Motivation and career outcomes of a precollege life science experience for underrepresented minorities

Science.gov (United States)

Ortega, Robbie Ray

Minorities continue to be underrepresented in professional science careers. In order to make Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers more accessible for underrepresented minorities, informal science programs must be utilized to assist in developing interest in STEM for minority youth. In addition to developing interest in science, informal programs must help develop interpersonal skills and leadership skills of youth, which allow youth to develop discrete social behaviors while creating positive and supportive communities thus making science more practical in their lives. This study was based on the premise that introducing underrepresented youth to the agricultural and life sciences through an integrated precollege experience of leadership development with university faculty, scientist, and staff would help increase youths' interest in science, while also increasing their interest to pursue a STEM-related career. Utilizing a precollege life science experience for underrepresented minorities, known as the Ag Discovery Camp, 33 middle school aged youth were brought to the Purdue University campus to participate in an experience that integrated a leadership development program with an informal science education program in the context of agriculture. The week-long program introduced youth to fields of agriculture in engineering, plant sciences, food sciences, and entomology. The purpose of the study was to describe short-term and intermediate student outcomes in regards to participants' interests in career activities, science self-efficacy, and career intentions. Youth were not interested in agricultural activities immediately following the precollege experience. However, one year after the precollege experience, youth expressed they were more aware of agriculture and would consider agricultural careers if their first career choice did not work out for them. Results also showed that the youth who participated in the precollege experience were

Science and Engineering of the Environment of Los Angeles: A GK-12 Experiment at Developing Science Communications Skills in UCLA's Graduate Program

Science.gov (United States)

Moldwin, M. B.; Hogue, T. S.; Nonacs, P.; Shope, R. E.; Daniel, J.

2008-12-01

Many science and research skills are taught by osmosis in graduate programs with the expectation that students will develop good communication skills (speaking, writing, and networking) by observing others, attending meetings, and self reflection. A new National Science Foundation Graduate Teaching Fellows in K- 12 Education (GK-12; http://ehrweb.aaas.org/gk12new/) program at UCLA (SEE-LA; http://measure.igpp.ucla.edu/GK12-SEE-LA/overview.html ) attempts to make the development of good communication skills an explicit part of the graduate program of science and engineering students. SEE-LA places the graduate fellows in two pairs of middle and high schools within Los Angeles to act as scientists-in- residence. They are partnered with two master science teachers and spend two-days per week in the classroom. They are not student teachers, or teacher aides, but scientists who contribute their content expertise, excitement and experience with research, and new ideas for classroom activities and lessons that incorporate inquiry science. During the one-year fellowship, the graduate students also attend a year-long Preparing Future Faculty seminar that discusses many skills needed as they begin their academic or research careers. Students are also required to include a brief (two-page) summary of their research that their middle or high school students would be able to understand as part of their published thesis. Having students actively thinking about and communicating their science to a pre-college audience provides important science communication training and helps contribute to science education. University and local pre- college school partnerships provide an excellent opportunity to support the development of graduate student communication skills while also contributing significantly to the dissemination of sound science to K-12 teachers and students.

Research Experiences for Science Teachers: The Impact On Their Students

Science.gov (United States)

Dubner, J.

2005-12-01

Deficiencies in science preparedness of United States high school students were recognized more than two decades ago, as were some of their underlying causes. Among the primary causes are the remoteness of the language, tools, and concepts of science from the daily experiences of teachers and students, and the long-standing national shortage of appropriately prepared science teachers. Secondary school science teachers are challenged each school year by constantly changing content, new technologies, and increasing demands for standards-based instruction. A major deficiency in the education of science teachers was their lack of experience with the practice of science, and with practicing scientists. Providing teachers with opportunities to gain hands-on experience with the tools and materials of science under the guidance and mentorship of leading scientists in an environment attuned to professional development, would have many beneficial effects. They would improve teachers' understanding of science and their ability to develop and lead inquiry- and standards-based science classes and laboratories. They would enable them to communicate the vitality and dynamism of science to their students and to other teachers. They would enhance their ability to motivate and guide students. From its inception, Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teacher's goal has been to enhance interest and improve performance in science of students in New York City area schools. The program seeks to achieve this goal by increasing the professional competence of teachers. Our ongoing program evaluation shows that following completion of the program, the teachers implement more inquiry-based classroom and laboratory exercises, increase utilization of Internet resources, motivate students to participate in after school science clubs and Intel-type science projects; and create opportunities for students to investigate an area of science in greater depth and for longer periods

Undergraduates' Perceived Gains and Ideas about Teaching and Learning Science from Participating in Science Education Outreach Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, Stacey L.

2015-01-01

This study examined what undergraduate students gain and the ideas about science teaching and learning they develop from participating in K-12 science education outreach programs. Eleven undergraduates from seven outreach programs were interviewed individually about their experiences with outreach and what they learned about science teaching and…

The ASI science program

Science.gov (United States)

Musso, Carlo

2002-03-01

Italy came in the space business in 1963, being the third nation in the world, after the Soviet Union and the United States, to put an artificial satellite into orbit. In 1988 the Italian Space Agency (ASI) was constituted, with the mandate of planning, coordinating and executing civil space activities in Italy. The core of national space activities is science, for which Italy spends about 25% of the ASI budget, both in national and international programs. The community served by the scientific directorate of ASI is a very wide one, ranging from the science of the Universe and the exploration of the Solar System to life sciences, from Earth observation to the development of new technologies. The success of Italian space research appears under many different points of view. The national satellite BeppoSAX, named after Giuseppe Beppo Occhialini, widely contributed to solve the γ-ray burst puzzle, obtaining the relevant acknowledgment of the ``Bruno Rossi Prize''. Italian researchers kept the PI-ship of various payloads on board ESA missions, such as Epic for XMM-Newton, Ibis for Integral, Virtis and Giada for Rosetta, PFS and Marsis for Mars Express. Also in the field of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) two important experiments are foreseen in the next future, with Italian PIs: SPOrt on board the International Space Station, dedicated to the polarization of CMB, and LFI (Low Frequency Instrument) on board the ESA Planck satellite, to study CMB anisotropy. Meanwhile, a great success has been obtained with the balloon experiment Boomerang. Moreover, ASI started a national scientific and technological small mission program. The first three missions are on their way: Agile (a γ-ray observatory), David (an experiment to test very high frequency data transmission), and a third one, devoted to Earth science. .

Science Teaching Experiences in Informal Settings: One Way to Enrich the Preparation Program for Preservice Science Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Pei-Ling

2016-01-01

The high attrition rate of new science teachers demonstrates the urgent need to incorporate effective practices in teacher preparation programs to better equip preservice science teachers. The purpose of the study is to demonstrate a way to enrich preservice science teachers' preparation by incorporating informal science teaching practice into…

Theme-Based Project Learning: Design and Application of Convergent Science Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Chun, Man-Seog; Kang, Kwang Il; Kim, Young H.; Kim, Young Mee

2015-01-01

This case study aims to verify the benefits of theme-based project learning for convergent science experiments. The study explores the possibilities of enhancing creative, integrated and collaborative teaching and learning abilities in science-gifted education. A convergent project-based science experiment program of physics, chemistry and biology…

Teachers' participation in research programs improves their students' achievement in science.

Science.gov (United States)

Silverstein, Samuel C; Dubner, Jay; Miller, Jon; Glied, Sherry; Loike, John D

2009-10-16

Research experience programs engage teachers in the hands-on practice of science. Program advocates assert that program participation enhances teachers' skills in communicating science to students. We measured the impact of New York City public high-school science teachers' participation in Columbia University's Summer Research Program on their students' academic performance in science. In the year before program entry, students of participating and nonparticipating teachers passed a New York State Regents science examination at the same rate. In years three and four after program entry, participating teachers' students passed Regents science exams at a rate that was 10.1% higher (P = 0.049) than that of nonparticipating teachers' students. Other program benefits include decreased teacher attrition from classroom teaching and school cost savings of U.S. $1.14 per $1 invested in the program.

Exploring Art and Science Integration in an Afterschool Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bolotta, Alanna

Science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education integrates science with art, presenting a unique and interesting opportunity to increase accessibility in science for learners. This case study examines an afterschool program grounded in art and science integration. Specifically, I studied the goals of the program, it's implementation and the student experience (thinking, feeling and doing) as they participated in the program. My findings suggest that these programs can be powerful methods to nurture scientific literacy, creativity and emotional development in learners. To do so, this program made connections between disciplines and beyond, integrated holistic teaching and learning practices, and continually adapted programming while also responding to challenges. The program is therefore specially suited to engage the heads, hands and hearts of learners, and can make an important contribution to their learning and development. To conclude, I provide some recommendations for STEAM implementation in both formal and informal learning settings.

Programming experience promotes higher STEM motivation among first-grade girls.

Science.gov (United States)

Master, Allison; Cheryan, Sapna; Moscatelli, Adriana; Meltzoff, Andrew N

2017-08-01

The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) engagement is large and persistent. This gap is significantly larger in technological fields such as computer science and engineering than in math and science. Gender gaps begin early; young girls report less interest and self-efficacy in technology compared with boys in elementary school. In the current study (N=96), we assessed 6-year-old children's stereotypes about STEM fields and tested an intervention to develop girls' STEM motivation despite these stereotypes. First-grade children held stereotypes that boys were better than girls at robotics and programming but did not hold these stereotypes about math and science. Girls with stronger stereotypes about robotics and programming reported lower interest and self-efficacy in these domains. We experimentally tested whether positive experience with programming robots would lead to greater interest and self-efficacy among girls despite these stereotypes. Children were randomly assigned either to a treatment group that was given experience in programming a robot using a smartphone or to control groups (no activity or other activity). Girls given programming experience reported higher technology interest and self-efficacy compared with girls without this experience and did not exhibit a significant gender gap relative to boys' interest and self-efficacy. These findings show that children's views mirror current American cultural messages about who excels at computer science and engineering and show the benefit of providing young girls with chances to experience technological activities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

GLOBE Observer and the Association of Science & Technology Centers: Leveraging Citizen Science and Partnerships for an International Science Experiment to Build Climate Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Riebeek Kohl, H.; Chambers, L. H.; Murphy, T.

2016-12-01

For more that 20 years, the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program has sought to increase environment literacy in students by involving them in the process of data collection and scientific research. In 2016, the program expanded to accept observations from citizen scientists of all ages through a relatively simple app. Called GLOBE Observer, the new program aims to help participants feel connected to a global community focused on advancing the scientific understanding of Earth system science while building climate literacy among participants and increasing valuable environmental data points to expand both student and scientific research. In October 2016, GLOBE Observer partnered with the Association of Science & Technology Centers (ASTC) in an international science experiment in which museums and patrons around the world collected cloud observations through GLOBE Observer to create a global cloud map in support of NASA satellite science. The experiment was an element of the International Science Center and Science Museum Day, an event planned in partnership with UNESCO and ASTC. Museums and science centers provided the climate context for the observations, while GLOBE Observer offered a uniform experience and a digital platform to build a connected global community. This talk will introduce GLOBE Observer and will present the results of the experiment, including evaluation feedback on gains in climate literacy through the event.

The Los Alamos Space Science Outreach (LASSO) Program

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, P. L.; Skoug, R. M.; Alexander, R. J.; Thomsen, M. F.; Gary, S. P.

2002-12-01

The Los Alamos Space Science Outreach (LASSO) program features summer workshops in which K-14 teachers spend several weeks at LANL learning space science from Los Alamos scientists and developing methods and materials for teaching this science to their students. The program is designed to provide hands-on space science training to teachers as well as assistance in developing lesson plans for use in their classrooms. The program supports an instructional model based on education research and cognitive theory. Students and teachers engage in activities that encourage critical thinking and a constructivist approach to learning. LASSO is run through the Los Alamos Science Education Team (SET). SET personnel have many years of experience in teaching, education research, and science education programs. Their involvement ensures that the teacher workshop program is grounded in sound pedagogical methods and meets current educational standards. Lesson plans focus on current LANL satellite projects to study the solar wind and the Earth's magnetosphere. LASSO is an umbrella program for space science education activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) that was created to enhance the science and math interests and skills of students from New Mexico and the nation. The LASSO umbrella allows maximum leveraging of EPO funding from a number of projects (and thus maximum educational benefits to both students and teachers), while providing a format for the expression of the unique science perspective of each project.

Mapping Out-of-School-Time Youth Science Programs: Organizational Patterns and Possibilities

Science.gov (United States)

Laursen, S. L.; Archie, T.; Thiry, H.

2012-12-01

Out-of-school-time (OST) experiences promise to enrich young (K-12) people's experience of science, technology and engineering. Belief is widespread that OST programs are ideal locations to learn science, and that youth participation may enhance the science workforce and increase access to science for girls and minorities. Yet we know little about the scope or nature of science-focused OST youth programming. Variety poses a challenge for researchers, with OST sites in schools, museums, zoos, science and nature centers, aquariums, planetariums, and community centers; and formats including after-school clubs, camps, workshops, festivals, research apprenticeships, and more. Moreover, there is no single national network through which researchers might reach and recruit nationally representative samples of programs. Thus, to date there has been no systematic study of the broader national landscape of OST STEM programming. Our national study, Mapping Out-of-School-Time Science (MOST-Science), examines a national sample of OST programs focused on science, engineering, and/or technology. Here we describe first findings about the characteristics of these programs and their home organizations, including aspects of program design, structure, funding, staffing, and youth audience. Using an electronic survey, we collected data from 417 programs and classified their host institutions into eight organizational types: aquariums and zoos, museums, non-profits, national youth organizations, K-12 school districts, colleges and universities, government labs, and private sector organizations. We then examine key attributes of the youth programs hosted by these institution and discuss differences based on organizational types, including scientific organizations that are especially well equipped to offer research and field experiences. Programs engaging youth in research and field experiences are offered across all organizational types. Yet they vary notably in the size and demographics

Articulating attrition: Graduate school experiences of female doctoral students in the sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Osburn, Kathryn Ann

2005-07-01

Despite decades of research and reform efforts designed to bolster female retention in scientific disciplines, the conundrum of women's departure from doctoral programs in the sciences remains. This qualitative case study investigated the aspects of the graduate school experience that female doctoral students described as facilitating or impeding their successful degree completion in chemistry. I analyzed the graduate school narratives of twelve female participants who represented both successful and unsuccessful doctoral recipients from four advisors at one university. Participants identified four types of experiences that facilitated their retention in the doctoral program: feeling successful and confident in meeting the program requirements, having positive research experiences, receiving support from social networks, and being dedicated to career goals. Participants cited four kinds of experiences that impeded their continued participation in the doctoral program: having negative research experiences, feeling a lack of success and confidence in meeting the program requirements, changing career goals, and receiving no support from social networks. The graduate school experiences of participants who did and did not successfully attain their degree objectives differed in terms of four dimensions: pre-program experiences, academic experiences, advisory experiences, and social experiences. Based on these findings, I have proposed a model of attrition and retention that emphasizes the role that these unique program experiences play in shaping participants' sense of professional fit within the community of doctoral chemists, consequently contributing to their differential program outcomes. This study not only offers a new perspective on the phenomenon of female doctoral attrition in the sciences but also informs the development of more gender-inclusive graduate science practices and policies that will support the retention of female doctoral students.

Autonomous Science Analysis with the New Millennium Program-Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Doggett, T.; Davies, A. G.; Castano, R. A.; Baker, V. R.; Dohm, J. M.; Greeley, R.; Williams, K. K.; Chien, S.; Sherwood, R.

2002-12-01

The NASA New Millennium Program (NMP) is a testbed for new, high-risk technologies, including new software and hardware. The Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment (ASE) will fly on the Air Force Research Laboratory TechSat-21 mission in 2006 is such a NMP mission, and is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. TechSat-21 consists of three satellites, each equipped with X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) that will occupy a 13-day repeat track Earth orbit. The main science objectives of ASE are to demonstrate that process-related change detection and feature identification can be conducted autonomously during space flight, leading to autonomous onboard retargeting of the spacecraft. This mission will observe transient geological and environmental processes using SAR. Examples of geologic processes that may be observed and investigated include active volcanism, the movement of sand dunes and transient features in desert environments, water flooding, and the formation and break-up of lake ice. Science software onboard the spacecraft will allow autonomous processing and formation of SAR images and extraction of scientific information. The subsequent analyses, performed on images formed onboard from the SAR data, will include feature identification using scalable feature "templates" for each target, change detection through comparison of current and archived images, and science discovery, a search for other features of interest in each image. This approach results in obtaining the same science return for a reduced amount of resource use (such as downlink) when compared to that from a mission operating without ASE technology. Redundant data is discarded. The science-driven goals of ASE will evolve during the ASE mission through onboard replanning software that can re-task satellite operations. If necessary, as a result of a discovery made autonomously by onboard science processing, existing observation sequences will be pre-empted to

Norfolk State University Research Experience in Earth System Science

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhury, Raj

2002-01-01

The truly interdisciplinary nature of Earth System Science lends itself to the creation of research teams comprised of people with different scientific and technical backgrounds. In the annals of Earth System Science (ESS) education, the lack of an academic major in the discipline might be seen as a barrier to the involvement of undergraduates in the overall ESS-enterprise. This issue is further compounded at minority-serving institutions by the rarity of departments dedicated to Atmospheric Science, Oceanography or even the geosciences. At Norfolk State University, a Historically Black College, a six week, NASA-supported, summer undergraduate research program (REESS - Research Experience in Earth System Science) is creating a model that involves students with majors in diverse scientific disciplines in authentic ESS research coupled with a structured education program. The project is part of a wider effort at the University to enhance undergraduate education by identifying specific areas of student weaknesses regarding the content and process of science. A pre- and post-assessment test, which is focused on some fundamental topics in global climate change, is given to all participants as part of the evaluation of the program. Student attitudes towards the subject and the program's approach are also surveyed at the end of the research experience. In 2002, 11 undergraduates participated in REESS and were educated in the informed use of some of the vast remote sensing resources available through NASA's Earth Science Enterprise (ESE). The program ran from June 3rd through July 12, 2002. This was the final year of the project.

How to Motivate Science Teachers to Use Science Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef Trna

2012-10-01

Full Text Available A science experiment is the core tool in science education. This study describes the science teachers' professional competence to implement science experiments in teaching/learning science. The main objective is the motivation of science teachers to use science experiments. The presented research tries to answer questions aimed at the science teachers' skills to use science experiments in teaching/learning science. The research discovered the following facts: science teachers do not include science experiments in teaching/learning in a suitable way; are not able to choose science experiments corresponding to the teaching phase; prefer teachers' demonstration of science experiments; are not able to improvise with the aids; use only a few experiments. The important research result is that an important motivational tool for science teachers is the creation of simple experiments. Examples of motivational simple experiments used into teachers' training for increasing their own creativity and motivation are presented.

How do marine and coastal citizen science experiences foster environmental engagement?

Science.gov (United States)

Dean, Angela J; Church, Emma K; Loder, Jenn; Fielding, Kelly S; Wilson, Kerrie A

2018-05-01

Citizen science programs enable community involvement in scientific research. In addition to fostering greater science literacy, some citizen science programs aim to foster engagement in environmental issues. However, few data are available to indicate whether and how citizen science programs can achieve greater environmental engagement. We survey individuals choosing to attend one of seventeen reef citizen science events and examine the extent to which attendees reported three indicators of greater environmental engagement: (i) willingness to share information, (ii) increased support for marine conservation and citizen science, and (iii) intentions to adopt a new behavior. Most participants reported being willing to share information about reef conservation (91%) and described increased support for marine science and conservation (87%). Half of participants (51%) reported intentions to adopt a new conservation behavior. We found that key elements of the citizen science experience associated with these outcomes were learning about actions to protect reefs and coasts (procedural learning), experiencing surprise, and experiencing negative emotions about environmental problems. Excitement was also associated with positive outcomes, but only in participants who were less likely to see themselves as environmental, or were less frequent visitors to reefs and coasts. Importantly, the association between factual learning and environmental engagement outcomes was limited or negative. These findings suggest that the way citizen science experiences make people feel, may be more important for fostering future environmental engagement than factual-based learning. When designing citizen science programs for community members, these findings provide a reminder to not focus on provision of factual information alone, but to highlight environmental impacts while providing meaningful experiences and building environmental skills. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NanoJapan: international research experience for undergraduates program: fostering U.S.-Japan research collaborations in terahertz science and technology of nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Sarah R.; Matherly, Cheryl A.; Kono, Junichiro

2014-09-01

The international nature of science and engineering research demands that students have the skillsets necessary to collaborate internationally. However, limited options exist for science and engineering undergraduates who want to pursue research abroad. The NanoJapan International Research Experience for Undergraduates Program is an innovative response to this need. Developed to foster research and international engagement among young undergraduate students, it is funded by a National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) grant. Each summer, NanoJapan sends 12 U.S. students to Japan to conduct research internships with world leaders in terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, nanophotonics, and ultrafast optics. The students participate in cutting-edge research projects managed within the framework of the U.S-Japan NSF-PIRE collaboration. One of our focus topics is THz science and technology of nanosystems (or `TeraNano'), which investigates the physics and applications of THz dynamics of carriers and phonons in nanostructures and nanomaterials. In this article, we will introduce the program model, with specific emphasis on designing high-quality international student research experiences. We will specifically address the program curriculum that introduces students to THz research, Japanese language, and intercultural communications, in preparation for work in their labs. Ultimately, the program aims to increase the number of U.S. students who choose to pursue graduate study in this field, while cultivating a generation of globally aware engineers and scientists who are prepared for international research collaboration.

Ukrainian Program for Material Science in Microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Fedorov, Oleg

Ukrainian Program for Material Sciences in Microgravity O.P. Fedorov, Space Research Insti-tute of NASU -NSAU, Kyiv, The aim of the report is to present previous and current approach of Ukrainian research society to the prospect of material sciences in microgravity. This approach is based on analysis of Ukrainian program of research in microgravity, preparation of Russian -Ukrainian experiments on Russian segment of ISS and development of new Ukrainian strategy of space activity for the years 2010-2030. Two parts of issues are discussed: (i) the evolution of our views on the priorities in microgravity research (ii) current experiments under preparation and important ground-based results. item1 The concept of "space industrialization" and relevant efforts in Soviet and post -Soviet Ukrainian research institutions are reviewed. The main topics are: melt supercooling, crystal growing, testing of materials, electric welding and study of near-Earth environment. The anticipated and current results are compared. item 2. The main experiments in the framework of Ukrainian-Russian Research Program for Russian Segment of ISS are reviewed. Flight installations under development and ground-based results of the experiments on directional solidification, heat pipes, tribological testing, biocorrosion study is presented. Ground-based experiments and theoretical study of directional solidification of transparent alloys are reviewed as well as preparation of MORPHOS installation for study of succinonitrile -acetone in microgravity.

General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation Outreach Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Patricia S.

1997-11-01

Scientific literacy for all students is a national goal. The General Atomics (GA) Foundation Outreach Program is committed to playing a major role in enhancing pre-college education in science, engineering and new technologies. GA has received wide recognition for its Sciences Education Program, a volunteer effort of GA employees and San Diego science teachers. GA teacher/scientist teams have developed inquiry-based education modules and associated workshops based on areas of core competency at GA: Fusion -- Energy of the Stars; Explorations in Materials Science; Portrait of an Atom; DNA Technology. [http://www.sci-ed-ga.org]. Workshops [teachers receive printed materials and laboratory kits for ``hands-on" modules] have been presented for 700+ teachers from 200+ area schools. Additional workshops include: University of Denver for Denver Public Schools; National Educators Workshop; Standard Experiments in Engineering Materials; Update '96 in Los Alamos; Newspapers in Education Workshop (LA Times); American Chemical Society Regional/National meetings, and California Science Teachers Association Conference. Other outreach includes High School Science Day, school partnerships, teacher and student mentoring and the San Diego Science Alliance [http://www.sdsa.org].

Preservice science teachers' experiences with repeated, guided inquiry

Science.gov (United States)

Slack, Amy B.

The purpose of this study was to examine preservice science teachers' experiences with repeated scientific inquiry (SI) activities. The National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1996) stress students should understand and possess the abilities to do SI. For students to meet these standards, science teachers must understand and be able to perform SI; however, previous research demonstrated that many teachers have naive understandings in this area. Teacher preparation programs provide an opportunity to facilitate the development of inquiry understandings and abilities. In this study, preservice science teachers had experiences with two inquiry activities that were repeated three times each. The research questions for this study were (a) How do preservice science teachers' describe their experiences with repeated, guided inquiry activities? (b) What are preservice science teachers' understandings and abilities of SI? This study was conducted at a large, urban university in the southeastern United States. The 5 participants had bachelor's degrees in science and were enrolled in a graduate science education methods course. The researcher was one of the course instructors but did not lead the activities. Case study methodology was used. Data was collected from a demographic survey, an open-ended questionnaire with follow-up interviews, the researcher's observations, participants' lab notes, personal interviews, and participants' journals. Data were coded and analyzed through chronological data matrices to identify patterns in participants' experiences. The five domains identified in this study were understandings of SI, abilities to conduct SI, personal feelings about the experience, science content knowledge, and classroom implications. Through analysis of themes identified within each domain, the four conclusions made about these preservice teachers' experiences with SI were that the experience increased their abilities to conduct inquiry

Transporting ideas between marine and social sciences: experiences from interdisciplinary research programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucy M. Turner

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The oceans comprise 70% of the surface area of our planet, contain some of the world’s richest natural resources and are one of the most significant drivers of global climate patterns. As the marine environment continues to increase in importance as both an essential resource reservoir and facilitator of global change, it is apparent that to find long-term sustainable solutions for our use of the sea and its resources and thus to engage in a sustainable blue economy, an integrated interdisciplinary approach is needed. As a result, interdisciplinary working is proliferating. We report here our experiences of forming interdisciplinary teams (marine ecologists, ecophysiologists, social scientists, environmental economists and environmental law specialists to answer questions pertaining to the effects of anthropogenic-driven global change on the sustainability of resource use from the marine environment, and thus to transport ideas outwards from disciplinary confines. We use a framework derived from the literature on interdisciplinarity to enable us to explore processes of knowledge integration in two ongoing research projects, based on analyses of the purpose, form and degree of knowledge integration within each project. These teams were initially focused around a graduate program, explicitly designed for interdisciplinary training across the natural and social sciences, at the Gothenburg Centre for Marine Research at the University of Gothenburg, thus allowing us to reflect on our own experiences within the context of other multi-national, interdisciplinary graduate training and associated research programs.

DUSEL-related Science at LBNL Program and Opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauer, Christian; Detweiler, Jason; Freedman, Stuart; Gilchriese, Murdock; Kadel, Richard; Koch, Volker; Kolomensky, Yury; Lesko, Kevin; von der Lippe, Henrik; Marks, Steve; Nomura, Yasunori; Plate, David; Roe, Natalie; Sichtermann, Ernst; Ligeti, Zoltan

2009-01-01

The National Science Foundation is advancing the design of a Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) at the former Homestake mine in South Dakota. UC Berkeley and LBNL are leading the design effort for the facility and coordinating the definition and integration of the suite of experiments to be coupled to the facility design in the creation of an MREFC (Major Research Equipment and Facility Construction) proposal. The State of South Dakota has marshaled $120M to prepare the site and begin a modest science program at the 4850 ft level. The first physics experiment is anticipated to begin installation in 2009. The current timetable calls for the MREFC Preliminary Design to be assembled by 2010 to be presented to the National Science Board in 2011. This, in turn, indicates that the earliest DUSEL construction start would be FY2013. The MREFC is estimated (before the inclusion of the long baseline neutrino components) at $500--600M, roughly divided evenly between the experimental program and support for the facility. Construction was estimated at 6--8 years. The DOE and NSF are establishing a Joint Oversight Group (JOG) to coordinate the experimental programs and participation in DUSEL. It is anticipated that the JOG would mirror the similar function for the NSF and DOE participation in the LHC, and that DOE-HEP, DOE-NP, and NSF will all participate in the JOG. In parallel with the NSF efforts, DOE-HEP plans to develop a long baseline neutrino program with neutrino beams created at FNAL and aimed at DUSEL. In the P5 report the focus of the program is to pursue CP violation in the lepton sector. The same detectors can also be used for nucleon decay experiments. DOE has indicated that FNAL would be the ''lead lab'' for the long baseline neutrino program and be charged with designing and implementing the neutrino beamline. BNL is to be charged with designing and implementing the detector. The P5 report also emphasizes the importance of dark matter and

Operational plans for life science payloads - From experiment selection through postflight reporting

Science.gov (United States)

Mccollum, G. W.; Nelson, W. G.; Wells, G. W.

1976-01-01

Key features of operational plans developed in a study of the Space Shuttle era life science payloads program are presented. The data describes the overall acquisition, staging, and integration of payload elements, as well as program implementation methods and mission support requirements. Five configurations were selected as representative payloads: (a) carry-on laboratories - medical emphasis experiments, (b) mini-laboratories - medical/biology experiments, (c) seven-day dedicated laboratories - medical/biology experiments, (d) 30-day dedicated laboratories - Regenerative Life Support Evaluation (RLSE) with selected life science experiments, and (e) Biomedical Experiments Scientific Satellite (BESS) - extended duration primate (Type I) and small vertebrate (Type II) missions. The recommended operational methods described in the paper are compared to the fundamental data which has been developed in the life science Spacelab Mission Simulation (SMS) test series. Areas assessed include crew training, experiment development and integration, testing, data-dissemination, organization interfaces, and principal investigator working relationships.

Exploring science and mathematics teaching experiences in Thailand using reflective journals of an internship program between Vietnamese and Thai students

Science.gov (United States)

Pruekpramool, Chaninan; Kanyaprasith, Kamonwan; Phonphok, Nason; Diem, Huynh Thi Thuy

2018-01-01

An internship program between Vietnamese student teachers from Cantho University and Thai graduate students from Srinakharinwirot University has occurred in June 2016. There were six Vietnamese student teachers and four Thai graduate students participated in this program with the help of science teachers from two schools in Sa Kaeo and Chachoengsao Provinces of Thailand. To explore Vietnamese and Thai students' life experiences and their perceptions in science and Mathematics teaching, reflective journals were used to record their progress as team teaching in primary and lower secondary classrooms in the form of the online format via social media in English language. The data were collected from 54 reflective journals from their eight days experiences at the schools. The data were analyzed qualitatively using Van Manen's level of reflectivity which composed of three levels; 1) Technical Rationality (TR), 2) Practical Action (PA) and 3) Critical Reflection (CR). The results explicitly revealed that the three levels of reflectivity have appeared in the reflective journals. Besides, Vietnamese and Thai students have learned more from each other and can exchange their educational experiences and culture. Certainly, this was the first time for them to teach science and mathematics in English to Thai students. Moreover, they have shared their impressions toward schools, teachers and also students in the schools in their reflective journal as well.

Science experiences of citizen scientists in entomology research

Science.gov (United States)

Lynch, Louise I.

Citizen science is an increasingly popular collaboration between members of the public and the scientific community to pursue current research questions. In addition to providing researchers with much needed volunteer support, it is a unique and promising form of informal science education that can counter declining public science literacy, including attitudes towards and understanding of science. However, the impacts of citizen science programs on participants' science literacy remains elusive. The purpose of this study was to balance the top-down approach to citizen science research by exploring how adult citizen scientists participate in entomology research based on their perceptions and pioneer mixed methods research to investigate and explain the impacts of citizen science programs. Transference, in which citizen scientists transfer program impacts to people around them, was uncovered in a grounded theory study focused on adults in a collaborative bumble bee research program. Most of the citizen scientists involved in entomology research shared their science experiences and knowledge with people around them. In certain cases, expertise was attributed to the individual by others. Citizen scientists then have the opportunity to acquire the role of expert to those around them and influence knowledge, attitudinal and behavioral changes in others. An intervention explanatory sequential mixed methods design assessed how entomology-based contributory citizen science affects science self-efficacy, self-efficacy for environmental action, nature relatedness and attitude towards insects in adults. However, no statistically significant impacts were evident. A qualitative follow-up uncovered a discrepancy between statistically measured changes and perceived influences reported by citizen scientists. The results have important implications for understanding how citizen scientists learn, the role of citizen scientists in entomology research, the broader program impacts and

Preparing Science Teachers: Strong Emphasis on Science Content Course Work in a Master's Program in Education

Science.gov (United States)

Ajhar, Edward A.; Blackwell, E.; Quesada, D.

2010-05-01

In South Florida, science teacher preparation is often weak as a shortage of science teachers often prompts administrators to assign teachers to science classes just to cover the classroom needs. This results is poor preparation of students for college science course work, which, in turn, causes the next generation of science teachers to be even weaker than the first. This cycle must be broken in order to prepare better students in the sciences. At St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida, our School of Science has teamed with our Institute for Education to create a program to alleviate this problem: A Master of Science in Education with a Concentration in Earth/Space Science. The Master's program consists of 36 total credits. Half the curriculum consists of traditional educational foundation and instructional leadership courses while the other half is focused on Earth and Space Science content courses. The content area of 18 credits also provides a separate certificate program. Although traditional high school science education places a heavy emphasis on Earth Science, this program expands that emphasis to include the broader context of astronomy, astrophysics, astrobiology, planetary science, and the practice and philosophy of science. From this contextual basis the teacher is better prepared to educate and motivate middle and high school students in all areas of the physical sciences. Because hands-on experience is especially valuable to educators, our program uses materials and equipment including small optical telescopes (Galileoscopes), several 8-in and 14-in Celestron and Meade reflectors, and a Small Radio Telescope installed on site. (Partial funding provided by the US Department of Education through Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program grant P120A050062.)

Materials Science Programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-03-01

The Division of Materials Sciences is located within the Department of Energy in the Office of Basic Energy Sciences. The Office of Basic Energy Sciences reports to the Director of the Office of Energy Research. The Director of this office is appointed by the President with Senate consent. The Director advises the Secretary on the physical research program; monitors the Department's R ampersand D programs; advises the Secretary on management of the laboratories under the jurisdiction of the Department, excluding those that constitute part of the nuclear weapon complex; and advises the Secretary on basic and applied research activities of the Department. The research covers a spectrum of scientific and engineering areas of interest to the Department of Energy and is conducted generally by personnel trained in the disciplines of Solid State Physics, Metallurgy, Ceramics, Chemistry, Polymers and Materials Science. The Materials Sciences Division supports basic research on materials properties and phenomena important to all energy systems. The aim is to provide the necessary base of materials knowledge required to advance the nation's energy programs. This report contains a listing of research underway in FY 1989 together with a convenient index to the Division's programs

A Research Experiences for Undergraduates program (REU) Program Designed to Recruit, Engage and Prepare a Diverse Student Population for Careers in Ocean Sciences.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarkston, B. E.; Garza, C.

2016-02-01

The problem of improving diversity within the Ocean Sciences workforce—still underperforming relative to other scientific disciplines—can only be addressed by first recruiting and engaging a more diverse student population into the discipline, then retaining them in the workforce. California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is home to the Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. As an HSI with strong ties to multiple regional community colleges and other Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) in the CSU system, the Monterey Bay REU is uniquely positioned to address the crucial recruitment and engagement of a diverse student body. Eleven sophomore and junior-level undergraduate students are recruited per year from academic institutions where research opportunities in STEM are limited and from groups historically underrepresented in the Ocean Sciences, including women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans. During the program, students engage in a 10-week original research project guided by a faculty research mentor in one of four themes: Oceanography, Marine Biology and Ecology, Ocean Engineering, and Marine Geology. In addition to research, students develop scientific self-efficacy and literacy skills through rigorous weekly professional development workshops in which they practice critical thinking, ethical decision-making, peer review, writing and oral communication skills. These workshops include tangible products such as an NSF-style proposal paper, Statement of Purpose and CV modelled for the SACNAS Travel Award Application, research abstract, scientific report and oral presentation. To help retain students in Ocean Sciences, students build community during the REU by living together in the CSUMB dormitories; post-REU, students stay connected through an online facebook group, LinkedIn page and group webinars. To date, the REU has supported 22 students in two

The Intersections of Science and Practice: Examples From FitnessGram® Programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Welk, Gregory J

2017-12-01

The FitnessGram® program has provided teachers with practical tools to enhance physical education programming. A key to the success of the program has been the systematic application of science to practice. Strong research methods have been used to develop assessments and standards for use in physical education, but consideration has also been given to ensure that programming meets the needs of teachers, students, parents, and other stakeholders. This essay summarizes some of these complex and nuanced intersections between science and practice with the FitnessGram® program. The commentaries are organized into 5 brief themes: science informing practice; practice informing science; balancing science and practice; promoting evidence-based practice; and the integration of science and practice. The article draws on personal experiences with the FitnessGram® program and is prepared based on comments shared during the 37th Annual C. H. McCloy Research Lecture at the 2017 SHAPE America - Society of Health and Physical Educators Convention.

STAR: Preparing future science and math teachers through authentic research experiences at national laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, John; Rebar, Bryan

2012-11-01

The STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Program provides 9-week paid summer research experiences at national research laboratories for future science and math teachers. The program, run by the Cal Poly Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education (CESaME) on behalf of the entire California State University (CSU) System, has arranged 290 research internships for 230 STEM undergraduates and credential candidates from 43 campuses over the past 6 years. The program has partnered with seven Department of Energy labs, four NASA centers, three NOAA facilities, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). Primary components of the summer experience include a) conducting research with a mentor or mentor team, b) participating in weekly 2-3 hour workshops focused on translating lessons learned from summer research into classroom practice, and c) presenting a research poster or oral presentation and providing a lesson plan linked to the summer research experience. The central premise behind the STAR Program is that future science and math teachers can more effectively prepare the next generation of science, math, and engineering students if they themselves have authentic experiences as researchers.

ICASE Computer Science Program

Science.gov (United States)

1985-01-01

The Institute for Computer Applications in Science and Engineering computer science program is discussed in outline form. Information is given on such topics as problem decomposition, algorithm development, programming languages, and parallel architectures.

Science Festivals: Grand Experiments in Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Hari, K.

2015-12-01

Since the Cambridge Science Festival launched in 2007, communities across the United States have experimented with the science festival format, working out what it means to celebrate science and technology. What have we learned, and where might we go from here? The Science Festival Alliance has supported and tracked developments among U.S. festivals, and this presentation will present key findings from three years of independent evaluation. While science festivals have coalesced into a distinct category of outreach activity, the diversity of science festival initiatives reflects the unique character of the regions in which the festivals are organized. This symposium will consider how festivals generate innovative public programming by adapting to local conditions and spur further innovation by sharing insights into such adaptations with other festivals. With over 55 annual large scale science festivals in the US alone, we will discuss the implications of a dramatic increase in future festival activity.

76 FR 4137 - Comment Request: Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) Program

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-24

... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Comment Request: Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and... Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title of Collection: Innovative Technology Experiences for Students... Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) is a National Science Foundation program that...

Development of Teachers as Scientists in Research Experiences for Teachers Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Faber, Courtney; Hardin, Emily; Klein-Gardner, Stacy; Benson, Lisa

2014-11-01

This study examined the teachers' development as scientists for participants in three National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Teachers. Participants included secondary science and math teachers with varying levels of education and experience who were immersed in research environments related to engineering and science topics. Teachers' functionality as scientists was assessed in terms of independence, focus, relationships with mentors, structure, and ability to create new concepts. Hierarchies developed within these constructs allowed tracking of changes in functionality throughout the 6-week programs. Themes were further identified in teachers' weekly journal entries and exit interviews through inductive coding. Increases in functionality as scientists were observed for all teachers who completed both the program and exit interview ( n = 27). Seven of the 27 teachers reached high science functionality; however, three of the teachers did not reach high functionality in any of the constructs during the program. No differences were observed in demographics or teaching experience between those who did and did not reach high functionality levels. Inductive coding revealed themes such as teachers' interactions with mentors and connections made between research and teaching, which allowed for descriptions of experiences for teachers at high and low levels of functionality. Teachers at high functionality levels adjusted to open-ended environments, transitioned from a guided experience to freedom, felt useful in the laboratory, and were self-motivated. In contrast, teachers at low functionality levels did not have a true research project, primarily focused on teaching aspects of the program, and did not display a transition of responsibilities.

