Multimedia Approaches to Supporting Teachers in Implementing Curriculum Materials

Online, multimedia materials are a cost-effective way to prepare teachers to implement new curriculum materials. They also can provide just-in-time support as teachers use the materials with their students. This support is particularly important for online curricula, which are used by many teachers who do not have the opportunity for in-person training.  The Genetic Science Learning Center utilizes a variety of approaches on its Teach.Genetics website that support teachers in implementing curricula on its Learn.Genetics (http://learn.genetics.utah.edu) and Teach.Genetics (http://teach.genetics.utah.edu) sites. Short movies demonstrate how to carry out an activity or show students carrying out an activity in the classroom. These movies also may include interviews with teachers, who share their classroom experiences and teaching tips. Videos of scientists’ talks, presented during the curriculum development process with teachers, provide in-depth content. Detailed instructions and quick-guides are provided both online and as PDF files to print and use during implementation.  The evolution of our online teacher support materials over the past 16 years provide insights into the types of support materials that teachers are most likely to use and how they use them.