In this section, NSTA President Michael Padilla shares a story reflecting the affect that immigration has had on almost all school systems across the country. He shares his motivation for choosing Developing a World View for Science Education as the theme for his NSTA presidency and acknowledges the fact that science is fundamental to success, not for those just in scientific careers, but also for those who wish to flourish in the new millennium.
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This article describes the curriculum for a highly student-centered human biology course constructed around a series of themes that enables the integration of the same basic paradigms found in a traditional survey lecture course without sacrificing essential content. The theme-based model enhances student interest, ability to integrate knowledge, and independent problem-solving abilities.
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An interdisciplinary study of the SARS virus provides opportunities for students in different disciplines to discuss the origin; spread; and global, economic, chemical, and biological aspects of disease. Students benefit from active discussions with each other and share their knowledge with others in a semester-end poster session.
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Twentieth-century novelist and physicist C.P. Snow famously stated that solving the world’s complex problems requires collaboration between humanists and scientists. We agree with Snow and illustrate one integrated educational approach that bridges the two cultures of science and religion to transform the learning and teaching of science.
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Senior seminar students were surveyed on their opinions of a course that required them to create and present original formal case studies; this resulted in an accumulation of quantitative and qualitative data that were supportive of the case study method. The survey also revealed statistically significant correlations that support the case study method as an important pedagogical tool for learning scientific information.
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To teach students to think like scientists, we modified our laboratory course to include regular opportunities for student practice of inquiry and the scientific process. Our techniques are simple; they can be implemented without rewriting lab manuals, require little additional grading beyond typical lab reports, and are applicable across the science curriculum.
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One of the many benefits of college and university teaching is that it is often possible to remain active in school affairs after retirement. Some elder faculty continue to teach while others participate in research and take part in seminars and colloquia. Their presence enriches our university environment, and we value their advice and expertise.
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Self-efficacy is a key predictor of achievement and retention in most academic areas, including the sciences. In this study, the effects of teaching strategies on self-efficacy and course climate were examined. Question and answer, collaborative learning, conceptual problems, electronic applications, and inquiry labs were found to make significant, unique contributions to self-efficacy and/or classroom climate.
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If teaching by inquiry is recommended as a practice for science teachers because it models the practice of scientific researchers and research supports it, why do scientific researchers resist it? The arguments vary--we teach the way we were taught, it is too difficult or time consuming, we have to give up content, and so on. Perhaps there is another, simpler reason--perhaps we gave it the wrong name! This SCST column discusses the importance of inquiry teaching and explains how the term "inquiry" has been misinterpreted.
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Promoting problem-solving skills is a challenge faced by all science instructors. Teaching students to integrate information without sacrificing content is critical. When taught with an active problem-centered teaching model, students’ mean scores and score distributions on the American Chemical Society standardized exams were significantly improved without students’ course content being sacrificed.
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"Say when." That expression, usually reserved as an inquiry by a solicitous dispenser of party libations, is apt for the serious case writer. In both cases it is meant to find out how much is enough. How much liquid or information should we dole out to our vessels? Can we find a Goldilocks solution to the problem, when everything is "just right"? This article delves into a discussion of how much information a professor should put into a case study.
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Promoting the use of the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) among novice teaching assistants at a large university is facilitated by a program of instructional training and mentoring. Sessions include hands-on activities with guided inquiry in tandem with elements of the SWH. These provide TAs with the opportunity to both experience and practice integrating the SWH.
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