Science and Mathematics Teachers' Experiences, Needs, and Expectations regarding Professional Development

Science.gov (United States)

Chval, Kathryn; Abell, Sandra; Pareja, Enrique; Musikul, Kusalin; Ritzka, Gerard

2008-01-01

High quality teachers are essential to improving the teaching and learning of mathematics and science, necessitating effective professional development (PD) and learning environments for teachers. However, many PD programs for science and mathematics teachers fall short because they fail to consider teacher background, experience, knowledge,…

The Mentoring Experience: Leadership Development Program Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Lamm, Kevan W.; Sapp, Rochelle; Lamm, Alexa J.

2017-01-01

Using a semi-structured interview approach, ten mentors from a leadership development program focused on building leaders in Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences across the nation provided insights regarding their mentoring method, process, and experiences. Mentors interviewed agreed the mentoring process was beneficial for themselves as well…

Climate Science Program at California State University, Northridge

Science.gov (United States)

Steele Cox, H.; Klein, D.; Cadavid, A. C.; Foley, B.

2012-12-01

Information System (GIS). In addition the Geography department will similarly update the corresponding graduate courses on Remote Sensing, Geog 690D, and Climate Change Geog 620F, and there will be a reciprocal curriculum and data sharing collaboration with the Earth and Environmental Sciences program at Santa Monica College. Throughout the academic year a seminar series offers the students the opportunity to learn about ongoing work on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate and during the summer they have access to research experiences at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The Information Science Experiment System - The computer for science experiments in space

Science.gov (United States)

Foudriat, Edwin C.; Husson, Charles

1989-01-01

The concept of the Information Science Experiment System (ISES), potential experiments, and system requirements are reviewed. The ISES is conceived as a computer resource in space whose aim is to assist computer, earth, and space science experiments, to develop and demonstrate new information processing concepts, and to provide an experiment base for developing new information technology for use in space systems. The discussion covers system hardware and architecture, operating system software, the user interface, and the ground communication link.

The NASA Space Life Sciences Training Program: Accomplishments Since 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Rask, Jon; Gibbs, Kristina; Ray, Hami; Bridges, Desireemoi; Bailey, Brad; Smith, Jeff; Sato, Kevin; Taylor, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

The NASA Space Life Sciences Training Program (SLSTP) provides undergraduate students entering their junior or senior years with professional experience in space life science disciplines. This challenging ten-week summer program is held at NASA Ames Research Center. The primary goal of the program is to train the next generation of scientists and engineers, enabling NASA to meet future research and development challenges in the space life sciences. Students work closely with NASA scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research and technology development. In addition to conducting hands-on research and presenting their findings, SLSTP students attend technical lectures given by experts on a wide range of topics, tour NASA research facilities, participate in leadership and team building exercises, and complete a group project. For this presentation, we will highlight program processes, accomplishments, goals, and feedback from alumni and mentors since 2013. To date, 49 students from 41 different academic institutions, 9 staffers, and 21 mentors have participated in the program. The SLSTP is funded by Space Biology, which is part of the Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Application division of NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The SLSTP is managed by the Space Biology Project within the Science Directorate at Ames Research Center.

Student science enrichment training program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandhu, S.S.

1994-08-01

This is a report on the Student Science Enrichment Training Program, with special emphasis on chemical and computer science fields. The residential summer session was held at the campus of Claflin College, Orangeburg, SC, for six weeks during 1993 summer, to run concomitantly with the college`s summer school. Fifty participants selected for this program, included high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. The students came from rural South Carolina and adjoining states which, presently, have limited science and computer science facilities. The program focused on high ability minority students, with high potential for science engineering and mathematical careers. The major objective was to increase the pool of well qualified college entering minority students who would elect to go into science, engineering and mathematical careers. The Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and engineering at Claflin College received major benefits from this program as it helped them to expand the Departments of Chemistry, Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science as a result of additional enrollment. It also established an expanded pool of well qualified minority science and mathematics graduates, which were recruited by the federal agencies and private corporations, visiting Claflin College Campus. Department of Energy`s relationship with Claflin College increased the public awareness of energy related job opportunities in the public and private sectors.

Making ionising radiation a real experience for high school science students

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitlock, J.; Lang, P.; De La Matter, D.; Hinman, P.; White, B.

2009-01-01

The Canadian public has little understanding of ionising radiation due in part to its treatment in popular media. In principle, students learn about ionising radiation in their school science classes. Developments in science curricula are providing more education opportunities for this subject. The Canadian Nuclear Society's program for introducing real, personal experience with ionising radiation in the classroom is starting to make a difference. The demand is expected to exceed the resources of the CNS and the program is being developed to facilitate external support. This paper summarizes the need, the history of this program development, and the path forward. (author)

A Balancing Act in the Third Space: Graduate-Level Earth Science in an Urban Teacher-Residency Program

Science.gov (United States)

Zirakparvar, N. Alex

2015-01-01

This article describes a museum-based urban teacher-residency (UTR) program's approach to building subject-specific content knowledge and research experience in Earth Science teacher candidates. In the museum-based program, graduate-level science courses and research experiences are designed and implemented specifically for the UTR by active Earth…

Introducing Hands-on, Experiential Learning Experiences in an Urban Environmental Science Program at a Minority Serving Institution

Science.gov (United States)

Duzgoren-Aydin, N. S.; Freile, D.

2013-12-01

several laboratory facilities. Furthermore, authors have applied to the NSF-TUES grant program to purchase a particle size analyzer. Currently, the grant is pending. We have defined 4 curricular goals to enhance student learning by providing hands-on, inquiry-based learning and research experiences. 1- Develop technical/analytical knowledge and skills by using advanced analytical instrumentation; 2- Improve quantitative reasoning skills to assess the quality of data; 3- Have comprehensive educational training to improve problem solving skills; and 4- use their quantitative reasoning (Goal # 2) and problem solving skills (Goal #3) to evaluate real-world geological and environmental problems. We also give special emphasis to expected measurable outcomes for individual courses. An external evaluator will assess the effectiveness of integrating advance instrumentation into the Earth and Environmental Science curricula. We will work closely with the evaluator to ensure successful implementation of the learning objectives. Examples from the impacted courses will be presented.

Overview of NASA's Microgravity Materials Science Program

Science.gov (United States)

Downey, James Patton

2012-01-01

The microgravity materials program was nearly eliminated in the middle of the aughts due to budget constraints. Hardware developments were eliminated. Some investigators with experiments that could be performed using ISS partner hardware received continued funding. Partnerships were established between US investigators and ESA science teams for several investigations. ESA conducted peer reviews on the proposals of various science teams as part of an ESA AO process. Assuming he or she was part of a science team that was selected by the ESA process, a US investigator would submit a proposal to NASA for grant funding to support their part of the science team effort. In a similar manner, a US materials investigator (Dr. Rohit Trivedi) is working as a part of a CNES selected science team. As funding began to increase another seven materials investigators were selected in 2010 through an NRA mechanism to perform research related to development of Materials Science Research Rack investigations. One of these has since been converted to a Glovebox investigation.

The Deep River Science Academy: a unique and innovative program for engaging students in science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, C.W.; Didsbury, R.; Ingram, M.

2014-01-01

For 28 years, the Deep River Science Academy (DRSA) has been offering high school students the opportunity to engage in the excitement and challenge of professional scientific research to help nurture their passion for science and to provide them with the experience and the knowledge to make informed decisions regarding possible future careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The venue for the DRSA program has been a six-week summer science camp where students, working in pairs under the guidance of a university undergraduate tutor, contribute directly to an on-going research program under the supervision of a professional scientist or engineer. This concept has been expanded in recent years to reach students in classrooms year round by engaging students via the internet over a 12-week term in a series of interactive teaching sessions based on an on-going research project. Although the research projects for the summer program are offered primarily from the laboratories of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited at its Chalk River Laboratories site, projects for the year-round program can be based, in principle, in laboratories at universities and other research institutes located anywhere in Canada. This paper will describe the program in more detail using examples illustrating how the students become engaged in the research and the sorts of contributions they have been able to make over the years. The impact of the program on the students and the degree to which the DRSA has been able to meet its objective of encouraging students to choose careers in the fields of STEM and equipping them with the skills and experience to be successful will be assessed based on feedback from the students themselves. Finally, we will examine the program in the context of how well it helps to address the challenges faced by educators today in meeting the demands of students in a world where the internet provides instant access to information. (author)

The Deep River Science Academy: a unique and innovative program for engaging students in science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Turner, C.W., E-mail: carlrhonda.turner@sympatico.ca [Deep River Science Academy, Deep River, Ontario (Canada); Didsbury, R. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, Ontario (Canada); Ingram, M. [Deep River Science Academy, Deep River, Ontario (Canada)

2014-06-15

For 28 years, the Deep River Science Academy (DRSA) has been offering high school students the opportunity to engage in the excitement and challenge of professional scientific research to help nurture their passion for science and to provide them with the experience and the knowledge to make informed decisions regarding possible future careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The venue for the DRSA program has been a six-week summer science camp where students, working in pairs under the guidance of a university undergraduate tutor, contribute directly to an on-going research program under the supervision of a professional scientist or engineer. This concept has been expanded in recent years to reach students in classrooms year round by engaging students via the internet over a 12-week term in a series of interactive teaching sessions based on an on-going research project. Although the research projects for the summer program are offered primarily from the laboratories of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited at its Chalk River Laboratories site, projects for the year-round program can be based, in principle, in laboratories at universities and other research institutes located anywhere in Canada. This paper will describe the program in more detail using examples illustrating how the students become engaged in the research and the sorts of contributions they have been able to make over the years. The impact of the program on the students and the degree to which the DRSA has been able to meet its objective of encouraging students to choose careers in the fields of STEM and equipping them with the skills and experience to be successful will be assessed based on feedback from the students themselves. Finally, we will examine the program in the context of how well it helps to address the challenges faced by educators today in meeting the demands of students in a world where the internet provides instant access to information. (author)

The Influence of Informal Science Education Experiences on the Development of Two Beginning Teachers' Science Classroom Teaching Identity

Science.gov (United States)

Katz, Phyllis; Randy McGinnis, J.; Riedinger, Kelly; Marbach-Ad, Gili; Dai, Amy

2013-12-01

In case studies of two first-year elementary classroom teachers, we explored the influence of informal science education (ISE) they experienced in their teacher education program. Our theoretical lens was identity development, delimited to classroom science teaching. We used complementary data collection methods and analysis, including interviews, electronic communications, and drawing prompts. We found that our two participants referenced as important the ISE experiences in their development of classroom science identities that included resilience, excitement and engagement in science teaching and learning-qualities that are emphasized in ISE contexts. The data support our conclusion that the ISE experiences proved especially memorable to teacher education interns during the implementation of the No Child Left Behind policy which concentrated on school-tested subjects other than science.

A critical exploration of science doctoral programs: Counterstories from underrepresented women of color

Science.gov (United States)

Bancroft, Senetta F.

Most studies exploring the experiences of underrepresented doctoral students of color in science fields focus on their socialization into predominantly white institutions. While the socialization process is fundamental to doctoral success and consequently deserves attention, it is critical to inquire into how the widespread and lasting perception of people of color as socioculturally deficient shapes underrepresented students` socialization into science doctoral programs. Further, the existing research literature and educational policies addressing the persistent underrepresentation of students of color in science doctorates remain fixated on increasing racial diversity for U.S. economic security rather than racial equity. In view of the limitation of existing research literature, in this study, drawing from critical race theories, fictive-kinship, and forms of capital, I use counterstorytelling to recast racial inequities in the education of science doctorates as a problem of social justice, not as an issue of the students' sociocultural deficits or as a matter of economic security. Through interviews I examined the experiences, from elementary school to current careers, of three women of color who were science doctoral students. Participants' counterstories revealed institutionalized racism embedded in doctoral programs exploited their identities and dismissed their lived experiences, thereby, relegating them to outsiders-within academe. This marginalization precluded the inclusive socialization of participants into their doctoral programs and ultimately set up barriers to their pursuit of scientific careers. This study divulges the academic and career consequences of the sustained privilege disparities between underrepresented students of color's experience and the experiences of their white and Asian counterparts. In light of the participants' experiences, I recommend that, in order to change the existing policy of socially integrating students into oppressive

Materials Sciences Programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

A compilation and index of the ERDA materials sciences program is presented. This compilation is intended for use by administrators, managers, and scientists to help coordinate research and as an aid in selecting new programs

Multilevel approach to mentoring in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs

Science.gov (United States)

Bonine, K. E.; Dontsova, K.; Pavao-Zuckerman, M.; Paavo, B.; Hogan, D.; Oberg, E.; Gay, J.

2015-12-01

This presentation focuses on different types of mentoring for students participating in Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs with examples, including some new approaches, from The Environmental and Earth Systems Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program at Biosphere 2. While traditional faculty mentors play essential role in students' development as researchers and professionals, other formal and informal mentoring can be important component of the REU program and student experiences. Students receive mentoring from program directors, coordinators, and on site undergraduate advisors. While working on their research projects, REU students receive essential support and mentoring from undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scientists in the research groups of their primary mentors. Cohort living and group activities give multiple opportunities for peer mentoring where each student brings their own strengths and experiences to the group. Biosphere 2 REU program puts strong emphasis on teaching students to effectively communicate their research to public. In order to help REUs learn needed skills the outreach personnel at Biosphere 2 mentor and advise students both in groups and individually, in lecture format and by personal example, on best outreach approaches in general and on individual outreach projects students develop. To further enhance and strengthen outreach mentoring we used a novel approach of blending cohort of REU students with the Cal Poly STAR (STEM Teacher And Researcher) Program fellows, future K-12 STEM teachers who are gaining research experience at Biosphere 2. STAR fellows live together with the REU students and participate with them in professional development activities, as well as perform research side by side. Educational background and experiences gives these students a different view and better preparation and tools to effectively communicate and adapt science to lay audiences, a challenge commonly facing

Connecting university science experiences to middle school science teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Gordon; Laughran, Laura; Tamppari, Ray; Thomas, Perry

1991-06-01

Science teachers naturally rely on their university science experiences as a foundation for teaching middle school science. This foundation consists of knowledge far too complex for the middle level students to comprehend. In order for middle school science teachers to utilize their university science training they must search for ways to adapt their college experiences into appropriate middle school learning experience. The criteria set forth above provide broad-based guidelines for translating university science laboratory experiences into middle school activities. These guidelines are used by preservice teachers in our project as they identify, test, and organize a resource file of hands-on inquiry activities for use in their first year classrooms. It is anticipated that this file will provide a basis for future curriculum development as the teacher becomes more comfortable and more experienced in teaching hands-on science. The presentation of these guidelines is not meant to preclude any other criteria or considerations which a teacher or science department deems important. This is merely one example of how teachers may proceed to utilize their advanced science training as a basis for teaching middle school science.

Evaluating a Graduate Professional Development Program for Informal Science Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Lake, Jeremy Paul

This study is an examination and evaluation of the outcomes of a series of courses that I helped build to create a graduate certificate. Specifically, I wanted to evaluate whether or not the online iteration of the Informal Science Institutions Environmental Education Graduate Certificate Program truly provided the long term professional development needed to enhance the skills of the formal and informal educators participating so that they could contribute meaningfully to the improvement of science literacy in their respective communities. My role as an internal evaluator provided an extraordinary opportunity to know the intent of the learning opportunities and why they were constructed in a particular fashion. Through the combination of my skills, personal experiences both within the certificate's predecessor and as an educator, I was uniquely qualified to explore the outcomes of this program and evaluate its effectiveness in providing a long-term professional development for participants. After conducting a literature review that emphasized a need for greater scientific literacy in communities across America, it was evident that the formal education enterprise needs the support of informal educators working on the ground in myriad different settings in ways that provide science as both content and process, learning science facts and doing real science. Through a bridging of informal science educators with formal teachers, it was thought each could learn the culture of the other, making each more fluent in accessing community resources to help make these educators more collaborative and able to bridge the classroom with the outside world. This bridge promotes ongoing, lifelong learning, which in turn can help the national goal of greater scientific literacy. This study provided insight into the thinking involved in the learners' growth as they converted theory presented in course materials into practice. Through an iterative process of reviewing the course

The SUPER Program: A Research-based Undergraduate Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Ernakovich, J. G.; Boone, R. B.; Boot, C. M.; Denef, K.; Lavallee, J. M.; Moore, J. C.; Wallenstein, M. D.

2014-12-01

Producing undergraduates capable of broad, independent thinking is one of the grand challenges in science education. Experience-based learning, specifically hands-on research, is one mechanism for increasing students' ability to think critically. With this in mind, we created a two-semester long research program called SUPER (Skills for Undergraduate Participation in Ecological Research) aimed at teaching students to think like scientists and enhancing the student research experience through instruction and active-learning about the scientific method. Our aim was for students to gain knowledge, skills, and experience, and to conduct their own research. In the first semester, we hosted active-learning workshops on "Forming Hypotheses", "Experimental Design", "Collecting and Managing Data", "Analysis of Data", "Communicating to a Scientific Audience", "Reading Literature Effectively", and "Ethical Approaches". Each lesson was taught by different scientists from one of many ecological disciplines so that students were exposed to the variation in approach that scientists have. In the second semester, students paired with a scientific mentor and began doing research. To ensure the continued growth of the undergraduate researcher, we continued the active-learning workshops and the students attended meetings with their mentors. Thus, the students gained technical and cognitive skills in parallel, enabling them to understand both "the how" and "the why" of what they were doing in their research. The program culminated with a research poster session presented by the students. The interest in the program has grown beyond our expectations, and we have now run the program successfully for two years. Many of the students have gone on to campus research jobs, internships and graduate school, and have attributed part of their success in obtaining their positions to their experience with the SUPER program. Although common in other sciences, undergraduate research experiences are

An optics education program designed around experiments with small telescopes

Science.gov (United States)

Pompea, Stephen M.; Sparks, Robert T.; Walker, Constance E.; Dokter, Erin F. C.

2010-08-01

The National Optical Astronomy Observatory has led the development of a new telescope kit for kids as part of a strategic plan to interest young children in science. This telescope has been assembled by tens of thousands of children nationwide, who are now using this high-quality telescope to conduct optics experiments and to make astronomical observations. The Galileoscope telescope kit and its associated educational program are an outgrowth of the NSF sponsored "Hands-On Optics" (HOO) project, a collaboration of the SPIE, the Optical Society of America, and NOAO. This project developed optics kits and activities for upper elementary students and has reached over 20,000 middle school kids in afterschool programs. HOO is a highly flexible educational program and was featured as an exemplary informal science program by the National Science Teachers Association. Our new "Teaching with Telescopes" program builds on HOO, the Galileoscope and other successful optical education projects.

A Study of the Experience of Female African-American Seventh Graders in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Afterschool Program

Science.gov (United States)

Hinds, Beverley Fiona

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine what inspires or leads seventh-grade African-American girls toward an interest in STEM, to characterize and describe the context of an out-of-school STEM learning environment, explore the impact on the seventh- grade African-American girls who participated in the program as it relates to individual STEM identity, and identify personal and academic experiences of seventh-grade African- American girls that contribute to the discouragement or pursuit of science and math-related academic pathways and careers. Notable findings in this study included the following: 1. Participants were interested in STEM and able to identify both external and internal influences that supported their involvement and interest in STEM activities. External influences expanded and elevated exposure to STEM experiences. 2. The MJS program provided an opportunity for participants to overcome challenges related to science and math knowledge and skills in school. 3. The MJS program increased levels of interest in STEM for the participants. 4. All participants increased their capacity to demonstrate increased knowledge in STEM content as a result of the learning experiences within the MJS program, and participants transferred this knowledge to experiences outside of the program including school. 5. The STEM learning environment provided multiple opportunities for participants to meet high expectation and access to engaging activities within a supportive, well-managed setting. 6. The MJS program participants demonstrated behaviors related to building a STEM identity through the components described by Carlone and Johnson (2007), including recognition-internal and external acknowledgement of being a STEM person; competence-demonstrating an understanding of STEM content; and performance-publically exhibiting STEM knowledge and skills. The findings in this study suggested that African-American seventh-grade girls interested in STEM are inspired

Experiment Prevails Over Observation in Geophysical Science

Science.gov (United States)

Galvin, C.

2006-05-01

Thomson and Tait gave their name to a text (T and T') that sums up nineteenth century mechanics. T and T' says that scientists gain knowledge of the natural universe and the laws that regulate it through Experience. T and T' divides Experience into Observation and Experiment. The posthumous (1912) edition of T and T' appeared seven years before Eddington's expeditions to observe the eclipse of 29 May 1919 that demonstrated the bending of starlight predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity. During the 2005 centenary of young Einstein's remarkably productive year, Eddington's (1919) result was frequently remembered, but the description in 2005 of what Eddington did in 1919 often differed from what Eddington said that he did. In his words then, Eddington observed; in words from scientists, historians of science, and philosophers of science during 2005, Eddington often experimented. In 1912, T and T' had distinguished Observation from Experiment with an apt contrast: ""When, as in astronomy, we endeavour to ascertain these causes by simply watching, we observe; when, as in our laboratories, we interfere arbitrarily with the causes or circumstances of a phenomenon, we are said to experiment"". (italics in T and T'). Eddington himself conformed to this distinction in his report (Physical Society of London, 1920). In its Preface, he states that observations were made at each of two stations, and concludes that ""I think it may now be stated that Einstein's law of gravitation is definitely established by observation..."". Chapter V of that report deals with The Crucial Phenomena. In this chapter, some form of the word observe (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) appears 13 times. In this chapter, experiment appears only as experimental, and then only twice. Einstein's prediction, with Eddington's observations, profoundly impressed contemporary philosophers of science. Karl Popper, then aged 17, considered Eddington's findings to effect a turning point in his career

Satellite stories: capturing professional experiences of academic health sciences librarians working in delocalized health sciences programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jackie Phinney

2018-01-01

Conclusions: The results from this survey suggest that the role of the academic health sciences librarian at the satellite campus needs to be clearly communicated and defined. This, in turn, will enhance the experience for the librarian and provide better service to the client.

Taking Back the Future with an Innovative Program for Training Science Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Hooper, E. J.; Dickinson, G.; Walker, M. H.; Marder, M. P.; Kumar, P.

2003-12-01

Research findings for students in Texas and Alabama indicate that teachers' expertise accounted for about 40% of the variance in mathematics and reading achievement. Given that about one third of high school mathematics and science teachers lack either a major or certification in their field, the impact of underqualified teachers can have far reaching impacts. In 1997, the colleges of Natural Science and Education at the University of Texas, in concert with the local school district and experienced teachers, developed a new joint secondary school science teacher preparation program called UTeach. This program provides early and frequent field experience, instruction from master teachers and university scientists, the development of a teaching portfolio, plus a peer and support network which extends beyond graduation. The innovative and streamlined courses focus on the particulars of secondary science education, project and inquiry teaching methodologies, and lab experiences more true to what actually happens in research. After starting with only 28, UTeach now has approximately 400 students enrolled, and graduates have started fanning out across the country. Two research astronomers (EH & PK) recently joined the program and now work alongside physicists, biologists, and chemists teaching courses or parts of them. In addition to helping some of the students with physics and astronomy projects, the astronomers provide guidance on experiment design and execution principles, statistics, and scientific writing to students working in all fields.

The effects of a science intervention program on the attitudes and achievement of high school girls in science

Science.gov (United States)

Steakley, Carrie Capers

This study investigated the effects of a high school science intervention program that included hands-on activities, science-related career information and exposure, and real-world experiences on girls' attitudes and achievement in science. Eighty-four girls, 44 ninth-graders and 40 tenth-graders, and 105 parents participated in the study. Survey data was collected to assess the girls' attitudes toward science in seven distinct areas: social implications of science, normality of scientists, attitude toward scientific inquiry, adoption of scientific attitudes, enjoyment of science lessons, leisure interest in science, and career interest in science. Additional questionnaires were used to determine the extent of the girls' participation in sports and the attitudes of their parents toward science. The girls' cumulative science semester grade point averages since the seventh grade were used to assess academic science achievement. This study found no evidence that participation in the program improved the girls' attitudes or achievement in science. Parent attitudes and years of participation in sports were not accurate predictors of science achievement. Additionally, no significant relationship was detected between the girls' and their parents' perceptions of science. However, the study did suggest that extended participation in sports may positively affect science achievement for girls. This study holds implications for educational stakeholders who seek to implement intervention methods and programs that may improve student attitudes and achievement in science and attract more youth to future science-related careers.

Teachers doing science: An authentic geology research experience for teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Hemler, D.; Repine, T.

2006-01-01

Fairmont State University (FSU) and the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES) provided a small pilot group of West Virginia science teachers with a professional development session designed to mimic experiences obtained by geology majors during a typical summer field camp. Called GEOTECH, the program served as a research capstone event complimenting the participants' multi-year association with the RockCamp professional development program. GEOTECH was funded through a Improving Teacher Quality Grant administered by West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Over the course of three weeks, eight GEOTEACH participants learned field measurement and field data collection techniques which they then applied to the construction of a surficial geologic map. The program exposed participants to authentic scientific processes by emphasizing the authentic scientific application of content knowledge. As a secondary product, it also enhanced their appreciation of the true nature of science in general and geology particular. After the session, a new appreciation of the effort involved in making a geologic map emerged as tacit knowledge ready to be transferred to their students. The program was assessed using pre/post instruments, cup interviews, journals, artifacts (including geologic maps, field books, and described sections), performance assessments, and constructed response items. Evaluation of the accumulated data revealed an increase in participants demonstrated use of science content knowledge, an enhanced awareness and understanding of the processes and nature of geologic mapping, positive dispositions toward geologic research and a high satisfaction rating for the program. These findings support the efficacy of the experience and document future programmatic enhancements.

The design and evaluation of a master of science program in anatomical sciences at Queen's University Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolomitro, Klodiana; MacKenzie, Leslie W; Wiercigroch, David; Godden, Lorraine

2018-05-15

The purpose of this study was to describe the design and evolution of a unique and successful Master of Science program in anatomical sciences at one Canadian post-secondary institution and to evaluate its long-term impact on student learning. This program prepares students to teach anatomy and design curricula in the anatomical sciences and is structured around three pillars of competency-content (disciplinary knowledge and transferable skills), pedagogy, and inquiry. Graduates of the program from the last ten years were surveyed, to better understand the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind they have adopted and implemented since completion. Interest was taken in identifying aspects of the program that students found particularly beneficial and areas that needed to be further developed. Based on the findings, this program has been a highly valuable experience for the graduates especially in helping them develop transferable skills, and grow as individuals. The hope is that other institutions that have similar programs in place or are considering developing them would benefit from this description of the program design and the sharing of the lessons learned. Anat Sci Educ. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.

Summary of 2016 Light Microscopy Module (LMM) Physical Science Experiments on ISS. Update of LMM Science Experiments and Facility Capabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Sicker, Ronald J.; Meyer, William V.; Foster, William M.; Fletcher, William A.; Williams, Stuart J.; Lee, Chang-Soo

2016-01-01

This presentation will feature a series of short, entertaining, and informative videos that describe the current status and science support for the Light Microscopy Module (LMM) facility on the International Space Station. These interviews will focus on current experiments and provide an overview of future capabilities. The recently completed experiments include nano-particle haloing, 3-D self-assembly with Janus particles and a model system for nano-particle drug delivery. The videos will share perspectives from the scientists, engineers, and managers working with the NASA Light Microscopy program.

An Interdisciplinary Program in Materials Science at James Madison University.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Chris

2008-03-01

Over the past decade a core group of faculty at James Madison University has created an interdisciplinary program in materials science that provides our students with unique courses and research experiences that augment the existing, high-quality majors in physics and astronomy, chemistry and biochemistry, geology and environmental science, mathematics and statistics, and integrated science and technology. The university started this program by creating a Center for Materials Science whose budget is directly allocated by the provost. This source of funds acts as seed money for research, support for students, and a motivating factor for each of the academic units to support the participation of their faculty in the program. Courses were created at the introductory and intermediate level that are cross-listed by the departments to encourage students to enroll in them as electives toward their majors. Furthermore, the students are encouraged to participate in undergraduate research in materials since this is the most fundamental unifying theme across the disciplines. This talk will cover some of the curricular innovations that went into the design of the program to make it successful, examples of faculty and student research and how that feeds back into the classroom, and success stories of the interactions that have developed between departments because of this program. Student outcomes and future plans to improve the program will also be discussed.

The Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program: An experiment in science-based resource management

Science.gov (United States)

kaplinski, m

2001-12-01

In 1996, Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management (GCDAMP) program was established to provide input on Glen Canyon Dam operations and their affect on the Colorado Ecosystem in Grand Canyon. The GCDAMP is a bold experiment in federal resource management that features a governing partnership with all relevant stakeholders sitting at the same table. It is a complicated, difficult process where stakeholder-derived management actions must balance resource protection with water and power delivery compacts, the Endangered Species Act, the National Historical Preservation Act, the Grand Canyon Protection Act, National Park Service Policy, and other stakeholder concerns. The program consists of four entities: the Adaptive Management Workgroup (AMWG), the Technical Workgroup (TWG), the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC), and independent review panels. The AMWG and TWG are federal advisory committees that consists of federal and state resource managers, Native American tribes, power, environmental and recreation interests. The AMWG is develops, evaluates and recommends alternative dam operations to the Secretary. The TWG translates AMWG policy and goals into management objectives and information needs, provides questions that serve as the basis for long-term monitoring and research activities, interprets research results from the GCMRC, and prepares reports as required for the AMWG. The GCMRC is an independent science center that is responsible for all GCDAMP monitoring and research activities. The GCMRC utilizes proposal requests with external peer review and an in-house staff that directs and synthesizes monitoring and research results. The GCMRC meets regularly with the TWG and AMWG and provides scientific information on the consequences of GCDAMP actions. Independent review panels consist of external peer review panels that provide reviews of scientific activities and the program in general, technical advice to the GCMRC, TWG and AMWG, and play a critical

Foundations in Science and Mathematics Program for Middle School and High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Desai, Karna Mahadev; Yang, Jing; Hemann, Jason

2016-01-01

The Foundations in Science and Mathematics (FSM) is a graduate student led summer program designed to help middle school and high school students strengthen their knowledge and skills in mathematics and science. FSM provides two-week-long courses over a broad spectrum of disciplines including astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer programming, geology, mathematics, and physics. Students can chose two types of courses: (1) courses that help students learn the fundamental concepts in basic sciences and mathematics (e.g., "Precalculus"); and (2) knowledge courses that might be excluded from formal schooling (e.g., "Introduction to Universe"). FSM has served over 500 students in the Bloomington, IN, community over six years by acquiring funding from Indiana University and the Indiana Space Grant Consortium. FSM offers graduate students the opportunity to obtain first hand experience through independent teaching and curriculum design as well as leadership experience.We present the design of the program, review the achievements, and explore the challenges we face. We are open to collaboration with similar educational outreach programs. For more information, please visit http://www.indiana.edu/~fsm/ .

Bringing Up Girls in Science (BUGS): The Effectiveness of an Afterschool Environmental Science Program for Increasing Female Students' Interest in Science Careers

Science.gov (United States)

Tyler-Wood, Tandra; Ellison, Amber; Lim, Okyoung; Periathiruvadi, Sita

2012-02-01

Bringing Up Girls in Science (BUGS) was an afterschool program for 4th and 5th grade girls that provided authentic learning experiences in environmental science as well as valuable female mentoring opportunities in an effort to increase participants' academic achievement in science. BUGS participants demonstrated significantly greater amounts of gain in science knowledge as measured by the Iowa Test of Basic Skills in Science (ITBS-S). The original BUGS participants and contrasts have now completed high school and entered college, allowing researchers to assess the long-term impact of the BUGS program. Fourteen former BUGS participants completed two instruments to assess their perceptions of science and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. Their results were compared to four contrast groups composed entirely of females: 12 former BUGS contrasts, 10 college science majors, 10 non-science majors, and 9 current STEM professionals. Results indicate that BUGS participants have higher perceptions of science careers than BUGS contrasts. There were no significant differences between BUGS participants, Science Majors, and STEM professionals in their perceptions of science and STEM careers, whereas the BUGS contrast group was significantly lower than BUGS participants, Science Majors, and STEM Professionals. Additional results and implications are discussed within.

Family experiences, the motivation for science learning and science ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Family experiences, the motivation for science learning and science achievement of ... active learning and achievement goals); boys perceived family experiences ... Recommendations were made as to how schools can support families in ...

The Bridge: Experiments in Science and Art, Experiences from the 2017 SciArt Center Cross-Disciplinary Residency Program

Science.gov (United States)

Shipman, J. S.; Chalmers, R.; Buntaine, J.

2017-12-01

Cross-disciplinary programs create the opportunity to explore new realms for scientists and artists alike. Through the collaborative process, artistic insights enable innovative approaches to emotionally connect to and visualize the world around us. Likewise, engagement across the art-science spectrum can lead to shifts in scientific thinking that create new connections in data and drive discoveries in research. The SciArt Center "The Bridge Residency Program" is a four-month long virtual residency open internationally for professionals in the arts and sciences to facilitate cross-disciplinary work and to bring together like-minded participants. The SciArt Center provides a virtual space to record and showcase the process and products of each collaboration. The work is facilitated with biweekly Skype calls and documented with weekly blog posts. Residents create either digital or physical products and share via video, images, or direct mailing with their collaborators. Past projects have produced call and response discussion, websites, skills and conference presentations, science-art studies, virtual exhibits, art shows, dance performances, and research exchange. Here we present the creative process and outcomes of one of the four collaborative teams selected for the 2017 residency. Jill Shipman, a Ph.D. Candidate in Volcanology who is also active in filmmaking and theatrical productions and Rosemary Chalmers, a UK-based lecturer, concept artist, and illustrator with a specialty in creature design. They were paired together for their shared interest in storytelling, illustration, and unique geological and environmental habitats and the life that occupies them. We will discuss the collaborative project developed by this team during their recent residency and illustrate how a virtual program can bridge the distance between geographical location to foster science and art collaboration. To follow the progress of the residency please visit: http://www.sciartcenter.org/the-bridge.html

Why every national deep-geological-isolation program needs a long-term science & technology component

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budnitz, R J

2006-01-01

The objective of this paper is to set down the rationale for a separate Science & Technology (S&T) Program within every national deep-geological-isolation program. The fundamental rationale for such a Program is to provide a dedicated focus for longer-term science and technology activities that ultimately will benefit the whole repository mission. Such a Program, separately funded and with a dedicated staff (separate from the ''mainline'' activities to develop the repository, the surface facilities, and the transportation system), can devote itself exclusively to the development and management of a long-term science and technology program. Broad experience in governments worldwide has demonstrated that line offices are unlikely to be able to develop and sustain both the appropriate longer-term philosophy and the specialized skills associated with managing longer-term science and technology projects. Accomplishing both of these requires a separate dedicated program office with its own staff

Improving Science Teacher Preparation through the APS PhysTEC and NSF Noyce Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Tasha; Tyler, Micheal; van Duzor, Andrea; Sabella, Mel

2013-03-01

Central to the recruitment of students into science teaching at a school like CSU, is a focus on the professional nature of teaching. The purpose of this focus is twofold: it serves to change student perceptions about teaching and it prepares students to become teachers who value continued professional development and value the science education research literature. The Noyce and PhysTEC programs at CSU place the professional nature of teaching front and center by involving students in education research projects, paid internships, attendance at conferences, and participation in a new Teacher Immersion Institute and a Science Education Journal Reading Class. This poster will focus on specific components of our teacher preparation program that were developed through these two programs. In addition we will describe how these new components provide students with diverse experiences in the teaching of science to students in the urban school district. Supported by the NSF Noyce Program (0833251) and the APS PhysTEC Program.

Member Perceptions of Informal Science Institution Graduate Certificate Program: Case Study of a Community of Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Lois A.

This research attempted to understand the experiences of a cohort of informal and formal science educators and informal science institution (ISI) community representatives during and after completion of a pilot graduate certificate program. Informal science educators (ISEs) find limited opportunities for professional development and support which influence their contributions to America's science literacy and school science education. This emergent design nested case study described how an innovative program provided professional development and enabled growth in participants' abilities to contribute to science literacy. Data were collected through interviews, participant observations, and class artifacts. The program by design and constituency was the overarching entity that accounted for members' experiences. Three principal aspects of the ISI certificate program and cohort which influenced perceptions and reported positive outcomes were (1) the cohort's composition and their collaborative activities which established a vigorous community of practice and fostered community building, mentoring, and networking, (2) long term program design and implementation which promoted experiential learning in a generative classroom, and (3) ability of some members who were able to be independent or autonomous learners to embrace science education reform strategies for greater self-efficacy and career advancement. This research extends the limited literature base for professional development of informal science educators and may benefit informal science institutions, informal and formal science educators, science education reform efforts, and public education and science-technology-society understanding. The study may raise awareness of the need to establish more professional development opportunities for ISEs and to fund professional development. Further, recognizing and appreciating informal science educators as a diverse committed community of professionals who positively

Collaboration between science teacher educators and science faculty from arts and sciences for the purpose of developing a middle childhood science teacher education program: A case study

Science.gov (United States)

Buck, Gayle A.

1998-12-01

The science teacher educators at a midwestern university set a goal to establish a collaborative relationship between themselves and representatives from the College of Arts & Sciences for the purpose of developing a middle childhood science education program. The coming together of these two faculties provided a unique opportunity to explore the issues and experiences that emerge as such a collaborative relationship is formed. In order to gain a holistic perspective of the collaboration, a phenomenological case study design and methods were utilized. The study took a qualitative approach to allow the experiences and issues to emerge in a naturalistic manner. The question, 'What are the issues and experiences that emerge as science teacher educators and science faculty attempt to form a collaborative relationship for the purpose of developing a middle childhood science teacher program?' was answered by gathering a wealth of data. These data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews, observations and written document reviews. An overall picture was painted of the case by means of heuristic, phenomenological, and issues analyses. The researcher followed Moustakas' Phases of Heuristic Research to answer the questions 'What does science mean to me?' and 'What are my beliefs about the issues guiding this case?' prior to completing the phenomenological analysis. The phenomenological analysis followed Moustakas' 'Modification of the Van Kaam Methods of Analysis of Phenomenological Data'. This inquiry showed that the participants in this study came to the collaboration for many different reasons and ideas about the purpose for such a relationship. The participants also had very different ideas about how such a relationship should be conducted. These differences combined to create some issues that affected the development of curriculum and instruction. The issues involved the lack of (a) mutual respect for the work of the partners, (b) understanding about the

Girls on Ice: An Inquiry-Based Wilderness Science Education Program

Science.gov (United States)

Pettit, E. C.; Koppes, M. N.

2001-12-01

We developed a wilderness science education program for high school girls. The program offers opportunities for students to explore and learn about mountain glaciers and the alpine landscape through scientific field studies with geologists and glaciologists. Our purpose is to give students a feeling for the natural processes that create the alpine world and provide an environment that fosters the critical thinking necessary to all scientific inquiry. The program is currently being offered through the North Cascades Institute, a non-profit organization offering outdoor education programs for the general public. We lead eight girls for a weeklong expedition to the remote USGS South Cascade Glacier Research Station in Washington's North Cascades. For four days, we explore the glacier and the nearby alpine valleys. We encourage the girls to observe and think like scientists through making observations and inferences. They develop their own experiments to test ideas about glacier dynamics and geomorphology. In addition to scientific exploration, we engage the students in discussions about the philosophy of science and its role in our everyday lives. Our program exemplifies the success of hands-on, inquiry-based teaching in small groups for science education in the outdoors. The wilderness setting and single gender field team inspires young women's interest in science and provides a challenging environment that increases their physical and intellectual self-confidence.

A museum-based urban teacher residency program's approach to strengthening the STEM pipeline: Channeling highly qualified Earth Science teachers into high needs schools

Science.gov (United States)

Ustunisik, G. K.; Zirakparvar, N. A.

