Online Course for High School Science Teachers

An Online Course for High School Science Teachers National Teachers Enhancement Network-Montana State University

Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) and Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) in cooperation with the National Teachers Enhancement Network (NTEN) have produced an online course for Grade 9 and Grade 10 science teachers. NTEN is a program of Montana State University, a world-class public research university. The course is designed for high school science teachers who are or will be teaching out of field of endorsement. The course is an intensive 16 week online course. All participating teachers will be required to complete 7 or 10 content units in 16 weeks, including:

Unit 1: Teaching Science as Inquiry; and the units that comprise at least two of the following content areas:

•  Physical Sciences
•  Life Sciences
•  Earth/Space Sciences

Specifically, we are looking for teachers to complete content units for which they are not certified. We plan to field test the course and are currently seeking teachers to take the course for 3 graduate credits. We will ask all selected teachers to provide a $200 registration fee to enroll. The registration fee will be returned when all coursework requirements have been met. If a teacher is selected to participate but does not complete the course and all requirements, the registration fee will not be refunded. We will offer the course 3 times: fall 2009; spring 2010; and summer 2010.

To participate in the field test, you must meet the following requirements:

1. You have or will have received a high school science teaching license by spring or summer 2010.
2. You are under contract to teach a high school science course that is not in your certification area. This includes:
• Teachers certified in one of the major science areas (physical, life, or Earth/space) but who are teaching a high school multi-disciplinary science course that incorporates all 3 major areas.
• Teachers certified to teach high school in one of the major science areas (physical, life, or Earth/space), and are teaching a high school science course not in their certification area (e.g. a teacher licensed to teach biology, who is contracted to teach chemistry or physics).
• Pre-service teachers who will have received a high school science teaching license by spring or summer 2010, who have been hired by a district to teach a high school science course not in their certification area (e.g., a student who will be certified to teach high school in fall 2009 or in spring/summer 2010, licensed to teach biology, but who has signed a contract to teach Grade 9 physical science in the 2009-2010 school year).
3.  You can provide a $200 registration fee for the course. The registration fee will be returned when all coursework requirements have been met. If a teacher does not complete the course and all requirements, the registration fee will not be refunded.
4.  You have 9-12 hours per week to devote to the online course.

If you are interested in participating in the course, please CLICK HERE to complete an application. Space is limited to 30 students per section. Applications will be accepted while space is available. You will be notified by The National Teachers' Enhancement Network if you are selected to be a participant.