Demonstration Sites Wanted

[Mort Sternheim UMass <mms@K12.OIT.UMASS.EDU>]

WANTED: SEARCH Demonstration Sites

Pending funding from the National Science Foundation, Project SEARCH will
select six Demonstration Sites to adapt the NSF/5C5E Project to their
local communities. NSF/5C5E (TPE 9150262) was based on the assumption that
elementary and secondary teachers have not provided students with the
opportunity to engage in long-term, open-ended investigation - to ask
research questions - because they themselves never had that opportunity.
Teachers participating in NSF/5C5E were asked to conduct environmental
research and then design ways in which their students could be expected to
ask the questions - to do research. NSF/5C5E classrooms demonstrate that
students can meet the standards recommended by the national reports - and
that both elementary and secondary teachers can become skilled (and
enthusiastic) leaders of young researchers.


How to become a SEARCH Demonstration Site

We are seeking six sites within a 200 mile radius of Amherst,
Massachusetts. (The limited radius will reduce travel time to our summer
1996 training institute and fall and spring meetings each year of the
project.) Universities and colleges, school districts, collaboratives,
museums, and other non-profit organizations are invited to apply. If you
live too far away to become a SEARCH Demonstration Site, please see the
final paragraph.

The SEARCH Handbook will be sent to those interested in applying and we
will help in drafting applications and plans. Applicants are encouraged to
discuss their ideas with us in advance, and to submit an optional two to
four page preproposal as early as possible. This is intended to assure the
strongest possible applications.  The deadline for full proposals is
February 1, 1996.  Sites will be selected as soon as NSF funding is
awarded.

The Demonstration Site applications should include:

Qualifications of a five person instructional team (two college and two
school faculty and another educator or an administrator) plus a local
evaluator

The size and characteristics of the target population, and letters of
support from administrators in the target schools or districts

The qualifications of the sponsoring organization. If it is not a college
or university, we will encourage enlisting one as a co-sponsor

A description of the physical site and its facilities

Arrangements for Internet access and support for the staff and
participating teachers

Arrangements for computers for spreadsheets, word processing, etc.

A tentative implementation plan including a timeline

Additional local resources available to strengthen the project

Potential for continuing college-school collaboration after the project
ends

Potential for systemic change


Selection will be based on the strength of the application and the need to
include diverse target populations. We also would like to include some
districts, collaboratives, museums, other non-profit organizations. This
diversity will allow us to demonstrate that the program works in a wide
range of settings and to refine our written materials.


The SEARCH Timeline

March 1996: project funded (we hope), 6 SEARCH Demonstration Sites begin.

July 8 to 22, 1996:
    SEARCH sites send five-member instructional team for 2-week training
        in Amherst
    Site evaluators come for 2-days of the program.

Academic Year 96-97:
    SEARCH sites select 40 local teachers
    All SEARCH instructional teams return to Amherst for two one-day
        meetings (fall and spring)

Summer 1997
    SEARCH sites run local two-week institutes, 40 teachers each

Academic Year 97-98
    SEARCH sites run follow-up sessions for participating teachers
    SEARCH sites select second cycle of 40 teachers
    All SEARCH instructional teams return to Amherst for two one-day
        meetings (fall and spring)

Summer 1998
    SEARCH sites run three-day call back for first cycle
    SEARCH sites run second cycle two-week institute

Academic Year 98-99
    SEARCH sites run call backs for first and second cycle
    All SEARCH sites return to Amherst for two one-day meetings (fall and
        spring)

Summer 1999
    SEARCH sites run 3-day call back for second cycle


Budget (pending funding from NSF)

First Year: instructional teams members will receive a stipend $2,000
    each. In addition, the costs of travel to Amherst, board, room, and
    supplies will be covered by the grant
Demonstration sites: total/site years 2,3,4 = $100,900
instructional team: years 2 and 3 = $3,000 each; year 4 = $1000
on-site evaluator: $3000 each year
administration: years 1 and 2 =$3,000 each; year 4 =$2,000
participant expenses: stipends: Each participant $60/day x 13 days;
    materials $100/participants; subsistence $2/person/day summer; $12 for
    call-back meetings


If you cannot become a Demonstration Site:

Project SEARCH has prepared a Handbook, which will be revised and extended
during the project.  The current draft version can be obtained in print
form (see address below) or via the world wide web
(http://k12.oit.umass.edu/partner.html).

Pending funding from NSF, we will also offer half-day workshops at major
professional meetings. If you are interested in attending, or hosting,
such a workshop, contact the project.

For more information, contact

Mary Alice B. Wilson, Coordinator
Five College/ Public School Partnership
Five College Center
97 Spring Street
Amherst, MA 01002
voice: (413)256-8316; fax (413)256-0249
mwilson@k12.oit.umass.edu

--
Mort Sternheim                                   Voice (413)545-1908
Department of Physics and Astronomy              Fax   (413)545-4884
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003   mms@k12.oit.umass.edu
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