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A successful educational collaboration between scientists and educators: microscopic explorations
Lincoln Bergman1, Caroline Schooley
1Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS), Lawrence Hall of Science No. 5200, University of California, Berkeley 94720-5200, USA.
Cell Biology Education
|June 25, 2003
Summary
This guide details a successful partnership between Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS) and the Microscopy Society of America (MSA). It shares lessons learned from this collaboration to help other educators and scientists form productive partnerships.
Area of Science:
- Science education
- Microscopy outreach
- Curriculum development
Background:
- The teacher's guide "Microscopic Explorations: A GEMS Festival Guide" (1998) was developed through a collaboration.
- This partnership involved Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS) and the Microscopy Society of America (MSA).
- The GEMS program is part of the Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) at UC Berkeley.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize lessons learned from a successful MSA/LHS collaboration.
- To provide insights for scientists and educators initiating partnerships.
- To support MSA's national outreach program and the GEMS educational series.
Main Methods:
- Documenting the collaborative process and outcomes.
- Analyzing the structure and content of the "Microscopic Explorations" guide.
- Synthesizing key takeaways from the partnership experience.
Main Results:
- The collaboration successfully created a valuable teacher's guide.
- The guide supports MSA's outreach and expands GEMS' reach.
- Lessons learned offer a model for future science partnerships.
Conclusions:
- Successful science education partnerships require careful planning and collaboration.
- Sharing lessons learned can foster further interdisciplinary cooperation.
- This model can be replicated by other scientific organizations and educational institutions.