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GOALS OF THE PROJECT...
"From the Ground Up!" seeks to improve the teaching and learning of physical science by engaging teachers and students in hands-on investigations using online telescopes.
GOALS FOR TEACHERS...
A primary focus of the project is to enhance classroom practice—e.g. by enabling teachers to:
- Serve more as mentor and less as lecturer
- Structure available time for student investigations
- Develop a self-sustaining learning community
- Guide students in inquiry-driven projects
- Encourage student use of resources outside the classroom
- Accommodate the varied learning styles and interests of their students
- Become more familiar with current science and technology
- Explore appropriate uses for online technology in the classroom
GOALS FOR STUDENTS...
"From the Ground Up!" is designed to give students a working knowledge of key concepts in physical science, and to provide opportunities for students to develop independent, inquiry-driven projects.
In addition, the project aims to help students acquire or improve the skills to:
- Go beyond scripted activities to develop questions and projects
- Determine "What do I need to know?"
- Gather and weigh evidence
- Create testable hypotheses by building on factual knowledge
- Estimate quantities, make measurements, estimate sources of error
- Reason from models
- Communicate ideas, listen to others, incorporate new ideas
- Articulate how facts are related in a framework or story
- Develop a personalized understanding meaningful to themselves
GOALS FOR THE PROJECT DEVELOPERS...
A primary goal of "From the Ground Up!" is to assess the appropriate uses of online technology in the classroom—especially the use of remote instrumentation. In addition, the project aims to:
- Document improvements in classroom practice that will help curriculum developers to design, in collaboration with teachers, the next generation of curriculum materials.
- Develop ongoing, self-sustaining student/scientist partnerships.
- Develop better tools for assessing students' understanding and achievement—and for students' self-assessment.
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