnership with University of Florida’s Center for Pre-collegiate Education and Training (CPET) and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Interdisciplinary Center for Ongoing Research / Education Partnership (HHMI)
5. Digital Solutions for the Classroom (DSC)
- A digital technology education program designed for Florida’s teachers
- In partnership with Astronauts Memorial Foundation