2015-12-01

Channeling better prepared Earth Science teachers into secondary schools with low achievement rates in STEM subjects is essential to ensuring that the students attending these schools are ultimately afforded the opportunity to take advantage of projected growth in the global geoscience workforce. Here, a museum-based urban teacher residency (UTR) program's approach to building subject specific content knowledge and research experience in Earth Science teacher candidates is described. In the museum-based program, graduate-level science courses and research experiences are designed and implemented specifically for the UTR by active Earth and Space research scientists that account for almost half of the program's faculty. Because these courses and research experiences are designed specifically for the teacher candidates, they are different than many science courses and research experiences available to pre-service teachers in a university setting. At the same time, the museum-based program is the only UTR to incorporate such a rigorous science curriculum, and some possible advantages and disadvantages of the program's approach are also considered here. While the impact of the program's approach on student achievement rates has yet to be evaluated, there is promise in the well documented links between a teacher's own experience with the practice of science and that teacher's ability to leverage effective pedagogical content knowledge in the teaching of science. Because the museum-based program's science curriculum is balanced against the educational coursework and teaching residencies that necessarily form the program's backbone, the museum's approach to strengthening the teacher candidate's science background may also inform the faculty and administration of other UTRs in cases where one of their program goals is to further expand their teacher candidate's content knowledge and practical subject matter experience.

Authentic Astronomy Research Experiences for Teachers: The NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP)

Science.gov (United States)

Rebull, L. M.; Gorjian, V.; Squires, G.; Nitarp Team

2012-08-01

How many times have you gotten a question from the general public, or read a news story, and concluded that "they just don't understand how real science works?" One really good way to get the word out about how science works is to have more people experience the process of scientific research. Since 2004, the way we have chosen to do this is to provide authentic research experiences for teachers using real data (the program used to be called the Spitzer Teacher Program for Teachers and Students, which in 2009 was rechristened the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program, or NITARP). We partner small groups of teachers with a mentor astronomer, they do research as a team, write up a poster, and present it at an American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting. The teachers incorporate this experience into their classroom, and their experiences color their teaching for years to come, influencing hundreds of students per teacher. This program differs from other similar programs in several important ways. First, each team works on an original, unique project. There are no canned labs here! Second, each team presents their results in posters at the AAS, in science sessions (not outreach sessions). The posters are distributed throughout the meeting, in amongst other researchers' work; the participants are not "given a free pass" because they are teachers. Finally, the "product" of this project is the scientific result, not any sort of curriculum packet. The teachers adapt their project to their classroom environment, and we change the way they think about science and scientists.

A Mentoring Program in Environmental Science for Underrepresented Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, L.; Rizzo, D. M.

2009-12-01

We developed a four-year program, combining educational and career support and research activities, to recruit and retain students from underrepresented groups in environmental sciences. Specifically, the program: ○ Assigns each student a faculty or graduate student mentor with whom the student conducts research activities. ○ Includes a weekly group meeting for team building and to review professional development and academic topics, such as time management and research ethics. ○ Requires students to make multiple formal presentations of their research proposals and results. ○ Provides scholarships and stipends for both the academic year and to engage students in summer research. The program seeks to achieve several goals including: ● Enhance academic performance. ● Encourage continued study in environmental science. ● Facilitate students completing their studies at UVM. ● Increase students’ interest in pursuing science careers. ● Create a more welcoming academic environment. To assess progress toward achievement of these goals, we conducted individual structured interviews with participating undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members at two points in time. First, interviews were conducted in the fall of 2007 after two years, and again in spring 2009, after four years. An independent research consultant, Dr. Livingston, conducted the interviews. In 2009, over the course of three days, the interviews included three graduate student and two faculty mentors, and six of the seven undergraduate students. Of the six students, three were juniors and three were graduating seniors. Results of the 2009 interviews echoed those of 2007. Both students and their mentors are quite satisfied with the program. The student presentations, weekly meetings, mentoring relationships, and summer research experiences all get high ratings from program participants. Students give high praise to their mentors and the program directors for providing

NASA's computer science research program

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, R. L.

1983-01-01

Following a major assessment of NASA's computing technology needs, a new program of computer science research has been initiated by the Agency. The program includes work in concurrent processing, management of large scale scientific databases, software engineering, reliable computing, and artificial intelligence. The program is driven by applications requirements in computational fluid dynamics, image processing, sensor data management, real-time mission control and autonomous systems. It consists of university research, in-house NASA research, and NASA's Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS) and Institute for Computer Applications in Science and Engineering (ICASE). The overall goal is to provide the technical foundation within NASA to exploit advancing computing technology in aerospace applications.

Evaluating virtual STEM mentoring programs: The SAGANet.org experience

Science.gov (United States)

Som, S. M.; Walker, S. I.; Miller, E.; Anbar, M.; Kacar, B.; Forrester, J. H.

2014-12-01

Many school districts within the United States continue to seek new ways of engaging students within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. SAGANet.org, a web-based 501c3 Astrobiology outreach initiative, works with a number of schools, partnering K-12 students and their families with professional scientist mentors from around the world to teach and inspire students using virtual technology platforms. Current programs include two mentoring partnerships: pairing scientist-mentors with at-risk youth at the Pittsburg Community School in Pittsburg CA, and pairing scientist-mentors with families from the Kyrene del Cielo Elementary School in Chandler AZ. These programs represent two very different models for utilizing the virtual media platform provided by SAGANet.org to engage K-12 students and their families in STEM. For the former, scientists mentor the students of the Pittsburg School as part of the formal in-class curriculum. For the latter, scientists work with K-5 students and their families through Cielo's Science & Engineering Discovery Room to develop a science project as part of an informal learning experience that is independent of the formal curriculum. In this presentation, we (1) discuss the challenges and successes of engaging these two distinct audiences through virtual media, (2) present the results of how these two very-different mentoring partnership impact K-12 students science self-efficacy, interest in science, and STEM career awareness, and (3) share the impact of the mentoring experience on the mentor's confidence and self-efficacy with communicating science to the public.

Materials sciences programs, Fiscal year 1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-10-01

The Division of Materials Sciences is responsible for basic research and research facilities in materials science topics important to the mission of the Department of Energy. The programmatic divisions under the Office of Basic Energy Sciences are Chemical Sciences, Engineering and Geosciences, and Energy Biosciences. Materials Science is an enabling technology. The performance parameters, economics, environmental acceptability and safety of all energy generation, conversion, transmission and conservation technologies are limited by the properties and behavior of materials. The Materials Sciences programs develop scientific understanding of the synergistic relationship among synthesis, processing, structure, properties, behavior, performance and other characteristics of materials. Emphasis is placed on the development of the capability to discover technologically, economically, and environmentally desirable new materials and processes, and the instruments and national user facilities necessary for achieving such progress. Materials Sciences subfields include: physical metallurgy, ceramics, polymers, solid state and condensed matter physics, materials chemistry, surface science and related disciplines where the emphasis is on the science of materials. This report includes program descriptions for 517 research programs including 255 at 14 DOE National Laboratories, 262 research grants (233 of which are at universities), and 29 Small Business Innovation Research Grants. Five cross-cutting indices located at the rear of this book identify all 517 programs according to principal investigator(s), materials, techniques, phenomena, and environment.

Meaningful experiences in science education: Engaging the space researcher in a cultural transformation to greater science literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Morrow, Cherilynn A.

1993-01-01

The visceral appeal of space science and exploration is a very powerful emotional connection to a very large and diverse collection of people, most of whom have little or no perspective about what it means to do science and engineering. Therein lies the potential of space for a substantially enhanced positive impact on culture through education. This essay suggests that through engaging more of the space research and development community in enabling unique and 'meaningful educational experiences' for educators and students at the pre-collegiate levels, space science and exploration can amplify its positive feedback on society and act as an important medium for cultural transformation to greater science literacy. I discuss the impact of space achievements on people and define what is meant by a 'meaningful educational experience,' all of which points to the need for educators and students to be closer to the practice of real science. I offer descriptions of two nascent science education programs associated with NASA which have the needed characteristics for providing meaningful experiences that can cultivate greater science literacy. Expansion of these efforts and others like it will be needed to have the desired impact on culture, but I suggest that the potential for the needed resources is there in the scientific research communities. A society in which more people appreciate and understand science and science methods would be especially conducive to human progress in space and on Earth.

To the Extremes! A Teacher Research Experience Program in the Polar Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Warburton, J.; Bartholow, S.

2014-12-01

PolarTREC-Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating, a teacher professional development program, began with the International Polar Year in 2004 and continues today in the United States. In 2007, the National Science Foundation designated PolarTREC as potentially transformative, meaning that the "research results often do not fit within established models or theories and may initially be unexpected or difficult to interpret; their transformative nature and utility might not be recognized until years later." PolarTREC brings U.S. K-12 educators and polar researchers together through an innovative teacher research experience model. Teachers spend three to six weeks in remote arctic and Antarctic field camps. Since 2007, over 100 teachers have been placed in field experiences throughout the Arctic and Antarctic and with half of them participating in field experiences in Antarctica. During their experience, teachers become research team members filling a variety of roles on the team. They also fulfil a unique role of public outreach officer, conducting live presentations about their field site and research as well as journaling, answering questions, and posting photos. Evaluation data collected over the past eight years on program participants shows that PolarTREC has clearly achieved it goals and strongly suggests programs that link teachers and researchers can have the potential to transform the nature of science education. By giving teachers the content knowledge, pedagogical tools, confidence, understanding of science in the broader society, and experiences with scientific inquiry, participating teachers are using authentic scientific research in their classrooms. Not surprisingly this has also led to increases in student interest and knowledge about the Polar Regions. In this presentation, we will highlight the best practices of teacher research experiences as well as discuss why it is vital to have teachers and researchers work together to communicate

Program overview: Subsurface science program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-03-01

The OHER Subsurface Science Program is DOE's core basic research program concerned with subsoils and groundwater. These practices have resulted in contamination by mixtures of organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals, and radionuclides. A primary long-term goal is to provide a foundation of knowledge that will lead to the reduction of environmental risks and to cost-effective cleanup strategies. Since the Program was initiated in 1985, a substantial amount of research in hydrogeology, subsurface microbiology, and the geochemistry of organically complexed radionuclides has been completed, leading to a better understanding of contaminant transport in groundwater and to new insights into microbial distribution and function in the subsurface environments. The Subsurface Science Program focuses on achieving long-term scientific advances that will assist DOE in the following key areas: providing the scientific basis for innovative in situ remediation technologies that are based on a concept of decontamination through benign manipulation of natural systems; understanding the complex mechanisms and process interactions that occur in the subsurface; determining the influence of chemical and geochemical-microbial processes on co-contaminant mobility to reduce environmental risks; improving predictions of contaminant transport that draw on fundamental knowledge of contaminant behavior in the presence of physical and chemical heterogeneities to improve cleanup effectiveness and to predict environmental risks

Tailoring science education graduate programs to the needs of science educators in low-income countries

Science.gov (United States)

Lunetta, Vincent N.; van den Berg, Euwe

Science education graduate programs in high-income countries frequently enroll students from low-income countries. Upon admission these students have profiles of knowledge, skills, and experiences which can be quite different from those of students from the host high-income countries. Upon graduation, they will normally return to work in education systems with conditions which differ greatly from those in high-income countries. This article attempts to clarify some of the differences and similarities between such students. It offers suggestions for making graduate programs more responsive to the special needs of students from low-income countries and to the opportunities they offer for enhancing cross-cultural sensitivity. Many of the suggestions can be incorporated within existing programs through choices of elective courses and topics for papers, projects, and research. Many references are provided to relevant literature on cultural issues and on science education in low-income countries.

Creating Authentic Geoscience Research Experiences for Underrepresented Students in Two-Year Undergraduate Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Liou-Mark, J.; Blake, R.

2014-12-01

With community college and two-year program students playing pivotal roles in advancing the nation's STEM agenda now and throughout the remainder of this young millennia, it is incumbent on educators to devise innovative and sustainable STEM initiatives to attract, retain, graduate, and elevate these students to four-year programs and beyond. Involving these students in comprehensive, holistic research experiences is one approach that has paid tremendous dividends. The New York City College of Technology (City Tech) was recently awarded a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) supplemental grant to integrate a community college/two-year program component into its existing REU program. The program created an inviting and supportive community of scholars for these students, nurtured them through strong, dynamic mentoring, provided them with the support structures needed for successful scholarship, and challenged them to attain the same research prominence as their Bachelor degree program companions. Along with their colleagues, the community college/two-year program students were given an opportunity to conduct intensive satellite and ground-based remote sensing research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Cooperative Remote Sensing Science and Technology Center (NOAA-CREST) at City College and its CREST Institute Center for Remote Sensing and Earth System Science (ReSESS) at City Tech. This presentation highlights the challenges, the rewards, and the lessons learned from this necessary and timely experiment. Preliminary results indicate that this paradigm for geoscience inclusion and high expectation has been remarkably successful. (The program is supported by NSF REU grant #1062934.)

Egg and a lot of science: an interdisciplinary experiment

OpenAIRE

Gayer, M. C.; Interdisciplinary Research Group on Teaching Practice, Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil Laboratory of Physicochemical Studies and Natural Products, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil; T., Rodrigues D.; Interdisciplinary Research Group on Teaching Practice, Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil Laboratory of Physicochemical Studies and Natural Products, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil; Denardin, E. L.G.; Laboratory of Physicochemical Studies and Natural Products, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil; Roehrs, R.; Interdisciplinary Research Group on Teaching Practice, Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil Laboratory of Physicochemical Studies and Natural Products, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil

2014-01-01

Egg and a lot of science: an interdisciplinary experimentGayer, M.C.1,2;Rodrigues, D.T.1,2; Escoto, D.F.1; Denardin, E.L.G.2, Roehrs, R.1,21Interdisciplinary Research Group on Teaching Practice, Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil2Laboratory of Physicochemical Studies and Natural Products, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, BrazilIntroduction: How to tell if an egg is rotten? How to calculate the volume of an egg? Because the rotten egg float? Why has this...

Science and technology disclosure in the state of Queretaro: Science and Technology for Children program

Science.gov (United States)

Contreras Flores, Rubén; Villeda Muñoz, Gabriel

2007-03-01

Science and technology disclosure is an integral part of our scientific work as researches; it is an induction process for children, young people and teachers of primary and secondary schools in the state of Queretaro. Education must be offered in a clear and objective way, it allows to the students apply the acquired knowledge to understand the world and improve his quality of life. Nowadays, the Centro de Investigacion en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada of the Instituto Politecnico Nacional Unidad Queretaro (CICATA-IPN Queretaro) together with the Consejo de Ciencia y Tecnologia del Estado de Queretaro (CONCYTEQ) have implemented the "Science and Technology for Children" program (Ciencia y Tecnologia para Ninos - CTN), it allows to the educative sector obtain information through the CONCYTEQ web page. The fist stage of the program was the development of two subjects: the brochure titled "Petroleum, Nonrenewable Natural Resource that Moves the World" and the manual "Experiments of Physics". At the moment we are working with the second stage of the program, it is about the energy generation using renewable sources such as: geothermal, aeolian, solar and biomass. The CTN program allows to students and teachers to create conscience about the importance of the development of the science of technology in our country.

Authentic Astronomy Research Experiences for Teachers: The NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP)

OpenAIRE

Rebull, L. M.; Gorjian, V.; Squires, G.

2012-01-01

How many times have you gotten a question from the general public, or read a news story, and concluded that “they just don’t understand how real science works?” One really good way to get the word out about how science works is to have more people experience the process of scientific research. Since 2004, the way we have chosen to do this is to provide authentic research experiences for teachers using real data (the program used to be called the Spitzer Teacher Program for Teachers and Stu...

Family experiences, the motivation for science learning and science ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Schulze, Salome

Student Motivation for Science Learning questionnaire combined with items investigating family experiences. ... science achievement: inadequate school resources and weak household ..... informal interviews with the science teachers of the.

FWP executive summaries: Basic energy sciences materials sciences programs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samara, G.A.

1996-02-01

This report provides an Executive Summary of the various elements of the Materials Sciences Program which is funded by the Division of Materials Sciences, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico.

From Students to Teachers: Investigating the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs and Experiences of Graduate Primary Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Deehan, James; Danaia, Lena; McKinnon, David H.

2018-03-01

The science achievement of primary students, both in Australia and abroad, has been the subject of intensive research in recent decades. Consequently, much research has been conducted to investigate primary science education. Within this literature, there is a striking juxtaposition between tertiary science teaching preparation programs and the experiences and outcomes of both teachers and students alike. Whilst many tertiary science teaching programs covary with positive outcomes for preservice teachers, reports of science at the primary school level continue to be problematic. This paper begins to explore this apparent contradiction by investigating the science teaching efficacy beliefs and experiences of a cohort of graduate primary teachers who had recently transitioned from preservice to inservice status. An opportunity sample of 82 primary teachers responded to the science teaching efficacy belief instrument A (STEBI-A), and 10 graduate teachers provided semi-structured interview data. The results showed that participants' prior science teaching efficacy belief growth, which occurred during their tertiary science education, had remained durable after they had completed their teaching degrees and began their careers. Qualitative data showed that their undergraduate science education had had a positive influence on their science teaching experiences. The participants' school science culture, however, had mixed influences on their science teaching. The findings presented within this paper have implications for the direction of research in primary science education, the design and assessment of preservice primary science curriculum subjects and the role of school contexts in the development of primary science teachers.

Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory - a novel approach to undergraduate internships for first generation community college students

Science.gov (United States)

Raftery, C. L.; Davis, H. B.; Peticolas, L. M.; Paglierani, R.

2015-12-01

The Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley launched an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in the summer of 2015. The "Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences" (ASSURE) program recruited heavily from local community colleges and universities, and provided a multi-tiered mentorship program for students in the fields of space science and engineering. The program was focussed on providing a supportive environment for 2nd and 3rd year undergraduates, many of whom were first generation and underrepresented students. This model provides three levels of mentorship support for the participating interns: 1) the primary research advisor provides academic and professional support. 2) The program coordinator, who meets with the interns multiple times per week, provides personal support and helps the interns to assimilate into the highly competitive environment of the research laboratory. 3) Returning undergraduate interns provided peer support and guidance to the new cohort of students. The impacts of this program on the first generation students and the research mentors, as well as the lessons learned will be discussed.

Mars mission program for primary students: Building student and teacher skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Mathers, Naomi; Pakakis, Michael; Christie, Ian

2011-09-01

The Victorian Space Science Education Centre (VSSEC) scenario-based programs, including the Mission to Mars and Mission to the Orbiting Space Laboratory, utilize methodologies such as hands-on applications, immersive learning, integrated technologies, critical thinking and mentoring. The use of a scenario provides a real-life context and purpose to what students might otherwise consider disjointed information. These programs engage students in the areas of maths and science, and highlight potential career paths in science and engineering. The introduction of a scenario-based program for primary students engages students in maths and science at a younger age, addressing the issues of basic numeracy and science literacy, thus laying the foundation for stronger senior science initiatives. Primary students absorb more information within the context of the scenario, and presenting information they can see, hear, touch and smell creates a memorable learning and sensory experience. The mission also supports development of teacher skills in the delivery of hands-on science and helps build their confidence to teach science. The Primary Mission to the Mars Base gives primary school students access to an environment and equipment not available in schools. Students wear flight suits for the duration of the program to immerse them in the experience of being an astronaut. Astronauts work in the VSSEC Space Laboratory, which is transformed into a Mars base for the primary program, to conduct experiments in areas such as robotics, human physiology, microbiology, nanotechnology and environmental science. Specialist mission control software has been developed by La Trobe University Centre for Games Technology to provide age appropriate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based problem solving and support the concept of a mission. Students in Mission Control observe the astronauts working in the space laboratory and talk to them via the AV system. This interactive

Program summaries for 1979: energy sciences programs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1979-12-01

This report describes the objectives of the various research programs being conducted by the Chemical Sciences, Metallurgy and Materials Science, and Process Science divisions of the BNL Dept. of Energy and Environment. Some of the more significant accomplishments during 1979 are also reported along with plans for 1980. Some of the topics under study include porphyrins, combustion, coal utilization, superconductors, semiconductors, coal, conversion, fluidized-bed combustion, polymers, etc. (DLC)

Physical experience enhances science learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Kontra, Carly; Lyons, Daniel J; Fischer, Susan M; Beilock, Sian L

2015-06-01

Three laboratory experiments involving students' behavior and brain imaging and one randomized field experiment in a college physics class explored the importance of physical experience in science learning. We reasoned that students' understanding of science concepts such as torque and angular momentum is aided by activation of sensorimotor brain systems that add kinetic detail and meaning to students' thinking. We tested whether physical experience with angular momentum increases involvement of sensorimotor brain systems during students' subsequent reasoning and whether this involvement aids their understanding. The physical experience, a brief exposure to forces associated with angular momentum, significantly improved quiz scores. Moreover, improved performance was explained by activation of sensorimotor brain regions when students later reasoned about angular momentum. This finding specifies a mechanism underlying the value of physical experience in science education and leads the way for classroom practices in which experience with the physical world is an integral part of learning. © The Author(s) 2015.

Russian-American Experience in Science Education and Volcanological Research

Science.gov (United States)

Eichelberger, J. C.; Gordeev, E. I.; Vesna, E. B.

2007-12-01

After five years experience in bringing American students to meet and learn with Russian students in Kamchatka and bringing Russian students to meet and learn with American students in Alaska, it is possible to make some generalizations about the problems and benefits this growing program. Some 200 students, including many from other countries besides the United States and Russian Federation, have now had this experience. The context of their collaboration is the International Volcanological Field School, sponsored by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Kamchatka State University, and the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, and also a comparison of Mount St Helens, Bezymianny, and Shiveluch volcanoes under the National Science Foundation's Partnerships in International Research in Education, with important support from the Russian Academy of Sciences, Far East Division. Elements of these two projects are adaptation to unfamiliar, harsh, and remote environments; intensive courses in Russian language, history, geography, and culture; and sharing of research and education experiences among students. The challenges faced by the program are: · Slow and complex visa processes. · Demise of a direct airline connection, necessitating round-the-world travel to go 3000 km. · Adequately communicating to students beforehand the need for physical fitness, mental fortitude in uncomfortable conditions, and patience when bad weather limits mobility. Benefits of the projects have been: · Experiences that students report to be career- and life-changing. · Much more positive perceptions of Russia and Russian people by American students and of America and Americans by Russian students. · Introduction to the "expedition style" volcanology necessary in challenging environments. · Development of long-lasting collaborations and friendships in the context of international science. Students often comment that hearing about what their peers have done or are doing in research at

Student science enrichment training program. Progress report, June 1, 1991--May 31, 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandhu, S.S.

1992-04-21

Historically Black Colleges and Universities wing of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) provided funds to Claflin College, Orangeburg, S.C. To conduct a student Science Enrichment Training Program for a period of six weeks during 1991 summer. Thirty participants were selected from a pool of applicants, generated by the High School Seniors and Juniors and the Freshmen class of 1990-1991 at Claflin College. The program primarily focused on high ability students, with potential for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Careers. The major objectives of the program were W to increase the pool of well qualified college entering minority students who will elect to go in Physical Sciences and Engineering and (II) to increase the enrollment in Chemistry and Preprofessional-Pre-Med, Pre-Dent, etc.-majors at Claflin College by including the Claflin students to participate in summer academic program. The summer academic program consisted of Chemistry and Computer Science training. The program placed emphasis upon laboratory experience and research. Visits to Scientific and Industrial laboratories were arranged. Guest speakers which were drawn from academia, industry and several federal agencies, addressed the participants on the future role of Science in the industrial growth of United States of America. The guest speakers also acted as role models for the participants. Several videos and films, emphasizing the role of Science in human life, were also screened.

The Workshop Program on Authentic Assessment for Science Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Rustaman, N. Y.; Rusdiana, D.; Efendi, R.; Liliawati, W.

2017-02-01

A study on implementing authentic assessment program through workshop was conducted to investigate the improvement of the competence of science teachers in designing performance assessment in real life situation at school level context. A number of junior high school science teachers and students as participants were involved in this study. Data was collected through questionnaire, observation sheets, and pre-and post-test during 4 day workshop. This workshop had facilitated them direct experience with seventh grade junior high school students during try out. Science teachers worked in group of four and communicated each other by think-pair share in cooperative learning approach. Research findings show that generally the science teachers’ involvement and their competence in authentic assessment improved. Their knowledge about the nature of assessment in relation to the nature of science and its instruction was improved, but still have problem in integrating their design performance assessment to be implemented in their lesson plan. The 7th grade students enjoyed participating in the science activities, and performed well the scientific processes planned by group of science teachers. The response of science teachers towards the workshop was positive. They could design the task and rubrics for science activities, and revised them after the implementation towards the students. By participating in this workshop they have direct experience in designing and trying out their ability within their professional community in real situation towards their real students in junior high school.

A research program in empirical computer science

Science.gov (United States)

Knight, J. C.

1991-01-01

During the grant reporting period our primary activities have been to begin preparation for the establishment of a research program in experimental computer science. The focus of research in this program will be safety-critical systems. Many questions that arise in the effort to improve software dependability can only be addressed empirically. For example, there is no way to predict the performance of the various proposed approaches to building fault-tolerant software. Performance models, though valuable, are parameterized and cannot be used to make quantitative predictions without experimental determination of underlying distributions. In the past, experimentation has been able to shed some light on the practical benefits and limitations of software fault tolerance. It is common, also, for experimentation to reveal new questions or new aspects of problems that were previously unknown. A good example is the Consistent Comparison Problem that was revealed by experimentation and subsequently studied in depth. The result was a clear understanding of a previously unknown problem with software fault tolerance. The purpose of a research program in empirical computer science is to perform controlled experiments in the area of real-time, embedded control systems. The goal of the various experiments will be to determine better approaches to the construction of the software for computing systems that have to be relied upon. As such it will validate research concepts from other sources, provide new research results, and facilitate the transition of research results from concepts to practical procedures that can be applied with low risk to NASA flight projects. The target of experimentation will be the production software development activities undertaken by any organization prepared to contribute to the research program. Experimental goals, procedures, data analysis and result reporting will be performed for the most part by the University of Virginia.

The DOE/NREL Environmental Science Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Douglas R. Lawson; Michael Gurevich

2001-01-01

This paper summarizes the several of the studies in the Environmental Science Program being sponsored by DOE's Office of Heavy Vehicle Technologies (OHVT) through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The goal of the Environmental Science Program is to understand atmospheric impacts and potential health effects that may be caused by the use of petroleum-based fuels and alternative transportation fuels from mobile sources. The Program is regulatory-driven, and focuses on ozone, airborne particles, visibility and regional haze, air toxics, and health effects of air pollutants. Each project in the Program is designed to address policy-relevant objectives. Current projects in the Environmental Science Program have four areas of focus: improving technology for emissions measurements; vehicle emissions measurements; emission inventory development/improvement; ambient impacts, including health effects

The DOE/NREL Environmental Science Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Douglas R. Lawson; Michael Gurevich

2001-05-14

This paper summarizes the several of the studies in the Environmental Science Program being sponsored by DOE's Office of Heavy Vehicle Technologies (OHVT) through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The goal of the Environmental Science Program is to understand atmospheric impacts and potential health effects that may be caused by the use of petroleum-based fuels and alternative transportation fuels from mobile sources. The Program is regulatory-driven, and focuses on ozone, airborne particles, visibility and regional haze, air toxics, and health effects of air pollutants. Each project in the Program is designed to address policy-relevant objectives. Current projects in the Environmental Science Program have four areas of focus: improving technology for emissions measurements; vehicle emissions measurements; emission inventory development/improvement; ambient impacts, including health effects.

Environmental Management Science Program Workshop. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1998-07-01

The Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM), in partnership with the Office of Energy Research (ER), designed, developed, and implemented the Environmental Management Science Program as a basic research effort to fund the scientific and engineering understanding required to solve the most challenging technical problems facing the government's largest, most complex environmental cleanup program. The intent of the Environmental Management Science Program is to: (1) Provide scientific knowledge that will revolutionize technologies and cleanup approaches to significantly reduce future costs, schedules, and risks. (2) Bridge the gap between broad fundamental research that has wide-ranging applications such as that performed in the Department's Office of Energy Research and needs-driven applied technology development that is conducted in Environmental Management's Office of Science and Technology. (3) Focus the nation's science infrastructure on critical Department of Energy environmental problems. In an effort to share information regarding basic research efforts being funded by the Environmental Management Science Program and the Environmental Management/Energy Research Pilot Collaborative Research Program (Wolf-Broido Program), this CD includes summaries for each project. These project summaries, available in portable document format (PDF), were prepared in the spring of 1998 by the principal investigators and provide information about their most recent project activities and accomplishments.

Community Resilience Informed by Science and Experience (C-RISE)

Science.gov (United States)

Young Morse, R.; Peake, L.; Bowness, G.

2017-12-01

The Gulf of Maine Research Institute is developing an interactive learning experience that engages participants in the interdependence of humans and the environment, the cycles of observation and experiment that advance science knowledge, and the changes we see now and that are predicted for sea level and storm frequency. These scientific concepts and principles will be brought to human scale through the connection to the challenge of city planning in our harbor communities. We are leveraging the ESRI Story Maps platform to build rich visualization-based narratives that feature NOAA maps, data and tools. Our program participants work in teams to navigate the content and participate in facilitated group discussions led by our educators. Based on the adult learning experience and in concert with new content being developed for the LabVenture program around the theme of Climate Change, we will develop a learning experience for 5th and 6th graders.Our goal is to immerse 1000+ adults from target communities in Greater Portland region as well as 8000+ middle school students from throughout the state in the experience.

NASA's Earth science flight program status

Science.gov (United States)

Neeck, Steven P.; Volz, Stephen M.

2010-10-01

NASA's strategic goal to "advance scientific understanding of the changing Earth system to meet societal needs" continues the agency's legacy of expanding human knowledge of the Earth through space activities, as mandated by the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958. Over the past 50 years, NASA has been the world leader in developing space-based Earth observing systems and capabilities that have fundamentally changed our view of our planet and have defined Earth system science. The U.S. National Research Council report "Earth Observations from Space: The First 50 Years of Scientific Achievements" published in 2008 by the National Academy of Sciences articulates those key achievements and the evolution of the space observing capabilities, looking forward to growing potential to address Earth science questions and enable an abundance of practical applications. NASA's Earth science program is an end-to-end one that encompasses the development of observational techniques and the instrument technology needed to implement them. This includes laboratory testing and demonstration from surface, airborne, or space-based platforms; research to increase basic process knowledge; incorporation of results into complex computational models to more fully characterize the present state and future evolution of the Earth system; and development of partnerships with national and international organizations that can use the generated information in environmental forecasting and in policy, business, and management decisions. Currently, NASA's Earth Science Division (ESD) has 14 operating Earth science space missions with 6 in development and 18 under study or in technology risk reduction. Two Tier 2 Decadal Survey climate-focused missions, Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days and Seasons (ASCENDS) and Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT), have been identified in conjunction with the U.S. Global Change Research Program and initiated for launch in the 2019

Coupling Immersive Experiences with the Use of Mission Data to Encourage Students' Interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math: Examples from the Mars Exploration Program

Science.gov (United States)

Klug, S. L.; Valderrama, P.; Viotti, M. A.; Watt, K.; Wurman, G.

2004-12-01

The Mars Exploration Program, in partnership with the Arizona State University Mars Education Program has created and successfully tested innovative pathways and programs that introduce, develop, and reinforce science, technology, engineering, and mathematics - STEM subjects into pre-college curriculum. With launches scheduled every 26 months, Mars has the unique opportunity and ability to have a long-term, systemic influence on science education. Also, because of the high level of interest in Mars, as exemplified by the10 billion Internet hits during the Mars Exploration Rover mission, it is a great vehicle for the infusion of current science into today's classrooms. These Mars education programs have linked current mission science and engineering with the National Education Standards, integrating them in a teacher-friendly and student-friendly format. These linkages are especially synergistic when combined with long-term partnerships between educators, Mars scientists and engineers, as they exemplify real-world collaborations and teamwork. To accommodate many different audience needs, an array of programs and a variety of approaches to these programs have been developed. High tech, low tech and no tech options can be implemented to help insure that as many students can be accommodated and impacted by these programs as possible. These programs are scaled to match the National Education Standards in the grade levels in which students need to become proficient in these subjects. The Mars Student Imaging Project - MSIP allows teams of students from the fifth grade through community college to be immersed in a hands-on program and experience the scientific process firsthand by using the Thermal Emission Imaging System - THEMIS camera to target their own image of Mars using an educational version of the real flight software used to target THEMIS images. The student teams then analyze their image and report their findings to the MSIP website. This project has been in

The Maryland nuclear science baccalaureate degree program: The utility perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, J.R.

1989-01-01

In the early 1980s, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (WPSC) made a firm commitment to pursue development and subsequent delivery of an appropriate, academically accredited program leading to a baccalaureate degree in nuclear science for its nuclear operations personnel. Recognizing the formidable tasks to be accomplished, WPSC worked closely with the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) in curriculum definition, specific courseware development for delivery by computer-aided instruction, individual student evaluation, and overall program implementation. Instruction began on our nuclear plant site in the fall of 1984. The university anticipates conferring the first degrees from this program at WPSC in the fall of 1989. There are several notable results that WPSC achieved from this degree program. First and most importantly, an increase in the level of education of our employees. It should be stated that this program has been well received by WPSC operator personnel. These employees, now armed with plant experience, a formal degree in nuclear science, and professional education in management are real candidates for advancement in our nuclear organization

Nuclear science experiments in high schools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowenthal, G.C.

1990-01-01

This paper comments on the importance of nuclear science experiments and demonstrations to science education in secondary schools. It claims that radiation protection is incompletly realised unless supported by some knowledge about ionizing radiations. The negative influence of the NHMRC Code of Practice on school experiments involving ionizing radiation is also outlined. The authors offer some suggestions for a new edition of the Code with a positive approach to nuclear science experiments in schools. 7 refs., 4 figs

Model program for the recruitment and preparation of high ability elementary mathematics/science teachers: A collaborative project among scientists, teacher educators and classroom teachers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-12-01

This teacher education program will provide a model for recruiting, educating and retaining high ability students to become mathematics and science lead teachers in elementary schools. The quality experiences and support provided these students will help them develop the knowledge and attitudes necessary to provide leadership for elementary mathematics and science programs. Students will have research experiences at the Ames Laboratory, high quality field experiences with nationally recognized mathematics and science teachers in local schools and opportunities to meaningfully connect these two experiences. This program, collaboratively designed and implemented by scientists, teacher educators and classroom teachers, should provide a replicatable model for other teacher education institutions. In addition, materials developed for the project should help other laboratories interface more effectively with K-8 schools and help other teacher education programs incorporate real science and mathematics experience into their curriculum.

Preparing new Earth Science teachers via a collaborative program between Research Scientists and Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Grcevich, Jana; Pagnotta, Ashley; Mac Low, Mordecai-Mark; Shara, Michael; Flores, Kennet; Nadeau, Patricia A.; Sessa, Jocelyn; Ustunisik, Gokce; Zirakparvar, Nasser; Ebel, Denton; Harlow, George; Webster, James D.; Kinzler, Rosamond; MacDonald, Maritza B.; Contino, Julie; Cooke-Nieves, Natasha; Howes, Elaine; Zachowski, Marion

2015-01-01

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program at the American Museum of Natural History is a innovative program designed to prepare participants to be world-class Earth Science teachers. New York State is experiencing a lack of qualified Earth Science teachers, leading in the short term to a reduction in students who successfully complete the Earth Science Regents examination, and in the long term potential reductions in the number of students who go on to pursue college degrees in Earth Science related disciplines. The MAT program addresses this problem via a collaboration between practicing research scientists and education faculty. The faculty consists of curators and postdoctoral researchers from the Departments of Astrophysics, Earth and Planetary Sciences, and the Division of Paleontology, as well as doctoral-level education experts. During the 15-month, full-time program, students participate in a residency program at local urban classrooms as well as taking courses and completing field work in astrophysics, geology, earth science, and paleontology. The program targets high-needs schools with diverse populations. We seek to encourage, stimulate interest, and inform the students impacted by our program, most of whom are from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, about the rich possibilities for careers in Earth Science related disciplines and the intrinsic value of the subject. We report on the experience of the first and second cohorts, all of whom are now employed in full time teaching positions, and the majority in high needs schools in New York State.

The Teachers Academy for Mathematics and Science. Executive summary and program activities update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-09-01

In his State of the Union address on January 31, 1990, President Bush set a goal for US students to be number one in the world in mathematics and science achievement by the year 2000. The Teachers Academy for Mathematics and Science in Chicago is an experiment of unprecedented boldness and scale that can provide a means to the President`s goal, both for the Chicago area and as a national model. This document covers organization and governance, program activities, future training goals, and evaluation programs.

Materials sciences programs, fiscal year 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-04-01

The Division of Materials Sciences is located within the DOE in the Office of Basic Energy Sciences. The Division of Materials Sciences is responsible for basic research and research facilities in strategic materials science topics of critical importance to the mission of the Department and its Strategic Plan. Materials Science is an enabling technology. The performance parameters, economics, environmental acceptability and safety of all energy generation, conversion, transmission and conservation technologies are limited by the properties and behavior of materials. The Materials Sciences programs develop scientific understanding of the synergistic relationship amongst the synthesis, processing, structure, properties, behavior, performance and other characteristics of materials. Emphasis is placed on the development of the capability to discover technologically, economically, and environmentally desirable new materials and processes, and the instruments and national user facilities necessary for achieving such progress. Materials Sciences sub-fields include physical metallurgy, ceramics, polymers, solid state and condensed matter physics, materials chemistry, surface science and related disciplines where the emphasis is on the science of materials. This report includes program descriptions for 458 research programs including 216 at 14 DOE National Laboratories, 242 research grants (233 for universities), and 9 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grants. The report is divided into eight sections. Section A contains all Laboratory projects, Section B has all contract research projects, Section C has projects funded under the SBIR Program, Section D describes the Center of Excellence for the Synthesis and Processing of Advanced Materials and E has information on major user facilities. F contains descriptions of other user facilities; G, a summary of funding levels; and H, indices characterizing research projects

Materials sciences programs: Fiscal year 1994

Science.gov (United States)

1995-04-01

The Division of Materials Sciences is located within the DOE in the Office of Basic Energy Sciences. The Division of Materials Sciences is responsible for basic research and research facilities in strategic materials science topics of critical importance to the mission of the Department and its Strategic Plan. Materials Science is an enabling technology. The performance parameters, economics, environmental acceptability and safety of all energy generation, conversion, transmission and conservation technologies are limited by the properties and behavior of materials. The Materials Sciences programs develop scientific understanding of the synergistic relationship amongst the synthesis, processing, structure, properties, behavior, performance and other characteristics of materials. Emphasis is placed on the development of the capability to discover technologically, economically, and environmentally desirable new materials and processes, and the instruments and national user facilities necessary for achieving such progress. Materials Sciences sub-fields include physical metallurgy, ceramics, polymers, solid state and condensed matter physics, materials chemistry, surface science and related disciplines where the emphasis is on the science of materials. This report includes program descriptions for 458 research programs including 216 at 14 DOE National Laboratories, 242 research grants (233 for universities), and 9 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grants. The report is divided into eight sections. Section A contains all Laboratory projects, Section B has all contract research projects, Section C has projects funded under the SBIR Program, Section D describes the Center of Excellence for the Synthesis and Processing of Advanced Materials and E has information on major user facilities. F contains descriptions of other user facilities; G, a summary of funding levels; and H, indices characterizing research projects.

Materials sciences programs, fiscal year 1994

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-04-01

The Division of Materials Sciences is located within the DOE in the Office of Basic Energy Sciences. The Division of Materials Sciences is responsible for basic research and research facilities in strategic materials science topics of critical importance to the mission of the Department and its Strategic Plan. Materials Science is an enabling technology. The performance parameters, economics, environmental acceptability and safety of all energy generation, conversion, transmission and conservation technologies are limited by the properties and behavior of materials. The Materials Sciences programs develop scientific understanding of the synergistic relationship amongst the synthesis, processing, structure, properties, behavior, performance and other characteristics of materials. Emphasis is placed on the development of the capability to discover technologically, economically, and environmentally desirable new materials and processes, and the instruments and national user facilities necessary for achieving such progress. Materials Sciences sub-fields include physical metallurgy, ceramics, polymers, solid state and condensed matter physics, materials chemistry, surface science and related disciplines where the emphasis is on the science of materials. This report includes program descriptions for 458 research programs including 216 at 14 DOE National Laboratories, 242 research grants (233 for universities), and 9 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grants. The report is divided into eight sections. Section A contains all Laboratory projects, Section B has all contract research projects, Section C has projects funded under the SBIR Program, Section D describes the Center of Excellence for the Synthesis and Processing of Advanced Materials and E has information on major user facilities. F contains descriptions of other user facilities; G, a summary of funding levels; and H, indices characterizing research projects.

