Teaching Science

Presented by Adnaan Wasey from PBS’s The Online NewsHour Science.

Link to Blog Together Wiki

Watched a video about pig manure and environmental issues – this was a section on PBS. This is a good resource. For example, there is an interesting section in their archives which introduces nanotechnology.

What is the most important part of teaching science?

There was a detail discussion about whether accuracy in science was more important than teaching about the science process. Science is not a list of facts. It is also about inspiring students to care about science, especially in the K-12 environment. Blogs may encourage these students to be accurage and careful about their English usage especially as their classmates may read it.

Are blogs a good forum for showing the process as when facts change? Example given was Pluto was no longer a planet. How can we go back and change the information in the past?

Is the internet good for promoting science? How do we know which sites are credible?

Good sites:

• Government sites USDA, FDA
• Astronomy: telescope sites
• moodle for opensource WebCT
• project globe
• Google earth
• Science house
• Science magazines

What is good information of K12 teachers to have on a blog?

• Make sure that the blog post contains cites.
• Suggest to look at a lesson plan
  • Visit Teacher’s domain
• and find their blogs and get into their conversations. Visit Class Blog Meister to find K12 teachers in your area.
• Teachable moments
• Wyeth sponsored program “E-scientist”
• Handouts for both students and teachers
  • Could do this as a Adobe attachment within the post
• Standard course of study – unless it fits in with this any good information is useless
  • Visit Marco Polo and National Science Education Standards

Using blogs in the classroom – students cannot be forced to use public space blogs.

Learning outside the classroom