A Survey of Summer Institutes for Second ary School Science Teachers in the U.S.A.

Abstract

Summer institutes for secondary school science teachers have increased in number during recent years in U.S. A. Hundreds of colleges and universities located all over the Unit ed States have designed special courses for science teachers in the summer vacation. Financial support for many of the programs has been obtained from the National Science Foundation or other public and private Educational Foundation. The institute programs of these Foundations had great influence on the improvement of the academic backgrounds of science teachers, and added a new dimension to teacher training in American education. The purpose of this study is to make clear the nature of these summer science institutes. According to the survey of the literature, the results may be summed up as follows ; (1) The chief goals of the program are……… 1. to be prvide with the opportunity to keep up-to-date in their subject field in order to keep up with the rapid progress and changes which are taking place in these fields. 2. to give the opportunity to work side by side with outstanding research scientists in the university, and acquir new techniques and become acquainted with the application and use of new procedures and equipments. 3. to increase teachers' capacity to motivate their more-able science students to consider careers in science. (2) Organization of the course Most of the summer institutes range in length from 6 to 8 weeks in summer, and they are scheduled from 4 to 8 hours daily and the teachers are required to spend from 2 to 4 hours in daily preparation. During the twelve-year period ending in 1965, more than 85, 000 teachers attended these institutes, and in order to compensate teachers for possible loss of summer employment, they receive an honorarium of $ 75 per week. The menbers of the instructors are professors of sciences and personnels from the various science centers. (3) Course Content Most of the lectures during the session are held in the mornings from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 noon, covering the subjects of recent developments in the various sciencess such as chemistry, and biology. In the research program, the techers are allowed to utilize modem laboratory techniques and instrumentations; and as a result they can well get versed to them. Many field trips are also scheduled; they are to include trips to the mountatins, the seashores, the deserts, the zoos, and the industrial research centers. Evening seminars are also held under the attendance of eminent guest scientitsts.