ERIC Number: EJ1415458
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2576-6767
Bringing Research into the Classroom: Bacteriophage Discovery Connecting University Scientists, Students, and Faculty to Rural K-12 Teachers, Students, and Administrators
Rayelynn L. Brandl; Christina L. Pavlovich; Marisa L. Pedulla
Journal of STEM Outreach, v7 n2 2024
Bringing Research into the Classroom (BRIC) engaged rural K-12 science teachers in sustained, mentored science research. BRIC's goal was to equip teachers with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to provide high-quality biomedical research opportunities for K-12 students and teachers. Programmatic elements included authentic, place-based, microbiology outreach in K-12 classrooms, summer teacher research academies focused on content knowledge and research, and a capstone symposium. Over 9,000 Montana students collected and tested environmental samples to isolate new-to-science bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria). University scientists, faculty, and students mentored K-12 teachers and students during classroom outreach visits and teacher research academies. BRIC aimed to increase teacher and student bacteriophage content knowledge and research skills through meaningful, mentored research projects. BRIC researchers hypothesized greater program impacts from intensive teacher professional development combined with classroom outreach, compared to classroom outreach visits alone. Program evaluation compared two cohorts of teachers, which each received all programmatic elements through a four-year, staggered rollout. Teachers and students were assessed for gains in knowledge, skills, and science attitudes. A subset of our evaluation instruments and outcomes, program dissemination, lessons learned, and recommendations for replicating the BRIC model are discussed.
Descriptors: Rural Schools, Elementary School Teachers, Secondary School Teachers, Science Teachers, Mentors, Scientific Research, Microbiology, Outreach Programs, Summer Programs, Teacher Researchers, Program Evaluation, Elementary School Students, Secondary School Students, Achievement Gains, Scientific Attitudes
Journal of STEM Outreach. PMB 0367, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203. e-mail: jstemoutreach@vanderbilt.edu; Web site: https://www.jstemoutreach.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH) (DHHS); National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) (DHHS/NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Montana
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1R25OD01653301; P20GM103474; RGN132951A