Nineteen middle school science teachers from throughout North Carolina are gathered at Meredith College in Raleigh this week for hands-on training in new techniques for teaching DNA basics.
The educators are participating in the final session of the 20th anniversary season of one-week teacher workshops sponsored across North Carolina by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. In addition to hands-on lab training, the courses have provided nearly 1,300 North Carolina educators with practical tips and lesson plans to invigorate their classrooms. Teachers who have taken the workshops have taught hundreds of thousands of students about the science, applications and issues of biotechnology.
Since the workshops were first offered in 1987, North Carolina's biotechnology industry has become the third largest in the nation, with about 400 biotechnology and related life sciences companies employing about 48,000 people. The statewide strategic plan for biotechnology development calls for North Carolina to have 125,000 biotech-related jobs by 2023.
A trained work force is essential to creating and filling those jobs. The teacher workshops are one of several Biotechnology Center programs that promote work force training.
Biotechnology is now specifically included in the state's Standard Course of Study for eighth-grade science and high school biology. Teachers report that their students learn about biotechnology and related topics better with the kinds of hands-on activities featured in the summer workshops.
"Biotechnology has become such a fundamental part of everyday life in North Carolina that it's increasingly important to give students a taste of it during their basic biology training," said Bill Schy, Ph.D., manager of the Biotechnology Center's Education and Training Program. "Teachers who participate in these summer workshops say they come away with renewed enthusiasm and tools."
This year's summer program has included four introductory biotechnology workshops designed for high school science teachers, but also made available to college faculty seeking new teaching ideas.
This week's final session is one of two workshops targeting middle school science teachers and career-technical education teachers interested in piloting a new high school course.
The Biotechnology Center provides free lab supplies and loans of lab equipment and videos to teachers completing the workshops. Participants also qualify for continuing education renewal credits.
Workshop leaders typically include outstanding college and university faculty instructors and master high school teachers who are expert at implementing biotechnology in the classroom.
Workshop Participants
Teachers participating in this week's biotechnology workshop at Meredith College include:
Amanda Kennedy of C.C. Griffin Middle School in Concord
Helene Elliston of Exploris Middle School in Raleigh
Beth Davis of South Davidson Middle School in Denton
Jessica Demeter of Mooresville Middle School in Mooresville
Susan Young of Magellan Charter School in Raleigh
Melanie Shaver of West Pine Middle School in West End
Abby Meskill of Harris Road Middle School in Concord
Jeff Bragg of PreEminent Charter School in Raleigh
Lykisa Sawyer of Camden Middle School in Camden
Margaret Knox of Mooresville Middle School in Mooresville
Mary Margaret Elmayan of Zebulon Middle School in Zebulon
Julia Moore of Martin Middle School in Raleigh
Donna Lee of Eastern Wayne Middle School in Goldsboro
Alana Stanley of Harnett Central Middle School in Angier
Joseph Smith of Sampson Middle School in Clinton
Adam Dunn of West Pine Middle School in West End
Sharon Roseman of Concordia Christian Day School in Conover
Alexa Camaione of Corinth-Holders School in Zebulon
Frances Thomas of Brunswick Christian Academy in Southport
