THE INFLUENCE OF 2 RECENT NSF SUMMER WORKSHOPS ON HIGH-SCHOOL CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE TEACHERS

Based on data collected from these workshops, program components that involve participants actively, include master teachers and administrations, and have an extensive follow-up and evaluation component do positively affect teachers and their classroom activities. Considering both objective and attitudinal/anecdotal data, the workshops were successful in meeting and exceeding the stated objectives. There was demonstrated enhancement of teacher subject matter and laboratory background and improvement in attitude, self-confidence, and enthusiasm for the subject matter, as well as for teaching itself. Small networking groups formulated during the workshops are still meeting, and feedback from participants and administrators continues to be received. The overall effects of the workshops may be summarized by a comment of one of the participants: "This workshop took a semi-burned out, cynical teacher and helped me find the young teacher that started teaching approximately 20 years ago, with the same hopefulness, energy, and desire to improve my skills and knowledge.".