| Abstrakt: |
New education standards as well as teaching and learningpedagogy have moved toward more student-centered learning, critical inquiry, and collaborative learning. Providing the tools to prepare teachersfor this shift was a goal of "Opening the Secret City," which brought together thirty Tennessee high school teachers of English, social studies, and sciencefor a week-long summer workshop that guided them to world-renowned research labs, gave them time with local historians and scientists, and presented them with a collection of primarv and secondary resources all centered on the historic Manhattan Project. Teachers across multiple disciplines--and eventually many of their students--were immersed in the rich history, science, and literacy of the Manhattan Project and of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a historical and educational gem ideal for teaching and learning. The workshop and resources served as a modelfor interdisciplinary teaching and learning using a themed approach that takes advantage of local, regional, and state resources, regardless of classroom location. Researchers sought during and after the workshop to learn teachers ' perspectives on the way cross-disciplinary collaboration strengthened their understanding of content and standards knowledge: theirperspectives on the way more access to primary and secondary sources shaped student engagement and learning; and teachers' thinking on the way workshop activities shaped theirpedagogicalknowledge and classroom strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
