Cancer Health Advancement through Networks, Guidance, and Education (CHANGE) - The Cancer Health Advancement through Networks, Guidance, and Education (CHANGE) project addresses workforce development in the biosciences by enhancing biology teachers' knowledge of cancer research and developing and implementing transformative and innovative biology lessons. Participants will present lessons to biology students during a series of free Saturday CHANGE Academy workshops and afterwards will continue to refine these learning activities based on feedback from both high school students and CHANGE staff and faculty. Additionally, CHANGE will broadly disseminate these lessons locally and nationally through in-person and virtual professional development (Cancer Biology Institute for Teachers) for educators. The specific aims of this collaboration are to (i) increase teacher knowledge of cancer biology and form a strong network of teachers through cohort building, (ii) produce a novel high school biology curriculum on cancer biology, and (iii) assess the impact of the CHANGE curriculum on student outcomes. The team that we have assembled includes the highest caliber of NIH-funded researchers, leaders in STEM teacher Professional Development (PD), experienced curriculum writers, and large school districts. The PI and the research team have a track record of providing teacher PD that enhances and improves teachers' science content knowledge, self-efficacy, and leadership, improving student outcomes. Rice University is an ideal location for this project because it is strategically located in the large and dynamic city of Houston, Texas, and is adjacent to the Texas Medical Center (TMC), the largest medical complex in the world. These collaborations routinely occur between the TMC and Rice University. This proposal is responsive to the goals of the NIH SEPA program as it will focus on Research Experiences, Curriculum or Methods Development, and Outreach to increase American students’ interest and motivation in biosciences fields. The outcomes of this project, including the curricular materials that will be developed, will advance current knowledge about effective high school biology education as we grow the American bioscience workforce.
