The INSPIRE program at Boise State University offers middle and high school teachers from across the Treasure Valley a paid opportunity to work alongside faculty and students in their research laboratories.
Teachers participating in this program will expand their understanding of the nature of science as it is practiced by contributing authentically to novel research projects in the areas of biology, geosciences, physics and chemistry. Our goal is that teachers will reflect on a range of classroom practices they currently use and modify these to align with how those practices are enacted in labs.
Besides working with researchers one-on-one, teachers will participate in cohort meetings that focus on transitioning from teacher to researcher, reflecting on the nature of science in a lab compared to the classroom, and translating their experience back to innovate science education classroom. They will also receive coaching and support to propose actionable ideas that can fund new and inquiry-based teaching strategies into their classrooms.