FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Stacy Brooks,
The American Physiological Society
301-634-7253
sbrooks@the-aps.org
APS Promotes Innovative Science Teaching Practices with “Frontiers in
Physiology”
The American Physiological Society Hosts 14 Teachers on
a week-long retreat as part of their Summer Research Teacher’s Program
July 20, 2001 – Bethesda, Md. – As part of an ongoing effort to improve
science education, the American Physiological Society (APS) will host 14
teachers from across the country at a week-long retreat focused on
laboratory research and the exploration of innovative and effective science
teaching methods. The retreat will run July 23-29 and is part of the APS
Frontiers in Physiology program. Frontiers in Physiology fellowships
provide teachers with stipends to cover their full-time summer participation
in a research laboratory, as well as travel expenses to attend the retreat
and a major scientific meeting.
>The goal of Frontiers in Physiology is to provide a laboratory research
experience to middle- and high-school-level teachers. In learning research
techniques and following the scientific process from start to finish, the
teachers (and subsequently their students) gain a greater understanding of
science. The summer program pairs each teacher with an APS member who makes
the teacher part of his/her research team. Teachers also learn effective
education strategies that help them translate their research experience into
classroom labs.
Midway through the Frontiers in Physiology
program, teachers go on a week-long summer retreat, which will take place at
the Airlie House Conference Center in Warrenton, Va. This serves as a break
in their laboratory activity and allows the teachers to explore and share
their experiences with other summer research teachers. While on retreat the
teachers will explore a variety of experiments and activities including a
study of aggressive vs. submissive behavior in Siamese Fighting Fish, an
exploration of factors that affect blood flow and blood pressure in humans
and Project WISE, an online effort to promote and inquiry-based approach to
scientific problems. During the retreat, teachers can also speak with
former summer research fellows who return to mentor, share best practices,
and contribute anecdotes about how the Frontiers in Physiology has improved
both their understanding of science and their approach to teaching.
Experiments
Siamese Fighting Fish: The male fish of this
species are notorious for their ritualistic and sometimes hostile behavior
in threatening situations involving other males or even their own
reflections in a mirror. In this experiment, teachers will place a mirror
in front of the fish bowl to observe and compare the aggressive and
submissive reactions of the fish in a threatening atmosphere.
The Elvis Experiments: This experiment, named after Elvis Presley, who
had high blood pressure, tests different factors that may influence blood
flow and pressure in various situations. Teachers will use tubing, beakers
and liquids of varying viscosities (thickness) to simulate the flow of blood
in vessels.
Project WISE: This interactive, online
learning environment developed by the University of California – Berkeley
will take place in the high-tech computer facility at Airlie House.
Teachers will participate in both hands-on and online activities and
discussions to explore the debate on bacterial contamination in organically
vs. traditionally grown foods.
APS began its summer research programs in 1990 with 10 high school
science teachers. Since its beginnings, more than 220 teachers have
participated in the laboratories of 130 APS members nationwide. Each
teacher receives a grant of up to $8,500 for research laboratory expenses as
well as travel expenses to the retreat and the APS annual meeting,
Experimental Biology 2002.
For more information on Frontiers in Physiology and other APS education
programs, visit the APS web site at
www.the-aps.org or e-mail:
education@the-aps.org.
The American Physiological Society is a nonprofit, professional
society that seeks to integrate the life sciences from molecule to
organism. The Society is dedicated to fostering research, education and the
dissemination of information about the function of the body and its organ
systems. APS supports a variety of educational activities including
programs and fellowships to promote excellence in education at the
professional level. Founded in 1887, its membership now includes more than
10,000 professionals in science and medicine.
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