The issue of sexual harassment in science is gaining much needed attention. In physics, a 2019 survey study found that 68% of female undergraduate respondents experienced sexual or sexist harassment in a physics environment. In 2018, the National Academy of Science released a report to address the prevalence of sexual harassment in sciences,…

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…

In this article, Brian Coppola begins with the single key concept of Boyer, in "Scholarship Reconsidered." The statement appears as follows: "We believe the time has come to move beyond the tired old "teaching versus research" debate and give the familiar and honorable term "scholarship" a broader, more capacious…

The hermeneutics of fairytales, understood as a new way to get their deep significances and therapeutic effects on children by the process of psychic conflicts awareness, represents a frequent topic in the current research, a real source of inspiration for those delivering literature for children or for those using fairytales for therapeutic…

This column presents ideas and techniques to enhance science teaching. This month's issue describes preservice elementary teachers learning engineering principles from engineers. Few elementary teachers have experience with implementing engineering into the classroom. While engineering professional development opportunities for inservice teachers…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides federal funds to improve elementary and secondary education in the nation's schools. ESSA requires states and Local Educational Agencies (i.e., school districts and charter schools) to take a variety of actions to ensure that all children, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, gender, disability…

Teachers do not work in a vacuum. They are, in most cases, part of a science department in which teachers and the chairperson have important roles in science education reform. Current reform is shaped by national standards documents that emphasize the pedagogical and conceptual importance of best practices framed by constructivism and focused on…

Physics and physics education in the United States suffer from severe (and, in some cases, worsening) underrepresentation of Black, Latinx, and Native American people of all genders and women of all races and ethnicities. In this paper, we describe an approach to facilitating physics students' collective and continued education about such…

When I began teaching at City College of San Francisco in 1964, I fell in love with a 1960 text-book that addressed non-science students, "Physics for the Inquiring Mind," written by British-born physicist Eric M. Rogers, who taught physics at Princeton University and who later won the 1969 Oersted Medal of the American Association of…

When science departments are designed for new builds, or are to be refurbished or moved to other parts of the school, design of preparation areas should be a major feature. It is vital that the brief contains everything that is needed including, in particular, a chemical store. But no matter how well a brief is specified, the people who actually…

The purpose of this report is to summarize the activities of the standard-setting meeting for the New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA) in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics (Grades 3-8 and High School), science (Grades 4, 8, and High School), and social studies (High School). The NYSAA standard-setting meeting was held on June 11…

This article describes how the Science Department at Shoeburyness High School in Essex introduced a space-themed year 8 (ages 12-13) science course to increase student engagement and motivation. As well as discussing the rationale for such curriculum change, it describes the processes of planning and resourcing the course, and the barriers that…

This article describes the development of the Inquiry Institute, a collaboration of scientists from a science department and science educators from a school of education. The history of the institute and the benefits to students, faculty, and the institution are presented. The institute is responsible for the creation, maintenance, and ongoing…

This article presents an interview with Camilla P. Benbow, the Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College, a position she has held since 1998. Benbow began her academic career at Johns Hopkins University and subsequently taught at Iowa State University, where she was named…

Four science programs at our public urban liberal arts college have struggled to attract and retain majors: physics, environmental studies, geology, and teaching science. The Brooklyn Opportunities in Science and Careers (BOSC) program aims to increase student participation in these majors using a new career-focused strategy to recruit students.…