Experiencing Science is a 3 credit interdisciplinary science course designed to give the preservice teacher a more sophisticated understanding of the processes of science as they are actually conducted. It was developed over two years by a team with representation from four VCEPT partner universities. It has as its founding premise that the "scientific method" presented in the elementary and middle school classroom bears little resemblance to the real processes used by working scientists. This challenge of giving the preservice teacher better insight into actual processes used by scientists is approached in the context of each of the major disciplines.

The primary goal of the course is to produce teachers with insight into the motivations, philosophy, tools and culture of science, thus better able convey an accurate and positive picture of science as a critically important human endeavor.

The course is being taught in its fifth year and was modified two years ago to include General Education prerequisites in mathematics and science, including statistics. This has allowed stronger use of science investigations and analysis.

The class meets at the Science Museum of Virginia, using its resources and interactive exhibits, with field trips and class meetings at other sites. Museum science staff are the primary instructors, with co-instructors from VCU and other institutions. Course activities are designed to take advantage of the many research opportunities in science available near the VCU campus. The student's course journal models the science researcher's notebook and a semester project is conducted as a research team would proceed, using peer review and colloquium presentations.

Evaluation methods used in the development of the course will be presented: response from course participants during and after the course, as well as retrospective information from former students now teaching in the K-12 grades.