Office of the Dean

Outreach, Research Training and Minority Science Programs (MSP)

GK-12, Innovating Graduate and K-12 Education in Biological Sciences

Sponsored by the National Science Foundation

(NSF Grant DGE-0638751)

 

Program Announcement

Applications will be reviewed starting on May 15, 2008

Program Directors

Dr. Luis M. Mota-Bravo, Director of Outreach, Research Training and Minority Science Programs (MSP), School of Biological Sciences

Dr. R. Michael Mulligan, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Professor of Developmental and Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The GK-12 Program at the UCI School of Biological Sciences is designed to bring innovation to graduate and K-12 education by integrating investigation and experimentation conducted by UCI faculty and graduate students with teaching of Biology/Life Sciences in grades 7th-12th at partner schools in Santa Ana, Montebello and Westside of Newport-Mesa Unified School Districts. GK-12 graduate students will improve communication, teaching and team-building skills as they act as partners and mentors and incorporate their own research to support and serve as resources for teachers to enrich learning for K-12 students in minority-serving schools, in accordance with the California Science Content Standards for Grade Seven Life Science, Grades Nine through Twelve Biology/Life Sciences and Grades Nine through Twelve Investigation and Experimentation.

 

The project's components include orientation sessions for graduate students and teachers to learn about the project, training on methods of teaching science in secondary schools, seminars for graduate students to review and discuss new developments and experiences, workshops and summer institutes where faculty, graduate students and teachers prepare inquiry-based lessons and laboratories to be presented to 7th-12th grade students, practical experience (10 hrs/wk) for graduate students in teaching these lessons and laboratory activities, presentations by graduate students about their research, the development of a GK-12 manual on teaching practices, a handbook on mentoring and a web-based repository to disseminate practices, lessons and laboratories developed by graduate students and teachers. In addition, there will be an annual symposium where graduate students will present their experiences and developed materials.

 

GK-12 Graduate Students. Support for GK-12 graduate students include stipend, fees and health insurance. GK-12 graduate students are required to participate in the program from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. Time commitment to the program for GK-12 graduate students is 60 hours per month (or 15 hr/week). GK-12 graduate students are required to prepare lessons and participate in the following activities:

 

Summer

- One orientation session on July 10, 2008, 4:00-6:00 PM

- Summer Institute I, July14-18, 2008 (40 hours)

- Summer Institute II, August 11-15, 2008 (40 hours)

 

Academic year

- Spend 10 hours per week at the K-12 classrooms presenting lessons (GK-12 Graduate students need to provide their own transportation from UCI to the partner schools)

- Prepare weekly reports of activities and participate in ongoing evaluations

- Participate in seminar/progress report sessions at UCI every Friday 4:00-5:00 PM from September 26, 2008 to May 29, 2009 (Scientific Communication for GK12 graduate students)

- Participate in 8 Saturday workshops at UCI (September 27, October 25, December 6, 2008, January 10, February 7, March 7, April 11, May 9, 2009)

- Present materials developed at the UCI GK-12 Symposium on Monday June 1, 2009, 5:00-7:30 PM

- Present papers at selected national conferences

Continued funding is based on satisfactory performance and participation in program activities. GK-12 graduate students will be evaluated quarterly. GK-12 graduate students are expected to maintain an active research program and make good progress toward the doctoral degree during the period that they are on fellowship. The GK-12 graduate students will be required to submit a quarterly research plan and research summary as a part of the program. A GK-12 graduate student will not be eligible to receive other employment or fellowship support during the period that they are a GK-12 graduate student. Thus, they will not be able to serve as a TA, GSR, be appointed on a training grant, or accept employment outside the University during this period.

Biology/Life Sciences Teachers. Support for Biology/Life Sciences teachers from the three partner districts include stipends of $4,500 per year for teachers that host a GK-12 graduate student (10 hrs/week during the school year) in their Biology/Life Sciences classes, participate in an orientation session on June 10, 2008, 4:30-6:00 PM, two full-time GK-12 summer institutes (July 14-18 and August 11-15, 2008) and eight Saturday workshops (September 27, October 25, December 6, 2008, January 10, February 7, March 7, April 11, May 9, 2009). The teachers will be required to participate in ongoing project evaluations and submit brief weekly journal reports. Funding is available for teachers to present papers at selected national conferences.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligible GK-12 graduate students are: 1) US citizens or permanent residents, 2) enrolled full time in the second to fifth year in a PhD program in the UCI School of Biological Sciences, and 3) progressing satisfactorily in the doctoral program.

Eligible teachers are: 1) US citizens or permanent residents, 2) teaching Biology/Life Sciences in grades in grades 7th-12th at one of the partner districts (Santa Ana, Westside of Newport-Mesa and Montebello Unified School Districts), and 3) certified teachers possessing a valid California Teaching Credential.

APPLICATION

Applications will be reviewed starting on May 15, 2008, until all fellowships are filled.

To apply for GK-12 graduate fellowships please download, complete and sign the GK-12 Fellowship Application and ask your thesis advisor to complete and sign the Recommendation and Support Statement form. With your application, please include 1) a current CV, 2) Teaching Statement and 3) the Recommendation and Support Statement form signed by your thesis advisor.

For Teachers, please download, complete and sign the Teacher Application and the Principal's Support form. With your application, please include a statement of support from the Principal of the school where you teach (see application package).

Prospective GK-12 graduate students please contact,

Dr. Marlene de la Cruz

Associate Director/Academic Coordinator

Outreach, Research Training and Minority Science Programs

School of Biological Sciences-Office of the Dean

University of California, Irvine

104 Biological Sciences Administration (BSA)

Irvine, CA 92697-2527

Ph: (949) 824-2589

Fax: (949) 824-6599

e-mail: marlene@uci.edu

Teachers, please contact,

Dr. Lidia Ceballos Yoshida

Academic Coordinator

Outreach, Research Training and Minority Science Programs

School of Biological Sciences-Office of the Dean

University of California, Irvine

108 Biological Sciences Administration (BSA)

Irvine, CA 92697-2527

Ph: (949) 824-8185

Fax: (949) 824-6599

e-mail: lyoshida@uci.edu