Fred Ende

Our guest this week is Fred Ende.  As a middle-school science teacher, Fred quickly became frustrated with cookie-cutter, partial inquiry and simple scientific method lab reports that rarely engaged students in the content.  Deciding to change this mode, Fred created open-ended lab experiences where students investigated their own questions, became interested in sharing their work, and ultimately improved their scientific writing.  Fred talks to Lab Out Loud about his experience in making scientific writing more relevant and student-centered.

Links:

• Download the article (provided courtesy of NSTA): “Not Another Lab Report“, by Fred Ende in NSTA’s Science Scope)
• Fred’s Blog
• Follow Fred on Twitter
• SCIENCE 21
• Follow SCIENCE 21 on Twitter
• “A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas” (from the National Academies Press)

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player below.

Dr. Eric Plutzer

This week we discuss evolution education with Dr. Eric Plutzer, co-author of “Defeating Creationism in the Courtroom, But Not in the Classroom” – a recently published article in Science Magazine.  Dr. Plutzer discusses the paper, and what the results reveal about how much evolution is actually being taught in biology classrooms across the nation.

The Cautious 60:

The cautious 60% may play a far more important role in hindering scientific literacy in the United States than the smaller number of explicit creationists. The strategies of emphasizing microevolution, justifying the curriculum on the basis of state-wide tests, or “teaching the controversy” all undermine the legitimacy of findings that are well established by the combination of peer review and replication. These teachers fail to explain the nature of scientific inquiry, undermine the authority of established experts, and legitimize creationist arguments, even if unintentionally (Berkman and Plutzer, “Defeating Creationism in the Courtroom, But Not in the Classroom”, Science: 28 January, 2011).

Links:

• Dr. Eric Plutzer, Penn State
• Defending Science Education in the Courtroom, but not in the Classroom, Science (January 28, 2011)
• Evolution, Creationism, and the Battle to Control America’s Classrooms (Amazon.com)
• Evolution, Creationism, and the Battle to Control America’s Classrooms (Google Books)
• Bad Science Education in the U.S. (Pharyngula)
• NCSE (National Center for Science Education)
• NABT (National Association of Biology Teachers)

Direct download: LOL59.mp3

Sam Kean

This week we discuss our favorite science books and talk to author Sam Kean. Sam discusses the periodic table, scientific discovery and storytelling in his new book The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements. 

What science books do you read? Join the conversation at laboutloud.com to share your favorite science books, and visit the NSTA Science Store for the latest NSTA Press books … and more. 

Links: 

• samkean.com
• The Disappearing Spoon (Amazon.com)
• Barnes & Noble Review
• Excerpt from the NY Times
• Review from the NY Times
  
• Review from the Miami Herald
• Review from Science News
  
• Review from the NY Post
• Fun and Intrigue with the Periodic Table (NPR)
• Sodium Disposal (You Tube)
• Periodic Table of Videos: What’s Your Favorite Element?

Science Books We Read: 

• The Edge of Physics: A Journey to Earth’s Extremes to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe by Anil Ananthaswamy
• Upside of Irrationality by Dan Ariely
• The Windup Girl by Pablo Bacigalupi (SciFi)
• The 13th Element: The Sordid Tale of Murder, Fire and Phosphorous by John Emsley
• Sleepless by Charlie Huston (SciFi)
• Icarus at the Edge of Time by Brian Greene
• Creation by Randal Keynes
• Napoleons Buttons: How 13 Molecules Changed History by Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson)
• Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman
• The Smart Swarm: How Understanding Flocks, Schools, and Colonies Can Make Us Better at Communicating, Decision Making, and Getting Things Done by Peter Miller
• Don’t Be Such a Scientist by Randy Olson
• Anthill by E.O. Wilson

Direct download: LOL52.mp3

Barry Cartwright

Our guest this week is Barry Cartwright – the Science Content Specialist for the Colorado Department of Education.  In November, Colorado recently released their Final Draft of the Colorado Academic Standards in Science.  Barry discusses some of the highlights of the new Colorado science standards and the future of standards in science education.

Links:

• Colorado Academic Standards in Science – Final Draft, November 2009 (pdf)
• Colorado Science (Barry’s Blog)
• CDE Academic Support Collaboration Site: Barry Cartwright
• NSTA’s Science Anchors
• AAAS – Project 2061

Books Recommended By Barry:

• National Science Education Standards
• Ready, Set, Science (for K-8 science)
• Americas lab report (for high school science)
• How Students Learn: Science in the Classroom
• The World is Flat
• The Global Achievement Gap

Direct download: LOL39.mp3

Dr. Francis Eberle

We open our third season with Dr. Francis Eberle, executive director of NSTA.  Francis talks to us about his role at NSTA and gives us some insights to a few new initiatives from NSTA.

