EDUCATION
Harvard, Wisconsin Programs Aim To Improve Science Education lows—chosen from among college and university professors, high school teachers, and industrial chemists—would conduct research on issues in chemical education. Katherine Κ. Merseth, special as sistant to the dean for institutional planning at Harvard, says that in addressing the lack of qualified en trants into math and science teaching The national clamor raised over the in secondary schools, Harvard is past couple of years about growing "trying to make something of a dif scientific illiteracy among Americans ferent statement." The university is goading efforts to reverse that figures that midcareer scientists are trend. Two of the more recent ones a good pool to tap. come independently from Harvard Potential applicants for the pro University and the University of gram include individuals eligible for Wisconsin. early retirement or voluntary sever Both of the programs are aimed at ance plans, and many of them have teachers and teaching—precollege in good pension plans. Harvard figures the case of Harvard, precollege and that with the potential tax advan tages the new career would offer, and college at Wisconsin. At Harvard, the Harvard Graduate with changing financial needs for School of Education is proposing a those who already have paid off their two-point program to, as it says, mortgages and educated their chil change the trickle of science and dren, a new career in teaching with mathematics teachers entering, and lower pay would not be con the flood of those leaving, the straining. teaching profession. First, the school For the program, the Harvard will provide a teacher training pro Graduate School of Education plans gram for mid- to late-career mathe to select each year 25 individuals maticians and scientists now work whose primary career has not been in ing in industry. Second, it will con education. The first year of the pro duct workshops during the academic gram is focusing on math. In subse year and the summer for individuals quent years, the program will expand who now are teaching math or to other sciences such as chemistry science at the high school level. and physics. Basically a nine-month program, At Wisconsin, the effort involves chemistry more directly. The hope the curriculum will include courses there is to form a national Institute designed both to provide compe for Chemical Education, which tency in the subject area and to gain would be housed in the chemistry perspectives on education. Nearly department. The first of two major half of the program will involve ex initial programs at the institute tensive field work in actual teaching would offer continuing education situations. The teachers in the field workshops for precollege and college who serve as "master teachers" for teachers to help them broaden and the trainees will receive special update their knowledge of the training at Harvard to enhance their chemical sciences and related topics. work with the prospective teachers. In the second program, resident fel The program will award either a
The programs involve training midcareer scientists to teach, and setting up a national institute to foster research in chemical education issues
30
May30,1983C&EN
master's degree or a certificate of advanced study and will meet the Massachusetts certification require ments for secondary school teachers. The second aspect of the program involves workshops to be held dur ing the academic year and the sum mer for individuals now teaching math or science at the high school level. This program won't grant a degree, Harvard explains, but it will help teachers improve their knowl edge and therefore teaching abilities by providing in-service training in an environment that reinforces their value to society. Exchange between the individuals in both aspects of the program is a fundamental part of the program's design, Harvard says. It will provide opportunities for both groups—the aspiring teachers, with an under standing of the needs of today's businesses, and experienced teachers, with a fundamental understanding of children—to work together and learn from each other. At Wisconsin, the Institute for Chemical Education was proposed in April at a national conference to evaluate the idea. Chemistry profes sor Bassam Z. Shakhashiri says he is proceeding with plans for the insti tute, which he hopes can begin op eration later this year. Shakhashiri says that the confer ence participants—more than 30 business and science-education leaders—unanimously passed a res olution calling for the creation of a national facility to improve the quality of teaching in the chemical sciences at all educational levels. In cluded among the participants were representatives from high schools, colleges, universities, professional organizations, and major companies, including Du Pont, Exxon, Dow, IBM, Upjohn, and 3M. James Krieger, Washington
