TARGET AUDIENCE: grades 6-12 teachers
DATE/LOCATION: July 18-22, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Lincoln (Class # 12474) (Room: 35 Henzlik Hall)
INSTRUCTORS: John Carroll and Julie Thomas, UNL
TEAC 924D: Seminar in the Curriculum and Teaching of Secondary Science, Science Inquiry and Problem-Based Learning (PBL) -- This graduate level course is primarily designed for high school biology teachers. Teachers will first become familiar with UNL researchers’ efforts to understand complex ecological problems in South Africa (predator community response to human influences and environmental change in the context of fragmented African landscapes). Secondly, teachers will learn problem-based teaching strategies that develop students’ disciplinary knowledge base, inquiry skills, and higher-order thinking skills. What differentiates this course is the unique opportunity for teachers to collaborate with UNL ecologists to create problem-based learning curricula that access real research data and center on real-world environmental dilemmas.