The National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education (NSSME) has provided periodic snapshots of K-12 science instruction in the United States for over 40 years. Study topics include teacher background and beliefs, professional learning opportunities, course offerings, instructional objectives and activities, resources for instruction, and…

This paper describes a Networked Improvement Community comprised of a network of 13 states focused on improving coherence and equity in state systems of science education. Grounded in principles of improvement science adapted from healthcare, we are developing and testing resources for formative assessment in science, with the aim of developing…

To teachers of diverse classrooms, more rigorous standards in science may seem intimidating, as the past years of rigid accountability have failed to close the achievement gap. However, the "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS") were written with all students in mind, with input and full review by a diversity and equity…

This article presents an interview with G. Kip Bollinger. G. Kip Bollinger currently works as a consultant for Intermediate Units, school districts, professional science societies, and science text and kit producers. He performs curriculum alignment, does assessment training, coaches science teachers, trains teachers in the use of specific…

The brain is a truly fascinating structure! It controls the body and allows everyone to think, learn, speak, move, feel, remember, and experience emotions. Although the brain is a single organ, it is very complex and has several regions, each having a specific function. These functionally diverse regions work together to allow for coordination of…

Explains the relationship between state standards on teaching evolution and teachers' attitudes toward evolution-related instruction. (Contains 42 references.) (Author/YDS)

The growing national awareness of the importance of technical skills for "all students" opens up a tremendous opportunity for today's technology teachers. In this interview, Cary Sneider of the National Center for Technological Literacy at the Museum of Science, Boston, talks about how technology educators can establish clear standards…

This report represents an effort to stimulate regional discussion and delineate issues of relevance for educators concerned with science education in the Pacific Northwest. It suggests topics of inquiry germane to the context of national initiatives and regional, state, and local challenges. Information is needed to understand "where we…

The mandate to teach the theory of evolution and evolution-related concepts in biology and other appropriate science classes in public schools is relatively clear in 31 states and the District of Columbia. In the most recent state legislative sessions, some legislators made attempts to use the legislative processes to restrict the teaching of…

This issue of Science Insights contains the following sections: (1) State Standards in Education, (2) Fingerprints (3), Indoctrination at Indiana University, (4) Tuskegee Experiments, and (5) Latest Update on Kennewick Man.

Explores the relationship of state standards for the teaching of evolution to the actual teaching of that subject. Compares a grading of states for their performance and discusses the question of whether state standards matter. (MM)

Schoolyard wildlife habitats aren't just for beauty and fun--they are outdoor classrooms where real science learning takes place. Schoolyard habitat projects involve conservation and restoration of wildlife habitat; however, the learning doesn't have to stop there--outdoor classrooms can foster many kinds of active learning across the curriculum…

This article briefly reviews the central ideas associated with the notion of systemic reform and indicates how these ideas are manifested in the draft of the National Science Education Standards. The draft is critiqued and what the critique suggests about the viability and utility of the notion of systemic reform is considered. The discussion…

The conflict between the standards for student learning in evolution and what students actually learn is highlighted. It is vital that standards be written so that the outlined goals are practically attainable, as are used to design the state tests, and the standards for each grade level are written to coincide with results from the educational…

Whatever has happened to using teacher observation as an approach to assess student achievement? Presently, the emphasis is upon state mandated testing to ascertain student progress. Much is written in educational journals about having students achieve No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal and state standards, signed into law in 2002. Much drill is…