Science for the classroom and beyond
According to our guest, Einstein thought like an artist, and Picasso thought like a scientist. As Professor emeritus of history and philosophy of science at University College London, Arthur I. Miller has been exploring the intersection of art and science. His new book Colliding Worlds: How Cutting-Edge Science is Redefining Contemporary Art tells the story of how art, science and technology […]
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As science educators, we are likely to recognize Sputnik as the first satellite in space. But what has happened with satellites since Sputnik? How many satellites are even out there, and how do we rely upon them? To help answer some of these questions, we welcome Dr. James Clay Moltz to the show. As author of Crowded Orbits, Dr. Moltz […]
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To prepare for this episode, we had to do a little homework: see the movie Interstellar. As we were walking out of the theater, we knew we had to invite Kip Thorne back to the show. As Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, Emeritus, at the California Institute of Technology, Kip Thorne is the scientific advisor and executive producer of Interstellar. Listen to the […]
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As webmaster for the ENSI (Evolution and the Nature of Sciences Institute) website, Larry Flammer has helped to provide a number of free, student-centered, interactive lessons focusing on the nature of science. So Larry wrote Science Surprises: Exploring the Nature of Science – a text supplement available as an eBook that helps teach the nature of science, with lessons for […]
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This week we turn our attention to science demonstrations. And who better to talk about demos than Steve Spangler. Famously known for his Mentos+Diet Coke experiment, Steve is an engaging and entertaining speaker, as well as a YouTube sensation. Steve joins us to talk about how demonstrations can engage students, while promoting safety, fostering critical thinking and providing suggestions for science […]
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As founder of BirdBrain Technologies and maker of the Hummingbird Robotics Kit, Tom Lauwers has been busy infusing robotics into classrooms of all types. In fact, Tom hails from the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute’s CREATE lab (you might remember the CREATE lab when we talked about robots with Illah Nourbakhsh) where he focused on the process of designing hardware and software to support learners and […]
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Season eight of of Lab Out Loud starts with our thoughts turning towards climate science. As Programs and Policy Director for the National Center for Science Education, Mark McCaffrey boasts an impressive resume in climate and environmental science. Mark helped lead the development of the Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) and has testified before the House Subcommittee on Research about climate […]
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For the final episode of season seven, we invite Rodney Schmalz and Steven Lilienfeld to the show to talk about pseudoscience. Schmalz and Lilienfeld recently published an article discussing the use of pseudoscience in the science classroom to help give students the tools needed to differentiate between scientific and pseudoscientific or paranormal claims. According to the authors, “by incorporating examples […]
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This week we welcome journalist Amy Harmon to Lab Out Loud. Harmon recently wrote an article for the NY Times in which she examined a county council in Hawaii that wanted to ban genetically modified organisms. Listen to the show as Harmon unravels the intersection of politics and science in this heated debate, and you will discover many resources that […]
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This week we welcome Neil Shubin to the show. As paleontologist and anatomy professor at the University of Chicago, Shubin has had some fantastic opportunities to hunt for fossils and use them to communicate stories of our own evolution. In 2008, he wrote these stories into Your Inner Fish – a national bestselling book that has now been adapted into a three-part series […]
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Elementary science has been on our minds recently. So it is fitting that our guest this week has been working hard helping elementary teachers tackle the Next Generation Science Standards. As Coordinator for Elementary Science in Baltimore County Schools, Eric Cromwell has the task of moving a large number of schools and teachers into an NGSS based curriculum. Listen to the […]
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Our guest this week is Illah Nourbakhsh, author of Robot Futures. As Professor of Robotics at The Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, Illah has been building and thinking about robotics for most of his life. Illah joins us to talk about his book, our potential future with robots and how students should be inspired to learn with purpose. Links: Illah Nourbakhsh, The […]
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We invite Karen Worth to the show to discuss NSTA’s recent adoption of a position statement in Early Childhood Science Education. In addition to helping write the position statement, Worth serves as faculty member at Wheelock College where she teaches courses in elementary education and science education to pre-service and in-service teachers. Listen to the show to learn about the what […]
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This week we talk with Ryan Brady – a research scientist with the Wisconsin DNR, where he serves as the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative Bird Monitoring Coordinator. Ryan talks to us about this winter’s snowy owl irruption, how to connect with other birders, and how you might be able to find snowy owls in your own region. Links: eBird Bird-Watchers Revel in […]
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This week we welcome Fred Ende back to the show. Fred recently had an article published in the Science Scope (January 2014) discussing the use of stories in assessments. Fred talks to us about his experience with story assessments, his student results and how you can create your own story assessments. Links: Science Scope: Every Assessment Tells a Story Lab Out […]
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As the nation thaws out from record lows, we thought it would be a good time to chat with meteorologist Jeff Last about our cold weather. Jeff is a Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Green Bay, WI. Listen as Jeff explains the Polar Vortex, and discusses our cold weather and atmospheric phenomena that can be observed at […]
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This week we learn about MOOCs with Michael Schatz. As professor of physics at Georgia Tech, Schatz has been running a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) for Introductory Physics I with Laboratory. Schatz talks to us about his experience with the class, how the online lab requirements work, and his plans to expand it. Links: Michael Schatz, School of […]
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Imagine the chemistry set of the 21st century. That’s the idea behind a new competition. SPARK, The Science Play and Research Kit competition, is a project of the Society for Science & the Public, in collaboration with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. To tell us more about the competition, we contacted Janet Coffey – program officer for science learning at […]
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This week we explore the world of sensors by talking with Mark Wagner – engineer and designer of Sensordrone. Sensordrone is a handheld sensor that wirelessly connects to your smartphone to measure temperature, humidity, light, carbon monoxide levels, and other environmental conditions. Mark talks to us about Sensordrone, the history and potential future of sensors, and how they could be used in […]
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This week we explore everyday science found on BrainStuff with our guest Cristen Conger. As host of BrainStuff and Stuff Mom Never Told You, Cristen talks to us about her work as a writer and host, and how she gets her ideas and does her research. Listen to the show and explore everyday science explained on BrainStuff. Links: TestTube – A Discovery Digital Network BrainStuff […]
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