NASA Applied Sciences' DEVELOP National Program: Training the Next Generation of Remote Sensing Scientists

Science.gov (United States)

Childs, Lauren; Brozen, Madeline; Hillyer, Nelson

2010-01-01

Since its inception over a decade ago, the DEVELOP National Program has provided students with experience in utilizing and integrating satellite remote sensing data into real world-applications. In 1998, DEVELOP began with three students and has evolved into a nationwide internship program with over 200 students participating each year. DEVELOP is a NASA Applied Sciences training and development program extending NASA Earth science research and technology to society. Part of the NASA Science Mission Directorate s Earth Science Division, the Applied Sciences Program focuses on bridging the gap between NASA technology and the public by conducting projects that innovatively use NASA Earth science resources to research environmental issues. Project outcomes focus on assisting communities to better understand environmental change over time. This is accomplished through research with global, national, and regional partners to identify the widest array of practical uses of NASA data. DEVELOP students conduct research in areas that examine how NASA science can better serve society. Projects focus on practical applications of NASA s Earth science research results. Each project is designed to address at least one of the Applied Sciences focus areas, use NASA s Earth observation sources and meet partners needs. DEVELOP research teams partner with end-users and organizations who use project results for policy analysis and decision support, thereby extending the benefits of NASA science and technology to the public.

Materials science experiments in space

Science.gov (United States)

Gelles, S. H.; Giessen, B. C.; Glicksman, M. E.; Margrave, J. L.; Markovitz, H.; Nowick, A. S.; Verhoeven, J. D.; Witt, A. F.

1978-01-01

The criteria for the selection of the experimental areas and individual experiments were that the experiment or area must make a meaningful contribution to the field of material science and that the space environment was either an absolute requirement for the successful execution of the experiment or that the experiment can be more economically or more conveniently performed in space. A number of experimental areas and individual experiments were recommended for further consideration as space experiments. Areas not considered to be fruitful and others needing additional analysis in order to determine their suitability for conduct in space are also listed. Recommendations were made concerning the manner in which these materials science experiments are carried out and the related studies that should be pursued.

Reciprocal Education Experiences In Two GK-12 Programs: Teachers Learning And Students Teaching In Diverse Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Mayo, M.; Williams, C.; Rodriguez, T.; Greely, T.; Pyrtle, A. J.; Rivera-Rentas, A. L.; Vilches, M.

2004-12-01

The National Science Foundation's Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) Program has enabled science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduate schools across the country to become more active in local area K-12 schools. An overview of a graduate student's experiences, insights gained and lessons learned as a Fellow in the 2003-2004 Universidad Metropolitana's (UMET) environmental science and the 2004-2005 University of South Florida's (USF) ocean science GK-12 Programs is presented. The major goals of the 2003-2004 UMET GK-12 Program were 1) to enrich environmental science teaching and learning via a thematic approach in eight local public schools and 2) to provide UMET graduate students with exposure to teaching methodologies and practical teaching experience. Utilizing examples from local environments in and nearby Carolina, Puerto Rico to teach key science principles at Escuela de la Comunidad Juana Rodriguez Mundo provided numerous opportunities to relate science topics to students' daily life experiences. By 2004, the UMET GK-12 Program had successfully engaged the entire student body (primarily comprised of bilingual minority kindergarten to sixth graders), teachers and school administrators in environment-focused teaching and learning activities. Examples of such activities include tree planting projects to minimize local erosion, conducting a science fair for the first time in many years, and numerous opportunities to experience what "real scientists do" while conducting environmental science investigations. During the 2004-2005 academic year, skills, insights and lessons learned as a UMET GK-12 Fellow are being further enhanced through participation in the USF GK-12 OCEANS Program. The overall objectives of the 2004-2005 USF GK-12 OCEANS assignment at Madeira Beach Elementary School in Saint Petersburg, Florida are to 1) engage students from various ethnic backgrounds and cultures in hands-on science activities, 2) enhance the

Reflection after teaching a lesson: Experiences of secondary school science teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Halstead, Melissa A.

Secondary science teachers spend most of their time planning, collaborating, and teaching, but spend little time reflecting after teaching a single lesson. The theoretical framework of the adult learning theory and the transformative learning theory was the basis of this study. This qualitative research study was conducted to understand the reflective experiences of secondary science educators after teaching a single or several lessons. The collection of data consisted of interviews from a group of purposefully selected secondary science teachers who met the criteria set forth by the researcher. Through a qualitative analysis of interviews and field notes, the researcher determined that the secondary science teachers in this study shared similar as well as different experiences regarding collaborative and individual reflection after teaching a single or several lessons. The findings from this study also suggested that secondary science educators prefer to collaboratively reflect and then reflect alone to allow for further thought. Additionally, a supportive school culture increases the secondary science teacher’s desire to engage in collaborative as well as individual reflection. The information from this study could be used to close the gaps that exist in the teacher professional development programs.

FWP executive summaries, Basic Energy Sciences Materials Sciences Programs (SNL/NM)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samara, G.A.

1997-05-01

The BES Materials Sciences Program has the central theme of Scientifically Tailored Materials. The major objective of this program is to combine Sandia`s expertise and capabilities in the areas of solid state sciences, advanced atomic-level diagnostics and materials synthesis and processing science to produce new classes of tailored materials as well as to enhance the properties of existing materials for US energy applications and for critical defense needs. Current core research in this program includes the physics and chemistry of ceramics synthesis and processing, the use of energetic particles for the synthesis and study of materials, tailored surfaces and interfaces for materials applications, chemical vapor deposition sciences, artificially-structured semiconductor materials science, advanced growth techniques for improved semiconductor structures, transport in unconventional solids, atomic-level science of interfacial adhesion, high-temperature superconductors, and the synthesis and processing of nano-size clusters for energy applications. In addition, the program includes the following three smaller efforts initiated in the past two years: (1) Wetting and Flow of Liquid Metals and Amorphous Ceramics at Solid Interfaces, (2) Field-Structured Anisotropic Composites, and (3) Composition-Modulated Semiconductor Structures for Photovoltaic and Optical Technologies. The latter is a joint effort with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Separate summaries are given of individual research areas.

Patterns and Impacts of Short-Term Cross-Cultural Experience in Science and Mathematics Teaching: Benefits, Value, and Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Kanyaprasith, Kamonwan; Finley, Fred N.; Phonphok, Nason

2015-01-01

This study evaluates a cross-cultural experience in science and mathematics teaching in Thailand--an internship program. In this study, qualitative data sources including semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and pre-post questionnaire were collected from five groups of participants, which were: (a) administrators; (b) Thai…

Informal Science: Family Education, Experiences, and Initial Interest in Science

Science.gov (United States)

Dabney, Katherine P.; Tai, Robert H.; Scott, Michael R.

2016-01-01

Recent research and public policy have indicated the need for increasing the physical science workforce through development of interest and engagement with informal and formal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics experiences. This study examines the association of family education and physical scientists' informal experiences in…

Motivating Young Native American Students to Pursue STEM Learning Through a Culturally Relevant Science Program

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Sally; Andrade, Rosi; Page, Melissa

2016-12-01

Data indicate that females and ethnic/race minority groups are underrepresented in the science and engineering workforce calling for innovative strategies to engage and retain them in science education and careers. This study reports on the development, delivery, and outcomes of a culturally driven science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) program, iSTEM, aimed at increasing engagement in STEM learning among Native American 3rd-8th grade students. A culturally relevant theoretical framework, Funds of Knowledge, informs the iSTEM program, a program based on the contention that the synergistic effect of a hybrid program combining two strategic approaches (1) in-school mentoring and (2) out-of-school informal science education experiences would foster engagement and interest in STEM learning. Students are paired with one of three types of mentors: Native American community members, university students, and STEM professionals. The iSTEM program is theme based with all program activities specifically relevant to Native people living in southern Arizona. Student mentees and mentors complete interactive flash STEM activities at lunch hour and attend approximately six field trips per year. Data from the iSTEM program indicate that the program has been successful in engaging Native American students in iSTEM as well as increasing their interest in STEM and their science beliefs.

Thinking about television science: How students understand the nature of science from different program genres

Science.gov (United States)

Dhingra, Koshi

2003-02-01

Student views on the nature of science are shaped by a variety of out-of-school forces and television-mediated science is a significant force. To attempt to achieve a science for all, we need to recognize and understand the diverse messages about science that students access and think about on a regular basis. In this work I examine how high school students think about science that is mediated by four different program genres on television: documentary, magazine-format programming, network news, and dramatic or fictional programming. The following categories of findings are discussed: the ethics and validity of science, final form science, science as portrayed by its practitioners, and school science and television science. Student perceptions of the nature of science depicted on the program sample used in this study ranged from seeing science as comprising tentative knowledge claims to seeing science as a fixed body of facts.

African American perspectives: A qualitative study of an informal science enrichment program

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Jamila Rashida

The purposes of this study were to determine what program characteristics African American parents consider when they enroll their children into an informal science education enrichment program, the parents' evaluation of a program called Jordan Academy in which they enrolled their children, and the alignment of the parents' perspectives with Black Cultural Ethos (BCE). BCE refers to nine dimensions posited by Wade Boykin, a psychologist, as comprising African American culture. Participants were parents of students that attended Jordan Academy, an informal science enrichment program designed for third through sixth grade students from underserved populations. Qualitative methodologies were utilized to perform a thorough assessment of parents' perspectives. Data sources included classroom observations, student surveys, academy curriculum, photos and video-taped class sessions. Data included teachers and parents' responses to semi-structured, audio recorded interviews and students' written responses to open-ended items on the program's evaluation instrument. The data were analyzed for themes and the findings compared to Black Cultural Ethos. Findings revealed that the participants believed that informal science education offered their children opportunities not realized in the formal school setting - a means of impacting their children holistically. The parents expressed the academic, cultural, and personal development of their children in their characterizations of the ideal informal science education experience and in their evaluations of Jordan Academy. Overall, the parents' views emphasized the BCE values of harmony, affect, verve, movement, orality and communalism. The study has important implications for practices within and research on informal science education.

The Natural Science Program at the University of New Mexico: Geosciences Play a Central Role in Preservice Teacher Training

Science.gov (United States)

Nyman, M. W.; Ellwein, A. L.; Geissman, J. W.; McFadden, L. D.; Crossey, L. J.

2007-12-01

An important component for future directions of geoscience departments is public education. The role of geoscience departments in the preparation and professional development of K-12 teachers is particularly critical, and merges with other teaching missions within the University. The importance of geoscience content for teachers (and the general public) is evident in the numerous earth science related public policy issues that are the subject of ever-increasing attention (climate change, energy resources, water utilization, etc.). The earth and space sciences are not only included in both state and federal science content education standards but are also inherently interesting to students and therefore provide an important gateway to foster interest in science as well as other scientific disciplines. For over 10 years, the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) at the University of New Mexico (UNM) has housed and supported the Natural Science Program (NSP), which provides science content courses and numerous programs for K-12 pre- and in-service teachers. Classes and laboratories are integrated, and are capped at 21 students in the 200-level courses, assuring an active and supportive learning environment for students who are typically science-phobic with negative or no experiences with science. Enrollments are maintained at ~150 preservice teachers per semester. The program is staffed by two lecturers, who have advanced degrees in the geosciences as well as K-12 teaching experience, and several part time instructors, including graduate students who gain valuable teaching experience through teaching in the NSP. With continued support from the department, the NSP has expanded to develop robust and functional relationships related to science teacher professional development with Sandia National Laboratories and local school districts, initiated development of a graduate certificate in science teaching and, advanced a proposal for the development of an Energy

Partners in Science: A Model Cooperative Program Introducing High School Teachers and Students to Leading-Edge Pharmaceutical Science

Science.gov (United States)

Woska, Joseph R., Jr.; Collins, Danielle M.; Canney, Brian J.; Arcario, Erin L.; Reilly, Patricia L.

2005-12-01

Partners in Science is a cooperative program between Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and area high schools in the community surrounding our Connecticut campus. It is a two-phase program that introduces high school students and teachers to the world of drug discovery and leading-edge pharmaceutical research. Phase 1 involves a series of lectures, tours, and demonstrations given by scientists within our research and development division (R&D). Phase 2 involves the selection of a small group of participants to intern for the summer in a research laboratory, working side by side with a scientist within R&D. In this manuscript, the specific aims, goals, and development of the Partners in Science program are described, as well as the syllabus/agenda, the logistics surrounding the operation of the program, and our shared personal experiences with students and teachers who have participated. Some of the pitfalls/problems associated with the program will be presented, and finally, the future direction of the program including areas of improvement and expansion are described.

Influencing attitudes toward science through field experiences in biology

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, Deborah Mcintyre

The purpose of this study was to determine how student attitudes toward science are influenced by field experiences in undergraduate biology courses. The study was conducted using two institutions of higher education including a 2-year lower-level and a 2-year upper-level institution. Data were collected through interviews with student participants, focus group discussions, students' journal entries, and field notes recorded by the researcher during the field activities. Photographs and video recordings were also used as documentation sources. Data were collected over a period of 34 weeks. Themes that emerged from the qualitative data included students' beliefs that field experiences (a) positively influence student motivation to learn, (b) increase student ability to learn the concepts being taught, and (c) provide opportunities for building relationships and for personal growth. The findings of the study reinforce the importance of offering field-study programs at the undergraduate level to allow undergraduate students the opportunity to experience science activities in a field setting. The research study was framed by the behavioral and developmental theories of attitude and experience including the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) and the Theory of Experiential Learning (Kolb, 1984).

Family experiences, the motivation for science learning and science ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Schulze, Salome

Student Motivation for Science Learning questionnaire combined with items investigating family experiences. The findings .... decisions and formulate behavioural goals for their ..... science achievement, making interpretation diffi- cult and ...

Funktioneel programmeren: evaluatie van een onderwijsexperiment [Functional programming: evaluation of an educational experiment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Berg, Klaas; Pilot, A.

In this report we describe an experiment with a course in Functional Programming for first years students in Computer Science. The background of the experiment is given as well as the aims of the questionaires, assignments and time requirement analysis. A discussion is given about some didactical

Accomplishing the Visions for Teacher Education Programs Advocated in the National Science Education Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Akcay, Hakan; Yager, Robert

2010-10-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the advantages of an approach to instruction using current problems and issues as curriculum organizers and illustrating how teaching must change to accomplish real learning. The study sample consisted of 41 preservice science teachers (13 males and 28 females) in a model science teacher education program. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used to determine success with science discipline-specific “Societal and Educational Applications” courses as one part of a total science teacher education program at a large Midwestern university. Students were involved with idea generation, consideration of multiple points of views, collaborative inquiries, and problem solving. All of these factors promoted grounded instruction using constructivist perspectives that situated science with actual experiences in the lives of students.

A Research-Based Science Teacher Education Program for a Competitive Tomorrow

Science.gov (United States)

Clary, R. M.; Hamil, B.; Beard, D. J.; Chevalier, D.; Dunne, J.; Saebo, S.

2009-12-01

A united commitment between the College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences at Mississippi State University, in partnership with local high-need school districts, has the goal of increasing the number of highly qualified science teachers through authentic science research experiences. The departments of Geosciences, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Physics offer undergraduate pre-service teachers laboratory experiences in science research laboratories, including 1) paleontological investigations of Cretaceous environments, 2) NMR studies of the conformation of tachykinin peptides, 3) FHA domains as regulators of cell signaling in plants, 4) intermediate energy nuclear physics studies, and 5) computational studies of cyclic ketene acetals. Coordinated by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, these research experiences involve extensive laboratory training in which the pre-teacher participants matriculate through a superior education curriculum prior to administrating their individual classrooms. Participants gain valuable experience in 1) performing literature searches and reviews; 2) planning research projects; 3) recording data; 4) presenting laboratory results effectively; and 5) writing professional scientific manuscripts. The research experience is available to pre-service teachers who are science education majors with a declared second major in a science (i.e., geology, biology, physics, or chemistry). Students are employed part-time in various science university laboratories, with work schedules arranged around their individual course loads. While the focus of this endeavor is upon undergraduate pre-service teachers, the researchers also target practicing science teachers from the local high-need school districts. A summer workshop provides practicing science teachers with a summative laboratory experience in several scientific disciplines. Practicing teachers also are provided lesson plans and ideas to transform their classrooms into

The Earth System Science Education Experience: Personal Vignettes

Science.gov (United States)

Ruzek, M.; Aron, J.; Maranto, G.; Reider, D.; Wake, C.

2006-12-01

Colleges and universities across the country and around the world have embraced the Earth system approach to gain deeper understanding of the interrelationships of processes that define the home planet. The Design Guide for Undergraduate Earth System Science Education, a product of the NASA/USRA Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century Program (ESSE 21), represents a synthesis of community understanding of the content and process of teaching and learning about Earth as a system. The web-based Design Guide serves faculty from multiple disciplines who wish to adopt an ESS approach in their own courses or programs. Illustrating the nine topical sections of the Design Guide are a series of short vignettes telling the story of how ESS is being used in the classroom, how ESS has contributed to institutional change and personal professional development, how ESS is being implemented at minority serving institutions, and the impact of ESS education on student research. Most vignettes are written from a personal perspective and reflect a direct experience with Earth System Science Education. Over forty vignettes have been assembled aiming to put a face on the results of the systemic reform efforts of the past fifteen years of the ESSE programs, documenting the sometimes intangible process of education reform to be shared with those seeking examples of ESS education. The vignettes are a vital complement to the Design Guide sections, and are also available as a separate collection on the Design Guide and ESSE 21 web sites.

Investigating the experience: A case study of a science professional development program based on Kolb's experiential learning model

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Brian L.

Professional development for educators has been defined as the process or processes by which teachers achieve higher levels of professional competence and expand their understanding of self, role, context and career (Duke and Stiggins, 1990). Currently, there is limited research literature that examines the effect a professional development course, which uses David Kolb's experiential learning model, has on the professional growth and teaching practice of middle school science teachers. The purpose of this interpretive case study is to investigate how three science teachers who participated in the Rivers to Reef professional development course interpreted the learning experience and integrated the experience into their teaching practice. The questions guiding this research are (1) What is the relationship between a professional development course that uses an experiential learning model and science teaching practice? (2) How do the Rivers to Reef participants reflect on and describe the course as a professional growth experience? The creation of the professional development course and the framework for the study were established using David Kolb's (1975) experiential learning theory and the reflection process model designed by David Boud (1985). The participants in the study are three middle school science teachers from schools representing varied settings and socioeconomic levels in the southeastern United States. Data collected used the three-interview series interview format designed by Dolbere and Schuman (Seidman, 1998). Data was analyzed for the identification of common categories related to impact on science teaching practice and professional growth. The major finding of this study indicates the years of teaching experience of middle school science teachers significantly influences how they approach professional development, what and how they learn from the experience, and the ways in which the experience influences their teaching practices.

A unique degree program for pre-pharmacy education: An undergraduate degree in pharmaceutical sciences.

Science.gov (United States)

Jafari, Mahtab

2018-02-01

Within the coming decade, the demand for well-trained pharmacists is expected to only increase, especially with the aging of the United States (US) population. To help fill this growing demand, the University of California, Irvine (UCI) aims to offer a unique pre-pharmacy degree program and has developed a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences to help achieve this goal. In this commentary, we share our experience with our curriculum and highlight its features in an effort to encourage other institutions to enhance the learning experience of their pre-pharmacy students. The efforts of the UCI Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences has resulted in UCI being consistently ranked as one of the top feeder institutions by the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) in recent years. The UCI Pharmaceutical Sciences Bachelor of Science offers a unique pre-pharmacy educational experience in an effort to better prepare undergraduates for the rigors of the doctorate of pharmacy curriculum. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A case of learning to teach elementary science: Investigating beliefs, experiences, and tensions

Science.gov (United States)

Bryan, Lynn Ann

didactic nest of beliefs, control beliefs, and belief about the goals of science instruction prevented Barbara from enacting new frames in practice. The findings contribute to an understanding of the relationship between beliefs and experiences in learning to teach and indicate that reframing is crucial in developing professional knowledge. Furthermore, the findings underscore the significance of (a) identifying prospective teachers' beliefs for designing teacher preparation programs, and (b) offering experiences as professionals early in the careers of prospective teachers.

Measuring Science Inquiry Skills in Youth Development Programs: The Science Process Skills Inventory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary E. Arnold

2013-03-01

Full Text Available In recent years there has been an increased emphasis on science learning in 4-H and other youth development programs. In an effort to increase science capacity in youth, it is easy to focus only on developing the concrete skills and knowledge that a trained scientist must possess. However, when science learning is presented in a youth-development setting, the context of the program also matters. This paper reports the development and testing of the Science Process Skills Inventory (SPSI and its usefulness for measuring science inquiry skill development in youth development science programs. The results of the psychometric testing of the SPSI indicated the instrument is reliable and measures a cohesive construct called science process skills, as reflected in the 11 items that make up this group of skills. The 11 items themselves are based on the cycle of science inquiry, and represent the important steps of the complete inquiry process.

Troubled Waters: where Multiple Streams of Inequality Converge in the Math and Science Experiences of Nonprivileged Girls

Science.gov (United States)

Parrott, Laurel; Spatig, Linda; Kusimo, Patricia S.; Carter, Carolyn C.; Keyes, Marian

Water is often hardest to navigate at the confluence of individual streams. As they experience math and science, nonprivileged girls maneuver through roiling waters where the streams of gender, ethnicity, poverty, place, and teaching practices converge. Just as waters of separate streams blend, these issues - too often considered separate factors - become blended and difficult to isolate, and the resulting turbulence produces a bumpy ride. We draw on 3 years of qualitative data collected as part of an intervention program to explore the math and science experiences and perceptions of a group of ethnically diverse, low socioeconomic status rural and urban adolescent Appalachian girls. After describing program and community contexts, we explore "opportunity to leant" issues - specifically, expectations, access to content, and support networks - and examine their schooling experiences against visions of science and math reform and pressures for accountability. Data are discussed within a framework of critical educational theory.

The Content and Integrative Component of Capstone Experiences: An Analysis of Political Science Undergraduate Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Hummer, Jill Abraham

2014-01-01

In 1991, the APSA Task Force on Political Science recommended elements of a curricular structure that would best promote student learning. The report stated that there should be a capstone experience at the end of the senior year and that the capstone should require students to integrate their whole learning experience in the major. This article…

Bioremediation Education Science and Technology (BEST) Program Annual Report 1999

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hazen, Terry C.

2000-07-01

The Bioremediation, Education, Science and Technology (BEST) partnership provides a sustainable and contemporary approach to developing new bioremedial technologies for US Department of Defense (DoD) priority contaminants while increasing the representation of underrepresented minorities and women in an exciting new biotechnical field. This comprehensive and innovative bioremediation education program provides under-represented groups with a cross-disciplinary bioremediation cirruculum and financial support, coupled with relevant training experiences at advanced research laboratories and field sites. These programs are designed to provide a stream of highly trained minority and women professionals to meet national environmental needs.

Towson University's Professional Science Master's Program in Applied Physics: The first 5 years

Science.gov (United States)

Kolagani, Rajeswari

It is a well-established fact that the scientific knowledge and skills acquired in the process of obtaining a degree in physics meet the needs of a variety of positions in multiple science and technology sectors. However, in addition to scientific competence, challenging careers often call for skills in advanced communication, leadership and team functions. The professional science master's degree, which has been nick-named as the `Science MBA', aims at providing science graduates an edge both in terms of employability and earning levels by imparting such skills. Our Professional Science Master's Program in Applied Physics is designed to develop these `plus' skills through multiple avenues. In addition to advanced courses in Applied Physics, the curriculum includes graduate courses in project management, business and technical writing, together with research and internship components. I will discuss our experience and lessons learned over the 5 years since the inception of the program in 2010. The author acknowledges support from the Elkins Professorship of the University System of Maryland.

Perspectives on Science Teacher Professional Development: A study of the ASSET Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Reeves, Katrina; Miller, Scott; Foster, Andrea

2015-01-01

The Astronomy Summer School of East Texas (ASSET) is a two-year NASA-funded teacher professional development program created to help improve middle and high school science teachers' knowledge of and attitudes toward astronomy. During an intensive summer astronomy course experience, science teachers are taught astronomy concepts and principles through engaging pedagogical techniques. The workshop models hands-on/minds-on teaching strategies that strengthened teachers' own pedagogical content knowledge and ways of teaching astronomy to students.As part of our second year of ASSET, participants were observed and interviewed before, during and after the workshop experience to ascertain their perspectives on their own professional development and understanding of astronomy. Interview data, participant observations, surveys, and artifact data (journaling, one-minute papers, etc...) were analyzed and three broad themes emerged regarding the significance of the ASSET experience on teacher enhancement of content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and the significance of teacher professional development communities in teaching and learning science. We will discuss the major implications of our observations and outline what tools and techniques can be best implemented as part of professional development workshops such as ASSET.This project is supported by the NASA Science Mission Directorate Education and Public Outreach for Earth and Space Science (EPOESS), which is part of the Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES), Grant Number NNX12AH11G.

Collaboration and Community Building in Summer Undergraduate Research Programs in the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University

Science.gov (United States)

Nevle, R. J.; Watson Nelson, T.; Harris, J. M.; Klemperer, S. L.

2012-12-01

In 2012, the School of Earth Sciences (SES) at Stanford University sponsored two summer undergraduate research programs. Here we describe these programs and efforts to build a cohesive research cohort among the programs' diverse participants. The two programs, the Stanford School of Earth Sciences Undergraduate Research (SESUR) Program and Stanford School of Earth Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research in Geoscience and Engineering (SURGE) Program, serve different undergraduate populations and have somewhat different objectives, but both provide students with opportunities to work on strongly mentored yet individualized research projects. In addition to research, enrichment activities co-sponsored by both programs support the development of community within the combined SES summer undergraduate research cohort. Over the course of 6 to 9 months, the SESUR Program engages Stanford undergraduates, primarily rising sophomores and juniors, with opportunities to deeply explore Earth sciences research while learning about diverse areas of inquiry within SES. Now in its eleventh year, the SESUR experience incorporates the breadth of the scientific endeavor: finding an advisor, proposal writing, obtaining funding, conducting research, and presenting results. Goals of the SESUR program include (1) providing a challenging and rewarding research experience for undergraduates who wish to explore the Earth sciences; (2) fostering interdisciplinary study in the Earth sciences among the undergraduate population; and (3) encouraging students to major or minor in the Earth sciences and/or to complete advanced undergraduate research in one of the departments or programs within SES. The SURGE Program, now in its second year, draws high performing students, primarily rising juniors and seniors, from 14 colleges and universities nationwide, including Stanford. Seventy percent of SURGE students are from racial/ethnic backgrounds underrepresented in STEM fields, and approximately one

Report of the Integrated Program Planning Activity for the DOE Fusion Energy Sciences Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

None

2000-01-01

This report of the Integrated Program Planning Activity (IPPA) has been prepared in response to a recommendation by the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board that, ''Given the complex nature of the fusion effort, an integrated program planning process is an absolute necessity.'' We, therefore, undertook this activity in order to integrate the various elements of the program, to improve communication and performance accountability across the program, and to show the inter-connectedness and inter-dependency of the diverse parts of the national fusion energy sciences program. This report is based on the September 1999 Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee's (FESAC) report ''Priorities and Balance within the Fusion Energy Sciences Program''. In its December 5,2000, letter to the Director of the Office of Science, the FESAC has reaffirmed the validity of the September 1999 report and stated that the IPPA presents a framework and process to guide the achievement of the 5-year goals listed in the 1999 report. The National Research Council's (NRC) Fusion Assessment Committee draft final report ''An Assessment of the Department of Energy's Office of Fusion Energy Sciences Program'', reviewing the quality of the science in the program, was made available after the IPPA report had been completed. The IPPA report is, nevertheless, consistent with the recommendations in the NRC report. In addition to program goals and the related 5-year, 10-year, and 15-year objectives, this report elaborates on the scientific issues associated with each of these objectives. The report also makes clear the relationships among the various program elements, and cites these relationships as the reason why integrated program planning is essential. In particular, while focusing on the science conducted by the program, the report addresses the important balances between the science and energy goals of the program, between the MFE and IFE approaches, and between the domestic and international aspects

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program Science Plan. Current Status and Future Directions of the ARM Science Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ackerman, Thomas P.; Del Genio, Anthony D.; Ellingson, Robert G.; Ferrare, Richard A.; Klein, Steve A.; McFarquhar, Gregory M.; Lamb, Peter J.; Long, Charles M.; Verlinde, Johannes

2004-10-30

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program has matured into one of the key programs in the U.S. Climate Change Science Program. The ARM Program has achieved considerable scientific success in a broad range of activities, including site and instrument development, atmospheric radiative transfer, aerosol science, determination of cloud properties, cloud modeling, and cloud parameterization testing and development. The focus of ARM science has naturally shifted during the last few years to an increasing emphasis on modeling and parameterization studies to take advantage of the long time series of data now available. During the next 5 years, the principal focus of the ARM science program will be to: Maintain the data record at the fixed ARM sites for at least the next five years; Improve significantly our understanding of and ability to parameterize the 3-D cloud-radiation problem at scales from the local atmospheric column to the global climate model (GCM) grid square; Continue developing techniques to retrieve the properties of all clouds, with a special focus on ice clouds and mixed-phase clouds; Develop a focused research effort on the indirect aerosol problem that spans observations, physical models, and climate model parameterizations; Implement and evaluate an operational methodology to calculate broad-band heating rates in the atmospheric columns at the ARM sites; Develop and implement methodologies to use ARM data more effectively to test atmospheric models, both at the cloud-resolving model scale and the GCM scale; and, Use these methodologies to diagnose cloud parameterization performance and then refine these parameterizations to improve the accuracy of climate model simulations. In addition, the ARM Program is actively developing a new ARM Mobile Facility (AMF) that will be available for short deployments (several months to a year or more) in climatically important regions. The AMF will have much of the same instrumentation as the remote

The Lived Experience of Applied Science Graduates Who Complete the Applied Baccalaureate

Science.gov (United States)

Kujawa, Tricia A.

2012-01-01

The enrollment and transfer behaviors of college students are diverse. As a result college students travel various pathways to the baccalaureate degree. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the lived experience of students who entered higher education through an associate of applied science (AAS) program and then…

The ASSURE Summer REU Program: Introducing research to first-generation and underserved undergraduates through space sciences and engineering projects

Science.gov (United States)

Barron, Darcy; Peticolas, Laura; Multiverse Team at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Lab

2018-01-01

The Advancing Space Science through Undergraduate Research Experience (ASSURE) summer REU program is an NSF-funded REU site at the Space Sciences Lab at UC Berkeley that first started in summer 2014. The program recruits students from all STEM majors, targeting underserved students including community college students and first-generation college students. The students have little or no research experience and a wide variety of academic backgrounds, but have a shared passion for space sciences and astronomy. We will describe our program's structure and the components we have found successful in preparing and supporting both the students and their research advisors for their summer research projects. This includes an intensive first week of introductory lectures and tutorials at the start of the program, preparing students for working in an academic research environment. The program also employs a multi-tiered mentoring system, with layers of support for the undergraduate student cohort, as well as graduate student and postdoctoral research advisors.

Dartmouth College Earth Sciences Mobile Field Program

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, E. E.; Osterberg, E. C.; Dade, W. B.; Sonder, L. J.; Renshaw, C. E.; Kelly, M. A.; Hawley, R. L.; Chipman, J. W.; Mikucki, J.; Posmentier, E. S.; Moore, J. R.

2011-12-01

spend several weeks conducting traditional multiday mapping of complexly-deformed sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks, and also collect and interpret geobiological, geochemical, geophysical, paleoclimatological, paleontological, and remote-sensing data outside the context of traditional mapping. During the Mono Lake segment, for example, students examine the interaction of ecology and chemistry in alkaline lakes. During the Canadian Rockies segment, students reconstruct Holocene paleoclimate using tree stumps and fossil wood detritus marking former positions of an alpine glacier. While a mobile, wide-ranging field program requires complicated logistics and potentially high per-student costs, the diversity of research topics, geological environments, and field techniques have made it a successful cornerstone of the Dartmouth Earth Sciences major. After the Stretch experience, significant fractions of our students become involved in ongoing faculty research, pursue senior theses, and go on to pursue Earth Sciences graduate degrees.

Programming Paradigms in Computer Science Education

OpenAIRE

Bolshakova, Elena

2005-01-01

Main styles, or paradigms of programming – imperative, functional, logic, and object-oriented – are shortly described and compared, and corresponding programming techniques are outlined. Programming languages are classified in accordance with the main style and techniques supported. It is argued that profound education in computer science should include learning base programming techniques of all main programming paradigms.

U.S. Geological Survey Mentoring Program - Paired for a Powerful Science Future

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, K.F.; Clarke, S.D.

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) prides itself in its excellence in science. The resource bank of skills and knowledge that is contained within the current employees of the USGS is what makes our science excellent. With an aging workforce, we must ensure that the knowledge and skills represented by those years of experience are passed to new employees. To ensure that this bank of knowledge and experience is not lost and thereby sustain the excellence of our science, the Mentoring Program focuses on intentional mentoring, the deliberate transfer of skills and knowledge. Skills transfer from more experienced employees to those who are less experienced is critical. By placing an emphasis on intentional mentoring, we help to meet the scientific and technical needs of the employees by offering a cost-effective way to gain knowledge and skills necessary to maintain excellence in science. By encouraging and fostering a mentoring atmosphere within the USGS, we are investing in the future of our organization. With improved technical skills, increased job effectiveness, and resulting satisfaction, USGS employees will not only be more invested and engaged, they will also be able to work smarter, thus benefiting from the experience of their mentor.

Pedagogical perspectives and implicit theories of teaching: First year science teachers emerging from a constructivist science education program

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, Michael James

Traditional, teacher-centered pedagogies dominate current teaching practice in science education despite numerous research-based assertions that promote more progressive, student-centered teaching methods. Best-practice research emerging from science education reform efforts promotes experiential, collaborative learning environments in line with the constructivist referent. Thus there is a need to identify specific teacher education program designs that will promote the utilization of constructivist theory among new teachers. This study explored the learning-to-teach process of four first-year high school teachers, all graduates of a constructivist-based science education program known as Teacher Education Environments in Mathematics and Science (TEEMS). Pedagogical perspectives and implicit theories were explored to identify common themes and their relation to the pre-service program and the teaching context. Qualitative methods were employed to gather and analyze the data. In depth, semi-structured interviews (Seidman, 1998) formed the primary data for probing the context and details of the teachers' experience as well as the personal meaning derived from first year practice. Teacher journals and teaching artifacts were utilized to validate and challenge the primary data. Through an open-coding technique (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) codes, and themes were generated from which assertions were made. The pedagogical perspectives apparent among the participants in this study emerged as six patterns in teaching method: (1) utilization of grouping strategies, (2) utilization of techniques that allow the students to help teach, (3) similar format of daily instructional strategy, (4) utilization of techniques intended to promote engagement, (5) utilization of review strategies, (6) assessment by daily monitoring and traditional tests, (7) restructuring content knowledge. Assertions from implicit theory data include: (1) Time constraints and lack of teaching experience made

Providing Middle School Students With Science Research Experiences Through Community Partnerships

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, D.

2007-12-01

Science research courses have been around for years at the university and high school level. As inquiry based learning has become more and more a part of the science teacher's vocabulary, many of these courses have adopted an inquiry model for studying science. Learners of all ages benefit from learning through the natural process of inquiry. I participated in the CIRES Earthworks program for science teachers (Colorado University) in the summer of 2007 and experienced, first hand, the value of inquiry learning. With the support and vision of my school administration, and with the support and commitment of community partners, I have developed a Middle School Science Research Program that is transforming how science is taught to students in my community. Swift Creek Middle School is located in Tallahassee, Florida. There are approximately 1000 students in this suburban public school. Students at Swift Creek are required to take one science class each year through 8th grade. As more emphasis is placed on learning a large number of scientific facts and information, in order to prepare students for yearly, standardized tests, there is a concern that less emphasis may be placed on the process and nature of science. The program I developed draws from the inquiry model followed at the CIRES Earthworks program, utilizes valuable community partnerships, and plays an important role in meeting that need. There are three major components to this Middle School Research Program, and the Center for Integrated Research and Learning (CIRL) at the National High Magnetic Field Lab (NHMFL) at Florida State University is playing an important role in all three. First, each student will develop their own research question and design experiments to answer the question. Scientists from the NHMFL are serving as mentors, or "buddy scientists," to my students as they work through the process of inquiry. Scientists from the CIRES - Earthworks program, Florida State University, and other

Development and Implementation of Science and Technology Ethics Education Program for Prospective Science Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Rhee, Hyang-yon; Choi, Kyunghee

2014-01-01

The purposes of this study were (1) to develop a science and technology (ST) ethics education program for prospective science teachers, (2) to examine the effect of the program on the perceptions of the participants, in terms of their ethics and education concerns, and (3) to evaluate the impact of the program design. The program utilized…

Fusion Energy Sciences Program at LANL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leeper, Ramon J. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-10-15

This presentation provides a strategic plan and description of investment areas; LANL vision for existing programs; FES portfolio and other specifics related to the Fusion Energy Sciences program at LANL.

Attracting young women to the physical sciences: The Newton Summer Science Academy and other extra curricular programs

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrasekhar, Meera

2000-03-01

Early familiarity is regarded as one of the keys to attracting female students to traditionally male professions. I will describe four different extra curricular programs that my collaborators in the local school district and I have developed for students in grades 5-12. These programs are part of a project entitled ``Promoting Young Women in the Physical sciences", which also includes teacher training and programs in which parents participate with the child. Through these sustained and broad based interventions, we provide early experiences that we expect will prove positive to students. In particular, I will describe the Newton Summer Academy, a program for female high school students which integrates Physics, Chemistry, Math, Engineering and Economics. I will also address the successes and difficulties in starting and sustaining these programs.

Assessment of the Fusion Energy Sciences Program. Final Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

An assessment of the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (OFES) program with guidance for future program strategy. The overall objective of this study is to prepare an independent assessment of the scientific quality of the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences program at the Department of Energy. The Fusion Science Assessment Committee (FuSAC) has been appointed to conduct this study

Lessons from NASA Applied Sciences Program: Success Factors in Applying Earth Science in Decision Making

Science.gov (United States)

Friedl, L. A.; Cox, L.

2008-12-01

The NASA Applied Sciences Program collaborates with organizations to discover and demonstrate applications of NASA Earth science research and technology to decision making. The desired outcome is for public and private organizations to use NASA Earth science products in innovative applications for sustained, operational uses to enhance their decisions. In addition, the program facilitates the end-user feedback to Earth science to improve products and demands for research. The Program thus serves as a bridge between Earth science research and technology and the applied organizations and end-users with management, policy, and business responsibilities. Since 2002, the Applied Sciences Program has sponsored over 115 applications-oriented projects to apply Earth observations and model products to decision making activities. Projects have spanned numerous topics - agriculture, air quality, water resources, disasters, public health, aviation, etc. The projects have involved government agencies, private companies, universities, non-governmental organizations, and foreign entities in multiple types of teaming arrangements. The paper will examine this set of applications projects and present specific examples of successful use of Earth science in decision making. The paper will discuss scientific, organizational, and management factors that contribute to or impede the integration of the Earth science research in policy and management. The paper will also present new methods the Applied Sciences Program plans to implement to improve linkages between science and end users.

Space Life Sciences Research and Education Program

Science.gov (United States)

Coats, Alfred C.

2001-01-01

Since 1969, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA), a private, nonprofit corporation, has worked closely with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to advance space science and technology and to promote education in those areas. USRA's Division of Space Life Sciences (DSLS) has been NASA's life sciences research partner for the past 18 years. For the last six years, our Cooperative Agreement NCC9-41 for the 'Space Life Sciences Research and Education Program' has stimulated and assisted life sciences research and education at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) - both at the Center and in collaboration with outside academic institutions. To accomplish our objectives, the DSLS has facilitated extramural research, developed and managed educational programs, recruited and employed visiting and staff scientists, and managed scientific meetings.

