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

Gerry Wheeler

Meet the hosts of NSTA’s Lab Out Loud podcast – Dale Basler and Brian Bartel. Later, we chat with NSTA Executive Director Gerry Wheeler, as he reflects on Sputnik and its impact on science education, the importance of science literacy and 21st century skills, and how NSTA is helping science teachers both young and old.

WSST

• The Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers
• WSST’s Periodicity

Gerry Wheeler Reflects on Sputnik:

• When Science Suddenly Mattered, in Space and in Class (NY Times)
• Sputnik Left Legacy for U.S. Science Education (NPR)
• Sputnik heralded space race, focus on learning (USA Today)
• Science: Sputnik Redux (Edutopia)

Visit NSTA’s new website at www.nsta.org NSTA’s New Science Teacher Academy
With support from The Amgen Foundation, the program will support new middle and secondary school science educators by providing opportunities for professional development such as online mentoring and financial support to attend NSTA’s national conference.

• New Science Teacher Academy
• The Amgen Foundation
• The Science and Mathematics Teacher Shortage: Fact and Myth

Toyota Tapestry

• Home
• 2008 Online Proposal

Direct download: nsta_lol1.mp3