Volume 52, Number 6

Volume 52, Number 6

Volume 52, Number 6

Volume 90, Number 6

Engaging All Students in Our Science Classes

Making science engaging for ALL students requires each of us to know our students as learners with individual interests and identities.

Volume 90, Number 6

Engaging All Students in Our Science Classes

Making science engaging for ALL students requires each of us to know our students as learners with individual interests and identities.

Volume 90, Number 6

Engaging All Students in Our Science Classes

Making science engaging for ALL students requires each of us to know our students as learners with individual interests and identities.

Clear key results and simple figures have clear advantages when teaching. However, these same properties can mislead some students. I provide examples from my presentation on the body mass index, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maps of the prevalence of obesity, changes in blood flow to organs when someone moves from rest to exercise, and nutritional values of food.

Clear key results and simple figures have clear advantages when teaching. However, these same properties can mislead some students. I provide examples from my presentation on the body mass index, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maps of the prevalence of obesity, changes in blood flow to organs when someone moves from rest to exercise, and nutritional values of food.

In this article, we describe and analyze the experience of undergraduate chemistry students who scripted episodes of a science podcast for non-expert audiences. This practice aimed to improve public communication of science and technology, often suppressed throughout science careers but relevant for developing critical thinking. In particular, the script analysis focused on writing strategies used by students to promote suitability to the target audience.

In this article, we describe and analyze the experience of undergraduate chemistry students who scripted episodes of a science podcast for non-expert audiences. This practice aimed to improve public communication of science and technology, often suppressed throughout science careers but relevant for developing critical thinking. In particular, the script analysis focused on writing strategies used by students to promote suitability to the target audience.

Preservice elementary teachers are faced with the daunting task of learning enough about every subject to support their students’ development of foundational ideas. Teacher preparation programs and professional development providers therefore have the challenge of supporting those preservice and in-service teachers by providing content and methods courses in all core subject areas. These initiatives often put an emphasis on math and reading rather than science, as these subjects are tested most often and serve as the gatekeepers to other content.

Preservice elementary teachers are faced with the daunting task of learning enough about every subject to support their students’ development of foundational ideas. Teacher preparation programs and professional development providers therefore have the challenge of supporting those preservice and in-service teachers by providing content and methods courses in all core subject areas. These initiatives often put an emphasis on math and reading rather than science, as these subjects are tested most often and serve as the gatekeepers to other content.

To transition introductory college science courses from large, passive lectures to more student-centered learning environments, additional instructional support is needed. Peer learning assistants (PLAs) can support that transformation by engaging students in interactive discourse and collaborative learning during class activities. PLAs are trained to use several pedagogical strategies while interacting with students to facilitate learning.

To transition introductory college science courses from large, passive lectures to more student-centered learning environments, additional instructional support is needed. Peer learning assistants (PLAs) can support that transformation by engaging students in interactive discourse and collaborative learning during class activities. PLAs are trained to use several pedagogical strategies while interacting with students to facilitate learning.