HOW TO APPLY GUIDE

2014LifeSciTRC Scholars Program for High School Biology Teachers

October 6 – December 5, 2014

READ ME FIRST!

This program will be held entirely online using Blackboard Learn and the LifeSciTRC digital library. The program is asynchronous, so you can complete weekly activities at your own pace. There will be one lesson per week for you to complete. If you are accepted into the program, you will be asked to sign a letter of agreement stating that you agree to complete the program requirements listed below. You will receive a $250 stipend, a certificate of completion, and a letter of completion upon completion of all program requirements.

  1. Complete all assignments by the stated deadlines. Please note that the deadlines are tentative and accommodations will be made for finals week. A course agenda may be viewed in Appendix D.
  1. Actively participate in all online discussions and provide written feedback on specific assignments to fellow participants.
  1. Submit one self-authored educational resource that you have already used in your classroom to the LifeSciTRC by December 5.(Examples include an activity, lesson plan, lecture, assessment, etc.)
  1. Submit as required and requested any entry, exit, and follow-up surveys by their stated deadlines.

Application Process:You will use the American Physiological Society’s (APS) Online Awards Application System to apply for this program. You do not need to be an APS member to apply for this program. However, you must be teaching at a high school full-time in the areas of Honors Biology, APS Biology, or Advanced Biology. You will fill in information on your teaching experience and submit (upload) your resume, written responses, and demographics table as PDF files. You will need the ability to convert a word processing file into a PDF file. You can convert documents to PDF format online here: or use any freely available service, such as:

I. What you need BEFORE applying online:

  1. Familiarize yourself with the program information available at: “LifeSciTRC Program for HS Educators”. Note that the program you are applying for is for High School Biology/Life-Science Teachers only.
  1. Review the application questions on the Appendix A form (see end of this document). If you prefer, complete your answers on the form to copy and paste later into the online applicationsystem.
  1. Prepare a resume (no more than 3 pages) that includes:

  1. Education/training (undergraduate and graduate, if any)
  2. Current and previous positions
  3. Professional society affiliations
  4. Scientific clubs sponsored
  5. Projects or curricula developed
  1. Awards or honors
  2. Previous programs, fellowships, and/or research experiences. Please note any programs that were primarily online professional development.

DO NOT include confidential/sensitive information suchas date of birth, Social Security Number, etc.

  1. Prepare two written responses(1-2 pages each)and convert each file to a PDF file.
  2. Written Response 1: Describe your commitment to improving teaching and learning in your classroom(s) by providing examples from at least 2 of the categories below:
  3. Professional Development: Regular participation in professional development activities and demonstration of utilizing in the classroom what was learned;
  4. Innovation and Improvement: Regular incorporation of improvements and innovations into curriculum and pedagogy; and/or
  5. Science Education Standards and Reports: Awareness of and utilization of major guiding documents on science education (national and state standards, summaries of research on teaching and learning, recommendations of teaching organizations, etc.).
  1. Written Response 2: How do you envisionusing digital library resources to improve teaching and learning in your classroom? Describe at least one idea for using digital library resources in your course(s).
  1. Complete the school and student demographics table on the Appendix B form and convert the word file to a PDF file.

Once you have completed all of the tasks above, proceed to Appendix C for instructions on how to submit your application online.

ALL components must be submitted or uploaded no later than September 19, 2014.Questions about the program and/or the online application system? Visit

e-mail Miranda Byse, , PhD, Program Manager.

APPENDIX A: APPLICATION QUESTIONS

  1. Number of years you have been teaching in a classroom?
  2. Highest degree attained at the time of application? Indicate your highest teaching degree level as BA/BS, MA/MS, or EdD/PhD and indicate subject matter if not Education.
  3. Subject/Course(s), Grade Level(s), Number of Students Currently Teaching?
  4. Can you commit approximately 4-7 hours per week, every week, to this program (this program runs from October 6 – December 5)?
  5. Describe one self-authored item that you have alreadyused in your classroom that you are willing to submit to the LifeScience Teaching Resource Community by December 5. (Examples include an activity, lesson plan, lecture, assessment, etc.)

The next two questions are for program planning and will NOT be used in the review of your application.

  1. How often have you

How often have you… / Frequently / Sometimes / Seldom / Never
Participated in an online discussion (e.g., at a discussion board at online store or other website)?
Shared/read information on social medial such as Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, etc.?
Written an online review of something you purchased?
Asked a question at a vendor website?
  1. Where/how did you learn about the LifeSciTRC Scholars Program for High School Biology Teachers?

Prepare the following items to upload as a PDF file:

  1. Your resume.
  2. Your typed Written Responses. (See: What you need before applying online)
  3. Your completed School and Student Demographics Table.

ALL components must be submitted or uploaded no later than September 19, 2014.Questions about the program and/or the online application system? Visit

e-mail Miranda Byse, , PhD, Program Manager.

APPENDIX B: SCHOOL AND STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS TABLE

The LifeSciTRC Scholars Program for High School Biology Teachers program makes a special effort to involve teachers and students who are members of minority groups that are traditionally under- represented in science. This data is gathered for Federal grant reporting* purposes. Please assist us by providing the following information.