Implementation of a Program on Experiencing and Application of Research Reactor for University Students Majoring in Science and Technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, K. W.; Han, K. W.; Won, J. Y.; Ju, Y. C.; Ji, Y. J.; Oh, S. Y

2007-05-15

This report was written as following contents, to develop a program for university students majoring in science and technology, which is intended to provide the students with opportunities to obtain hands on experience and knowledge on various nuclear technology, through experiments using HANARO and its facilities. Thus obtain experience and knowledge are expected to be a great help for their current study and for their selection of a specific future study area. The purpose of this research is as follows: - development of various curricula for specific research using HANARO and continuous operation of the developed curricula to provided university students with opportunities to use HANARO as part of their university study. - continuous operation of research reactor experimental programs for university students in nuclear field to make contribution to cultivating specialists. - development and operation of training programs of experiments using research reactor for university students majoring in nuclear engineering and also for university students majoring in diverse fields of science and technology such as physics, advanced metallurgy, mechanical engineering, energy engineering, radiological science, nanoscience, etc. to cultivate future potential users of HANARO as well as broadening the user group. As a whole, 263 students from 15 universities have completed the courses of the programs developed and offered by this project. Also, 5 textbooks have been developed to support the programs.

Implementation of a Program on Experiencing and Application of Research Reactor for University Students Majoring in Science and Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, K. W.; Han, K. W.; Won, J. Y.; Ju, Y. C.; Ji, Y. J.; Oh, S. Y.

2007-05-01

This report was written as following contents, to develop a program for university students majoring in science and technology, which is intended to provide the students with opportunities to obtain hands on experience and knowledge on various nuclear technology, through experiments using HANARO and its facilities. Thus obtain experience and knowledge are expected to be a great help for their current study and for their selection of a specific future study area. The purpose of this research is as follows: - development of various curricula for specific research using HANARO and continuous operation of the developed curricula to provided university students with opportunities to use HANARO as part of their university study. - continuous operation of research reactor experimental programs for university students in nuclear field to make contribution to cultivating specialists. - development and operation of training programs of experiments using research reactor for university students majoring in nuclear engineering and also for university students majoring in diverse fields of science and technology such as physics, advanced metallurgy, mechanical engineering, energy engineering, radiological science, nanoscience, etc. to cultivate future potential users of HANARO as well as broadening the user group. As a whole, 263 students from 15 universities have completed the courses of the programs developed and offered by this project. Also, 5 textbooks have been developed to support the programs

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE EXPERIENCES: PRE-COLLEGIATE SCIENCE EDUCATORS’ SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES DURING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea C. Burrows

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Twenty-three pre-collegiate educators of elementary students (ages 5-10 years and secondary students (ages 11-18 years attended a two-week science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM astronomy focused professional development in the summer of 2015 with activities focused on authentic science experiences, inquiry, and partnership building. ‘Authentic’ in this research refers to scientific skills and are defined. The study explores the authentic science education experience of the pre-collegiate educators, detailing the components of authentic science as seen through a social constructionism lens. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the researchers analyzed the successes and challenges of pre-collegiate science and mathematics educators when immersed in STEM and astronomy authentic science practices, the educators’ perceptions before and after the authentic science practices, and the educators’ performance on pre to post content tests during the authentic science practices. Findings show that the educators were initially engaged, then disengaged, and then finally re-engaged with the authentic experience. Qualitative responses are shared, as are the significant results of the quantitative pre to post content learning scores of the educators. Conclusions include the necessity for PD team delivery of detailed explanations to the participants - before, during, and after – for the entire authentic science experience and partnership building processes. Furthermore, expert structure and support is vital for participant research question generation, data collection, and data analysis (successes, failures, and reattempts. Overall, in order to include authentic science in pre-collegiate classrooms, elementary and secondary educators need experience, instruction, scaffolding, and continued support with the STEM processes.

The Howard University Program in Atmospheric Sciences: A Program Exemplifying Diversity and Excellence

Science.gov (United States)

Morria, V. R.; Demoz, B.; Joseph, E.

2017-12-01

The Howard University Graduate Program in Atmospheric Sciences (HUPAS) is the first advanced degree program in the atmospheric sciences instituted at a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) or at a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI). MSI in this context refers to academic institutions whose histories are grounded in serving minority students from their inception, rather than institutions whose student body demographics have evolved along with the "browning of America" and now meet recent Federal criteria for "minority-serving". HUPAS began in 1996 when initiatives within the Howard University Graduate School overlapped with the motivations of investigators within a NASA-funded University research center for starting a sustainable interdisciplinary program. After twenty years, the results have been the production of greater institutional depth and breadth of research in the geosciences and significant production of minority scientists contributing to the atmospheric sciences enterprise in various sectors. This presentation will highlight the development of the Howard University graduate program in atmospheric sciences, its impact on the national statistics for the production of underrepresented minority (URM) advanced degree holders in the atmospheric sciences, and some of the program's contributions to the diversity in geosciences and the National pipeline of talent from underrepresented groups. Over the past decade, Howard University is leading producer of African American and Hispanic female doctorates in atmospheric sciences - producing nearly half of all degree holders in the Nation. Specific examples of successful partnerships between this program and federal funding agencies such as NASA and NOAA which have been critical in the development process will also be highlighted. Finally, some of the student recruitment and retention strategies that have enabled the success of this program and statistics of student graduation will also be shared and

Increasing student engagement in science through field-based research: University of Idaho's WoW STEMcore Program

Science.gov (United States)

Squires, A. L.; Boylan, R. D.; Rittenburg, R.; Boll, J.; Allan, P.

2013-12-01

A recent statewide survey assessing STEM perceptions in Idaho showed that high school student interest in science and preparation for college are declining. To address this decline we are piloting an interdisciplinary, community and field-based water science education approach for 10th - 12th grade science courses during the 2013-14 school year called WoW STEMcore. The program is led by graduate students in the University of Idaho (UI) Waters of the West (WoW) program. Our methods are based on proven best practices from eight years of NSF GK-12 experience at UI and over a decade of GK-12 experience at more than 300 programs in the U.S. WoW STEMcore works to strengthen partnerships between WoW graduate students, high school teachers, and regional organizations that work on natural resource management or place-based science education with the intent of sustaining and merging efforts to increase scientific literacy among high school students and to better prepare them for higher education. In addition, graduate students gain outreach, education and communication experience and teachers are exposed to new and relevant research content and methods. WoW STEMcore is fostering these partnerships through water themed projects at three northern Idaho high schools. The pilot program will culminate in Spring 2014 with a regional Water Summit in which all participating students and partners will converge at a two-day youth scientific conference and competition where they can showcase their research and the skills they gained over the course of the year. We hypothesize that through a graduate student-led, field-based program that gets students out of the classroom and thinking about water resource issues in their communities, we will 1) fuel high school students' interest in science through hands on and inquiry-based pedagogy and 2) improve preparation for higher education by providing graduate student mentors to discuss the pathway from high school to college to a career. In

Teachers' implementation of reform-oriented instructional strategies in science: Lessons from two professional development programs

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Nicole D.

This dissertation reports findings from two studies that investigated the relationship between professional development and teachers' instructional practices in Science,Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The first program, the Indiana Science Initiative (ISI) focused on K-8 teachers and their use of inquiry-based science instruction in conjunction with curricular modules provided by the ISI program. The second program, Research Goes to School (RGS), focused on high school STEM teachers and their use of problem-based learning (PBL) as they implemented curricular units that they developed themselves at the RGS summer workshop. In-service teachers were recruited from both programs. They were observed teaching their respective curricular materials and interviewed about their experiences in order to investigate the following research questions: 1. How do teachers implement the reform-oriented instructional strategies promoted by their professional development experiences with the ISI or RGS? 2. What are the challenges and supports that influence teachers' use of the reform-oriented instructional strategies promoted by their professional development experiences with the ISI or RGS? To investigate these questions the fidelity of implementation was it was conceptualized by Century, Rudnick, and Freeman (2010) was used as a theoretical framework. The study of the ISI program was conducted during the program's pilot year (2010-11). Five teachers of grades 3 through 6 were recruited from three different schools. Participants were observed as they taught lessons related to the modules and they were interviewed about their experiences. Based on analysis of the data from the observations, using a modified version of the Science Teacher Inquiry Rubric (STIR) (Bodzin & Beerer, 2003), the participants were found to exhibit partial fidelity of implementation to the model of inquiry-based instruction promoted by the ISI. Based on data from the interviews, the

Materials Sciences programs, Fiscal Year 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-09-01

The Materials Sciences Division constitutes one portion of a wide range of research supported by the DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences. This report contains a listing of research underway in FY 1983 together with a convenient index to the program

Development and Implementation of Science and Technology Ethics Education Program for Prospective Science Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Rhee, Hyang-yon; Choi, Kyunghee

2014-05-01

The purposes of this study were (1) to develop a science and technology (ST) ethics education program for prospective science teachers, (2) to examine the effect of the program on the perceptions of the participants, in terms of their ethics and education concerns, and (3) to evaluate the impact of the program design. The program utilized problem-based learning (PBL) which was performed as an iterative process during two cycles. A total of 23 and 29 prospective teachers in each cycle performed team activities. A PBL-based ST ethics education program for the science classroom setting was effective in enhancing participants' perceptions of ethics and education in ST. These perceptions motivated prospective science teachers to develop and implement ST ethics education in their future classrooms. The change in the prospective teachers' perceptions of ethical issues and the need for ethics education was greater when the topic was controversial.

Bioremediation Education Science and Technology (BEST) Program Annual Report 1999; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hazen, Terry C.

2000-01-01

The Bioremediation, Education, Science and Technology (BEST) partnership provides a sustainable and contemporary approach to developing new bioremedial technologies for US Department of Defense (DoD) priority contaminants while increasing the representation of underrepresented minorities and women in an exciting new biotechnical field. This comprehensive and innovative bioremediation education program provides under-represented groups with a cross-disciplinary bioremediation cirruculum and financial support, coupled with relevant training experiences at advanced research laboratories and field sites. These programs are designed to provide a stream of highly trained minority and women professionals to meet national environmental needs

Transfer adjustment experiences of underrepresented students of color in the sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, June C.

been exposed to the academic culture of the university. Implications of this research range from changes to classroom practices and continued support of academic support programs targeted at underrepresented students of color, to transforming the academic culture of research universities to provide a supportive and collaborative learning experience for all students in the sciences.

DPS Planetary Science Graduate Programs Database for Students and Advisors

Science.gov (United States)

Klassen, David R.; Roman, Anthony; Meinke, Bonnie K.

2017-10-01

Planetary science is a topic that covers an extremely diverse set of disciplines; planetary scientists are typically housed in a departments spanning a wide range of disciplines. As such it is difficult for undergraduate students to find programs that will give them a degree and research experience in our field as Department of Planetary Science is a rare sighting, indeed. Not only can this overwhelm even the most determined student, it can even be difficult for many undergraduate advisers.Because of this, the DPS Education committee decided several years ago that it should have an online resource that could help undergraduate students find graduate programs that could lead to a PhD with a focus in planetary science. It began in 2013 as a static page of information and evolved from there to a database-driven web site. Visitors can browse the entire list of programs or create a subset listing based on several filters. The site should be of use not only to undergraduates looking for programs, but also for advisers looking to help their students decide on their future plans. We present here a walk-through of the basic features as well as some usage statistics from the collected web site analytics. We ask for community feedback on additional features to make the system more usable for them. We also call upon those mentoring and advising undergraduates to use this resource, and for program admission chairs to continue to review their entry and provide us with the most up-to-date information.The URL for our site is http://dps.aas.org/education/graduate-schools.

Magnetic Fusion Science Fellowship program: Summary of program activities for calendar year 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

This report describes the 1985-1986 progress of the Magnetic Fusion Science Fellowship program (MFSF). The program was established in January of 1985 by the Office of Fusion Energy (OFE) of the US Department of Energy (DOE) to encourage talented undergraduate and first-year graduate students to enter qualified graduate programs in the sciences related to fusion energy development. The program currently has twelve fellows in participating programs. Six new fellows are being appointed during each of the program's next two award cycles. Appointments are for one year and are renewable for two additional years with a three year maximum. The stipend level also continues at a $1000 a month or $12,000 a year. The program pays all tuition and fee expenses for the fellows. Another important aspect of the fellowship program is the practicum. During the practicum fellows receive three month appointments to work at DOE designated fusion science research and development centers. The practicum allows the MFSF fellows to directly participate in on-going DOE research and development programs

75 FR 22576 - Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-29

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA No. 84.120A] Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program... the fiscal year (FY) 2009 grant slate for the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program. SUMMARY: The Secretary intends to use the grant slate developed in FY 2009 for the Minority Science and...

Incorporating Geographic Information Science in the BSc Environ-mental Science Program in Botswana

Science.gov (United States)

Akinyemi, Felicia O.

2018-05-01

Critical human capacity in Geographic Information Science (GISc) is developed at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology, a specialized, research university. Strategies employed include GISc courses offered each semester to students from various programs, the conduct of field-based projects, enrolment in online courses, geo-spatial initiatives with external partners, and final year research projects utilizing geospatial technologies. A review is made of available GISc courses embedded in the Bachelor of Science Environmental Science program. GISc courses are incorporated in three Bachelor degree programs as distinct courses. Geospatial technologies are employed in several other courses. Student researches apply GIS and Remote Sensing methods to environmental and geological themes. The overarching goals are to equip students in various disciplines to utilize geospatial technologies, and enhance their spatial thinking and reasoning skills.

Applying new science leadership theory in planning an international nursing student practice experience in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Doyle, Rose Marie

2004-09-01

Planning an international practice experience for nursing students is a challenging, but rewarding, opportunity. Kwantlen University College faculty members' experience of planning for 8 Bachelor of Science in Nursing students to study abroad was no exception. Faculty members' and students' interest prompted a request for a placement in Nepal. The faculty members involved in the planning were dedicated to using a process that would enable them to remain true to the program philosophy and theoretical underpinnings throughout the entire experience, from the planning phase to the follow-up presentation. Using Wheatley's theory, the students and faculty members reexamined their personal leadership styles to ensure they remained relationship focused, rather than task focused. Wheatley maintained that because the potentiality lies in building strong relationships, it is important to support the creative power that lies in those involved in a project. This article describes new science leadership and relates it to the planning phase for the practice experience in Nepal. Then, reflections on how the philosophy of the program may have influenced the experience are shared. Finally, critical reflection on using this theory in nursing education is presented.

Pre-college Science Experiences; Timing and Causes of Gender Influence Science Interest Levels

Science.gov (United States)

Kaplita, E.; Reed, D. E.; McKenzie, D. A.; Jones, R.; May, L. W.

2015-12-01

It is known that female students tend to turn away from science during their pre-college years. Experiences during this time are not limited to the classroom, as cultural influences extend beyond K-12 science education and lead to the widely studied reduction in females in STEM fields. This has a large impact on climate science because currently relatively little effort is put into K-12 climate education, yet this is when college attitudes towards science are formed. To help quantify these changes, 400 surveys were collected from 4 different colleges in Oklahoma. Student responses were compared by gender against student experiences (positive and negative), and interest in science. Results of our work show that females tend to have their first positive experience with science at a younger age with friends, family and in the classroom, and have more of an interest in science when they are younger. Males in general like experiencing science more on their own, and surpass the interest levels of females late in high school and during college. While in college, males are more comfortable with science content than females, and males enjoy math and statistics more while those aspects of science were the largest areas of dislike in females. Understanding how to keep students (particularly female) interested in science as they enter their teen years is extremely important in preventing climate misconceptions in the adult population. Potential small changes such as hosting K-12 climate outreach events and including parents, as opposed to just inviting students, could greatly improve student experiences with science and hence, their understanding of climate science. Importantly, a greater focus on female students is warranted.

The Specification of Science Education Programs in the Local Public Library: Focusing on the Programs In G-city

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

In-Ja Ahn*

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The city of 'G' has been made a number of achievements with its science program as a part of public library's cultural program during the last 5 years. Recently, the national science centre has been established in the same city, the debate is now needed whether the science program in the public library have reasons to be maintained or to be reduced. The aim of this research is on the operating strategies of the science program in the public library. The research methods include case studies of operational strategies in domestic and foreign science centre, the level of satisfaction of local citizen on the science program, the vision of science program in the advancement of public library in the century. In results, the research proposes that the science program in public library should be maintained, but with locally characterised programs. In addition, the study also advised on the provision of scientific information, the strengthened search functions, and the development of user-centred services for those in science fields.

Memories of GAMES: Exploring the Long-Term Impacts of After-School Museum Programming on Girls' Attitudes Towards Science

Science.gov (United States)

Snow, Sarah Elizabeth

The purpose of this study is to investigate any lasting impacts of the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History's Girls at the Museum Exploring Science (GAMES) Program. Using assessment document analysis, student focus groups, and adult interviews, this study examined whether students' positive associations with science continue after completion of the program and whether the program affects the academic and career choices of past participants. Results from the analysis suggest that GAMES has a generally positive impact on participant attitudes towards science in both the short- and long-term. These results also support existing research in identifying key factors in the success of the program including hands-on activities, exposure to diverse careers and female role models, and the incorporation of authentic objects and experiences. These factors of success can contribute to the evidence base about the role of informal education programs in increasing science participation among women, as well as ways in which schools and universities can collaborate to effectively serve populations that are traditionally underrepresented in the sciences.

Laboratory Animal Sciences Program (LASP)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Laboratory Animal Sciences Program (LASP) is a comprehensive resource for scientists performing animal-based research to gain a better understanding of cancer,...

National Science Foundation Assistant Director for Mathematics and Physical Sciences Tony Chan (USA) visiting CMS experiment on 23rd May 2007 with Spokesperson T. Virdee, Deputy Spokesperson R. Cousins, Advisor to CERN Director-General J. Ellis, US CMS Research Program Deputy Manager D. Marlow and FNAL D. Green

CERN Multimedia

Maximilien Brice

2007-01-01

National Science Foundation Assistant Director for Mathematics and Physical Sciences Tony Chan (USA) visiting CMS experiment on 23rd May 2007 with Spokesperson T. Virdee, Deputy Spokesperson R. Cousins, Advisor to CERN Director-General J. Ellis, US CMS Research Program Deputy Manager D. Marlow and FNAL D. Green

Advanced Science for Kids: Multicultural Assessment and Programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Bettac, Teresa; Huckabee, Colleen; Musser, Louise; Patton, Paulette; Yates, Joyce

1997-01-01

Describes Advanced Science for Kids (ASK), a multicultural approach to assessment and programming for a middle school advanced science program. ASK is designed to provide alternative approaches to identification and assessment, facilitate authentic instruction and assessment, and provide minority students with academic and social support as they…

Fermilab Friends for Science Education | Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Fermilab Friends for Science Education FFSE Home About Us Join Us Support Us Contact Us Programs Donors Board of Directors Board Tools Calendar Join Us Donate Now Get FermiGear! Education Office Search photo Fermilab Friends for Science Education, in partnership with Fermilab and area educators, designs

The LSSTC Data Science Fellowship Program

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Adam; Walkowicz, Lucianne; LSSTC DSFP Leadership Council

2017-01-01

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Corporation (LSSTC) Data Science Fellowship Program (DSFP) is a unique professional development program for astronomy graduate students. DSFP students complete a series of six, one-week long training sessions over the course of two years. The sessions are cumulative, each building on the last, to allow an in-depth exploration of the topics covered: data science basics, statistics, image processing, machine learning, scalable software, data visualization, time-series analysis, and science communication. The first session was held in Aug 2016 at Northwestern University, with all materials and lectures publicly available via github and YouTube. Each session focuses on a series of technical problems which are written in iPython notebooks. The initial class of fellows includes 16 students selected from across the globe, while an additional 14 fellows will be added to the program in year 2. Future sessions of the DSFP will be hosted by a rotating cast of LSSTC member institutions. The DSFP is designed to supplement graduate education in astronomy by teaching the essential skills necessary for dealing with big data, serving as a resource for all in the LSST era. The LSSTC DSFP is made possible by the generous support of the LSST Corporation, the Data Science Initiative (DSI) at Northwestern, and CIERA.

Gail Harlamoff: Executive Director, Life Lab Science Program

OpenAIRE

Rabkin, Sarah

2010-01-01

Gail Harlamoff is Executive Director of the Life Lab Science Program, a nationally recognized, award-winning nonprofit science and environmental organization located on the UC Santa Cruz campus. Founded in 1979, Life Lab helps schools develop gardens and implement curricula to enhance students’ learning about science, math, and the natural world. The program has trained tens of thousands of educators in more than 1400 schools across the country. Life Lab’s specialized initiatives inc...

Understanding science teacher enhancement programs: Essential components and a model

Science.gov (United States)

Spiegel, Samuel Albert

Researchers and practioners alike recognize that "the national goal that every child in the United States has access to high-quality school education in science and mathematics cannot be realized without the availability of effective professional development of teachers" (Hewson, 1997, p. 16). Further, there is a plethora of reports calling for the improvement of professional development efforts (Guskey & Huberman, 1995; Kyle, 1995; Loucks-Horsley, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, 1997). In this study I analyze a successful 3-year teacher enhancement program, one form of professional development, to: (1) identify essential components of an effective teacher enhancement program; and (2) create a model to identify and articulate the critical issues in designing, implementing, and evaluating teacher enhancement programs. Five primary sources of information were converted into data: (1) exit questionnaires, (2) exit surveys, (3) exit interview transcripts, (4) focus group transcripts, and (5) other artifacts. Additionally, a focus group was used to conduct member checks. Data were analyzed in an iterative process which led to the development of the list of essential components. The Components are categorized by three organizers: Structure (e.g., science research experience, a mediator throughout the program), Context (e.g., intensity, collaboration), and Participant Interpretation (e.g., perceived to be "safe" to examine personal beliefs and practices, actively engaged). The model is based on: (1) a 4-year study of a successful teacher enhancement program; (2) an analysis of professional development efforts reported in the literature; and (3) reflective discussions with implementors, evaluators, and participants of professional development programs. The model consists of three perspectives, cognitive, symbolic interaction, and organizational, representing different viewpoints from which to consider issues relevant to the success of a teacher enhancement program. These

Life Sciences Program Tasks and Bibliography

Science.gov (United States)

1996-01-01

This document includes information on all peer reviewed projects funded by the Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and Applications, Life Sciences Division during fiscal year 1995. Additionally, this inaugural edition of the Task Book includes information for FY 1994 programs. This document will be published annually and made available to scientists in the space life sciences field both as a hard copy and as an interactive Internet web page

Soil Science self-learning based on the design and conduction of experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Jordán, A.; Bárcenas-Moreno, G.; Zavala, L. M.

2012-04-01

This paper presents an experience for introducing the methodology of project-based learning (PBL) in the area of Soil Science in the University of Sevilla (Spain). Currently, teachers try to enhance practical experience of university students in a complementary manner to theoretical knowledge. However, many times this is a difficult process. Practice is an important part of personal work in the vast majority of subjects that degree students receive, since the implementation of the EHEA. In most cases, these experiences are presented as partial small experiments or projects, assigned to the area-specific knowledge agenda. Certain sciences, such as Soil Science, however, require synthesis and integration capabilities of previous knowledge. It is therefore necessary to develop practical programs that address the student not only to the performance of laboratory determinations, but to the formulation of hypotheses, experimental design and problem solving, whether in groups or individually, situated in a wide context and allowing students to make connections with other areas of knowledge. This project involves the development of teamwork experiments, for the study real cases and problems and making decisions in the field of Soil Science. The results of the experimental work were publicly exposed as posters and oral presentations and were discussed during a mini-congress open to students and a general audience. The open and dynamic nature of the project substantially improves student motivation, which adds value to our project. Due to the multidisciplinary character of Soil Science it is relatively easy to propose projects of some complexity, and therefore, provides good conditions for introducing the PBL methodology. The teacher's role is also important and is not limited to observe or qualify the students, but it is a catalyst for learning. It is important that teacher give the leadership of the process and make the students themselves feel the protagonists of the

Putting Science FIRST: Memories of Family Science Experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Science and Children, 1996

1996-01-01

Presents anecdotes from prominent citizens including Bill Clinton, Alan Alda, Carl Sagan, Gerald Wheeler, JoAnne Vasquez, and Lynn Margulis in which they reminisce about interesting science experiences with their families. (JRH)

Girls in Engineering, Mathematics and Science, GEMS: A Science Outreach Program for Middle-School Female Students

Science.gov (United States)

Dubetz, Terry A.; Wilson, Jo Ann

2013-01-01

Girls in Engineering, Mathematics and Science (GEMS) is a science and math outreach program for middle-school female students. The program was developed to encourage interest in math and science in female students at an early age. Increased scientific familiarity may encourage girls to consider careers in science and mathematics and will also help…

Case Studies of Liberal Arts Computer Science Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Baldwin, D.; Brady, A.; Danyluk, A.; Adams, J.; Lawrence, A.

2010-01-01

Many undergraduate liberal arts institutions offer computer science majors. This article illustrates how quality computer science programs can be realized in a wide variety of liberal arts settings by describing and contrasting the actual programs at five liberal arts colleges: Williams College, Kalamazoo College, the State University of New York…

SCICEX: Submarine Arctic Science Program

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Submarine Arctic Science Program, SCICEX, is a federal interagency collaboration among the operational Navy, research agencies, and the marine research community...

Fostering Science Club: Creating a Welcoming Extra-Curricular Science Inquiry Space for ALL Learners that Seeks to Close the Science Experience Gap in a Predominantly Minority Urban Community

Science.gov (United States)

Mayfield, K. K.

2017-12-01

BackgroundTo minority adolescents in urban centers science inquiry seems like an engagement completed by others with specialized skills (Alkon & Agyeman, 2012). When scientists teach science classes those spaces and pedagogy are underwritten by the science teachers' beliefs about how science happens (Southerland, Gess-Newsome & Johnston, 2002). Further, scientific inquiry is often presented as the realm of upperclass whiteness (Alkon & Agyeman, 2012; Mayfield, 2014). When science educators talk about the achievement gaps between raced and classed learners, accompanying that gap is also a gap in science experience. My high school students in a postindustrial school district: attend a school under state takeover (the lowest 5/5 rating (MA Executive Office of Education, 2017)); have a student body that is 70% Latinx; and 96% of whom receive Free and Reduced Lunch (a Federal marker of a family below the poverty line). Annual Yearly Progress is a goal set by state and federal governments for school populations by race, ability, and language. In 2016, the site has failed to make its goals for special education, black, hispanic, white, and English as a Second Language populations. As a high poverty district there is a paucity of extracurricular science experiences. This lack of science extensions make closing standardized test gaps difficult. Geoscience Skills & FindingsThis after school program does not replicate deficit narratives that keep certain bodies of students away from science inquiry (Mayfield, 2015; Ogbu, 1987). Instead, Science Club uses an array of student-centered science (physics, math, arts, chemistry, biology) projects to help students see themselves as citizen scientists who lead explorations of their world. We meet 1.5 hours a week in a 30 week school year. Science club helps students feel like powerful and capable science inquirers with 80% girls in attendance, and uses science experiments to cultivate essential inquiry skills like: Observation

GSA's Teacher Advocate Program - getting teachers to be advocates for Earth Science

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, G. B.

2011-12-01

After parents, teachers are they most influential people when it comes to students leaning about their world. However, when it comes to Earth science, the vast majority of our teachers have little to no Earth science training and lack the resources to run exciting and challenging classes on Earth science topics for their students. The Geological Society of America (GSA) is committed to reversing that trend by developing easy to use resources and training teachers on how to use them in their classrooms. Through a program called the Teacher Advocate Program (TAP), GSA has already had teachers using Earth science materials with over 6 million students (1.3 million a year). Formally established in 2003, TAP aims to raise the number of teachers who are advocates for geoscience in their classrooms, schools and school districts by providing those teachers with: Low cost teaching resources that provide them with teaching notes, teaching materials (images, models etc) and usable class room activities. Low cost training opportunities for teachers on how to use TAP materials. In-field experiences for teachers to provide them with teaching materials and insights.

Development and Evaluation of Science and Technology Education Program Using Interferometric SAR

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Y.; Ikemitsu, H.; Nango, K.

2016-06-01

This paper proposes a science and technology education program to teach junior high school students to measure terrain changes by using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The objectives of the proposed program are to evaluate and use information technology by performing SAR data processing in order to measure ground deformation, and to incorporate an understanding of Earth sciences by analyzing interferometric SAR processing results. To draft the teaching guidance plan for the developed education program, this study considers both science and technology education. The education program was used in a Japanese junior high school. An educational SAR processor developed by the authors and the customized Delft object-oriented radar interferometric software package were employed. Earthquakes as diastrophism events were chosen as practical teaching materials. The selected events indicate clear ground deformation in differential interferograms with high coherence levels. The learners were able to investigate the ground deformations and disasters caused by the events. They interactively used computers and became skilled at recognizing the knowledge and techniques of information technology, and then they evaluated the technology. Based on the results of pre- and post-questionnaire surveys and self-evaluation by the learners, it was clarified that the proposed program was applicable for junior high school education, and the learners recognized the usefulness of Earth observation technology by using interferometric SAR. The usefulness of the teaching materials in the learning activities was also shown through the practical teaching experience.

Reactor Physics Experiments by Korean Under-Graduate Students in Kyoto University Critical Assembly Program (KUGSiKUCA Program)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pyeon, Cheol Ho; Misawa, Tsuyoshi; Unesaki, Hironobu; Ichihara, Chihiro; Shiroya, Seiji; Whang, Joo Ho; Kim, Myung Hyun

2006-01-01

The Reactor Laboratory Course for Korean Under-Graduate Students in Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUGSiKUCA) program has been launched from 2003, as one of international collaboration programs of Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute (KURRI). This program was suggested by Department of Nuclear Engineering, College of Advanced Technology, Kyunghee University (KHU), and was adopted by Ministry of Science and Technology of Korean Government as one of among Nuclear Human Resources Education and Training Programs. On the basis of her suggestion for KURRI, memorandum for academic corporation and exchange between KHU and KURRI was concluded on July 2003. The program has been based on the background that it is extremely difficult for any single university in Korea to have her own research or training reactor. Up to this 2006, total number of 61 Korean under-graduate school students, who have majored in nuclear engineering of Kyunghee University, Hanyang University, Seoul National University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Chosun University and Cheju National University in all over the Korea, has taken part in this program. In all the period, two professors and one teaching assistant on the Korean side led the students and helped their successful experiments, reports and discussions. Due to their effort, the program has succeeded in giving an effective and unique course, taking advantage of their collaboration

Environmental Management Science Program Workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1998-07-01

This program summary book is a compendium of project summaries submitted by principal investigators in the Environmental Management Science Program and Environmental Management/Energy Research Pilot Collaborative Research Program (Wolf-Broido Program). These summaries provide information about the most recent project activities and accomplishments. All projects will be represented at the workshop poster sessions, so you will have an opportunity to meet with the researchers. The projects will be presented in the same order at the poster session as they are presented in this summary book. Detailed questions about an individual project may be directed to the investigators involved.

Distance Education in Dental Hygiene Bachelor of Science Degree Completion Programs: As Perceived by Students and Faculty

Science.gov (United States)

Tsokris, Maureen

2010-01-01

This study investigated student and faculty perceptions of their experiences with online learning in dental hygiene Bachelor of Science degree completion programs on the dimensions of: quality of learning, connectedness to the learning environment, technology factors and student satisfaction. The experiences of dental hygiene students who took…

A proposal of neutron science research program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Y.; Yasuda, H.; Tone, T.; Mizumoto, M.

1996-01-01

A conception of Neutron Science Research Program (NSRP) has been proposed in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) since 1994 as a future big project. The NSRP aims at exploring new basic science and nuclear energy science by a high-intensity proton accelerator. It is a complex composed of a proton linac and seven research facilities with each different target system. The proton linac is required to supply the high-intensity proton beam with energy up to 1.5 GeV and current 10 mA on average. The scientific research facilities proposed, are as follows: Thermal/Cold Neutron Facility for the neutron scattering experiments, Neutron Irradiation Facility for materials science, Neutron Physics Facility for nuclear data measurement, OMEGA/Nuclear Energy Facility for nuclear waste transmutation and fuel breeding, Spallation RI Beam Facility for nuclear physics, Meson/Muon Facility for meson and muon physics and their applications and Medium Energy Beam Facility for accelerator technology development, medical use, etc. Research and development have been carried out for the components of the injector system of the proton linac; an ion source, an RFQ linac and a part of DTL linac. The conceptual design work and research and development activities for NSRP have been started in the fiscal year, 1996. Construction term will be divided into two phases; the completion of the first phase is expected in 2003, when the proton linac will produce 1.5 GeV, 1 mA beam by reflecting the successful technology developments. (author)

Teaching and Learning Science for Transformative, Aesthetic Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Girod, Mark; Twyman, Todd; Wojcikiewicz, Steve

2010-11-01

Drawing from the Deweyan theory of experience (1934, 1938), the goal of teaching and learning for transformative, aesthetic experience is contrasted against teaching and learning from a cognitive, rational framework. A quasi-experimental design was used to investigate teaching and learning of fifth grade science from each perspective across an entire school year including three major units of instruction. Detailed comparisons of teaching are given and pre and post measures of interest in learning science, science identity affiliation, and efficacy beliefs are investigated. Tests of conceptual understanding before, after, and one month after instruction reveal teaching for transformative, aesthetic experience fosters more, and more enduring, learning of science concepts. Investigations of transfer also suggest students learning for transformative, aesthetic experiences learn to see the world differently and find more interest and excitement in the world outside of school.

Strategic plan for the restructured US fusion energy sciences program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-08-01

This plan reflects a transition to a restructured fusion program, with a change in focus from an energy technology development program to a fusion energy sciences program. Since the energy crisis of the early 1970's, the U.S. fusion program has presented itself as a goal- oriented fusion energy development program, with milestones that required rapidly increasing budgets. The Energy Policy Act of 1992 also called for a goal-oriented development program consistent with the Department's planning. Actual funding levels, however, have forced a premature narrowing of the program to the tokamak approach. By 1995, with no clear, immediate need driving the schedule for developing fusion energy and with enormous pressure to reduce discretionary spending, Congress cut fusion program funding for FY 1996 by one-third and called for a major restructuring of the program. Based on the recommendations of the Fusion Energy Advisory Committee (FEAC), the Department has decided to pursue a program that concentrates on world-class plasma, science, and on maintaining an involvement in fusion energy science through international collaboration. At the same time, the Japanese and Europeans, with energy situations different from ours, are continuing with their goal- oriented fusion programs. Collaboration with them provides a highly leveraged means of continued involvement in fusion energy science and technology, especially through participation in the engineering and design activities of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor program, ITER. This restructured fusion energy sciences program, with its focus on fundamental fusion science and technology, may well provide insights that lead to more attractive fusion power plants, and will make use of the scientific infrastructure that will allow the United States to launch a fusion energy development program at some future date

Experiments in progress: The geography of science in the Atomic Energy Commission's peaceful uses of nuclear explosives program, 1956-1973

Science.gov (United States)

Kirsch, Scott Lawrence

From 1957 to 1973, the United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) actively pursued the "peaceful uses of nuclear explosives" through Project Plowshare. Nuclear excavation, the detonation of shallowly buried hydrogen bombs for massive earthmoving projects like harbors and canals, was considered the most promising of the Plowshare applications, and for a time, the most economically and technically "feasible." With a basis in and contributing to theory in critical human geography and science studies, the purpose of this dissertation is to examine the collisions of science, ideology, and politics which kept Plowshare designs alive--but only as "experiments in progress." That is, this research asks how the experimental program persisted in places like the national weapons laboratory in Livermore, California, and how its ideas were tested at the nuclear test site in Nevada, yet Plowshare was kept out of those spaces beyond AEC control. Primary research focuses on AEC-related archival materials collected from the Department of Energy Coordination and Information Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, and from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, as well as the public discourse through which support for and opposition to Plowshare projects was voiced. Through critical analysis of Plowshare's grandiose "geographical engineering" schemes, I thus examine the complex relations between the social construction of science and technology, on one hand, and the social production of space, on the other.

Programs of the Office of the Science Advisor (OSA)

Science.gov (United States)

Office of the Science Advisor provides leadership in cross-Agency science and science policy. Program areas: Risk Assessment, Science and Technology Policy, Human Subjects Research, Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Scientific Integrity.

Climate Change Science Program Collection

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) Collection consists of publications and other resources produced between 2007 and 2009 by the CCSP with the intention of...

Knowledge gain and behavioral change in citizen-science programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Rebecca C; Gray, Steven A; Howe, David V; Brooks, Wesley R; Ehrenfeld, Joan G

2011-12-01

Citizen-science programs are often touted as useful for advancing conservation literacy, scientific knowledge, and increasing scientific-reasoning skills among the public. Guidelines for collaboration among scientists and the public are lacking and the extent to which these citizen-science initiatives change behavior is relatively unstudied. Over two years, we studied 82 participants in a three-day program that included education about non-native invasive plants and collection of data on the occurrence of those plants. Volunteers were given background knowledge about invasive plant ecology and trained on a specific protocol for collecting invasive plant data. They then collected data and later gathered as a group to analyze data and discuss responsible environmental behavior with respect to invasive plants. We tested whether participants without experience in plant identification and with little knowledge of invasive plants increased their knowledge of invasive species ecology, participation increased knowledge of scientific methods, and participation affected behavior. Knowledge of invasive plants increased on average 24%, but participation was insufficient to increase understanding of how scientific research is conducted. Participants reported increased ability to recognize invasive plants and increased awareness of effects of invasive plants on the environment, but this translated into little change in behavior regarding invasive plants. Potential conflicts between scientific goals, educational goals, and the motivation of participants must be considered during program design. ©2011 Society for Conservation Biology.

Math and science education programs from the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This booklet reviews math and science education programs at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). The programs can be categorized into six groups: teacher programs; science laboratories for students; student programs; education outreach programs; INEL Public Affairs Office; and programs for college faculty and students

The second workshop of neutron science research program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yasuda, Hideshi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Tone, Tatsuzo [eds.

1997-11-01

The Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute(JAERI) has been proposing the Neutron Science Research Program to explore a broad range of basic research and the nuclear technology including actinide transmutation with use of powerful spallation neutron sources. For this purpose, the JAERI is conducting the research and development of an intense proton linac, the development of targets, as well as the conceptual design study of experimental facilities required for applications of spallation neutrons and secondary particle beams. The Special Task Force for Neutron Science Initiative was established in May 1996 to promote aggressively and systematically the Neutron Science Research Program. The second workshop on neutron science research program was held at the JAERI Tokai Research Establishment on 13 and 14 March 1997 for the purpose of discussing the results obtained since the first workshop in March 1996. The 27 of the presented papers are indexed individually. (J.P.N.)

An experience of science theatre: Earth Science for children

Science.gov (United States)

Musacchio, Gemma; Lanza, Tiziana; D'Addezio, Giuliana

2015-04-01

The present paper describes an experience of science theatre addressed to children of primary and secondary school, with the main purpose of explaining the Earth interior while raising awareness about natural hazard. We conducted the experience with the help of a theatrical company specialized in shows for children. Several performances have been reiterated in different context, giving us the opportunity of conducting a preliminary survey with public of different ages, even if the show was conceived for children. Results suggest that science theatre while relying on creativity and emotional learning in transmitting knowledge about the Earth and its hazard has the potential to induce in children a positive attitude towards the risks

The NASA Sounding Rocket Program and space sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Gurkin, L. W.

