The Minnesota LCI Program: Enhancing Scientific Conceptual Learning and Techonological Literacy

The Minnesota Laboratory Centered Instruction (LCI) Program is enhancing scientific conceptual mastery and technological literacy through the classroom-scale implementation of a hands-on, inquiry driven teaching technique known as LCI. This implementation requires changes in the institutional practices and administrative structures of Minnesota high schools and community colleges. To address this issue the project is being aided by The Center For School Change. During its 31-month duration, the program is reaching a minimum of 24 existing or future high school instructors, 1,440 high school students, 9,000 community college students, and 10 community college instructors. Specific strategies for success include: 1. Development of three community college LCI learning centers and eight high school LCI model classrooms to serve as examples of classroom-scale LCI teaching with strong administrative support. 2.) Creation of a supportive, self-sustaining network of science instructors to offer support to other interested instructors and demonstrate the ability of the program to effect real and substantive change. 3.) Creation of a substantial video and multimedia library of classroom-scale LCI curricular modules and workplace internship experiences to assist instructors nationwide in their efforts to implement LCI at a classroom-scale.