What is FoREST Program

The USH-Research, Large-scale Data Collection and Analysis for Teacher and Student Program, informally known as FoREST Program (Forest Research Experiences for Students and Teachers) is a research experience project that will benefit participating teachers and students (from middle and high schools of the San Juan Educational Region) in an innovative way. The project has a duration of three years. The project's main emphasis will be on research in the ecological and environmental areas. The focus of each research project will be interdisciplinary, with a Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Computer Science component required for its completion.

Each period consists of a set-up phase, followed by a summer residential component and a follow-up period. The set-up phase is mainly an administrative stage, which mainly consists of the recruitment of project participants, scientists, lecturers, and the overall preparation of the summer component. The summer residential component consists of a five-week residential experience at the USH campus. During this stage, teacher and student workgroups will begin their scientific experience. There will be eight workgroups each one consisting of one teacher and two students, totaling eight teachers and sixteen students served during each project period. During the first summer weeks, teachers and students will be exposed to a broad spectrum of current scientific issues through lectures and conferences. Lecturers will introduce participants to practice laboratories, basic concepts of research methodology, research proposal writing, use of library resources and handling of scientific literature. Following these activities, participants will perform research work in the Natural Reserve selected for each summer component (El Yunque, Carite and Guajataca). The general objectives of the research activity are: study the water quality and carry out water pollutant analysis; conduct soil analysis including major and minor elements; conduct air analysis of pollutants; identify microorganisms in water and soil; study the impact of human activity in the forest ecosystem; analyze the results of the above mentioned analyses using statistical tools; develop skills in the use of computer and scientific equipment; develop skills in the use of research methodology; develop written and oral communication skills in the preparation of scientific papers and oral reports; use of electronic communication technologies to maintain a dialogue among researchers, teachers, and students and disseminate research findings; handle scientific literature and use of library resources; manage effectively the use of different scientific literature searching tools including electronic communications through the Internet.

During the follow-up component, work teams will continue the data collection and analysis of their research projects in terms of the human activity in the forests. After the work teams complete their research projects, they will prepare an oral presentation on their findings, research methodologies used and results obtained. Teachers will use their summer experience to introduce new scientific elements and teaching techniques in their regular classes. This will improve their teaching skills in the process, making their classes more interesting and relevant to other students, and motivating other high potential students to improve their school performance in science and math disciplines. As part of the support, teachers will receive two professional development seminars on themes they have identified as areas of need in their schools.

1. By the end of each summer component, all project participants will have completed a research project on the theme of ecology and the environment with a multi-disciplinary focus on mathematics, biology, chemistry and computer science, as evidenced by the submission of a written and oral report and a positive evaluation by project staff.

2. By the end of each summer component, participating teachers will be ready to integrate the research and research techniques acquired into their science/math school curriculum as evidenced by a work plan prepared, presented and evaluated as excellent to satisfactory (on a scale of excellent, good, satisfactory, poor and deficient) by Project Staff at the end of the summer component.

3. By the end of each summer component, participating teachers will have identified those problem areas and deficiencies pertaining to science and math education in their schools as evidenced by a plan of action incorporated as part of their end of summer component report.

4. By the end of each project year, at least 80% of the teachers participating in the program will have successfully incorporated into their science/math school curricula the skills/materials/data/findings acquired during their summer research experience as evidenced by quarterly visits to the classroom. Project staff will perform these visits.

5. By the end of December of each program year, 80% of all students who participated in the project the previous summer will have maintained a GPA of 3.00 to 4.00 point average in their science and mathematics courses as evidenced by a grade report submitted to the Project Director by their school teachers.

6. By the end of each project year, students from participating schools will have demonstrated the attainment of good leadership skills as a result of their participation in the summer component as evidenced by the presentation of a minimum of one project per each of the participating schools in local, regional or national science fairs.

7. By the end of each summer component, participating teachers and students will have acquired working skills in the use of electronic media as evidenced by the completion of a project Internet home page containing the results of the research projects completed in the summer and publicizing other project activities.

8. By the end of each summer component, participants will be aware of ethical issues relevant to scientific work as evidenced by an evaluation of excellent to satisfactory (on a scale of excellent, good, satisfactory, poor and deficient) by Project Staff of an essay prepared and presented by participants.

9. By the end of each project year, at least 80% of the participating teachers and at least two additional teachers from the science/math faculty of the participating schools or other schools from the private/public system will have attended professional development seminars and workshops prepared by project staff based on each school’s identified needs, as evidenced by attendance records for each activity and participant positive evaluation of the activity.

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What is FoREST?

PROJECT OBJECTIVES