1992-01-01

High altitude suborbital rockets (sounding rockets) have been extensively used for space science research in the post-World War II period; the NASA Sounding Rocket Program has been on-going since the inception of the Agency and supports all space science disciplines. In recent years, sounding rockets have been utilized to provide a low gravity environment for materials processing research, particularly in the commercial sector. Sounding rockets offer unique features as a low gravity flight platform. Quick response and low cost combine to provide more frequent spaceflight opportunities. Suborbital spacecraft design practice has achieved a high level of sophistication which optimizes the limited available flight times. High data-rate telemetry, real-time ground up-link command and down-link video data are routinely used in sounding rocket payloads. Standard, off-the-shelf, active control systems are available which limit payload body rates such that the gravitational environment remains less than 10(-4) g during the control period. Operational launch vehicles are available which can provide up to 7 minutes of experiment time for experiment weights up to 270 kg. Standard payload recovery systems allow soft impact retrieval of payloads. When launched from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, payloads can be retrieved and returned to the launch site within hours.

Department of Energy - Office of Science Early Career Research Program

Science.gov (United States)

Horwitz, James

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science Early Career Program began in FY 2010. The program objectives are to support the development of individual research programs of outstanding scientists early in their careers and to stimulate research careers in the disciplines supported by the DOE Office of Science. Both university and DOE national laboratory early career scientists are eligible. Applicants must be within 10 years of receiving their PhD. For universities, the PI must be an untenured Assistant Professor or Associate Professor on the tenure track. DOE laboratory applicants must be full time, non-postdoctoral employee. University awards are at least 150,000 per year for 5 years for summer salary and expenses. DOE laboratory awards are at least 500,000 per year for 5 years for full annual salary and expenses. The Program is managed by the Office of the Deputy Director for Science Programs and supports research in the following Offices: Advanced Scientific and Computing Research, Biological and Environmental Research, Basic Energy Sciences, Fusion Energy Sciences, High Energy Physics, and Nuclear Physics. A new Funding Opportunity Announcement is issued each year with detailed description on the topical areas encouraged for early career proposals. Preproposals are required. This talk will introduce the DOE Office of Science Early Career Research program and describe opportunities for research relevant to the condensed matter physics community. http://science.energy.gov/early-career/

A concept for performance management for Federal science programs

Science.gov (United States)

Whalen, Kevin G.

2017-11-06

The demonstration of clear linkages between planning, funding, outcomes, and performance management has created unique challenges for U.S. Federal science programs. An approach is presented here that characterizes science program strategic objectives by one of five “activity types”: (1) knowledge discovery, (2) knowledge development and delivery, (3) science support, (4) inventory and monitoring, and (5) knowledge synthesis and assessment. The activity types relate to performance measurement tools for tracking outcomes of research funded under the objective. The result is a multi-time scale, integrated performance measure that tracks individual performance metrics synthetically while also measuring progress toward long-term outcomes. Tracking performance on individual metrics provides explicit linkages to root causes of potentially suboptimal performance and captures both internal and external program drivers, such as customer relations and science support for managers. Functionally connecting strategic planning objectives with performance measurement tools is a practical approach for publicly funded science agencies that links planning, outcomes, and performance management—an enterprise that has created unique challenges for public-sector research and development programs.

Nurse Leaders' Experiences of Implementing Career Advancement Programs for Nurses in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheikhi, Mohammad Reza; Fallahi Khoshknab, Masoud; Mohammadi, Farahnaz; Oskouie, Fatemeh

2015-02-24

Career advancement programs are currently implemented in many countries. In Iran, the first career advancement program was Nurses' Career Advancement Pathway. The purpose of this study was to explore nurse leaders' experiences about implementing the Nurses' Career Advancement Pathway program in Iran. This exploratory qualitative study was conducted in 2013. Sixteen nurse managers were recruited from the teaching hospitals affiliated to Shahid Behesthi, Qazvin, and Iran Universities of Medical Sciences in Iran. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling method. Study data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. The conventional content analysis approach was used for data analysis. participants' experiences about implementing the Nurses' Career Advancement Pathway fell into three main categories including: a) the shortcomings of performance evaluation, b) greater emphasis on point accumulation, c) the advancement-latitude mismatch. The Nurses' Career Advancement pathway has several shortcomings regarding both its content and its implementation. Therefore, it is recommended to revise the program.

Nurse Leaders’ Experiences of Implementing Career Advancement Programs for Nurses in Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Sheikhi, Mohammad Reza; Khoshknab, Masoud Fallahi; Mohammadi, Farahnaz; Oskouie, Fatemeh

2015-01-01

Background and purpose: Career advancement programs are currently implemented in many countries. In Iran, the first career advancement program was Nurses’ Career Advancement Pathway. The purpose of this study was to explore nurse leaders’ experiences about implementing the Nurses’ Career Advancement Pathway program in Iran. Methods: This exploratory qualitative study was conducted in 2013. Sixteen nurse managers were recruited from the teaching hospitals affiliated to Shahid Behesthi, Qazvin, and Iran Universities of Medical Sciences in Iran. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling method. Study data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. The conventional content analysis approach was used for data analysis. Results: participants’ experiences about implementing the Nurses’ Career Advancement Pathway fell into three main categories including: a) the shortcomings of performance evaluation, b) greater emphasis on point accumulation, c) the advancement-latitude mismatch. Conclusion: The Nurses’ Career Advancement pathway has several shortcomings regarding both its content and its implementation. Therefore, it is recommended to revise the program. PMID:26156907

An examination of key experiences which contribute to a positive change in attitude toward science in two elementary education teacher candidates at the University of Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Cason, Maggie A.

This investigation utilized life history methodology (Armstrong, 1987; Bogdan & Biklen, 1998; Lawrence-Lightfoot, 1977; Marshall & Rossman, 1995; Patton, 1987; Taylor & Bogdan; 1984) to examine lifelong science experiences of two elementary education teacher candidates at a land grant institution with a large, undergraduate teacher education program. Purposive sampling techniques (Bogdan & Biklen, 1998) led to the selection of two teacher candidates who reported high science anxiety when they began university coursework. The investigation focused on five broad questions: (a) What were key experiences in the elementary teacher education program which contributed to a positive change in attitude toward science? (b) What science experiences, in and out of school, did the teacher candidates encounter while they were in elementary school, junior high school, high school, and college? (c) How did the elementary education program's science course structure, professors, and field experiences contribute to the change in attitude toward science? (d) How much time was involved in the change in attitude toward science? and (e) What were the effects of the change in attitude on the teaching of science in the elementary classroom? Each candidate completed approximately twenty hours of interviews yielding rich descriptions of their lifelong science experiences. Data also included interviews with science and science education professors, journaling, and observations of student teaching experiences. Data analysis revealed four over-arching themes with implications for teacher educators. First, data showed the importance of relationship building between professors and teacher candidates. Professors must know and work with teacher candidates, and provide a structure that encourages question asking. Second, course structure including hands-on teaching strategies and students working in small groups over an extended period of time was vital. Third, integrating language arts with

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the 2002-2003 NASA SCIence Files(TM) Program

Science.gov (United States)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Lambert, Matthew A.; Williams, Amy C.

2004-01-01

NASA SCIence Files (tm) is a research-, inquiry-, and standards-based, integrated mathematics, science, and technology series of 60-minute instructional distance learning (television and web-based) programs for students in grades 3-5. Respondents who evaluated the programs in the 2002-2003 NASA SCIence Files (tm) series reported that (1) they used the programs in the series; (2) the goals and objectives for the series were met; (3) the programs were aligned with the national mathematics, science, and technology standards; (4) the program content was developmentally appropriate for grade level; and (5) the programs in the series enhanced and enriched the teaching of mathematics, science, and technology.

The NASA computer science research program plan

Science.gov (United States)

1983-01-01

A taxonomy of computer science is included, one state of the art of each of the major computer science categories is summarized. A functional breakdown of NASA programs under Aeronautics R and D, space R and T, and institutional support is also included. These areas were assessed against the computer science categories. Concurrent processing, highly reliable computing, and information management are identified.

Indiana secondary students' evolution learning experiences and demarcations of science from non-science

Science.gov (United States)

Donnelly, Lisa A.

2007-12-01

Previous research has documented students' conceptual difficulties learning evolution and how student learning may be related to students' views of evolution and science. This mixed methods study addressed how 74 high school biology students from six Indiana high schools viewed their evolution learning experiences, the demarcations of science from non-science, and evolution understanding and acceptance. Data collection entailed qualitative and quantitative methods including interviews, classroom observations, surveys, and assessments to address students' views of science and non-science, evolution learning experiences, and understanding and acceptance of evolution. Qualitative coding generated several demarcation and evolution learning experience codes that were subsequently used in quantitative comparisons of evolution understanding and acceptance. The majority of students viewed science as empirical, tentative but ultimately leading to certain truth, compatible with religion, the product of experimental work, and the product of human creativity. None of the students offered the consensus NOS view that scientific theories are substantiated explanations of phenomena while scientific laws state relationships or patterns between phenomena. About half the students indicated that scientific knowledge was subjectively and socio-culturally influenced. The majority of students also indicated that they had positive evolution learning experiences and thought evolution should be taught in secondary school. The quantitative comparisons revealed how students who viewed scientific knowledge as subjectively and socio-culturally influenced had higher understanding than their peers. Furthermore, students who maintained that science and religion were compatible did not differ with respect to understanding but had higher acceptance than their peers who viewed science and religion as conflicting. Furthermore, students who maintained that science must be consistent with their

BURECS: An Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Climate Science Program

Science.gov (United States)

Dennis, D. P.; Marchant, D. R.; Christ, A. J.; Ehrenfeucht, S.

2017-12-01

The current structure of many undergraduate programs, particularly those at large research universities, requires students to engage with a major or academic emphasis early in their university careers. This oftentimes curbs exploration outside the major and can inhibit interdisciplinary collaboration. The Boston University Research Education and Communication of Science (BURECS) program seeks to bridge this institutional divide by fostering interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration on climate change-related issues by students from across Boston University (B.U.). Every year, approximately fifteen first-year students from B.U.'s College of Arts and Sciences, College of Communication, and School of Education are selected to join BURECS, which includes a climate science seminar, a hands-on lab course, a supported summer internship with Boston-area researchers, and the opportunity to participate in Antarctic field work during subsequent B.U. Antarctic Research Group expeditions. Currently in its third year, BURECS is funded through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Professors Program.

An Examination of Black Science Teacher Educators' Experiences with Multicultural Education, Equity, and Social Justice

Science.gov (United States)

Atwater, Mary M.; Butler, Malcolm B.; Freeman, Tonjua B.; Carlton Parsons, Eileen R.

2013-12-01

Diversity, multicultural education, equity, and social justice are dominant themes in cultural studies (Hall in Cultural dialogues in cultural studies. Routledge, New York, pp 261-274, 1996; Wallace 1994). Zeichner (Studying teacher education: The report of the AERA panel on research and teacher education. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, pp 737-759, 2005) called for research studies of teacher educators because little research exists on teacher educators since the late 1980s. Thomson et al. (2001) identified essential elements needed in order for critical multiculturalism to be infused in teacher education programs. However, little is known about the commitment and experiences of science teacher educators infusing multicultural education, equity, and social justice into science teacher education programs. This paper examines twenty (20) Black science teacher educators' teaching experiences as a result of their Blackness and the inclusion of multicultural education, equity, and social justice in their teaching. This qualitative case study of 20 Black science teacher educators found that some of them have attempted and stopped due to student evaluations and the need to gain promotion and tenure. Other participants were able to integrate diversity, multicultural education, equity and social justice in their courses because their colleagues were supportive. Still others continue to struggle with this infusion without the support of their colleagues, and others have stopped The investigators suggest that if science teacher educators are going to prepare science teachers for the twenty first century, then teacher candidates must be challenged to grapple with racial, ethnic, cultural, instructional, and curricular issues and what that must mean to teach science to US students in rural, urban, and suburban school contexts.

Subsurface Science Program Bibliography, 1985--1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-08-01

The Subsurface Science Program sponsors long-term basic research on (1) the fundamental physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms that control the reactivity, mobilization, stability, and transport of chemical mixtures in subsoils and ground water; (2) hydrogeology, including the hydraulic, microbiological, and geochemical properties of the vadose and saturated zones that control contaminant mobility and stability, including predictive modeling of coupled hydraulic-geochemical-microbial processes; and (3) the microbiology of deep sediments and ground water. TWs research, focused as it is on the natural subsurface environments that are most significantly affected by the more than 40 years of waste generation and disposal at DOE sites, is making important contributions to cleanup of DOE sites. Past DOE waste-disposal practices have resulted in subsurface contamination at DOE sites by unique combinations of radioactive materials and organic and inorganic chemicals (including heavy metals), which make site cleanup particularly difficult. The long- term (10- to 30-year) goal of the Subsurface Science Program is to provide a foundation of fundamental knowledge that can be used to reduce environmental risks and to provide a sound scientific basis for cost-effective cleanup strategies. The Subsurface Science Program is organized into nine interdisciplinary subprograms, or areas of basic research emphasis. The subprograms currently cover the areas of Co-Contaminant Chemistry, Colloids/Biocolloids, Multiphase Fluid Flow, Biodegradation/ Microbial Physiology, Deep Microbiology, Coupled Processes, Field-Scale (Natural Heterogeneity and Scale), and Environmental Science Research Center

Life sciences flight experiments program, life sciences project division, procurement quality provisions

Science.gov (United States)

House, G.

1980-01-01

Methods are defined for implementing quality assurance policy and requirements for life sciences laboratory equipment, experimental hardware, integration and test support equipment, and integrated payloads.

Authentic Astronomy Research Experiences for Teachers: the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP)

Science.gov (United States)

Rebull, L.; NITARP Team

2011-12-01

Since 2004, we have provided authentic astronomy research experiences for teachers using professional astronomical data. (The program used to be called the Spitzer Teacher Program for Teachers and Students, and in 2009 was renamed NITARP--NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program.) We partner small groups of teachers with a mentor astronomer, the team does research, writes up a poster, and presents it at the major annual meeting for professional US astronomers, the American Astronomical Society (winter meeting). The teachers incorporate this research experience into their classroom, and their experiences color their teaching for years to come, influencing hundreds of students per teacher. This program, to the best of our knowledge, is completely unique in the following three ways: (1) Each team does original research using real astronomical data, not canned labs or reproductions of previously done research. (2) Each team writes up the results of their research and presents it at an AAS meeting. Each team also presents the educational results of their experience. (3) The 'products' of the program are primarily the scientific results, as opposed to curriculum packets. The teachers in the program involve students at their school and incorporate the experience into their teaching in a way that works for them, their environment, and their local/state standards. The educators in the program are selected from a nationwide annual application process, and they get three trips, all reasonable expenses paid. First, they attend a winter AAS meeting to get their bearings as attendees of the largest professional astronomy meetings in the world. We sponsor a kickoff workshop specifically for the NITARP educators on the day before the AAS meeting starts. After the meeting, they work remotely with their team to write a proposal, as well as read background literature. In the summer (at a time convenient to all team members), the educators plus up to two students per teacher come

The effect of site-based preservice experiences on elementary science teaching self-efficacy beliefs

Science.gov (United States)

Wingfield, Mary E.

Current reform in science education has focused on the need for improvement of preservice teacher training (National Science Education Standards, 1996). As a situation specific construct (Bandura, 1977), self-efficacy studies have been conducted to investigate factors that impact preservice teachers' sense of confidence as it relates to their ability to become successful science teachers. This descriptive study identified factors in the site based experiences that affected preservice elementary teachers' self-efficacy as measured by the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBL-B) (Enochs and Riggs, 1990). The sample consisted of the entire population of undergraduate elementary preservice teachers in the site based teacher education program during the fall semester of 1997 at a large south central urban university. The 131 paired, pretest posttests of the entire STEBL-B and the two constructs were analyzed for significance in mean score gains. Results of the paired t test yielded a t value of 11.52 which was significant at p Bandura identified as sources of information used to determine self-efficacy. These include performance accomplishments through authentic teaching experiences, vicarious experiences through observation of the site based teachers, and verbal persuasion and physiological states from feedback given by the university coordinators. The majority of these preservice teachers started the semester with a negative attitude toward teaching science, but ended the semester with a positive view of themselves as effective science teachers in the future.

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research's Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric and Related Sciences (UCAR-SOARS) program: A paradigm case for a research based analysis of elements and attributes of a highly successful research experience for undergraduate (REU) program designed to broaden participation in STEM

Science.gov (United States)

Windham, T. L.

2011-12-01

REU (research experience for undergraduate) programs in science serve as a centerpiece for: recruitment improved learning, retention and increased graduation rates among students in STEM fields. Structured REUs are highly effective programs for broadening participation and remedying inequities, to increase and diversify the STEM talent pool and professional workforce. Now in its 16th year, SOARS is dedicated to broadening participation in the atmospheric and related sciences. SOARS is an undergraduate through graduate program built on the structure of: a summer research internship, mentoring by professional scientists, and a supportive learning community. SOARS is an exemplar. Its structure serves as a paradigm case for the recruitment, retention, and graduation of students from underserved populations. This research-based examination of SOARS explores its program elements and identifies attributes and practices that contribute to its impact and lasting outcomes.

FWP executive summaries: basic energy sciences materials sciences and engineering program (SNL/NM).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samara, George A.; Simmons, Jerry A.

2006-07-01

This report presents an Executive Summary of the various elements of the Materials Sciences and Engineering Program which is funded by the Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico. A general programmatic overview is also presented.

Science Educational Outreach Programs That Benefit Students and Scientists.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Greg Clark

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Both scientists and the public would benefit from improved communication of basic scientific research and from integrating scientists into education outreach, but opportunities to support these efforts are limited. We have developed two low-cost programs--"Present Your PhD Thesis to a 12-Year-Old" and "Shadow a Scientist"--that combine training in science communication with outreach to area middle schools. We assessed the outcomes of these programs and found a 2-fold benefit: scientists improve their communication skills by explaining basic science research to a general audience, and students' enthusiasm for science and their scientific knowledge are increased. Here we present details about both programs, along with our assessment of them, and discuss the feasibility of exporting these programs to other universities.

Response to science education reforms: The case of three science education doctoral programs in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Gwekwerere, Yovita Netsai

Doctoral programs play a significant role in preparing future leaders. Science Education doctoral programs play an even more significant role preparing leaders in a field that is critical to maintaining national viability in the face of global competition. The current science education reforms have the goal of achieving science literacy for all students and for this national goal to be achieved; we need strong leadership in the field of science education. This qualitative study investigated how doctoral programs are preparing their graduates for leadership in supporting teachers to achieve the national goal of science literacy for all. A case study design was used to investigate how science education faculty interpreted the national reform goal of science literacy for all and how they reformed their doctoral courses and research programs to address this goal. Faculty, graduate students and recent graduates of three science education doctoral programs participated in the study. Data collection took place through surveys, interviews and analysis of course documents. Two faculty members, three doctoral candidates and three recent graduates were interviewed from each of the programs. Data analysis involved an interpretive approach. The National Research Council Framework for Investigating Influence of the National Standards on student learning (2002) was used to analyze interview data. Findings show that the current reforms occupy a significant part of the doctoral coursework and research in these three science education doctoral programs. The extent to which the reforms are incorporated in the courses and the way they are addressed depends on how the faculty members interpret the reforms and what they consider to be important in achieving the goal of science literacy for all. Whereas some faculty members take a simplistic critical view of the reform goals as a call to achieve excellence in science teaching; others take a more complex critical view where they question

Teaching Experiences for Graduate Student Researchers: A Study of the Design and Implementation of Science Courses for Secondary Students

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Anne Wrigley

Modern science education reform recommends that teachers provide K-12 science students a more complete picture of the scientific enterprise, one that lies beyond content knowledge and centers more on the processes and culture of scientists. In the case of Research Experience for Teachers (RET) programs, the "teacher" becomes "researcher" and it is expected that he/she will draw from the short-term science research experience in his/her classroom, offering students more opportunities to practice science as scientists do. In contrast, this study takes place in a program that allows graduate students, engaged in research full-time, to design and implement a short-duration course for high school students on Saturdays; the "researcher" becomes "teacher" in an informal science program. In this study, I investigated eleven graduate students who taught in the Saturday Science (SS) program. Analyses revealed participants' sophisticated views of the nature of science. Furthermore, participants' ideas about science clearly resonated with the tenets of NOS recommended for K-12 education (McComas et al., 1998). This study also highlighted key factors graduate students considered when designing lessons. Instructors took great care to move away from models of traditional, "lecture"-based, university science teaching. Nonetheless, instruction lacked opportunities for students to engage in scientific inquiry. In instances when instructors included discussions of NOS in SS courses, opportunities for high school students to learn NOS were not explicit enough to align with current science reform recommendations (e.g., AAAS, 2009). Graduate students did, however, offer high school students access to their own science or engineering research communities. These findings have significant implications for K-12 classroom reform. Universities continue to be a valuable resource for K-12 given access to scientists, materials or equipment, and funding. Nonetheless, and as was the case with

Using Innovative Resources and Programs to Prepare Pre- and In-Service Teachers for New Science Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Kinzler, R. J.; Short, J.; Contino, J.; Cooke-Nieves, N.; Howes, E.; Kravitz, D.; Randle, D.; Trowbridge, C.

2014-12-01

Leveraging the Rose Center for Earth and Space and active research departments in Earth and Planetary Science, Astrophysics, and Paleontology, the Education Department at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) offers an MAT program to prepare new Earth Science teachers (~100 new teachers by 2018) as well as a range of professional development (PD) opportunities for over 3,000 K-12 teachers annually, providing opportunities to learn with scientists; inquiry-based experiences; and standards-aligned resources. The AMNH produces innovative geoscience and other STEM resources supporting teacher and student science investigations with data visualizations and analysis tools, teaching case materials and other resources that provide rich nonfiction reading and writing opportunities for use in Earth and space science curricula that are integrated in the MAT and PD programs. Museum resources and the MAT and PD programs are aligned to support the recently released Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Common Core State Standards. The NGSS is a set of science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts and disciplinary core ideas to help cultivate teachers' and K-12 students' scientific habits of mind, develop their knowledge and abilities to engage in scientific investigations, and teach them how to reason in context; goals that closely align with those of the AMNH's teacher preparation and professional development programs. A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas (NRC, 2012) is a required text for the MAT program, and this text as well as the NGSS Performance Expectations guide the PD programs as well. Researchers working with Museum scientists and educators find it is not enough for programs for pre- and in-service teachers to provide access to resources. Research suggests that these programs need to engage pre- and in-service teachers in using and reflecting on these types of resources, as well as take

Creating Mobile and Web Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for NASA Science Data

Science.gov (United States)

Oostra, D.; Chambers, L. H.; Lewis, P. M.; Moore, S. W.

2011-12-01

The Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC) at the NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia houses almost three petabytes of data, a collection that increases every day. To put it into perspective, it is estimated that three petabytes of data storage could store a digitized copy of all printed material in U.S. research libraries. There are more than ten other NASA data centers like the ASDC. Scientists and the public use this data for research, science education, and to understand our environment. Most importantly these data provide the potential for all of us make new discoveries. NASA is about making discoveries. Galileo was quoted as saying, "All discoveries are easy to understand once they are discovered. The point is to discover them." To that end, NASA stores vast amounts of publicly available data. This paper examines an approach to create web applications that serve NASA data in ways that specifically address the mobile web application technologies that are quickly emerging. Mobile data is not a new concept. What is new, is that user driven tools have recently become available that allow users to create their own mobile applications. Through the use of these cloud-based tools users can produce complete native mobile applications. Thus, mobile apps can now be created by everyone, regardless of their programming experience or expertise. This work will explore standards and methods for creating dynamic and malleable application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow users to access and use NASA science data for their own needs. The focus will be on experiences that broaden and increase the scope and usage of NASA science data sets.

A culturally appropriate program that works: Native Americans in Marine and Space Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Vergun, J. R.

2001-05-01

For more than ten years, the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University has carried out the Native Americans in Marine and Space Sciences (NAMSS) Program. Its long-term goal is to increase the number of American Indian and Native Alaskan undergraduates in science who complete degrees, continue to graduate school and enter the professional scientific work force. Ninety-eight percent of NAMSS students have earned BS degrees and almost forty percent have continued in graduate school. These are impressive results considering the high national drop-out rate for Native American studentsaround 70% according to the Chronicle of Higher Education (26 May 1993, page A29). Most often, Native students wishing to earn degrees in science find few programs that fit with their traditional sense of place and community. Most programs are narrowly focused and do not support or nurture Native views of interrelationship of all things. While Western science's recent ecological systems thinking approach more closely resembles the traditional Native view, Traditional Ecological Knowledge is often perceived as anecdotal or storytelling and not real science. This is a problem for Native students who are strongly underrepresented in the U.S. scientific community as a whole and nearly absent from the marine sciences. Undergraduates from this group are without scientific career models or mentors from their ethnic group and experience difficulty establishing contacts with majority scientists. They have limited access to opportunities to explore career possibilities in the sciences through research participation. Once on campus they have difficulty establishing a sense of belonging in the University community and do not have an organized way to enter into the scientific activities that initially attracted them. Representation of Native Americans in the ranks of U.S. scientists will not be increased without special efforts to retain them as undergraduates and to recruit

The NASA Earth Science Program and Small Satellites

Science.gov (United States)

Neeck, Steven P.

2015-01-01

Earth's changing environment impacts every aspect of life on our planet and climate change has profound implications on society. Studying Earth as a single complex system is essential to understanding the causes and consequences of climate change and other global environmental concerns. NASA's Earth Science Division (ESD) shapes an interdisciplinary view of Earth, exploring interactions among the atmosphere, oceans, ice sheets, land surface interior, and life itself. This enables scientists to measure global and climate changes and to inform decisions by Government, other organizations, and people in the United States and around the world. The data collected and results generated are accessible to other agencies and organizations to improve the products and services they provide, including air quality indices, disaster prediction and response, agricultural yield projections, and aviation safety. ESD's Flight Program provides the spacebased observing systems and supporting infrastructure for mission operations and scientific data processing and distribution that support NASA's Earth science research and modeling activities. The Flight Program currently has 21 operating Earth observing space missions, including the recently launched Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2), the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, and the International Space Station (ISS) RapidSCAT and Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) instruments. The ESD has 22 more missions and instruments planned for launch over the next decade. These include first and second tier missions from the 2007 Earth Science Decadal Survey, Climate Continuity missions to assure availability of key climate data sets, and small-sized competitively selected orbital missions and instrument missions of opportunity belonging to the Earth Venture (EV) Program. Small satellites (500 kg or less) are critical contributors to these current and future satellite missions

Adult-Rated Oceanography Part 1: A Project Integrating Ocean Sciences into Adult Basic Education Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Cowles, S.; Collier, R.; Torres, M. K.

2004-12-01

Busy scientists seek opportunities to implement education and outreach efforts, but often don't know where to start. One easy and tested method is to form collaborations with federally-funded adult education and adult literacy programs. These programs exist in every U.S. state and territory and serve underrepresented populations through such major initiatives as adult basic education, adult secondary education (and GED preparation), and English language acquisition. These students are workers, consumers, voters, parents, grandparents, and members of every community. They have specific needs that are often overlooked in outreach activities. This presentation will describe the steps by which the Oregon Ocean Science and Math Collaborative program was developed. It is based on a partnership between the Oregon Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development, Oregon State University College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon Sea Grant, and the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center. It includes professional development through instructor institutes; teachers at sea and informal education opportunities; curriculum and web site development. Through the partnership described here, instructors in adult basic education programs participate in a yearlong experience in which they develop, test, and adapt innovative instructional strategies to meet the specific needs of adult learners. This, in turn, leads to new prospects for study in the areas of ocean science and math and introduces non-academic careers in marine science to a new community. Working directly with instructors, we have identified expertise level, instructional environment, instructor background and current teaching strategies used to address science literacy and numeracy goals of the adult learners in the State of Oregon. Preliminary evaluation of our ongoing project in meeting these goals will be discussed. These efforts contribute to national goals of science literacy for all, by providing

1998 Environmental Management Science Program Annual Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) is a collaborative partnership between the DOE Office of Environmental Management (EM), Office of Science (DOE-SC), and the Idaho Operations Office (DOE-ID) to sponsor basic environmental and waste management related research. Results are expected to lead to reduction of the costs, schedule, and risks associated with cleaning up the nation's nuclear complex. The EMSP research portfolio addresses the most challenging technical problems of the EM program related to high level waste, spent nuclear fuel, mixed waste, nuclear materials, remedial action, decontamination and decommissioning, and health, ecology, or risk. The EMSP was established in response to a mandate from Congress in the fiscal year 1996 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act. Congress directed the Department to ''provide sufficient attention and resources to longer-term basic science research which needs to be done to ultimately reduce cleanup costs, develop a program that takes advantage of laboratory and university expertise, and seek new and innovative cleanup methods to replace current conventional approaches which are often costly and ineffective''. This mandate followed similar recommendations from the Galvin Commission to the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board. The EMSP also responds to needs identified by National Academy of Sciences experts, regulators, citizen advisory groups, and other stakeholders

Mapping the entangled ontology of science teachers’ lived experience

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daugbjerg, Peer Schrøder; de Freitas, E.; Valero, Paola

2015-01-01

, the following questions are pursued: (1) In what ways do primary science teachers refer to the lived and living body in teaching and learning? (2) In what ways do primary science teachers tap into past experiences in which the body figured prominently in order to teach students about living organisms? We draw...... the entanglement of lived experience and embodied teaching using these three proposed dimensions of experience. Analysing interviews and observations of three Danish primary science teachers—Erik, Jane and Tina—, we look for how their self-reported lived experiences become entangled with their content knowledge......In this paper we investigate how the bodily activity of teaching, along with the embodied aspect of lived experience, relates to science teachers’ ways of dealing with bodies as living organisms which are both the subject matter as well as the site or vehicle of learning. More precisely...

Brazilian Scientific Mobility Program - Science without Borders - Preliminary Results and Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

McManus, Concepta; Nobre, Carlos A

2017-05-01

The Brazilian Scientific Mobility Program - Science without Borders (SwB) - saw the concession of over 101 thousand scholarships for Brazilian STEM students and education professionals to attend universities worldwide. As the first phase of this program ends, it is time to take a first look at its impacts, mainly on the undergraduate student body (79% of total scholarships implemented). Benefits included a 6-month language course (optional), a one year undergraduate course and optional 2 month internship in a university, government laboratory or technology company. Positive impacts have been seen on entrance into post-graduate programs (>20% of SwB students compared to 50% from families with less than 6 minimum wages per month). The impact of the program will need to be evaluated over the next years, but innovation on the part of the students is already apparent. Any new SwB program needs to take into account the lessons learned from this first experience and therefore recommendations are presented.

Computational Experiments for Science and Engineering Education

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Charles

2011-01-01

How to integrate simulation-based engineering and science (SBES) into the science curriculum smoothly is a challenging question. For the importance of SBES to be appreciated, the core value of simulations-that they help people understand natural phenomena and solve engineering problems-must be taught. A strategy to achieve this goal is to introduce computational experiments to the science curriculum to replace or supplement textbook illustrations and exercises and to complement or frame hands-on or wet lab experiments. In this way, students will have an opportunity to learn about SBES without compromising other learning goals required by the standards and teachers will welcome these tools as they strengthen what they are already teaching. This paper demonstrates this idea using a number of examples in physics, chemistry, and engineering. These exemplary computational experiments show that it is possible to create a curriculum that is both deeper and wider.

Linking the GLOBE Program With NASA and NSF Large-Scale Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Filmer, P. E.

2005-12-01

NASA and the NSF, the sponsoring Federal agencies for the GLOBE Program, are seeking the participation of science teams who are working at the cutting edge of Earth systems science in large integrated Earth systems science programs. Connecting the GLOBE concept and structure with NASA and NSF's leading Earth systems science programs will give GLOBE schools and students access to top scientists, and expose them to programs that have been designated as scientific priorities. Students, teachers, parents, and their communities will be able to see how scientists of many disciplines work together to learn about the Earth system. The GLOBE solicitation released by the NSF targets partnerships between GLOBE and NSF/NASA-funded integrated Earth systems science programs. This presentation will focus on the goals and requirements of the NSF solicitation. Proponents will be expected to provide ways for the GLOBE community to interact with a group of scientists from their science programs as part of a wider joint Earth systems science educational strategy (the sponsoring agencies', GLOBE's, and the proposing programs'). Teams proposing to this solicitation must demonstrate: - A focus on direct connections with major NSF Geosciences and/or Polar Programs and/or NASA Earth-Sun research programs that are related to Earth systems science; - A demonstrable benefit to GLOBE and to NSF Geosciences and/or Polar Programs or NASA Earth-Sun education goals (providing access to program researchers and data, working with GLOBE in setting up campaigns where possible, using tested GLOBE or non-GLOBE protocols to the greatest extent possible, actively participating in the wider GLOBE community including schools, among other goals); - An international component; - How the existing educational efforts of the large science program will coordinate with GLOBE; - An Earth systems science education focus, rather than a GLOBE protocol-support focus; - A rigorous evaluation and assessment component

Meyerhoff Scholars Program: a strengths-based, institution-wide approach to increasing diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Science.gov (United States)

Maton, Kenneth I; Pollard, Shauna A; McDougall Weise, Tatiana V; Hrabowski, Freeman A

2012-01-01

The Meyerhoff Scholars Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County is widely viewed as a national model of a program that enhances the number of underrepresented minority students who pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics PhDs. The current article provides an overview of the program and the institution-wide change process that led to its development, as well as a summary of key outcome and process evaluation research findings. African American Meyerhoff students are 5× more likely than comparison students to pursue a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics PhD. Program components viewed by the students as most beneficial include financial scholarship, being a part of the Meyerhoff Program community, the Summer Bridge program, study groups, and summer research. Qualitative findings from interviews and focus groups demonstrate the importance of the Meyerhoff Program in creating a sense of belonging and a shared identity, encouraging professional development, and emphasizing the importance of academic skills. Among Meyerhoff students, several precollege and college factors have emerged as predictors of successful entrance into a PhD program in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, including precollege research excitement, precollege intrinsic math/science motivation, number of summer research experiences during college, and college grade point average. Limitations of the research to date are noted, and directions for future research are proposed. © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Science Teachers' Beliefs about the Influence of Their Summer Research Experiences on Their Pedagogical Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, Rommel J.; Damico, Julie B.

2013-01-01

This study sought to determine the beliefs that tenured, in-service high school science teachers hold about how their participation in a large mid-Atlantic university's 6-week summer research experiences for teachers (RET) program might influence their pedagogical practices. The findings show a number of factors that teachers believed helped them…

Inspiring science achievement: a mixed methods examination of the practices and characteristics of successful science programs in diverse high schools

Science.gov (United States)

Scogin, Stephen C.; Cavlazoglu, Baki; LeBlanc, Jennifer; Stuessy, Carol L.

2017-08-01

While the achievement gap in science exists in the US, research associated with our investigation reveals some high school science programs serving diverse student bodies are successfully closing the gap. Using a mixed methods approach, we identified and investigated ten high schools in a large Southwestern state that fit the definition of "highly successful, highly diverse". By conducting interviews with science liaisons associated with each school and reviewing the literature, we developed a rubric identifying specific characteristics associated with successful science programs. These characteristics and practices included setting high expectations for students, providing extensive teacher support for student learning, and utilizing student-centered pedagogy. We used the rubric to assess the successful high school science programs and compare them to other high school science programs in the state (i.e., less successful and less diverse high school science programs). Highly successful, highly diverse schools were very different in their approach to science education when compared to the other programs. The findings from this study will help schools with diverse students to strengthen hiring practices, enhance teacher support mechanisms, and develop student-focused strategies in the classroom that increase science achievement.

The long-term impact of a math, science and technology program on grade school girls

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Sandra Judd

The purpose of this study was to determine if a math, science, and technology intervention program improved grade school girls' attitudes and stereotypes toward science and scientists, as well as participation levels in science-related activities, two years after their participating in the program. The intervention program evaluated was Operation SMART, developed by Girls Incorporated. Participants were recruited from the 6th and 7th grades from two public middle schools in Northern California. One hundred twenty-seven girls signed up for the survey and were assigned to either the SMART group (previous SMART participants) or Non-SMART group (no previous experience with SMART). The survey consisted of five parts: (1) a background information sheet, (2) the Modified Attitudes Toward Science Inventory, (3) the What Do You Do? survey, (4) the Draw-A-Scientist Test-Revised, and (5) a career interests and role models/influencer survey. Results indicated that there were no significant differences between the SMART and Non-SMART groups on any of the test measures. However, middle school attended did have a significant effect on the outcome variables. Girls from Middle School A reported more positive attitudes toward science, while girls from Middle School B reported higher participation levels in extracurricular science activities. Possible explanations for these findings suggest too much time had passed between treatment effect and time of measurement as well as the strong influence of teacher and school environment on girls' attitudes and stereotypes. Recommendations for future research are discussed.

Science Experiences among Female Athletes: Race Makes a Difference

Science.gov (United States)

Kraus, Rebecca S.; Hanson, Sandra L.

Sport participation is increasingly seen as a resource with considerable physical, social, and academic benefits. As a new millennium begins with girls more visible in sport, an important question is whether all girls reap these benefits. Although general academic benefits of sport have been shown, the authors' earlier work showed that experience in the male sport domain benefits young women in the elite (often male) science curriculum. Competition, self-esteem, and other individual resources gained through sport are potential sources of success in the similarly competitive male realm of science. In this research, the authors used critical feminist theory to guide their examination of racial and ethnic variations in the relation between sport participation and science experiences for young women. Data from the nationally representative National Education Longitudinal Study were used to explore the impact of sport participation in the 8th and 10th grades on 10th grade science achievement (measured by science grades and standardized test scores) and course taking for African American, Hispanic, and White women. The findings revealed that sport participation has some positive consequences for the science experiences of each of the groups of women. It also has some negative consequences, although the positive consequences outnumber the negative consequences for Hispanic and White, but not African American, women. Sport in 10th grade, especially competitive varsity sport, is most likely to have positive consequences. The findings revealed that each of the groups experiences different routes to success in science, and sport participation is present at some level in each of these routes. A consideration of multiple areas of science experience is important for understanding the connections between race and ethnicity, sport, and science for young women. Unique sociocultural contexts are used to attempt to understand these findings, and implications are discussed.

Science Faculty Belief Systems in a Professional Development Program: Inquiry in College Laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchins, Kristen L.; Friedrichsen, Patricia J.

2012-12-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how science faculty members' belief systems about inquiry-based teaching changed through their experience in a professional development program. The program was designed to support early career science faculty in learning about inquiry and incorporating an inquiry-based approach to teaching laboratories. Data sources for this qualitative study included three semi-structured interviews, observations during the program and during faculty members' implementation in their courses, and a researcher's journal. In the first phase of data analysis, we created profiles for each of the four participants. Next, we developed assertions, and tested for confirming and disconfirming evidence across the profiles. The assertions indicated that, through the professional development program, participants' knowledge and beliefs about inquiry-based teaching shifted, placing more value on student-directed learning and classroom inquiry. Participants who were internally motivated to participate and held incoming positive attitudes toward the mini-journal inquiry-based approach were more likely to incorporate the approach in their future practice. Students' responses played a critical role in participants' belief systems and their decision to continue using the inquiry-based format. The findings from this study have implications for professional development design.

Artificial climate experiment facility in Institute for Environmental Sciences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hisamatsu, Shunichi [Department of Radioecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, Rokkasho, Aomori (Japan)

1999-03-01

The Institute for Environmental Sciences is now constructing the artificial climate experiment facility (ACEF) to research the effect of climate on movement of elements in the various environments. The ACEF will have one large, and five small artificial climate experiment chambers. The large chamber is designed to simulate climate conditions in all Japan. It will equip systems to simulate sunshine, rainfall (including acid rain), snowfall and fog (including acid fog). `Yamase` condition will also be reproduced in it. Yamase is a Japanese term describing the characteristic weather condition occurring mainly on the Pacific Ocean side at the northern Japan. While the small chamber will not have rainfall, snowfall and fog systems, radioisotopes will be used in the two small chambers which will be set up in a radioisotope facility. We describe here the outline of the ACEF and the preliminary research programs being undertaken using both kinds of chambers. (author)

Artificial climate experiment facility in Institute for Environmental Sciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hisamatsu, Shunichi

1999-01-01

The Institute for Environmental Sciences is now constructing the artificial climate experiment facility (ACEF) to research the effect of climate on movement of elements in the various environments. The ACEF will have one large, and five small artificial climate experiment chambers. The large chamber is designed to simulate climate conditions in all Japan. It will equip systems to simulate sunshine, rainfall (including acid rain), snowfall and fog (including acid fog). 'Yamase' condition will also be reproduced in it. Yamase is a Japanese term describing the characteristic weather condition occurring mainly on the Pacific Ocean side at the northern Japan. While the small chamber will not have rainfall, snowfall and fog systems, radioisotopes will be used in the two small chambers which will be set up in a radioisotope facility. We describe here the outline of the ACEF and the preliminary research programs being undertaken using both kinds of chambers. (author)

A new program in earth system science education

Science.gov (United States)

Huntress, Wesley; Kalb, Michael W.; Johnson, Donald R.

