Texas Regional Collaboratives
for Excellence in Science Teaching
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In a Central Texas high school, students view a lengthy chain of letters illustrating a human genetic sequence. They must find the link to a small DNA fragment, which is eventually discovered in one small group of letters embedded in the larger code. Twenty minutes later, the class moves to a lively discussion about DNA fingerprinting, using the same principles. Their science teacher explains that they may confront some form of DNA testing in a future job. This sparks yet another barrage of questions about the detection of family illnesses. The teacher responds with an explanation of genetic propensities and the latest research on cell division. All the students remain clearly engaged for the entire 50-minute class. Drs. Kamil A. Jbeily and James P. Barufaldi love this anecdote. They are directors for K-12 science education at the Science Education Center in the College of Education, The University of Texas at Austin. They have other stories, they say, lots of them, ranging from middle school explorations of the Internet to Native American astronomy in the Southwest. This is what the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science Teaching is all about. Now a $7 million initiative co-sponsored by the Eisenhower Science Professional Development Program, the National Science Foundation, the Texas Education Agency, and more than seven corporate business partners, the 20 Regional Collaboratives blanket Texas. Texas Regional Collaboratives bring together colleges and universities, education centers, and school districts from various regions of the state to work jointly through cost-sharing and in-kind contributions. Their mission is to provide Texas science teachers with ongoing support systems to assist them in implementing Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), the statewide standards required by the Texas Education Code since 1998. By developing and constantly updating the most current content, pedagogy, and technology in the field, the partnership will help teachers engage their students in relevant, interesting, experiential, and meaningful science learning experiences. 
"The vast majority of American students, from kindergarten to high school graduation, are taught science that is completely irrelevant to their lives," says Jbeily, who believes that Texas schools should produce scientifically literate citizens for a new century. Indeed, he's not the only one. Barufaldi and other experts explain that the battle over quality K-12 science education is just beginning. At stake is U.S. economic and scientific dominance in the world economy and, they argue, the employment future of Texas. "All of our partnerships in the Texas Regional Collaboratives work to create and sustain high-quality professional development for this state's science teachers," says Jbeily. "We want to empower teachers to become master science teachers so that they can lead in the systemic reform of science education in our state's 1,050 school districts. Ultimately we hope to reach more than 200,000 students with a newly energized science curriculum. Somewhere out there right now is another potential creator of a better computer chip or a new energy source." 
Jbeily and Barufaldi have launched an initiative to train a statewide cadre of master science teachers, who will then mentor other groups of science teachers statewide. The two educators continue to impress elected Texas officials in both houses of the state legislature. And so far, the educational foundations of Shell Oil and Exxon; Apple Computer; Southwestern Bell; Delta Education; Casio Incorporated; and Holt, Rinehart & Winston like what they see, as well. "Scientific literacy is not necessarily about memorizing certain formulas and regurgitating rote lessons," says Jbeily. "We are trying to graduate students who possess higher order thinking skills in science, because hot technologies change rapidly, and the jobs of the future will require competitive analytical and verbal reasoning abilities. We need strong thinkers in science." In high school education alone, the new TEKS standards have emphasized that a "recommended program" for college-bound Texas students should include biology, chemistry and physics--or even better, the more demanding advanced placement versions of these courses. But Jbeily argues that quality science education must begin in the lower grades. "Those of us in science education are watching intense debates in competitor states such as California," says Jbeily. "There are many school districts in California, for example, that don't teach science in grades K-5 at all. In terms of a state remaining strong economically, this doesn't make a lot of sense." Kamil A. Jbeily is the director and founder of the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science Teaching. He graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a PhD in science education. Prior to that, he received a B.S. and M.S. in chemistry from the Lebanese University in Beirut, Lebanon. He is also an adjunct professor of chemistry at Austin Community College. Jbeily has made over 200 presentations as a keynote speaker and panelist on topics related to excellence and equity in education, diversity in the teaching workforce, systemic reform in education, teacher empowerment, and leadership. James P. Barufaldi, professor of science education and director of the Science Education Center at UT Austin, earned a bachelor's degree in the biological sciences from Marietta College (Ohio), a master's degree in biology and education from Kent State University, and a doctorate in science education from the University of Maryland. He has directed numerous federally funded projects such as the U. S. Department of Education Project-General Science Content and Inquiry Skills Improvement Program, the Title II-funded Coordinated Thematic Science Inservice Program, the Science Content Improvement Program, and the Texas Elementary Science Inservice Program. Barufaldi currently serves as principal investigator for the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science Teaching and the NSF Chautauqua-Type Short Courses for College Science Teachers. He has supervised more than 50 dissertations and theses in science education. 
In July 1999, Jbeily and Barufaldi hosted more than 250 science teachers, business leaders, and university professors at their sixth annual meeting of the Texas Regional Collaboratives, with UT Austin President Larry Faulkner delivering the keynote address on "Science Education in the 21st Century." The group also honored John Stevens, executive director of the Texas Business Education Coalition, with its 1999 Distinguished Service Award. The three-day meeting included statewide science teaching displays, a ceremony honoring exemplary science teachers, and panels exploring key policy issues. By Chuck Halloran,
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