Inquiry in the Rainforest: A Field Course for Science Teachers

Program Overview

The way we teach science at high school level can be a challenge nowadays. We propose the course to keep up with the students’ requirements, innovative tools available and  fostering creative ways of teaching and communicating. Basically we teach how to create new experiences out of the common science topics to keep the interests of science students.

This course is Coordinated by Joe Levine who co-authored of one of the most used Biology textbooks in the US high schools. Directed to high school science teachers or university students in the way to becoming a teacher. You will learn from the field how science can be implemented in a more dynamic way, how to make students interested, and how you can become creative with your own projects and classes.

Inquiry in the Rainforest Course uses as a central bone the participants’ direct experience in field projects and field workshops on basic science, as well as a focus on a science communication approach for teaching. On the way, you will also get to know Costa Rican environments, OTS’s most famous research station, La Selva, and other popular destinations in the country. 

Past participants testimonials

 … an amazing opportunity to learn new facts, new pedagogy, and most of all, to be overwhelmed by the diversity and concentration of life in the rainforest. 

William Hodges, Holt HS, Holt, Michigan

Throughout the trip my eyes were opened to remarkable environments and new ways to teach my students … Each of the projects changed how I teach … I have always valued hands-on learning but now I am incorporating more science inquiry in all of my courses. Each day that I teach, it seems like I am incorporating … my experiences in Costa Rica.   — Amy Braverman, Alexander HS, Albany, Ohio

(This course) … was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had in 18 years of teaching.  We spent our time together experiencing science in truest form, as a scientist ourselves.  This is something that we rarely get time to do in our busy day-to-day lives, so to take 15 uninterrupted days was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Once on the trip I found that I was in the midst of seven of the best teachers probably anywhere in the country.  Being able to interact with such intelligent people who had similar goals in the classroom as I had was extremely enriching.  Learning the natural history of this new country was an eye opening experience as we got to experience everything first hand from climbing an active volcano to dodging snakes and bullet ants.  Taking that information back home would have been an amazing trip.  However this trip was even more than that as we put scientific skills to work in the rainforest.  Getting that experience of executing scientific experiments from idea all the way to completion is something I bring home to my students that will make teaching an even more enriching experience …

The most enlightening part of this experience was … following the scientific process all the way to the end and the importance of the presentation.  I have used been using inquiry based methods in my classroom for about six years.  But one part that has been lacking is the follow through with the analysis of the results and classroom discussions of the results.  This course drove home the importance of these in getting students to understand what their results mean and how to interpret those results.  Also, having to do the presentation myself I realized there is a whole higher level of thinking and learning in preparing that presentation and then with the delivery of it.  It is something that will definitely take my students learning to a new level.

From Martin Perlaky, Springfield HS, Holland, Ohio