1990-01-01

A program aimed at accelerating the development of earth system science curricula at the undergraduate level and at seeding the establishment of university-based mechanisms for cooperative research and education among universities and NASA has been initiated by the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) in conjunction with NASA. Proposals were submitted by 100 U.S. research universities which were selected as candidates to participate in a three-year pilot program to develop undergraduate curricula in earth system science. Universities were then selected based upon peer review and considerations of overall scientific balance among proposed programs. The program will also aim to integrate a number of universities with evolving earth system programs, linking them with a cooperative curriculum, shared faculty, and NASA scientists in order to establish a stronger base for earth systems related education and interdisciplinary research collaboration.

Mexico's Program for Science and Technology, 1978 to 1982.

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, Edmundo

1979-01-01

Describes briefly the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) of Mexico, and outlines Mexico's Program for Science and Technology which includes 2,489 projects in basic and applied sciences at a cost of $260 million from 1978 to 1982. (HM)

Use of a Web-based Delphi for identifying critical components of a professional science master's program in biotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Kantz, Jeannine Wells

The primary purpose of this research was to develop a model for a professional science master's program combining biotechnology and business. The objectives were to identify stakeholder preferences for various dimensions of a professional science master's program combining biotechnology and business and to identify differences in priorities between subgroups. A secondary purpose was to examine user preferences between Web-based and traditional methods of conducting a Delphi study and the panelist's impressions of its usefulness for program development. Prior to the first round, demographic data were collected on panelists regarding their gender, age, years experience in their current field, position title and education levels. Round 1 started with eight open-ended questions designed to investigate (a) learning objectives, (b) internships, (c) thesis vs. non-thesis degrees, (d) program focus (e) possible entry level positions, (f) roles for the industry advisory board, (g) recommended hours of hands-on experience and (h) other issues of importance. The final round ended with three questions to assess the panelists' perception of the usefulness of the Delphi for program development in higher education. Twenty-four panelists started Round 1 and participation in subsequent rounds varied from 17 in Round 2 to 11 in Round 4. Education level varied and included all levels of education in science and business. Issues emerged early in the study regarding development of different program tracks and the program goals, which were clarified in subsequent rounds. Significant differences occurred between industry and academic subgroups for two tracks, six skills designated for tracks, method of evaluating the internship, and entry-level positions appropriate for new graduates. When analyzed by level of confidence (high confidence vs. low confidence), significant differences occurred for (a) the number of semesters of hands-on experience students should have upon graduation, (b

Science Educational Outreach Programs That Benefit Students and Scientists

Science.gov (United States)

Enyeart, Peter; Gracia, Brant; Wessel, Aimee; Jarmoskaite, Inga; Polioudakis, Damon; Stuart, Yoel; Gonzalez, Tony; MacKrell, Al; Rodenbusch, Stacia; Stovall, Gwendolyn M.; Beckham, Josh T.; Montgomery, Michael; Tasneem, Tania; Jones, Jack; Simmons, Sarah; Roux, Stanley

2016-01-01

Both scientists and the public would benefit from improved communication of basic scientific research and from integrating scientists into education outreach, but opportunities to support these efforts are limited. We have developed two low-cost programs—"Present Your PhD Thesis to a 12-Year-Old" and "Shadow a Scientist”—that combine training in science communication with outreach to area middle schools. We assessed the outcomes of these programs and found a 2-fold benefit: scientists improve their communication skills by explaining basic science research to a general audience, and students' enthusiasm for science and their scientific knowledge are increased. Here we present details about both programs, along with our assessment of them, and discuss the feasibility of exporting these programs to other universities. PMID:26844991

Materials Sciences Programs. Fiscal Year 1980, Office of Basic Energy Sciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-09-01

This report provides a convenient compilation index of the DOE Materials Sciences Division programs. This compilation is intended for use by administrators, managers, and scientists to help coordinate research and as an aid in selecting new programs and is divided into Sections A and B, listing all the projects, Section C, a summary of funding levels, and Section D, an index

Optical Science Discovery Program: Pre-College Outreach and So Much More

Science.gov (United States)

Deutsch, Miriam

2010-03-01

Recruiting and retaining women into the physical sciences is an ongoing struggle for universities, with the gap between men and women in physics remaining strong. Research shows a precipitous drop in female participation in the physical sciences around the 7th grade year of primary education, where girls begin losing interest during middle school, the drain continuing throughout high school with another significant drop at the bachelors level. To combat the loss of women in the physical sciences, the Oregon Center for Optics at the University of Oregon has created the Optical Science Discovery Program (OSDP), a precollege outreach program that targets girls in middle and high school. This program uses optical sciences as the medium through which girls explore experimental science. The program consists of a one-week intensive summer camp, a mentored monthly science club, summer internships and mentoring opportunities for camp alumni. By utilizing media often at the core of teenage life (e.g. Facebook, MySpace) we also aim to interact with program participants in a familiar and informal environment. Mentoring of OSDP activities is carried out by faculty and students of all levels. This in turn allows other education and outreach efforts at the University of Oregon to incorporate OSDP activities into their own, contributing to our broader university goals of surmounting barriers to higher education and creating a more scientifically literate populace. This talk will describe the OSDP program and its incorporation into the broader spectrum of outreach and education efforts.

Hybrid-Mentoring Programs for Beginning Elementary Science Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Bang, EunJin

2013-01-01

This study examines four induction models and teacher changes in science teaching practices, as a result of several mentoring programs. It explores three different computer-mediated mentoring programs, and a traditional offline induction program--in terms of interactivity, inquiry-based teaching, and topics of knowledge. Fifteen elementary science…

EXPERIENCE AND PROSPECTS OF MASTER’S DEGREE TRAINING OF ENGINEERING STAFF IN THE FIELD OF METALLURGICAL SCIENCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. M. Konstantinov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The experience of training for MBA in engineering and technologies for specialties “Materials Science in Mechanical Engineering” at the department was analyzed. Efficiency of the practical-focused Master’s degree program for engineering staff of the machine-building and metallurgical enterprises was emphasized. Some ways to increase efficiency of master training of engineering experts in the field of metallurgical science and heat treatment are offered. Need of more active interaction with engineering services of the production enterprise during implementation of the master thesis was proved. Need of domination of requirements of the production enterprise is highlighted in master preparation program. The algorithm of interaction of department and technical service of the production enterprise during training of the factory expert in the correspondence practical-focused Master’s degree program is offered.

The Effects of Game Strategy and Preference-Matching on Flow Experience and Programming Performance in Game-Based Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li-Chun; Chen, Ming-Puu

2010-01-01

Learning to program is difficult for novices, even for those undergraduates who have majored in computer science. The study described in this paper has investigated the effects of game strategy and preference-matching on novice learners' flow experience and performance in learning to program using an experiential gaming activity. One hundred and…

Over a Decade of Lessons Learned from an REU Program in the Science of Global Change and Sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Hersh, E. S.; James, E. W.; Banner, J. L.

2014-12-01

The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in "The Science of Global Change and Sustainability" at the University of Texas at Austin Environmental Science Institute (ESI) has just completed its twelfth summer. The program has 113 REU alumni plus 5 Research Experience for Teachers (RET) alumni, selected from a competitive pool of 976 applicants (~14% acceptance rate), 68% from 61 smaller colleges and universities (of 79 schools represented), 40% of those who self-reported coming from demographics underrepresented in STEM, and with nearly 70% women. Students conduct independent research under the supervision of a faculty mentor in four major interdisciplinary themes: Impacts on Ecosystems, Impacts on Watersheds and the Land Surface, Campus Sustainability, and Reconstructing Past Global Change. These themes bridge chemistry, biology, ecology, environmental policy, civil and environmental engineering, marine science, and geological science. The summer cohort participates in weekly research and professional development seminars along with group field exercises. Topics include graduate school, career preparation, research ethics, sustainability, global change, environmental justice, and research communication. These activities plus the student's individual research comprise a portfolio that culminates in a reflection essay integrating the concepts, methods, and perspectives gained over the 10-week program. Program alumni were surveyed in 2014 to gauge long-term impact and outcomes. Of the 76 surveyed from 2006-2013, 39% responded. 67% have earned or are working on a graduate degree, and 94% of the graduate programs are in STEM. 93% of the responding alumni felt that the program "influenced my job and educational choices" and 97% felt that the program "helped me better understand scientific research." 40% presented their findings at a conference and 17% authored or co-authored a peer-reviewed publication. This presentation will include a discussion of best practices

Materials Sciences programs, Fiscal Year 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-09-01

This report provides a convenient compilation and index of the DOE Materials Sciences Division programs. The report is divided into six sections. Section A contains all Laboratory projects, Section B has all contract research projects, Section C has projects funded under the Small Business Innovation Research program, Section D has information on DOE collaborative research centers, Section E gives distributions of funding, and Section F has various indexes

Practical data science cookbook

CERN Document Server

Ojeda, Tony; Bengfort, Benjamin; Dasgupta, Abhijit

2014-01-01

If you are an aspiring data scientist who wants to learn data science and numerical programming concepts through hands-on, real-world project examples, this is the book for you. Whether you are brand new to data science or you are a seasoned expert, you will benefit from learning about the structure of data science projects, the steps in the data science pipeline, and the programming examples presented in this book. Since the book is formatted to walk you through the projects with examples and explanations along the way, no prior programming experience is required.

Food, Environment, Engineering and Life Sciences Program (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Mohtar, R. H.; Whittaker, A.; Amar, N.; Burgess, W.

2009-12-01

Food, Environment, Engineering and Life Sciences Program Nadia Amar, Wiella Burgess, Rabi H. Mohtar, and Dale Whitaker Purdue University Correspondence: mohtar@purdue.edu FEELS, the Food, Environment, Engineering and Life Sciences Program is a grant of the National Science Foundation for the College of Agriculture at Purdue University. FEELS’ mission is to recruit, retain, and prepare high-achieving students with financial difficulties to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers. FEELS achieves its goals offering a scholarship of up to 10,000 per student each year, academic, research and industrial mentors, seminars, study tables, social and cultural activities, study abroad and community service projects. In year one, nine low-income, first generation and/or ethnic minority students joined the FEELS program. All 9 FEELS fellows were retained in Purdue’s College of Agriculture (100%) with 7 of 9 (77.7%) continuing to pursue STEM majors. FEELS fellows achieved an average GPA in their first year of 3.05, compared to the average GPA of 2.54 for low-income non- FEELS students in the College of Agriculture. A new cohort of 10 students joined the program in August 2009. FEELS fellows received total scholarships of nearly 50,000 for the 2008-2009 academic year. These scholarships were combined with a holistic program that included the following key elements: FEELS Freshman Seminars I and II, 2 study tables per week, integration activities and frequent meetings with FEELS academic mentors and directors. Formative assessments of all FEELS activities were used to enhance the first year curriculum for the second cohort. Cohort 1 will continue into their second year where the focus will be on undergraduate research. More on FEELS programs and activities: www.purdue.edu/feels.

AAAS Communicating Science Program: Reflections on Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Braha, J.

2015-12-01

The AAAS Center for Public Engagement (Center) with science builds capacity for scientists to engage public audiences by fostering collaboration among natural or physical scientists, communication researchers, and public engagement practitioners. The recently launched Leshner Leadership Institute empowers cohorts of mid-career scientists to lead public engagement by supporting their networks of scientists, researchers, and practitioners. The Center works closely with social scientists whose research addresses science communication and public engagement with science to ensure that the Communicating Science training program builds on empirical evidence to inform best practices. Researchers ( Besley, Dudo, & Storkdieck 2015) have helped Center staff and an external evaluator develop pan instrument that measures progress towards goals that are suggested by the researcher, including internal efficacy (increasing scientists' communication skills and confidence in their ability to engage with the public) and external efficacy (scientists' confidence in engagement methods). Evaluation results from one year of the Communicating Science program suggest that the model of training yields positive results that support scientists in the area that should lead to greater engagement. This talk will explore the model for training, which provides a context for strategic communication, as well as the practical factors, such as time, access to public engagement practitioners, and technical skill, that seems to contribute to increased willingness to engage with public audiences. The evaluation program results suggest willingness by training participants to engage directly or to take preliminary steps towards engagement. In the evaluation results, 38% of trained scientists reported time as a barrier to engagement; 35% reported concern that engagement would distract from their work as a barrier. AAAS works to improve practitioner-researcher-scientist networks to overcome such barriers.

What makes a good experiment ? reasons and roles in science

CERN Document Server

Franklin, Allan

2016-01-01

What makes a good experiment? Although experimental evidence plays an essential role in science, as Franklin argues, there is no algorithm or simple set of criteria for ranking or evaluating good experiments, and therefore no definitive answer to the question. Experiments can, in fact, be good in any number of ways: conceptually good, methodologically good, technically good, and pedagogically important. And perfection is not a requirement: even experiments with incorrect results can be good, though they must, he argues, be methodologically good, providing good reasons for belief in their results. Franklin revisits the same important question he posed in his 1981 article in the British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, when it was generally believed that the only significant role of experiment in science was to test theories. But experiments can actually play a lot of different roles in science—they can, for example, investigate a subject for which a theory does not exist, help to articulate an existing ...

Growing Plants and Scientists: Fostering Positive Attitudes toward Science among All Participants in an Afterschool Hydroponics Program

Science.gov (United States)

Patchen, Amie K.; Zhang, Lin; Barnett, Michael

2017-06-01

This study examines an out-of-school time program targeting elementary-aged youth from populations that are typically underrepresented in science fields (primarily African-American, Hispanic, and/or English Language Learner participants). The program aimed to foster positive attitudes toward science among youth by engaging them in growing plants hydroponically (in water without soil). Participants' attitudes toward science, including anxiety, desire, and self-concept, were examined through pre-post survey data ( n = 234) over the course of an afterschool program at three separate sites. Data showed that participants' anxiety decreased and desire increased for both male and female participants over the program. Self-concept increased for female participants at all three sites but did not change significantly for male participants. Participants' first language (English or Spanish) was not a factor in attitude outcomes. The primarily positive outcomes suggest that hydroponics can be a useful educational platform for engaging participants in garden-based programming year round, particularly for settings that do not have the physical space or climate to conduct outdoor gardening. Similarities in positive attitude outcomes at the three sites despite differences in format, implementation, and instructor background experience suggest that the program is resilient to variation in context. Understanding which aspects of the program facilitated positive outcomes in the varied contexts could be useful for the design of future programs.

The Changing Roles of Science Specialists during a Capacity Building Program for Primary School Science

Science.gov (United States)

Herbert, Sandra; Xu, Lihua; Kelly, Leissa

2017-01-01

Science education starts at primary school. Yet, recent research shows primary school teachers lack confidence and competence in teaching science (Prinsley & Johnston, 2015). A Victorian state government science specialist initiative responded to this concern by providing professional learning programs to schools across Victoria. Drawing on…

Direction discovery: A science enrichment program for high school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Sikes, Suzanne S; Schwartz-Bloom, Rochelle D

2009-03-01

Launch into education about pharmacology (LEAP) is an inquiry-based science enrichment program designed to enhance competence in biology and chemistry and foster interest in science careers especially among under-represented minorities. The study of how drugs work, how they enter cells, alter body chemistry, and exit the body engages students to conceptualize fundamental precepts in biology, chemistry, and math. Students complete an intensive three-week course in the fundamentals of pharmacology during the summer followed by a mentored research component during the school year. Following a 5E learning paradigm, the summer course captures student interest by introducing controversial topics in pharmacology and provides a framework that guides them to explore topics in greater detail. The 5E learning cycle is recapitulated as students extend their knowledge to design and to test an original research question in pharmacology. LEAP students demonstrated significant gains in biology and chemistry knowledge and interests in pursuing science. Several students earned honors for the presentation of their research in regional and state science fairs. Success of the LEAP model in its initial 2 years argues that coupling college-level coursework of interest to teens with an authentic research experience enhances high school student success in and enthusiasm for science. Copyright © 2009 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Dimensions of flow during an experiential wilderness science program

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Robert

Over the past twenty-five years, there has been an alarming decline in academic performance among American students. This trend is seen in failing test scores, poor attendance, and low first-year retention rates at post-secondary institutions. There have been numerous studies that have examined this issue but few to offer solutions. Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, the originator of flow theory, suggests that poor academic performance might be best explained in terms of lack of student motivation and engagement (flow) rather than a lack of cognitive abilities. This study was designed to examine a series of activities conducted during an Experiential Wilderness Science Program at a college located in the Rocky Mountain region. Specifically, this study measured student engagement for each activity and described the dimensions (phenomenological, instructional, etc.) that were present when there was a high frequency of engagement among program participants. A combined quantitative and qualitative research methodology was utilized. The Experience Sampling Form (ESF) was administered to 41 freshman students participating in a 3-day wilderness science program to measure the frequency of engagement (flow) for nine different activities. A qualitative investigation using journals, participant interviews, and focus groups was used to describe the dimensions that were present when a high frequency of engagement among program participants was observed. Results revealed that engagement (flow) was highest during two challenge education activities and during a river sampling activity. Dimensions common among these activities included: an environment dimension, a motivation dimension, and an instruction dimension. The environment dimension included: incorporating novel learning activities, creating student interests, and introducing an element of perceived risk. The motivation dimension included: developing internal loci of control, facilitating high levels of self-efficacy, and

Improving epistemological beliefs and moral judgment through an STS-based science ethics education program.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Hyemin; Jeong, Changwoo

2014-03-01

This study develops a Science-Technology-Society (STS)-based science ethics education program for high school students majoring in or planning to major in science and engineering. Our education program includes the fields of philosophy, history, sociology and ethics of science and technology, and other STS-related theories. We expected our STS-based science ethics education program to promote students' epistemological beliefs and moral judgment development. These psychological constructs are needed to properly solve complicated moral and social dilemmas in the fields of science and engineering. We applied this program to a group of Korean high school science students gifted in science and engineering. To measure the effects of this program, we used an essay-based qualitative measurement. The results indicate that there was significant development in both epistemological beliefs and moral judgment. In closing, we briefly discuss the need to develop epistemological beliefs and moral judgment using an STS-based science ethics education program.

A qualitative, phenomenological study on the lived experiences of science teachers in The Bahamas

Science.gov (United States)

Micklewhite, Thalia Vionne

This phenomenological study investigates the lived experiences and perceptions of secondary science teachers in the archipelagic country of The Bahamas and how these teachers make meaning of the secondary science program in The Bahamas through the lens of life in a democratic society. The study's purpose was to answer the question: What are the lived experiences of secondary science teachers in The Bahamas in terms of their working conditions'? Using principles of phenomenological research to approach meaning, in-depth interviewing was conducted with six secondary science teachers on four islands of The Bahamas, including the capital of New Providence. The participants and the selected islands are representative of the diversity of teachers, the population, and school climates and structures throughout the country. Narratives were obtained via three ninety-minute interviews with each participant; and thematic analysis was the instrument by which three central themes emerged. Analysis of narratives reveals that lived experience of secondary science teachers revolve around themes of: (1) The Professional Self, (2) Curriculum Leadership, and (3) Curriculum. Most participants are in the career of secondary science education as second choice but are still committed to the profession. Participants overwhelmingly commented that there was a lack of supportive frameworks for critical elements of their daily work, and a need for clear, visionary and decisive curriculum leadership by The Ministry of Education and private School Boards. Participants also desired more appropriate and alternative science curricula that would meet the need of non-academically inclined Bahamian students. Antecedent to their calls was a pressing recognition that they lacked participatory democratic voice in national secondary science education evidenced by years of unrecognized and unattended suggestions sent to those in authority. As a result of these findings, the researcher was propelled towards

Functional Programming in Computer Science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Loren James [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Davis, Marion Kei [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-01-19

We explore functional programming through a 16-week internship at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Functional programming is a branch of computer science that has exploded in popularity over the past decade due to its high-level syntax, ease of parallelization, and abundant applications. First, we summarize functional programming by listing the advantages of functional programming languages over the usual imperative languages, and we introduce the concept of parsing. Second, we discuss the importance of lambda calculus in the theory of functional programming. Lambda calculus was invented by Alonzo Church in the 1930s to formalize the concept of effective computability, and every functional language is essentially some implementation of lambda calculus. Finally, we display the lasting products of the internship: additions to a compiler and runtime system for the pure functional language STG, including both a set of tests that indicate the validity of updates to the compiler and a compiler pass that checks for illegal instances of duplicate names.

Liberal Arts and Sciences Graduates' Reflections on Their Cooperative Education Experiences and Career Self-Efficacy

Science.gov (United States)

Brantley, Jennifer

2012-01-01

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to provide insight into Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) graduates' reflections on their cooperative education (co-op) experiences and resulting career self-efficacy. Wichita State University houses a cooperative education program, the only one of its kind in the state of Kansas. This program…

The Glory Program: Global Science from a Unique Spacecraft Integration

Science.gov (United States)

Bajpayee Jaya; Durham, Darcie; Ichkawich, Thomas

2006-01-01

The Glory program is an Earth and Solar science mission designed to broaden science community knowledge of the environment. The causes and effects of global warming have become a concern in recent years and Glory aims to contribute to the knowledge base of the science community. Glory is designed for two functions: one is solar viewing to monitor the total solar irradiance and the other is observing the Earth s atmosphere for aerosol composition. The former is done with an active cavity radiometer, while the latter is accomplished with an aerosol polarimeter sensor to discern atmospheric particles. The Glory program is managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) with Orbital Sciences in Dulles, VA as the prime contractor for the spacecraft bus, mission operations, and ground system. This paper will describe some of the more unique features of the Glory program including the integration and testing of the satellite and instruments as well as the science data processing. The spacecraft integration and test approach requires extensive analysis and additional planning to ensure existing components are successfully functioning with the new Glory components. The science mission data analysis requires development of mission unique processing systems and algorithms. Science data analysis and distribution will utilize our national assets at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) and the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP). The Satellite was originally designed and built for the Vegetation Canopy Lidar (VCL) mission, which was terminated in the middle of integration and testing due to payload development issues. The bus was then placed in secure storage in 2001 and removed from an environmentally controlled container in late 2003 to be refurbished to meet the Glory program requirements. Functional testing of all the components was done as a system at the start of the program, very different from a traditional program

Research Based Science Education: An Exemplary Program for Broader Impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, C. E.; Pompea, S. M.

2016-12-01

Broader impacts are most effective when standing on the shoulders of successful programs. The Research Based Science Education (RBSE) program was such a successful program and played a major role in activating effective opportunities beyond the scope of its program. NSF funded the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) to oversee the project from 1996-2008. RBSE provided primarily high school teachers with on-site astronomy research experiences and their students with astronomy research projects that their teachers could explain with confidence. The goal of most student research projects is to inspire and motivate students to go into STEM fields. The authors of the original NSF proposal felt that for students to do research in the classroom, a foundational research experience for teachers must first be provided. The key components of the program consisted of 16 teachers/year on average; a 15-week distance learning course covering astronomy content, research, mentoring and leadership skills; a subsequent 10-day summer workshop with half the time on Kitt Peak on research-class telescopes; results presented on the 9th day; research brought back to the classroom; more on-site observing opportunities for students and teachers; data placed on-line to reach a wider audience; opportunities to submit research articles to the project's refereed journal; and travel for teachers (and the 3 teachers they each mentored) to a professional meeting. In 2004, leveraging on the well-established RBSE program, the NOAO/NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Research began. Between 2005 and 2008, metrics included 32 teachers (mostly from RBSE), 10 scientists, 15 Spitzer Director Discretionary proposals, 31 AAS presentations and many Intel ISEF winners. Under new funding in 2009, the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program was born with similar goals and thankfully still runs today. Broader impacts, lessons learned and ideas for future projects will be discussed in this presentation.

Materials Sciences programs, fiscal year 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-09-01

Purpose of this report is to provide a convenient compilation and index of the DOE Materials Sciences Division programs. The report is divided into six sections. Section A contains all Laboratory projects, Section B has all contract research projects, Section C has projects funded under the Small Business Innovation Research Program, Sections D and E have information on DOE collaborative research centers, Section F gives distribution of funding, and Section G has various indexes

Training for life science experiments in space at the NASA Ames Research Center

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Annette T.; Maese, A. Christopher

1993-01-01

As this country prepares for exploration to other planets, the need to understand the affects of long duration exposure to microgravity is evident. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center's Space Life Sciences Payloads Office is responsible for a number of non-human life sciences payloads on NASA's Space Shuttle's Spacelab. Included in this responsibility is the training of those individuals who will be conducting the experiments during flight, the astronauts. Preparing a crew to conduct such experiments requires training protocols that build on simple tasks. Once a defined degree of performance proficiency is met for each task, these tasks are combined to increase the complexity of the activities. As tasks are combined into in-flight operations, they are subjected to time constraints and the crew enhances their skills through repetition. The science objectives must be completely understood by the crew and are critical to the overall training program. Completion of the in-flight activities is proof of success. Because the crew is exposed to the background of early research and plans for post-flight analyses, they have a vested interest in the flight activities. The salient features of this training approach is that it allows for flexibility in implementation, consideration of individual differences, and a greater ability to retain experiment information. This training approach offers another effective alternative training tool to existing methodologies.

Family Experiences, the Motivation for Science Learning and Science Achievement of Different Learner Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Schulze, Salomé; Lemmer, Eleanor

2017-01-01

Science education is particularly important for both developed and developing countries to promote technological development, global economic competition and economic growth. This study explored the relationship between family experiences, the motivation for science learning, and the science achievement of a group of Grade Nine learners in South…

The Dimensions and Impact of Informal Science Learning Experiences on Middle Schoolers' Attitudes and Abilities in Science

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Pei-Yi; Schunn, Christian D.

2016-01-01

Learners encounter science in a wide variety of contexts beyond the science classroom which collectively could be quite influential on student attitudes and abilities. But relatively little is known about the relative influence of different forms of informal science experiences, especially for the kinds of experiences that students typically…

Suborbital Science Program: Dryden Flight Research Center

Science.gov (United States)

DelFrate, John

2008-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the suborbital science program at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. The Program Objectives are given in various areas: (1) Satellite Calibration and Validation (Cal/val)--Provide methods to perform the cal/val requirements for Earth Observing System satellites; (2) New Sensor Development -- Provide methods to reduce risk for new sensor concepts and algorithm development prior to committing sensors to operations; (3) Process Studies -- Facilitate the acquisition of high spatial/temporal resolution focused measurements that are required to understand small atmospheric and surface structures which generate powerful Earth system effects; and (4) Airborne Networking -- Develop disruption-tolerant networking to enable integrated multiple scale measurements of critical environmental features. Dryden supports the NASA Airborne Science Program and the nation in several elements: ER-2, G-3, DC-8, Ikhana (Predator B) & Global Hawk and Reveal. These are reviewed in detail in the presentation.

Science in the General Educational Development (GED) curriculum: Analyzing the science portion of GED programs and exploring adult students' attitudes toward science

Science.gov (United States)

Hariharan, Joya Reena

The General Educational Development (GED) tests enable people to earn a high school equivalency diploma and help them to qualify for more jobs and opportunities. Apart from this main goal, GED courses aim at enabling adults to improve the condition of their lives and to cope with a changing society. In today's world, science and technology play an exceedingly important role in helping people better their lives and in promoting the national goals of informed citizenship. Despite the current efforts in the field of secondary science education directed towards scientific literacy and the concept of "Science for all Americans", the literature does not reflect any corresponding efforts in the field of adult education. Science education research appears to have neglected a population that could possibly benefit from it. The purpose of this study is to explore: the science component of GED programs, significant features of the science portion of GED curricula and GED science materials, and adult learners' attitudes toward various aspects of science. Data collection methods included interviews with GED students and instructors, content analysis of relevant materials, and classroom observations. Data indicate that the students in general feel that the science they learn should be relevant to their lives and have direct applications in everyday life. Student understanding of science and interest in it appears to be contingent to their perceiving it as relevant to their lives and to society. Findings indicate that the instructional approaches used in GED programs influence students' perceptions about the relevance of science. Students in sites that use strategies such as group discussions and field trips appear to be more aware of science in the world around them and more enthusiastic about increasing this awareness. However, the dominant strategy in most GED programs is individual reading. The educational strategies used in GED programs generally focus on developing reading

Architecting Learning Continuities for Families Across Informal Science Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Perin, Suzanne Marie

By first recognizing the valuable social and scientific practices taking place within families as they learn science together across multiple, everyday settings, this dissertation addresses questions of how to design and scaffold activities that build and expand on those practices to foster a deep understanding of science, and how the aesthetic experience of learning science builds connections across educational settings. Families were invited to visit a natural history museum, an aquarium, and a place or activity of the family's choice that they associated with science learning. Some families were asked to use a set of activities during their study visits based on the practices of science (National Research Council, 2012), which were delivered via smartphone app or on paper cards. I use design-based research, video data analysis and interaction analysis to examine how families build connections between informal science learning settings. Chapter 2 outlines the research-based design process of creating activities for families that fostered connections across multiple learning settings, regardless of the topical content of those settings. Implications of this study point to means for linking everyday family social practices such as questioning, observing, and disagreeing to the practices of science through activities that are not site-specific. The next paper delves into aesthetic experience of science learning, and I use video interaction analysis and linguistic analysis to show how notions of beauty and pleasure (and their opposites) are perfused throughout learning activity. Designing for aesthetic experience overtly -- building on the sensations of enjoyment and pleasure in the learning experience -- can motivate those who might feel alienated by the common conception of science as merely a dispassionate assembly of facts, discrete procedures or inaccessible theory. The third paper, a case study of a family who learns about salmon in each of the sites they visit

Collaborative, Early-undergraduate-focused REU Programs at Savannah State University have been Vital to Growing a Demographically Diverse Ocean Science Community

Science.gov (United States)

Gilligan, M. R.; Cox, T. M.; Hintz, C. J.

2011-12-01

Formal support for undergraduates to participate in marine/ocean science research at Savannah State University (SSU), a historically-Black unit of the University System of Georgia, began in 1989 with funding from the National Science Foundation for an unsolicited proposal (OCE-8919102, 34,935). Today SSU, which has offered B.S degrees since 1979 and M.S. degrees since 2001 in Marine Sciences, is making major contributions nationally to demographic diversity in ocean sciences. 33% of Master's degrees in marine/ocean sciences earned by African Americans in the U.S. from 2004-2007 were earned at SSU. 10% of African American Master's and Doctoral students in marine/ ocean sciences in 2007 were either enrolled in the Master's program at SSU or were former SSU students enrolled in Doctoral programs elsewhere. Collaborative REU programs that focus on early (freshman and sophomore) undergraduate students have been a consistent and vital part of that success. In the most recent iteration of our summer REU program we used six of the best practices outlined in the literature to increase success and retention of underrepresented minority students in STEM fields: early intervention, strong mentoring, research experience, career counseling, financial support, workshops and seminars. The early intervention with strong mentoring has proven successful in several metrics: retention in STEM majors (96%), progression to graduate school (50%), and continuation to later research experiences (75%). Research mentors include faculty at staff at SSU, the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary and Georgia Tech-Savannah. Formal collaborative and cooperative agreements, externally-funded grants, and contracts in support of student research training have proven to be critical in providing resources for growth and improvement marine science curricular options at the University. Since 1981 the program has had four formal partnerships and 36 funded grant awards

NASA Life Sciences Program

Science.gov (United States)

1995-01-01

This Life Science Program video examines the variety of projects that study both the physiological and psychological impacts on astronauts due to extended space missions. The hazards of space radiation and microgravity effects on the human body are described, along with these effects on plant growth, and the performance of medical procedures in space. One research technique, which is hoped to provide help for future space travel, is the study of aquanauts and their life habits underwater.

Science and students: Yucca Mountain project's education outreach program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gil, A.V.; Larkin, E.L.; Reilly, B.; Austin, P.

1992-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is very concerned about the lack of understanding of basic science. Increasingly, critical decisions regarding the use of energy, technology, and the environment are being made. A well-educated and science-literate public is vital to the success of these decisions. Science education and school instruction are integral parts of the DOE's public outreach program on the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP). Project staff and scientists speak to elementary, junior high, high school, and university students, accepting all speaking invitations. The objectives of this outreach program include the following: (1) educating Nevada students about the concept of a high-level nuclear waste repository; (2) increasing awareness of energy and environmental issues; (3) helping students understand basic concepts of earth science and geology in relation to siting a potential repository; and (4) giving students information about careers in science and engineering

The Impact of Work-Integrated Learning Experiences on Attaining Graduate Attributes for Exercise and Sports Science Students

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Melinda; Pascoe, Deborah; Charity, Megan

2017-01-01

Exercise and Sports Science (E&SS) programs at Federation University Australia provide work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities for students to develop, apply and consolidate theoretical knowledge in the workplace. This study aimed to determine the influence of WIL experiences on achieving common graduate attributes for E&SS students.…

Teaching Data Science

OpenAIRE

Brunner, Robert J.; Kim, Edward J.

2016-01-01

We describe an introductory data science course, entitled Introduction to Data Science, offered at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The course introduced general programming concepts by using the Python programming language with an emphasis on data preparation, processing, and presentation. The course had no prerequisites, and students were not expected to have any programming experience. This introductory course was designed to cover a wide range of topics, from the nature of ...

Planning a New Education and Outreach Program Based on Past Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Prescott, W. H.; Eriksson, S. C.

2004-12-01

In 2004, UNAVCO, a geodetic research consortium, celebrated its 20th birthday and hired its first Education and Outreach Coordinator. UNAVCO has informally reached out to various constituents such as geodetic researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, and K-12 teachers through web-based mapping tools, short courses, and one-to-one training on research equipment. A strategically planned and implemented Education and Outreach Program will, by definition, depend on the organization's leadership and on the experience of the people leading such a program. Based on 39 years of combined experience, here are some lessons-learned that will inform UNAVCO's efforts. E & O should focus on what is special and unique to our organization. UNAVCO supports high precision, GPS, geodetic research as its primary mission. Define our audience. UNAVCO serves the research scientists at the member institutions. Do we have a broader goal of helping in the education of undergraduates? Is our work relevant in middle and secondary school? Include the audience in planning what we will do. A two-way dialogue to determine the most effective education and outreach products must balance what scientists think the audience needs and having the audience learn about a subject to help in making decisions. Involve the scientists and decision-makers in the process to develop ownership. Having people `buy in' from the beginning is important for participation, advocacy, and finding long term resources. Decide on quality and quantity. Is it important to serve large numbers of people? Would a small program that focuses on a few individuals over a long period of time serve the organization's goals better? What do we need from an E & O program? Being explicit about what an organization needs from E & O helps define what activities it will do. Does UNAVCO need visibility with members? Does the membership need help with `broader impacts'? Does UNAVCO see itself serving its members or being a `good citizen

Customizing Process to Align with Purpose and Program: The 2003 MS PHD'S in Ocean Sciences Program Evaluative Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, V. A.; Pyrtle, A. J.

2004-12-01

How did the 2003 Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success (MS PHD'S) in Ocean Sciences Program customize evaluative methodology and instruments to align with program goals and processes? How is data captured to document cognitive and affective impact? How are words and numbers utilized to accurately illustrate programmatic outcomes? How is compliance with implicit and explicit funding regulations demonstrated? The 2003 MS PHD'S in Ocean Sciences Program case study provides insightful responses to each of these questions. MS PHD'S was developed by and for underrepresented minorities to facilitate increased and sustained participation in Earth system science. Key components of this initiative include development of a community of scholars sustained by face-to-face and virtual mentoring partnerships; establishment of networking activities between and among undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate students, scientists, faculty, professional organization representatives, and federal program officers; and provision of forums to address real world issues as identified by each constituent group. The evaluative case study of the 2003 MS PHD'S in Ocean Sciences Program consists of an analysis of four data sets. Each data set was aligned to document progress in the achievement of the following program goals: Goal 1: The MS PHD'S Ocean Sciences Program will successfully market, recruit, select, and engage underrepresented student and non-student participants with interest/ involvement in Ocean Sciences; Goal 2: The MS PHD'S Ocean Sciences Program will provide meaningful engagement for participants as determined by quantitative analysis of user-feedback; Goal 3: The MS PHD'S Ocean Sciences Program will provide meaningful engagement for participants as determined by qualitative analysis of user-feedback, and; Goal 4: The MS PHD'S Ocean Sciences Program will develop a constituent base adequate to demonstrate evidence of interest, value, need and sustainability in

The Maryland nuclear science baccalaureate degree program: The university perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janke, T.A.

1989-01-01

Nuclear utilities' efforts in response to industry-wide pressures to provide operations staff with degree opportunities have encountered formidable barriers. This paper describes, from the university's perspective, the development and operation of the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) special baccalaureate program in nuclear science. This program has successfully overcome these problems to provide degree education on-site, on-line, and on time. Program delivery began in 1984 with one utility and a single site. It is currently delivered at eight sites under contract to six utilities with a total active student count of over 500. The first graduates are expected in 1989. The program is an accredited university program and enjoys licensure approval from the six states within which it operates. In addition to meeting US Nuclear Regulatory Commission proposed guidelines for degreed operators, the program increasingly appears as part of utility management development programs for all plant personnel and a factor in employee retention. The owner utilities, the University of Maryland, and the growing user's group are committed to the academic integrity, technical capability, and responsiveness of the program. The full support of this partnership speaks well for the long-term service of the Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Science program to the nuclear power industry

To touch the science through the experiment!

Science.gov (United States)

Słowik, Grzegorz

2016-04-01

To touch the science through the experiment! Grzegorz P. Slowik, Gymnasium No. 2 in Zielona Gora, Poland Our School - Gymnasium No. 2 in Zielona Gora - where pupils' age is 13 -16, has for many years organized a lot of exciting events popularizing science among Zielona Gora children and young people, in particular experimental physics and astronomy. The best known in our town is the regular event on physics, - called the physical Festival of Zielona Gora, of which I am the main initiator and organizer. The Festival is directed to students of the last classes of Zielona Góra primary schools. During the Festivities their shows have also physicists and astronomers, from cooperating with us in popularization of science Zielona Gora University. At the festival the students from our Experimental School Group "Archimedes". Presented their own prepared themselves physical experience. With considerable help of students of Gymnasium No. 2 interested in astronomy, we organize the cyclical event, named "Cosmic Santa Claus," where I share with the students the knowledge gained through my active annual participation in the Space Workshop organized by the Science Centre in Warsaw. We all have fun and learn in a great way and with a smile, we touch real science that reveals its secrets!

A Mathematical Sciences Program at an Upper-Division Campus.

Science.gov (United States)

Swetz, Frank J.

1978-01-01

The conception, objectives, contents, and limitations of a degree program in the mathematical sciences at Pennsylvania State University, Capitol Campus, are discussed. Career goals that may be pursued include: managerial, science, education, actuarial, and computer. (MP)

Are We Doing Any Good? A Value-Added Analysis of UBC's Science One Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chris Waltham

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Science One is a full academic year interdisciplinary alternative to the traditional first-year experience in the Faculty of Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC. Anecdotal reports suggest that alumni/ae of the program do very well in upper-level classes and many become successful graduate and medical students. The high faculty/student ratio makes the program an expensive one, however, and thus we have sought rigorous evidence of the benefits to our students. Our approach has been a value-added one; we have compared high-school and upper-level undergraduate grades for students in all UBC's first-year science programs. We have found a clear signal that there is a large benefit to participating in Science One, and conclude that this arises from a combination of the recruitment of enthusiastic students who are up for a challenge, the Science One admissions process, and taking the program itself.Science One consiste en une année scolaire interdisciplinaire complète qui représente une variante de l’expérience traditionnelle vécue en première année à la Faculté des sciences de l’Université de la Colombie-Britannique (UBC. Des rapports isolés suggèrent que les anciens étudiants du programme obtiennent de très bons résultats dans les cours de niveau supérieur et plusieurs obtiennent leur diplôme avec succès et étudient en médecine. Cependant, le ratio élevé enseignant/étudiant fait en sorte que le programme coûte cher, c’est pourquoi les auteurs ont cherché à obtenir des données probantes sur les avantages qu’il présente pour leurs étudiants. Ils ont employé la méthode de la valeur ajoutée; ont comparé les notes obtenues au secondaire et celles des étudiants de premier cycle inscrits à des cours de niveau supérieur dans tous les programmes scientifiques offerts à l’UBC. Ils ont découvert que la participation à Science One est très bénéfique et ont conclu que cela résulte d�

2011 Joint Science Education Project: Research Experience in Polar Science

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkening, J.; Ader, V.

