This column shares reflections or thoughtful opinions on issues of broad interest to the community. This month's issue discusses the importance of the insights that are gained through neuroscience research.

Practices of generating, analyzing, and using evidence play a central role in the Framework for K-12 Science Education and the NGSS. However, the construct of evidence remains largely underspecified in these documents, providing insufficient guidance on how to engage students with the broad and complex nature of evidentiary reasoning. This creates…

The main argument of this article is that science teaching based on a pedagogy of questions is to be modeled on a hermeneutic conception of scientific research as a process of the constitution of texts. This process is spelled out in terms of hermeneutic phenomenology. A text constituted by scientific practices is at once united by a hermeneutic…

Argues that research and teaching are inseparable at modern universities and that teaching makes for better research. (JRH)

One of the easiest ways to capture students sense of wonder is to provide them an opportunity to participate in scientific research and display their findings in a science exhibition. Giving students the freedom to follow their own interests and develop their own science exhibition projects ensures active involvement in the learning process as…

Discusses the integration of research and teaching at undergraduate institutions and the overall effect that changing funding patterns have on large and small undergraduate institutions. (JRH)

The conversation between myself and Professor Lederman took place in Malmö, Sweden on August 25, 2007. The purpose of the conversation was to elaborate on the past, present and future of nature of science research and also to provide insights for beginning researchers. In this text I am providing the questions about which we talked and my…

Considers the nature and extent of bias toward experimentation and against correlational studies. Argues for the use of correlational studies and describes a field-tested approach to enabling students to direct open-ended investigations of this type. (45 references) (JRH)

Presents and defends the thesis that either teaching or research alone is not of much value without its counterpart. The argument is not that of teaching versus research but rather how to strengthen the link between teaching and research in higher education. (PR)

Discussed is the physicists' impact on the revolution in the earth sciences particularly involving the overthrow of the fixist notions in geology. Topics discussed include the mobile earth, the route to plate tectonics, radiometric dating, the earth's magnetic field, ocean floor spreading plate boundaries, infiltration of physics into geology and…

Asserts that science instruction should have students behaving as real scientists. Discusses benefits of high school science research programs for precocious youths. (PR)

This column for high school teachers, written by high school teachers, discusses several interesting anecdotes related to the formulation of laws and the determination of constants. Science history is presented in a manner that can enliven classroom presentations and aid in understanding the principle itself. (Authur/SA)

Explores student-scientist partnerships (SSPs) that help students gain a unique understanding of both the content and the process of science. Discusses the potential of SSPs, the range of SSP activities, a strategy for national impact, the educational importance of SSPs, the research importance of SSPs, and technology as a facilitator. (JRH)

Three issues are discussed that relate to (1) the need for the United States to become more technologically competitive and more daring in ways to produce, nurture and encourage high quality research and (2) the state of the talent pool that must produce the scientists, mathematicians and engineers to do this research. The first issue concerns…

Proposes that higher education insist more on the education of its chemists and less on strictly instrument training. Lists several instances where education may have been more useful than the strict training military officers received. Discusses the role of chemists in society. (MVL)