NSTA WebNews Digest

Education News: Opinions / Editorials

Why America's 'Hacker Generation' Can Thrive as Teachers

5/8/2013 - The Christian Science Monitor
Opinion writer Lindsay Wells says "Many teachers aren’t feeling much love this Teacher Appreciation Day. But I still believe it is possible to be a good teacher in America—and worth the effort to try. The shift toward data-driven instruction and innovation creates an environment where the 'hacker generation' can thrive."

Reframing, Rebranding and Re-Energizing the STEM Conversation

3/22/2013 - The Huffington Post
When it comes to encouraging more young women to pursue careers in STEM, we need to forget the pep talks, the tactics, the reviews and the carrots. Here's the one thing that you're probably not doing—but need to. REBRAND the Conversation.

US Must Bring STEM Education Up to Par with Overseas Competitors

2/27/2013 - thehill.com
Currently, less than one-third of eighth graders in the U.S. are proficient in science and mathematics and only nine states allow computer science courses to count toward graduation requirements. These statistics are a stark reminder that while the U.S. is a global superpower in every definition, our country’s leaders and educators can’t sit on the sidelines when it comes to STEM-related fields.

Five Habits of Great Students: Lessons from Top-Ranked STEM School

2/21/2013 - The Washington Post (requires free registration)
Many factors affect how well students do in school, but among them are how the students themselves approach their work and learning.

STEM-Deficient Education Holds Back Nation’s Economy

2/21/2013 - Detroit Free Press
As we continue to think through and debate our GDP, budget deficits and national debt problems, we should be discussing how to improve our students' academic achievement, and in STEM education no less than anything else. To help solve our nation's fiscal crisis, we must once and for all take seriously the idea that we need to solve our nation's education crisis.

Finding More STEM Students

2/4/2013 - Inside Higher Ed
That the country needs more science, technology, engineering, and math graduates is a common refrain, but there has been little consensus about how to achieve this goal, and recent announcements from two public universities showcase very different strategies.

STEM Interest on Rise Among High Schoolers, Report Finds

2/1/2013 - Education Week
High school students are increasingly interested in pursuing STEM majors and careers, a new report finds, with about 1 in 4 now stating such an inclination. But a longstanding gender gap is widening, the data show, with fewer females than males signaling STEM interest.

Commentary: U.S. Kids Need Computer-Science Education

1/31/2013 - USA Today
With progress being made on bipartisan immigration law, the importance of computer-science education has resurfaced, underscoring the need for more graduates in the USA.

STEM Education's National Moment

1/29/2013 - Huffington Post
As Common Core becomes the norm in schools, STEM education should be the glue that binds. Next Generation Science Standards, we hope, will raise the bar for schools even higher.

STEM in Words: Let's Make What We Say Count

1/18/2013 - Huff Post: Impact
There is one intentional action we can take to help our youth better understand STEM and follow its path to learning and leadership in the 21st Century. If we can change the conversation in our schools about STEM, we can heighten student interest in it.

With New Science Standards Draft Out, Early Impressions Roll In

1/14/2013 - Education Week
Education Week blogger Erik Robelen shares some of the early feedback he has received on the second draft of the Next Generation Science Standards.

Five Key Questions about the Common Core Standards

1/8/2013 - The Washington Post (requires free registration)
he Common Core State Standards are inexorably coming to the 46 states and the District of Columbia, which have approved them. We’ve heard pros and cons of them in previous posts but here’s a broader look at what they may mean for public education.

STEM Students Must Be Taught to Fail

11/27/2012 - U.S. News & World Report
Failure will teach students to take the risks necessary for innovation.

Honoring a Spongy Subject of Classroom Experiments

11/20/2012 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
The possible death of the Twinkie, announced on Friday, would be a loss not just to the world of junk food, but also to the world of science—science in the classroom, at least.

The State of STEM Education

11/13/2012 - Huffington Post
Justina Nixon-Saintil had the privilege of being among 300 education leaders, students, and teachers at NBC's Education Nation summit held at the New York Public Library a few weeks back. Guest speakers and panelists included Arne Duncan (Secretary of Education), Condoleezza Rice, Chelsea Clinton, Jeb Bush, and presidents and CEOs from multiple corporations and organizations. She discusses three topics that are most pertinent to education programs at the Verizon Foundation: Common Core standards implementation, building a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) pipeline, and technology integration in education.

Invest in Developing Homegrown STEM Talent

10/23/2012 - The Boston Globe
Providing students predisposed to remaining in Massachusetts with access to high-quality STEM education and helping them succeed is a proven strategy, and it’s a wise investment in the future.

One Day Can Change a Life: Workforce Development and STEM Education Critical to Energy Future

10/15/2012 - Huff Post: Education
Sometimes all it takes is one class, one science fair, or one mentor to change the trajectory of a student's career.

A.S.U. President: To Encourage Science Literacy, Fix the Universities

10/5/2012 - Scientific American
The best way to teach today's hyperconnected students is to get rid of the departments of geology and biology.

Breaking the Bias Against Women in Science

10/1/2012 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
Should there be affirmative action, or something similar, to advance women in science and related subjects? Or is there a better way?

Blending High School and Higher Education for STEM

8/19/2012 - Education Week
The White House recently proposed a “master teacher” program that would reward those who excel at teaching STEM subjects. In a related effort, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan issued a new, far-reaching blueprint for career and technical education earlier this summer. The proposed initiatives are complementary, as the United States needs both innovative change and great educators.

Will Master Teachers Help Kids Master Science or Science Tests?

7/26/2012 - Discover Magazine
Everyone supports the idea of improving STEM education, but there are some important questions about the STEM Master Teacher Corps program.

My View: What a 21st-Century Science Classroom Should Look Like

7/10/2012 - CNN: Schools of Thought
Our children need 21st-century skills not simply because employers are looking for them (they are), or because they are essential for success in college (they are), or because other nations are also recognizing this skills gap (they are), but because we want our children to not just survive in this new millennium, but to truly thrive.

A Moment of Science

6/11/2012 - Slate
Author Phil Plait became an astronomer because he looked through a telescope at age 5. More kids need to experience that joy.

High-Quality STEM Education for All: It Takes a Village

3/20/2012 - U.S. News & World Report
While national campaigns have shed a much-needed light on the importance of cultivating and spreading STEM education everywhere, it will take many cross-sector partnerships and commitment of multiple players to move from light-shedding into actual implementations of STEM learning opportunities for America's 150 million K-16 students.

Grades 9 Through 14 School Model Strengthens Education-to-Work System

3/1/2012 - U.S. News & World Report
New York's Michael Bloomberg and Chicago's Rahm Emanuel lead the way in innovating how public education connects to a competitive workforce.

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