Created by Project 2061 to help educators gain the knowledge and skills needed to help their students achieve science literacy, Resources for Science Literacy is one of the first tools to use learning goals such as benchmarks and standards as the foundation for an ongoing program for the professional development of teachers. Each of the following components included on the Professional Development CD-ROM was selected to help educators enhance their knowledge of science, mathematics, and technology; improve their understanding of how students make progress toward science literacy goals; and improve their ability to make better decisions about curriculum materials and classroom instruction. The wealth of material and information presented on this Professional Development CD-ROM provides many opportunities to explore science literacy and its implications from different perspectives and can serve as the foundation for a long-term program to enhance both content knowledge and teaching craft.
Each professional development component included on this CD-ROM has been tested and used by educators from around the country who have attended Project 2061 workshops or participated in other Project 2061 activities. Each component can be used on its own for a specific task or can be used in combination with other components to accomplish more advanced goals or as part of a more sustained professional development program. This new tool will be used by higher education institutions in planning pre-service and in-service education, by school districts in designing staff development programs, and by individual teachers planning their own professional growth.