Outside-the-Box Professional Development

Overview

Outside-the-Box was a project funded by the US Department of Education, which involved informal science education institutions in developing a broad course of study in teacher education. The project differed from the individual courses or one-off workshops for teachers that most informal science education institutions provide. Instead, it demonstrated how zoos, botanical gardens and other living institutions can be more fully and effectively utilized as primary training providers, partners and motivators in the elementary teacher education process.

WCS, the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), and Lehman College designed and implemented the project, which ran from 2011 to 2014. WCS and NYBG provided students enrolled in the teacher education program at Lehman College with courses that focused on teaching science, inquiry-based instruction, and life science content. In addition, seven 5-hour instructional modules were created and incorporated into existing education courses at Lehman College. Incorporating project materials into existing courses allowed the project to reach a greater number of teachers and have a lasting impact beyond the project period.

Outside-the-Box resulted in more than 200 elementary school teachers better equipped to teach science and increase knowledge and motivation in science study for thousands of New York City students. The project generated a model program that effectively utilizes the resources of zoos, botanical gardens, aquariums, arboreta, nature centers and other living institutions in the service of elementary teacher preparation in the sciences. The outcomes of the project will be used to help other informal science institutions improve their own teacher education programs and services.