NSTA WebNews Digest

Education News: International Science Education

Globally Competent Workforce: Why We Need One

6/19/2013 - Education Week
Blogger Heather Singmaster contends that we still need to make the case to our local communities that we need a culturally competent workforce.

Are US Boys Really Smarter Than Girls In Science? International Testing Provides Some Answers About Educational Gender Gaps

2/19/2013 - International Business Times
A nine-point difference on a test where the average score is 500 might not seem like much, but if you’re concerned about the gender gap between boys and girls in science performance, you might see it as a call to action.

Girls Lead in Science Exam, but Not in the United States

2/5/2013 - The New York Times
Girls outperformed boys in more countries in a science test given to 15-year-old students in 65 countries—but in the United States, boys led the girls.

International Tests Spark Questions on Finland’s Standing

12/20/2012 - Education Week
Educational tourism has become a sizable industry for Finland in recent years, thanks to its strong showing on a global exam for 15-year-olds. But new data from a different set of assessments suggest that Americans might not need to travel so far to learn about building a strong education system.

Why the Best Stay on Top in Latest Math and Science Tests

12/13/2012 - ScienceInsider
The latest results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) released yesterday show that fourth- and eighth-grade students from Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea have retained—and in some cases widened—their lead over the rest of the 63 countries that took the TIMSS tests in 2011. The scientists who manage this quadrennial exercise say that a big reason why East Asian countries continue to lead the rest of the world is their ability to implement necessary improvements in their school systems.

Global STEM Achievement Ups and Downs Since 1995

12/13/2012 - Education Week
There are lots of data to mine in the TIMSS report beyond a simple snapshot of how nations stack up today.

Competitors Still Beat U.S. in Tests

12/11/2012 - The Wall Street Journal
American schoolchildren continue to lag behind those of major competitors in math and science exams given globally, despite progress on some of those tests, according to results from international achievement exams.

Congress Must Help More Foreign-Born STEM Graduates Stay in US

10/16/2012 - The Hill
By 2009, according to the National Science Foundation, a full half of those graduating with a doctorate in computer science were foreign-born students here on a temporary visa. Although we clearly have an economic need for these graduates, and they’ve been educated here in the United States, we are currently sending these inventors and job creators home to compete with us in the global marketplace.

The “Extra” in Extracurricular Activities

7/5/2012 - OECD: Education Today
The latest issue of PISA in Focus makes the case that the availability of extracurricular activities at school is positively related both to student performance and to students’ attitudes toward learning. While the types of science-related extracurricular activities vary across countries, their relationship with better student performance is consistent throughout.

South Korea Surrenders to Creationist Demands

6/11/2012 - Scientific American
Mention creationism, and many scientists think of the United States, where efforts to limit the teaching of evolution have made headway in a couple of states. But the successes are modest compared with those in South Korea, where the anti-evolution sentiment seems to be winning its battle with mainstream science.

Brain Gain, Brain Drain

5/15/2012 - Inside Higher Ed
A new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research provides data on just which countries are gaining and which are losing talent.

Teens Compete in International Science Research Fair's Pittsburgh Finals

5/15/2012 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
American and international teenagers are competing this week at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center for Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2012—the world's largest high school science research competition.

Individual U.S. Schools Take Part in PISA Pilot

5/7/2012 - Education Week (requires registration)
The schools will see how they stack up against other countries' in their higher-order thinking skills in reading, math, and science.

Africa Sci-tech Forum Promotes Homegrown Innovation

4/2/2012 - Voice of America News
Experts and officials gathered at the first Africa Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation in Nairobi, Kenya are seeking African solutions to African problems. Participants are calling for African governments to fund and promote research and development at home.

Cash Grants Allow Real Experiments in School Science

1/6/2012 - BBC News
Schools are encouraged by the UK's top scientific body to bring cutting-edge science into the classroom.

National Space Academy Helps Teachers Champion Aerospace

12/15/2011 - BBC News
In England, a new academy has been set up to enable teachers to use space as a theme in their core subject lesson plans.

Effort Helps Women in Muslim Nations Study Science in U.S.

12/12/2011 - Inside Higher Ed
Hillary Rodham Clinton, the secretary of state, on Saturday kicked off a new effort to help women in Muslim nations study science at women's colleges in the United States.

Eco-Kids in Senegal Adopt Earth-Friendly Fuel Project

12/7/2011 - Voice of America News
In the city of Diourbel, Senegal, 50 bright, young students are making a positive environmental contribution by adopting a recycling project that provides a cost-effective, alternative fuel source for cooking.

Mexican, Indian Students Hungrier for STEM

12/2/2011 - U.S. News & World Report
Are America's students interested in STEM? According to the Lenovo Global Student Science and Technology Outlook, released November 17, they are—but students in countries such as Mexico, India, and Russia are hungrier to enter a career in a STEM field.

U.K. Scientists Challenge Creationism in Schools

9/20/2011 - ScienceInsider
Prominent U.K. scientists released a statement about the teaching of creationism in British publicly-funded schools. They argue that current government advice that creationism and intelligent design should not be taught in school science lessons needs to be made statutory and enforceable.

Has Physics Become Cool Again?

8/18/2011 - BBC News
British research figures published this morning show an increase for the fifth consecutive year in the number of students studying A-level physics. According to the Institute of Physics, for the first time since 2002, physics is back in the top 10 most popular subjects.

‘Tau Day’ Marked by Opponents of Math Constant pi

6/28/2011 - BBC News
The mathematical constant pi is under threat from a group of detractors who will be marking "Tau Day" today.

International Study Finds Less U.S. Academic Resiliency

6/20/2011 - Education Week (requires free registration)
A new study finds that across 66 OECD and partner countries who participate in the Program for International Student Assessment, just under one in three students in poverty still performs in the top quarter of all students of their demographics internationally in reading, math, and science.

U.S. Reforms Out of Sync With High-Performing Nations, Report Finds

5/31/2011 - Education Week
The United States' education system is neither coherent nor likely to see great improvements based on its current attempts at reform, according to a recent report.

Science’s Brain Drain

5/23/2011 - The Washington Post (requires free registration)
Opinion writer Matthew Stremlau writes about how few of his colleagues who attain PhDs will go on to run their own labs. Some go into industry or consulting or law. Others leave science altogether.

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