Links:

• The National Science Teachers Association
• Francis Eberle Selected as New Executive Director of NSTA
• NSTA 2009 Area Conference in Minneapolis
• NSTA 2009 Area Conference in Ft Lauderdale
• NSTA 2009 Area Conference in Phoenix
• The John Glenn Center for Science Education
• NSTA Science Anchors
• NSTA Communities

Have a suggestion for Lab Out Loud?  You can leave any comments, criticisms, or suggestions for the show by completing the form at www.laboutloud.com/contact/.

Become a fan of Lab Out Loud on Facebook – make sure to join today!

Direct download: LOL32.mp3

On Thursday, I will sporting my Lab Out Loud T-shirt, and Dale will be wearing his on Friday – come talk to us as we are out and about during the conference.

You can also follow our tweets to see what we’re doing at twitter.com/laboutloud (or twitter.com/bbartel and twitter.com/basler).

We welcome Jodi Peterson to the show this week.  Jodi serves as the Assistant Executive Director for the NSTA Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, and talks to us about what we might see for science and science education with the Obama administration.

Make sure to tell us what you think about Science in its Rightful Place. Comment below, and participate in Seed Magazine’s discussion (see below).

• NSTA Legislative Affairs
  
• Sign-up to receive the NSTA Express
• NSTA Express Archives
• Rising Above the Storm: Science Education in the 21st Century
• Obama “Rightful Place” for Science

“The Search for knowledge, truth and a greater understanding of the world around us” from change.gov

Obama Weekly Radio Address on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan (video).

The Administration is still working with Congress to refine the plan, but in the address, President Obama lays out the key priorities. He goes into detail, noting that the plan will update our electric grid by laying more than 3,000 miles of transmission lines; weatherize 2.5 million homes; protect health insurance for more than 8 million Americans in danger of losing their coverage; secure 90 major ports; renovate 10,000 schools; and triple the number of science fellowships.   [Link]

Seed Magazine’s “What is Science’s Rightful Place” Discussion

In his first speech as President-elect last November, Barack Obama reminded us of the promise of “a world connected by our own science and imagination.” And on Tuesday, in his inaugural address, President Obama cemented his commitment to a new ethos and culture by vowing to “restore science to its rightful place.”

At Seed, we are firmly committed to President Obama’s vision and want to help make it a reality. We begin today by asking you, our friends and colleagues in science, and outside science, to respond to the President’s idea of a “rightful place” for science. What is science’s rightful place?

Restoring science to its rightful place in government and in wider society will be no simple task; it will demand fresh ideas, the engagement of America’s scientists and engineers, and the collaboration of other cultural and social institutions.

On Tuesday we bore witness to a milestone with multiple facets: the victory of racial equality, the demise of anti-intellectualism, the triumph of hope over fear, and the evolution of democracy itself. Today we also entered a new era of curiosity, open inquiry, and hard work in pursuit of something bigger than each of us. History will call this the birth of our scientific renaissance.

We invite you to share your thoughts and comments on the rightful place of science. Send text, audio, video, image to responses@rightfulplace.org or join the conversation on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rightful-Place-Project/46391575761

Direct download: LOL25.mp3

In this episode, Maryann Suero and Ken Roy warn us of safety dangers lurking in schools – both in the science lab and beyond.  Dr. Suero is the Children’s Health Program Manager for the EPA Region 5 (Midwest Region), and Ken Roy is the Director of Environmental Health and Safety for Glastonbury Public Schools in CT, the Safety Compliance Consultant for NSTA, and a safety columnist for the Science Teacher and for Science Scope.

SC3: Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign
The Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3) aims to ensure that all schools are free from hazards associated with mismanaged chemicals. SC3 gives K-12 schools information and tools to responsibly manage chemicals.

• Fact Sheet (pdf)
  
• Green Cleaning (pdf)
• Partnerships with Industry (pdf)
• No More Methyl Something (ppt)

OSHA Lab Standard and HazCom Standards websites:

• Laboratories
• Reactive Chemicals
• Hazard Communications

Safety Links

• King County, WA (Seattle) “Rehab the Lab” Program
• Council of State Science Supervisors Safety Website
• Connecticut High School Science Safety Prudent Practices and Regulations (pdf)
• Conneticut Middle School Safety Prudent Practices and Regulations (pdf)
  
• National Science Education Leadership Association “Safe Science” safety articles for science teachers
• YouTube Video Warning of Consequences Playing with Thermite Grenades

For safety Issues in Schools – email NSTA’s Science Safety Compliance Consultant/Safety Columnist/Author: Dr. Ken Roy at Royk@glastonburyus.org

Direct download: LOL22.mp3

Get a preview of what’s in store for you at the 2008 National Conference on Science Education, as we chat with conference chair Joyce Croce.

New to an NSTA Conference?

Direct download: nstalol10.mp3