CONNECTING STUDENTS TO GEOSCIENCE IN YELLOWSTONE: THE STaRRS STSP MODEL AND PRELIMINARY RESEARCH RESULTS

The Student-Teacher-Scientist partnership (STSP) is strategy used to connect students with ongoing research science while providing opportunities for them to experience a full cycle of scientific inquiry. STSPs can also provide personal connections among students, teachers, and scientists. Many challenges exist, however, in the implementation of these partnerships. Here we describe a partnership, Students Teachers and Rangers & Research Scientist (STaRRS): Investigating Systems at Mammoth Hot Springs, which was embedded within an existing National Park Service (NPS) residential educational program for 4^th-8^th grade students called Expedition: Yellowstone! (E:Y!). Since this STSP directly integrated with E:Y!, several of the known challenges were addressed. The STaRRS partnership within E:Y! will be presented as a model for the future development of education connecting Geoscience research to teachers and student in the NPS. Three basic components to this project that improved the partnership included: (a) extensive teacher professional development provided as summer workshops and on-going school year assistance with access to science and science education expertise; (b) carefully developed science investigations which clearly engaged the students; and (c) the use of a science education liaison to aid with implementation and communication among the partners. An accompanying research study found significant results in attitude changes regarding science and scientists and geoscience content knowledge gains in participating teachers and middle level students.