Developing the Talents of Teacher/Scientists

George Robinson

Going on an expedition enables teachers to become better scientists and researchers and, thus, better classroom instructors. Teachers have the opportunities to go on exotic field trips around the world as amateur research assistants, do hands-on research in their own backyards, or vicariously experience another scientist’s work via the Internet. A list of annotated Web sites invite teachers to explore the possibilities of doing scientific research as part of a team internationally (e.g., NOAA’s Sustainable Seas Expedition), locally (e.g., The Cornel Lab of Ornithology’s Project FeederWatch), or virtually (e.g., The Earth Watch Global Classroom). One teacher’s experience doing research in these three venues is testimony to how undertaking these types of authentic scientific research improves student instruction and learning.

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