If you are not sure about your school/district demographics, visit the National Center for Education Statistics and enter your school location: http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/

My school’s students: / In my school / In my classes (total)
Total number of students**
Percent of students on reduced/free lunch
Number of students by ethnic group / In my school / In my classes (total)
Hispanic or Latino
Not Hispanic or Latino
Total by ethnic group*
Number of students by racial group / In my school / In my classes (total)
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Black or African American
White
Other (please describe)
Total by racial group**

* For a description of Federal reporting categories, see

** These totals should be equal.

Your document should be saved/scanned into a PDF file to directly upload into the APS Online Awards Application System. You can convert documents to PDF format online here: or use any freely available service, such as:

ALL components must be submitted or uploaded no later than September 19, 2014.Questions about the program and/or the online application system? Visit

e-mail Miranda Byse, , PhD, Program Manager.

Appendix C: Online Applications Instructions

A. Logging on for the FIRST TIME

  1. Go to:
  1. Create a profile with your unique email address and a password. Record your password for future use.

  1. Click the “Apply for Myself Now” button to apply for an award:

  1. Complete your profile. Select“K-12 Teacher” in the “Ed/Professional” drop down list to be eligible for the Online Teacher Professional Development Program:

  1. Select the “2014LifeSciTRC Scholars Program HS – Due 9/19/2014.”

  1. Click “Continue Application.”Then copy-and-paste from the responses in your Word document (Appendix A) into the appropriate fields to complete the application.
  1. When you are done, you have one of two options to select at the bottom of the online form:
  2. I Will Finish Later: This option saves your entries, and you can return to this saved session if you logout of the system (see next page in this Guide).
  3. Submit My Application: This option saves your entries, and notifies the APS Education Office and Application Review Committee that your application package is ready for consideration into the program. However, if necessary, applicants can still edit their application until the online system closes on the application deadline.

B. Returning to a saved session

  1. Login with your email and password at:
  1. The screen will return to the applications for which you have applied. Click “Update Application” to continue completing the application.

  1. See previous page of this Guide for saving or submitting your application.

ALL components must be submitted or uploaded no later than September 19, 2014.Questions about the program and/or the online application system? Visit

e-mail Miranda Byse, , PhD, Program Manager.

APPENDIX D: Program Schedule

LifeSciTRC Scholars Program

Fall 2014 Schedule

Lesson / Dates
Lesson 1: Introduction to the LifeSciTRC / 10/6-10/12
  • Navigating Blackboard
  • Schedule
  • How to Use Blackboard
  • Introductions
  • Due midnight 10/6
  • Activity: Register and Explore the LifeSciTRC
  • Due midnight 10/11
  • Discussion: LifeSciTRC Questions
  • Due midnight 10/12

Lesson 2: Electronic Resources and the Student-Centered Classroom / 10/13-10/19
  • Activity: What electronic resources do you use?
  • Due midnight 10/14
  • Discussion: Students Using Electronic Resources
  • Due midnight 10/16
  • Reflection: Electronic Resources in Science Teaching
  • Due midnight 10/19

Lesson 3: Electronic Resource Quality / 10/20-10/26
  • Activity: Pros and Cons of Electronic Resources
  • Due midnight 10/21
  • Activity: Reviews and the Power of Community
  • Due midnight 10/23
  • Discussion: Electronic Resources and Science Misconceptions
  • Due midnight 10/25

Lesson 4: The Power of Community / 10/27-11/2
  • Activity: Rating and Commenting
  • Due midnight 10/28
  • Discussion: Community
  • Due midnight 10/30
  • Reflection: Importance of Community
  • Due midnight 11/1
  • Mid-Program Evaluation
  • Due midnight 11/2

Lesson 5: Searching the Web and the LifeSciTRC / 11/3-11/9
  • Activity: Web Search
  • Due midnight 11/4
  • Activity: Searching, Rating, and Commenting in the LifeSciTRC
  • Due midnight 11/6
  • Discussion: Comment Critique
  • Due midnight 11/6
  • Reflection: My LifeSciTRC Submission
  • Due midnight 11/8
  • Project: Earning Rating and Commenting Badges
  • Due midnight 12/5

Lesson 6: Six Star Science / 11/10-11/16
  • Activity: Six Star Science
  • Due midnight 11/11
  • Discussion: Six Star Science in the Classroom
  • Due midnight 11/13
  • Discussion: My LifeSciTRC Submission
  • Due midnight 11/15
  • Reflection: Six Star Science and Student Learning
  • Due midnight 11/15
  • Project: Earning Rating and Commenting Badges (cont.)
  • Due midnight 12/5

Lesson 7: Exploring Collections / 11/17-11/23
  • Discussion: Collection Critique
  • Due midnight 11/18
  • Activity: Six Star Science Collection Worksheet
  • Due midnight 11/20
  • Activity: Collection Rating and Commenting
  • Due midnight 11/22
  • Reflection: Collections in the Classroom
  • Due midnight 11/22
  • Project: Earning Rating and Commenting Badges (cont.)
  • Due midnight 12/5

Lesson 8: Submitting Your Resource to the LifeSciTRC and Where to Go From Here / 11/24-12/5
  • Discussion: Where to Go from Here
  • Due midnight 11/25
  • Reflection Revisited: Ideal Classroom
  • Due midnight 12/5
  • Activity: Submit your Resource
  • Due midnight 12/5
  • Project: Earning Rating and Commenting Badges
  • Due midnight 12/5

Evaluation
  • You will be contacted during the course about post-course evaluation.