2011-12-01

The Joint Science Education Project (JSEP), sponsored by the National Science Foundation, is a two-part program that brings together students and teachers from the United States, Greenland, and Denmark, for a unique cross-cultural, first-hand experience of the realities of polar science field research in Greenland. During JSEP, students experienced research being conducted on and near the Greenland ice sheet by attending researcher presentations, visiting NSF-funded field sites (including Summit and NEEM field stations, both located on the Greenland ice sheet), and designing and conducting research projects in international teams. The results of two of these projects will be highlighted. The atmospheric project investigated the differences in CO2, UVA, UVB, temperature, and albedo in different Arctic microenvironments, while also examining the interaction between the atmosphere and water present in the given environments. It was found that the carbon dioxide levels varied: glacial environments having the lowest levels, with an average concentration of 272.500 ppm, and non-vegetated, terrestrial environments having the highest, with an average concentration of 395.143 ppm. Following up on these results, it is planned to further investigate the interaction of the water and atmosphere, including water's role in the uptake of carbon dioxide. The ecology project investigated the occurrence of unusual large blooms of Nostoc cyanobacteria in Kangerlussuaq area lakes. The water chemistry of the lakes which contained the cyanobacteria and the lakes that did not were compared. The only noticeable difference was of the lakes' acidity, lakes containing the blooms had an average pH value of 8.58, whereas lakes without the blooms had an average pH value of 6.60. Further investigation of these results is needed to determine whether or not this was a cause or effect of the cyanobacteria blooms. As a next step, it is planned to attempt to grow the blooms to monitor their effects on

Student Science Training Program in Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science. Final Report to the National Science Foundation. Artificial Intelligence Memo No. 393.

Science.gov (United States)

Abelson, Harold; diSessa, Andy

During the summer of 1976, the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory sponsored a Student Science Training Program in Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science for high ability secondary school students. This report describes, in some detail, the style of the program, the curriculum and the projects the students under-took. It is hoped that this…

Opportunities in Participatory Science and Citizen Science with MRO's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment: A Virtual Science Team Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Gulick, Ginny

2009-09-01

We report on the accomplishments of the HiRISE EPO program over the last two and a half years of science operations. We have focused primarily on delivering high impact science opportunities through our various participatory science and citizen science websites. Uniquely, we have invited students from around the world to become virtual HiRISE team members by submitting target suggestions via our HiRISE Quest Image challenges using HiWeb the team's image suggestion facility web tools. When images are acquired, students analyze their returned images, write a report and work with a HiRISE team member to write a image caption for release on the HiRISE website (http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu). Another E/PO highlight has been our citizen scientist effort, HiRISE Clickworkers (http://clickworkers.arc.nasa.gov/hirise). Clickworkers enlists volunteers to identify geologic features (e.g., dunes, craters, wind streaks, gullies, etc.) in the HiRISE images and help generate searchable image databases. In addition, the large image sizes and incredible spatial resolution of the HiRISE camera can tax the capabilities of the most capable computers, so we have also focused on enabling typical users to browse, pan and zoom the HiRISE images using our HiRISE online image viewer (http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/HiRISE/hirise_images/). Our educational materials available on the HiRISE EPO web site (http://hirise.seti.org/epo) include an assortment of K through college level, standards-based activity books, a K through 3 coloring/story book, a middle school level comic book, and several interactive educational games, including Mars jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, word searches and flash cards.

Reconstructing Iconic Experiments in Electrochemistry: Experiences from a History of Science Course

Science.gov (United States)

Eggen, Per-Odd; Kvittingen, Lise; Lykknes, Annette; Wittje, Roland

2012-01-01

The decomposition of water by electricity, and the voltaic pile as a means of generating electricity, have both held an iconic status in the history of science as well as in the history of science teaching. These experiments featured in chemistry and physics textbooks, as well as in classroom teaching, throughout the nineteenth and twentieth…

Meteorological Development Laboratory Student Career Experience Program

Science.gov (United States)

McCalla, C., Sr.

2007-12-01

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. The NWS's Meteorological Development Laboratory (MDL) supports this mission by developing meteorological prediction methods. Given this mission, NOAA, NWS, and MDL all have a need to continually recruit talented scientists. One avenue for recruiting such talented scientist is the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP). Through SCEP, MDL offers undergraduate and graduate students majoring in meteorology, computer science, mathematics, oceanography, physics, and statistics the opportunity to alternate full-time paid employment with periods of full-time study. Using SCEP as a recruiting vehicle, MDL has employed students who possess some of the very latest technical skills and knowledge needed to make meaningful contributions to projects within the lab. MDL has recently expanded its use of SCEP and has increased the number of students (sometimes called co- ops) in its program. As a co-op, a student can expect to develop and implement computer based scientific techniques, participate in the development of statistical algorithms, assist in the analysis of meteorological data, and verify forecasts. This presentation will focus on describing recruitment, projects, and the application process related to MDL's SCEP. In addition, this presentation will also briefly explore the career paths of students who successfully completed the program.

The women in science and engineering scholars program

Science.gov (United States)

Falconer, Etta Z.; Guy, Lori Ann

1989-01-01

The Women in Science and Engineering Scholars Program provides scientifically talented women students, including those from groups underrepresented in the scientific and technical work force, with the opportunity to pursue undergraduate studies in science and engineering in the highly motivating and supportive environment of Spelman College. It also exposes students to research training at NASA Centers during the summer. The program provides an opportunity for students to increase their knowledge of career opportunities at NASA and to strengthen their motivation through exposure to NASA women scientists and engineers as role models. An extensive counseling and academic support component to maximize academic performance supplements the instructional and research components. The program is designed to increase the number of women scientists and engineers with graduate degrees, particularly those with an interest in a career with NASA.

Supporting new science teachers in pursuing socially just science education

Science.gov (United States)

Ruggirello, Rachel; Flohr, Linda

2017-10-01

This forum explores contradictions that arose within the partnership between Teach for America (TFA) and a university teacher education program. TFA is an alternate route teacher preparation program that places individuals into K-12 classrooms in low-income school districts after participating in an intense summer training program and provides them with ongoing support. This forum is a conversation about the challenges we faced as new science teachers in the TFA program and in the Peace Corps program. We both entered the teaching field with science degrees and very little formal education in science education. In these programs we worked in a community very different from the one we had experienced as students. These experiences allow us to address many of the issues that were discussed in the original paper, namely teaching in an unfamiliar community amid challenges that many teachers face in the first few years of teaching. We consider how these challenges may be amplified for teachers who come to teaching through an alternate route and may not have as much pedagogical training as a more traditional teacher education program provides. The forum expands on the ideas presented in the original paper to consider the importance of perspectives on socially just science education. There is often a disconnect between what is taught in teacher education programs and what teachers actually experience in urban classrooms and this can be amplified when the training received through alternate route provides a different framework as well. This forum urges universities and alternate route programs to continue to find ways to authentically partner using practical strategies that bring together the philosophies and goals of all stakeholders in order to better prepare teachers to partner with their students to achieve their science learning goals.

An Analysis of NSF Geosciences Research Experience for Undergraduate Site Programs from 2009 through 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Rom, E. L.; Patino, L. C.; Weiler, S.; Sanchez, S. C.; Colon, Y.; Antell, L.

2011-12-01

The Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) Program at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) provides U.S. undergraduate students from any college or university the opportunity to conduct research at a different institution and gain a better understanding of research career pathways. The Geosciences REU Sites foster research opportunities in areas closely aligned with geoscience programs, particularly those related to earth, atmospheric and ocean sciences. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the Geosciences REU Site programs run in 2009 through 2011. A survey requesting information on recruitment methods, student demographics, enrichment activities, and fields of research was sent to the Principal Investigators of each of the active REU Sites. Over 70% of the surveys were returned with the requested information from about 50 to 60 sites each year. The internet is the most widely used mechanism to recruit participants, with personal communication as the second most important recruiting tool. The admissions rate for REU Sites in Geosciences varies from less than 10% to 50%, with the majority of participants being rising seniors and juniors. Many of the participants come from non-PhD granting institutions. Among the participants, gender distribution varies by discipline, with ocean sciences having a large majority of women and earth sciences having a majority of men. Regarding ethnic diversity, the REU Sites reflect the difficulty of attracting diverse students into Geosciences as a discipline; a large majority of participants are Caucasian and Asian students. Furthermore, participants from minority-serving institutions and community colleges constitute a small percentage of those taking part in these research experiences. The enrichment activities are very similar across the REU Sites, and mimic activities common to the scientific community, including intellectual exchange of ideas (lab meetings, seminars, and professional meetings

Mapping classroom experiences through the eyes of enlace students: The development of science literate identities

Science.gov (United States)

Oemig, Paulo Andreas

The culture of a science classroom favors a particular speech community, thus membership requires students becoming bilingual and bicultural at the same time. The complexity of learning science rests in that it not only possesses a unique lexicon and discourse, but it ultimately entails a way of knowing. My dissertation examined the academic engagement and perceptions of a group (N=30) of high school students regarding their science literate practices. These students were participating in an Engaging Latino Communities for Education (ENLACE) program whose purpose is to increase Latino high school graduation rates and assist them with college entrance requirements. At the time of the study, 19 students were enrolled in different science classes to fulfill the science requirements for graduation. The primary research question: What kind of science classroom learning environment supports science literate identities for Latino/a students? was addressed through a convergent parallel mixed research design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011). Over the course of an academic semester I interviewed all 30 students arranged in focus groups and observed in their science classes. ENLACE students expressed interest in science when it was taught through hands-on activities or experiments. Students also stressed the importance of having teachers who made an effort to get to know them as persons and not just as students. Students felt more engaged in science when they perceived their teachers respected them for their experiences and knowledge. Findings strongly suggest students will be more interested in science when they have opportunities to learn through contextualized practices. Science literate identities can be promoted when inquiry serves as a vehicle for students to engage in the language of the discipline in all its modalities. Inquiry-based activities, when carefully planned and implemented, can provide meaningful spaces for students to construct knowledge, evaluate claims

NASA Applied Sciences' DEVELOP National Program: a unique model cultivating capacity in the geosciences

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, K. W.; Favors, J. E.; Childs-Gleason, L. M.; Ruiz, M. L.; Rogers, L.; Allsbrook, K. N.

2013-12-01

The NASA DEVELOP National Program takes a unique approach to cultivating the next generation of geoscientists through interdisciplinary research projects that address environmental and public policy issues through the application of NASA Earth observations. Competitively selected teams of students, recent graduates, and early career professionals take ownership of project proposals outlining basic application concepts and have ten weeks to research core scientific challenges, engage partners and end-users, demonstrate prototypical solutions, and finalize and document their results and outcomes. In this high pressure, results-driven environment emerging geoscience professionals build strong networks, hone effective communication skills, and learn how to call on the varied strengths of a multidisciplinary team to achieve difficult objectives. The DEVELOP approach to workforce development has a variety of advantages over classic apprenticeship-style internship systems. Foremost is the experiential learning of grappling with real-world applied science challenges as a primary actor instead of as an observer or minor player. DEVELOP participants gain experience that fosters personal strengths and service to others, promoting a balance of leadership and teamwork in order to successfully address community needs. The program also advances understanding of Earth science data and technology amongst participants and partner organizations to cultivate skills in managing schedules, risks and resources to best optimize outcomes. Individuals who come through the program gain experience and networking opportunities working within NASA and partner organizations that other internship and academic activities cannot replicate providing not only skill development but an introduction to future STEM-related career paths. With the competitive nature and growing societal role of science and technology in today's global community, DEVELOP fosters collaboration and advances environmental

More Life-Science Experiments For Spacelab

Science.gov (United States)

Savage, P. D., Jr.; Dalton, B.; Hogan, R.; Leon, H.

1991-01-01

Report describes experiments done as part of Spacelab Life Sciences 2 mission (SLS-2). Research planned on cardiovascular, vestibular, metabolic, and thermal responses of animals in weightlessness. Expected to shed light on effects of prolonged weightlessness on humans.

Changes in Urban Youths' Attitude Towards Science and Perception of a Mobile Science Lab Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Jared

This dissertation examined changes in urban youth's attitude towards science as well as their perception of the informal science education setting and third space opportunity provided by the BioBus, a mobile science lab. Science education researchers have often suggested that informal science education settings provide one possible way to positively influence student attitude towards science and engage marginalized urban youth within the traditional science classroom (Banks et al., 2007; Hofstein & Rosenfeld, 1996; National Research Council, 2009; Schwarz & Stolow, 2006; Stocklmayer, Rennie, & Gilbert, 2010). However, until now, this possibility has not been explored within the setting of a mobile science lab nor examined using a theoretical framework intent on analyzing how affective outcomes may occur. The merits of this analytical stance were evaluated via observation, attitudinal survey, open-response questionnaire, and interview data collected before and after a mobile science lab experience from a combination of 239 students in Grades 6, 8, 9, 11, and 12 from four different schools within a major Northeastern metropolitan area. Findings from this study suggested that urban youth's attitude towards science changed both positively and negatively in statistically significant ways after a BioBus visit and that the experience itself was highly enjoyable. Furthermore, implications for how to construct a third space within the urban science classroom and the merits of utilizing the theoretical framework developed to analyze cultural tensions between urban youth and school science are discussed. Key Words: Attitude towards science, third space, mobile science lab, urban science education.

NASA's Earth Science Flight Program Meets the Challenges of Today and Tomorrow

Science.gov (United States)

Ianson, Eric E.

2016-01-01

NASA's Earth science flight program is a dynamic undertaking that consists of a large fleet of operating satellites, an array of satellite and instrument projects in various stages of development, a robust airborne science program, and a massive data archiving and distribution system. Each element of the flight program is complex and present unique challenges. NASA builds upon its successes and learns from its setbacks to manage this evolving portfolio to meet NASA's Earth science objectives. NASA fleet of 16 operating missions provide a wide range of scientific measurements made from dedicated Earth science satellites and from instruments mounted to the International Space Station. For operational missions, the program must address issues such as an aging satellites operating well beyond their prime mission, constellation flying, and collision avoidance with other spacecraft and orbital debris. Projects in development are divided into two broad categories: systematic missions and pathfinders. The Earth Systematic Missions (ESM) include a broad range of multi-disciplinary Earth-observing research satellite missions aimed at understanding the Earth system and its response to natural and human-induced forces and changes. Understanding these forces will help determine how to predict future changes, and how to mitigate or adapt to these changes. The Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) program provides frequent, regular, competitively selected Earth science research opportunities that accommodate new and emerging scientific priorities and measurement capabilities. This results in a series of relatively low-cost, small-sized investigations and missions. Principal investigators whose scientific objectives support a variety of studies lead these missions, including studies of the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, polar ice regions, or solid Earth. This portfolio of missions and investigations provides opportunity for investment in innovative Earth science that enhances

Science on air: a journey through early science programmes in US radio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matteo Merzagora

2009-03-01

Full Text Available “Science on the air” is an enjoyable and extremely well researched account of the origins of science programming in north American radio. From 1923 to the mid-50s, LaFollette takes us in a journey through the life and programs of many scientists, journalists and storytellers who chosed radio as a medium for science communication. A journey who allow the reader to visit many success, but also many incomprehension and missed opportunities, mainly by scientific institutions, who often failed to understand the potential of radio as a tool for science communication. It is a fully enjoyable journey, that leave the reader with an appetite to know how the US situation relates to other wonderful experiences around the world in the same years, and how those pioneer experiences influenced today's landscape.

Science Education and Public Outreach Forums (SEPOF): Providing Coordination and Support for NASA's Science Mission Directorate Education and Outreach Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Mendez, B. J.; Smith, D.; Shipp, S. S.; Schwerin, T. G.; Stockman, S. A.; Cooper, L. P.; Peticolas, L. M.

2009-12-01

NASA is working with four newly-formed Science Education and Public Outreach Forums (SEPOFs) to increase the overall coherence of the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program. SEPOFs support the astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary and Earth science divisions of NASA SMD in three core areas: * E/PO Community Engagement and Development * E/PO Product and Project Activity Analysis * Science Education and Public Outreach Forum Coordination Committee Service. SEPOFs are collaborating with NASA and external science and education and outreach communities in E/PO on multiple levels ranging from the mission and non-mission E/PO project activity managers, project activity partners, and scientists and researchers, to front line agents such as naturalists/interpreters, teachers, and higher education faculty, to high level agents such as leadership at state education offices, local schools, higher education institutions, and professional societies. The overall goal for the SEPOFs is increased awareness, knowledge, and understanding of scientists, researchers, engineers, technologists, educators, product developers, and dissemination agents of best practices, existing NASA resources, and community expertise applicable to E/PO. By coordinating and supporting the NASA E/PO Community, the NASA/SEPOF partnerships will lead to more effective, sustainable, and efficient utilization of NASA science discoveries and learning experiences.

The South Carolina Amazing Coast Program: Using Ocean Sciences to Address Next Generation Science Standards in Grades 3-5

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, E. V.; Thomas, C.; Weiss, B.; Bliss, A.; Spence, L.

2013-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are more inclusive of ocean sciences than the National Science Standards and respective state science standards. In response, the Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence-SouthEast (COSEE SE) is piloting the South Carolina's Amazing Coast (SCAC) program: a three-year initiative that incorporates ocean science concepts in grades 3-5 with the goals of addressing NGSS, STEM (science-technology-engineering-math) disciplines, and inquiry skills. The SCAC program targeted two Charleston County, South Carolina elementary schools that were demographically similar: Title 1 status (75% free or reduced lunch), > 90% African American student population, grade level size inquiry skills. Specifically, third grade students learn about coastal habitats, animal and plant adaptations, and human impacts to the environment, and engage in a salt marsh restoration capstone project. This part of the curriculum aligns with the NGSS Core Ideas 3-LS1, 3-LS3, 3-LS4, 3-ESS3. The fourth grade students learn about weather, organism responses to the environment, and engage in a weather buoy construction capstone project. This part of the curriculum aligns with the NGSSS Core Ideas 4-LS1, 4-ESS2, 4-ESS3, 3-5-ETS1. In 5th grade, students focus specifically on the ocean ecosystem, human impacts on the environment and engage in a capstone project of designing and constructing remotely operated vehicles. This part of the curriculum aligns with NGSS Core Ideas 5-PS2, 5-LS1, 5-LS2, 5-ESS2, 3-5-ETS1. Initial evaluation results indicate that the SCAC teachers value the coach mentor approach for teacher professional development as well as the impact of field based experiences, place-based learning, and a culminating capstone project on student learning. Teacher feedback also indicates elements of sustainability that extend beyond the scope of the pilot project.These initial evaluation results poise the SCAC curriculum to be replicated in other

MS PHD'S PDP: Vision, Design, Implementation, and Outcomes of a Minority-Focused Earth System Sciences Program

Science.gov (United States)

Habtes, S. Y.; Mayo, M.; Ithier-Guzman, W.; Pyrtle, A. J.; Williamson Whitney, V.

2007-05-01

As minorities are predicted to comprise at least 33% of the US population by the year 2010, their representation in the STEM fields, including the ocean sciences, is still poorly established. In order to advance the goal of better decision making, the Ocean Sciences community must achieve greater levels of diversity in membership. To achieve this objective of greater diversity in the sciences, the Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science® Professional Development Program (MS PHD'S PDP), which was launched in 2003, is supported via grants from NASA's Office of Earth Science, and NSF's Directorate for Geosciences. The MS PHD'S PDP is designed to provide professional and mentoring experiences that facilitate the advancement of minorities committed to achieving outstanding Earth System Science careers. The MS PHD'S PDP is structured in three phases, connected by engagement in a virtual community, continuous peer and mentor to mentee interactions, and the professional support necessary for ensuring the educational success of the student participants. Since the pilot program in 2003, the MSPHD'S PDP, housed at the University of South Florida's College of Marine Science, has produced 4 cohorts of students. Seventy-five have completed the program; of those 6 have earned their doctoral degrees. Of the 45 current participants 10 are graduate students in Marine Science and 15 are still undergraduates, the remaining 10 participants are graduate students in other STEM fields. Since the implementation of the MSPHD'S PDP a total of 87 students and 33 scientist mentors have become part of the MSPHD'S virtual community, helping to improve the learning environment for current and future participants as well as build a community of minority students that encourages each other to pursue their academic degrees.

Materials Sciences programs. Fiscal year 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-09-01

The purpose of this report is to provide a convenient compilation and index of the DOE Materials Sciences Division programs. This compilation is intended for use by administrators, managers, and scientists to help coordinate research and as an aid in selecting new programs. The report is divided into five sections. Section A contains all laboratory projects, Section B has all contract research projects, Section C has information on DOE collaborative research centers, Section D shows distribution of funding, and Section E has various indices

An Investigation of a Culturally Responsive Approach to Science Education in a Summer Program for Marginalized Youth

Science.gov (United States)

Garvin, Brittany A.

There have been numerous calls and efforts made to provide states, school districts, and communities needed financial support to increase and enhance access to and opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) related disciplines for marginalized populations (Tyson, Lee, & Hanson, 2007; Caldwell & Siwatu, 2003). As the challenge to better educate students of color and poor students intensifies, the need to provide equitable science learning experiences for all students aimed at scientific literacy and STEM also becomes critical. Thus the need to provide summer science enrichment programs where students engage in scientific experimentation, investigation, and critical thinking are vital to helping students who have been traditionally marginalized achieve success in school science and enter the science career pipeline. This mixed methods study examined the impact of a culturally responsive approach on student attitudes, interests in science education and STEM careers, and basic science content knowledge before and after participation in an upward bound summer program. Quantitative results indicated using a culturally responsive approach to teach science in an informal learning space significantly increases student achievement. Students receiving culturally responsive science instruction exhibited statistically significant increases in their posttest science scores compared to pretest science scores, M = 0.376, 95% CI [0.266, 0.487], t (10) = 7.610, p < 0.001. Likewise, students receiving culturally responsive science instruction had a significantly higher interest in science (M = 1.740, SD = 0.548) and STEM careers, M = 0.597, 95% CI [0.276, 0.919], p = 0.001. The qualitative data obtained in this study sought to gain a more in-depth understanding of the impact of a culturally responsive approach on students' attitudes, interests in science and STEM careers. Findings suggest providing students the opportunity to do and learn science utilizing a

Operating experience feedback program at Olkiluoto NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosonen, Mikko

2002-01-01

Recent review and development of the operating experience feedback program will be described. The development of the program has been based on several reviews by outside organizations. Main conclusions from these review reports and from the self assessment of safety performance, safety problems and safety culture on the basis of the operational events made by ASSET-method will be described. An approach to gather and analyze small events - so-called near misses - will be described. The operating experience program has been divided into internal and external operating experience. ASSET-methodology and a computer program assisting the analysis are used for the internal operating experience events. Noteworthy incidents occurred during outage are analyzed also by ASSET-method. Screening and pre analysis of the external operating experience relies on co-operation with ERFATOM, an organization of Nordic utilities for the exchange of nuclear industry experience. A short presentation on the performance of the Olkiluoto units will conclude the presentation. (author)

Persistence of deaf students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics undergraduate programs

Science.gov (United States)

Marchut, Amber E.

Diversifying the student population and workforce under science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a necessity if innovations and creativity are to expand. There has not been a lot of literature regarding Deaf students in STEM especially regarding understanding how they persist in STEM undergraduate programs to successfully become STEM Bachelor of Science degree recipients. This study addresses the literature gap by investigating six students' experiences as they navigate their STEM undergraduate programs. The investigation uses narrative inquiry methodology and grounded theory method through the lens of Critical Race Theory and Critical Deaf Theory. Using videotaped interviews and observations, their experiences are highlighted using narratives portraying them as individuals surviving in a society that tends to perceive being deaf as a deficit that needs to be treated or cured. The data analysis also resulted in a conceptual model providing a description of how they persist. The crucial aspect of the conceptual model is the participants learned how to manage being deaf in a hearing-dominated society so they can reach their aspirations. The essential blocks for the persistence and managing their identities as deaf undergraduate STEMs include working harder, relying on familial support, and affirming themselves. Through the narratives and conceptual model of the six Deaf STEM undergraduates, the goal is to contribute to literature to promote a better understanding of the persistence of Deaf students, members of a marginalized group, as they pursue their dreams.

Quality assurance program plan for the Reactor Research Experiment Programs (RREP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pipher, D.G.

1982-05-01

This document describes the Quality Assurance Program plans which will be applied to tasks on Reactor Research Experiments performed on Sandia National Laboratories' reactors. The program provides for individual project or experiment quality plan development and allows for reasonable plan flexibility and maximum plan visibility. Various controls and requirements in this program plan are considered mandatory on all features which are identified as important to public health and safety (Level I). It is the intent of this document that the Quality Assurance program comprise those elements which will provide adequate assurance that all components, equipment, and systems of the experiments will perform as designed, and hence prevent delays and costs due to rejections or failures

Psychology or Psychological Science?: A Survey of Graduate Psychology Faculty Regarding Program Names

Science.gov (United States)

Collisson, Brian; Rusbasan, David

2018-01-01

The question of renaming graduate psychology programs to psychological science is a timely and contentious issue. To better understand why some programs, but not others, are changing names, we surveyed chairpersons (Study 1) and faculty (Study 2) within graduate psychology and psychological science programs. Within psychology programs, a name…

Improving Undergraduate Research Experiences With An Intentional Mentoring Program: Lessons Learned Through Assessment of Keck Geology Consortium Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Wirth, K. R.; Garver, J. I.; Greer, L.; Pollock, M.; Varga, R. J.; Davidson, C. M.; Frey, H. M.; Hubbard, D. K.; Peck, W. H.; Wobus, R. A.

2015-12-01

The Keck Geology Consortium, with support from the National Science Foundation (REU Program) and ExxonMobil, is a collaborative effort by 18 colleges to improve geoscience education through high-quality research experiences. Since its inception in 1987 more than 1350 undergraduate students and 145 faculty have been involved in 189 yearlong research projects. This non-traditional REU model offers exceptional opportunities for students to address research questions at a deep level, to learn and utilize sophisticated analytical methods, and to engage in authentic collaborative research that culminates in an undergraduate research symposium and published abstracts volume. The large numbers of student and faculty participants in Keck projects also affords a unique opportunity to study the impacts of program design on undergraduate research experiences in the geosciences. Students who participate in Keck projects generally report significant gains in personal and professional dimensions, as well as in clarification of educational and career goals. Survey data from student participants, project directors, and campus advisors identify mentoring as one of the most critical and challenging elements of successful undergraduate research experiences. Additional challenges arise from the distributed nature of Keck projects (i.e., participants, project directors, advisors, and other collaborators are at different institutions) and across the span of yearlong projects. In an endeavor to improve student learning about the nature and process of science, and to make mentoring practices more intentional, the Consortium has developed workshops and materials to support both project directors and campus research advisors (e.g., best practices for mentoring, teaching ethical professional conduct, benchmarks for progress, activities to support students during research process). The Consortium continues to evolve its practices to better support students from underrepresented groups.

Developing science policy capacity at the state government level: Planning a science and technology policy fellowship program for Colorado and beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Druckenmiller, M. L.

2017-12-01

There is growing recognition of the potential to advance science policy capacity within state legislatures, where there is most often a shortage of professional backgrounds in the natural sciences, technology, engineering, and medicine. Developing such capacity at the state level should be considered a vital component of any comprehensive national scale strategy to strengthen science informed governance. Toward this goal, the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado Boulder is leading a strategic planning process for a Science and Technology Policy Fellowship Program within the Colorado state legislature and executive branch agencies. The intended program will place PhD-level scientists and engineers in one-year placements with decision-makers to provide an in-house resource for targeted policy-relevant research. Fellows will learn the intricacies of the state policymaking process, be exposed to opportunities for science to inform decisions, and develop a deeper understanding of key science and technology topics in Colorado, including water resources, wildfire management, and energy. The program's ultimate goals are to help foster a decision-making arena informed by evidence-based information, to develop new leaders adept at bridging science and policymaking realms, and to foster governance that champions the role of science in society. Parallel to efforts in Colorado, groups from nine other states are preparing similar plans, providing opportunities to share approaches across states and to set the stage for increased science and technology input to state legislative agendas nationwide. Importantly, highly successful and sustainable models exist; the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has implemented a federally based fellowship program for over 43 years and the California Council for Science and Technology (CCST) has directed a fellowship program for their state's legislature since 2009. AAAS and CCST

Taking our own medicine: on an experiment in science communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Horst, Maja

2011-12-01

In 2007 a social scientist and a designer created a spatial installation to communicate social science research about the regulation of emerging science and technology. The rationale behind the experiment was to improve scientific knowledge production by making the researcher sensitive to new forms of reactions and objections. Based on an account of the conceptual background to the installation and the way it was designed, the paper discusses the nature of the engagement enacted through the experiment. It is argued that experimentation is a crucial way of making social science about science communication and engagement more robust.

A Graduate Academic Program in Medical Information Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Blois, Marsden S., Jr.; Wasserman, Anthony I.

A graduate academic program in medical information science has been established at the University of California, San Francisco, for the education of scientists capable of performing research and development in information technology in the health care setting. This interdisciplinary program, leading to a Doctor of Philosophy degree, consists of an…

Investigating Omani Science Teachers' Attitudes towards Teaching Science: The Role of Gender and Teaching Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Ambusaidi, Abdullah; Al-Farei, Khalid

2017-01-01

A 30-item questionnaire was designed to determine Omani science teachers' attitudes toward teaching science and whether or not these attitudes differ according to gender and teaching experiences of teachers. The questionnaire items were divided into 3 domains: classroom preparation, managing hands-on science, and development appropriateness. The…

The International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) - Fifteen-Year Experience in Management of Innovative Nuclear and Other Programs (Information Review)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gudowski, W.; Tocheny, L.V. [ISTC - International Science and Technology Center, Krasnoproletarskaya 32-34, PO Box 20, 127473 Moscow (Russian Federation)

2009-06-15

Introduction: The ISTC is a unique international organization created in Moscow in 1994 by Russia, USA, EU and Japan. Later Korea and Canada, and several CIS countries as well acceded to ISTC. The basic idea behind establishing the ISTC was to support non-proliferation of the mass destruction weapons technologies by redirecting former Soviet weapons scientists to peaceful research thus preventing the drain of dangerous knowledge and expertise from Russia and other CIS countries. Presently, the ISTC now has 40 member countries (27 from EU), representing the CIS, Europe, Asia, and North America. The Partner list includes over 200 organizations and leading industrial companies from all ISTC parties. Numerous science and technology projects were realized with the ISTC support in different areas, from bio-technologies and environmental problems to all aspects of nuclear studies, including those focused on the development of effective innovative concepts and technologies in the nuclear field, in general, and for improvement of nuclear safety, in particular. Concept: Challenge of the World Nuclear Community is to prove to Public over the World, that newly proposed nuclear concepts are safe and effective. The only acceptable method, which is trusted and accepted by Public both now and always, is basic-type and demonstration-type Experiment, in advance of computer or paper-type arguing. Important that results of these experiments are to be available for international analysis and validation. Problems are that nuclear experiments are very complex, its require special licensing, long time preparation, appealing to high-skilled personnel, purchasing by nuclear and special materials and tools, as a result - raised budgeting. In this sense the ISTC clients (first of all - nuclear and 'nuclear weapon' institutes in Russia and CIS) have all set, ready, licensed, and equipped unique nuclear installations, high-skilled personnel, good cooperation. Essential, that the ISTC

Teaching implementation science in a new Master of Science Program in Germany: a survey of stakeholder expectations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ullrich, C.; Mahler, C.; Forstner, J.; Szecsenyi, J.; Wensing, M.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Implementation science in healthcare is an evolving discipline in German-speaking countries. In 2015, the Medical Faculty of the University of Heidelberg, Germany, implemented a two-year full-time Master of Science program Health Services Research and Implementation Science. The

Science team participation in the ARM program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cess, R.D.

1993-01-01

This progress report discusses the Science Team participation in the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program for the period of October 31, 1992 to November 1, 1993. This report summarized the research accomplishments of six papers

The aurora, Mars, and more! Increasing science content in elementary grades through art and literacy programs in earth and space science

Science.gov (United States)

Renfrow, S.; Wood, E. L.

2011-12-01

Although reading, writing, and math examinations are often conducted early in elementary school, science is not typically tested until 4th or 5th grade. The result is a refocus on the tested topics at the expense of the untested ones, despite that standards exist for each topic at all grades. On a national level, science instruction is relegated to a matter of a few hours per week. A 2007 Education Policy study states that elementary school students spend an average of 178 minutes a week on science while spending 500 minutes on literacy. A recent NSTA report in July of elementary and middle school teachers confirms that teachers feel pressured to teach math and literacy at the expense of other programs. One unintended result is that teachers in grades where science is tested must play catch-up with students for them to be successful on the assessment. A unique way to combat the lack of science instruction at elementary grades is to combine literacy, social studies, and math into an integrated science program, thereby increasing the number of science contact hours. The Dancing Lights program, developed at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, is a science, art, and literacy program about the aurora designed to easily fit into a typical 3rd-5th grade instructional day. It mirrors other successful literacy programs and will provide a basis for the literacy program being developed for the upcoming MAVEN mission to Mars. We will present early findings, as well as "lessons learned" during our development and implementation of the Dancing Lights program and will highlight our goals for the MAVEN mission literacy program.

Who Wants to Learn More Science? The Role of Elementary School Science Experiences and Science Self-Perceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Aschbacher, Pamela R.; Ing, Marsha

2017-01-01

Background/Context: Much science education reform has been directed at middle and high school students; however, earlier experiences in elementary school may well have an important impact on young people's future science literacy and preparation for possible STEM careers. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: This study explores the…

Differential Experiences of Women and Minority Engineering Students in a Cooperative Education Program

Science.gov (United States)

Fifolt, Matthew M.; Abbott, Gypsy

Although slight gains have been made in attracting women and minority students to the field of engineering, the differences are not great enough to meet current economic demands [National Academy of Sciences (2007). Rising above the gathering storm: Energizing and employing America for a brighter economic future, Washington, DC: National Academies Press]. Therefore, it has become imperative that colleges and universities increase efforts to both recruit and retain these students who express interest in the STEM fields [National Science Foundation (2006), Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering, NSF 4-311, Arlington, VA: NSF]. In engineering, one promising venue for students to gain professional experience as part of their undergraduate training is through cooperative education (co-op). However, there is a dearth of information in the research literature regarding how co-op programs can be structured to address the needs of diverse students. There is consensus, however, about one aspect of addressing the needs of diverse students, namely, mentoring and role models are key strategies for success. In this study, a mixed methods design was used to examine students' perceptions of mentoring in a cooperative education program in a southeastern university. Using Noe's [Noe, R. (1988). An investigation of the determinants of successful assigned mentoring relationships. Personnel Psychology, 1, 457-479] mentoring functions scales, which described psychosocial and career-related support, research findings indicated a statistically significant difference between gender and the psychosocial aspect of mentoring. Analysis of the qualitative data further confirmed differences in cooperative education experiences with respect to both gender and ethnicity.

The connection between students' out-of-school experiences and science learning

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Natalie A.

This study sought to understand the connection between students' out-of-school experiences and their learning in science. This study addresses the following questions: (a) What effects does contextualized information have on student achievement and engagement in science? (b) To what extent do students use their out-of-school activities to construct their knowledge and understanding about science? (c) To what extent do science teachers use students' skills and knowledge acquired in out-of-school settings to inform their instructional practices? This study integrates mixed methods using both quantitative and qualitative approaches to answer the research questions. It involves the use of survey questionnaire and science assessment and features two-level hierarchical analyses of student achievement outcomes nested within classrooms. Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) analyses were used to account for the cluster effect of students nested within classrooms. Interviews with students and teachers were also conducted to provide information about how learning opportunities that take place in out-of-school settings can be used to facilitate student learning in science classrooms. The results of the study include the following: (a) Controlling for student and classroom factors, students' ability to transfer science learning across contexts is associated with positive learning outcomes such as achievement, interest, career in science, self-efficacy, perseverance, and effort. Second, teacher practice using students' out-of-school experiences is associated with decrease in student achievement in science. However, as teachers make more connection to students' out-of-school experiences, the relationship between student effort and perseverance in science learning and transfer gets weaker, thus closing the gaps on these outcomes between students who have more ability to establish the transfer of learning across contexts and those who have less ability to do so. Third, science teachers

Materials Sciences Programs. Fiscal Year 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-09-01

The purpose of this report is to provide a convenient compilation and index of the DOE Materials Sciences Division programs. This compilation is primarily intended for use by administrators, managers, and scientists to help coordinate research. The report is divided into six sections. Section A contains all Laboratory projects, Section B has all contract research projects, Section C has projects funded under the Small Business Innovation Research Program, Sections D and E have information on DOE collaborative research centers, Section F gives distribution of funding, and Section G has various indexes

Wow, My Science Teacher Does Real Research! Engaging and Motivating Students Using Experiences from the Field

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, C.

2013-12-01

Students respond to personal connections. When K-12 science teachers are able to participate as field assistants on research projects, their students can benefit greatly from the stories, pictures, and video transmitted or brought back from the field. Teachers can translate and tailor their learning while in the field to the level of their students. Students are ';hooked' into science content by seeing their own teacher out there actually ';doing' science. The teacher is able to provide a direct content connection for the student, an avenue for understanding why ';learning this' is relevant and important. This presentation provides a case for why science teachers and researchers should collaborate as much as possible. The NSF funded PolarTREC program (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) is an excellent example of how to make this collaboration work. The presentation will also provide a look into how teachers can make an effective connection for their students between field science and classroom learning. Alaskan secondary science teacher Carol Scott spent a month at the Kevo Research Station in northern Finland in May/June 2013 as a PolarTREC teacher, and is translating this experience for students. She has also worked on an NSF Research Experience for Teachers grant in Prince William Sound, AK, and has successfully used this work to engage students in the classroom.

Earth at Rest. Aesthetic Experience and Students' Grounding in Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Østergaard, Edvin

2017-07-01

Focus of this article is the current situation characterized by students' de-rootedness and possible measures to improve the situation within the frame of education for sustainable development. My main line of argument is that science teachers can practice teaching in such a way that students are brought in deeper contact to the environment. I discuss efforts to promote aesthetic experience in science class and in science teacher education. Within a wide range of definitions, my main understanding of aesthetic experience is that of pre-conceptual experience, relational to the environment and incorporated in students' embodied knowledge. I ground the idea of Earth at rest in Husserl's phenomenological philosophy and Heidegger's notion of science' deprivation of the world. A critique of the ontological reversal leads to an ontological re-reversal that implies giving lifeworld experience back its value and rooting scientific concepts in students' everyday lives. Six aspects of facilitating grounding in sustainability-oriented science teaching and teacher education are highlighted and discussed: students' everyday knowledge and experience, aesthetic experience and grounding, fostering aesthetic sensibility, cross-curricular integration with art, ontological and epistemological aspects, and belongingness and (re-)connection to Earth. I conclude that both science students and student-teachers need to practice their sense of caring and belonging, as well as refining their sensibility towards the world. With an intension of educating for a sustainable development, there is an urgent need for a critical discussion in science education when it comes to engaging learners for a sustainable future.

National Science Resources Center Project for Improving Science Teaching in Elementary Schools. Appendix A. School Systems With Exemplary Elementary Science Programs. Appendix B. Elementary Science Network

Science.gov (United States)

1988-12-01

Glass, Lawrence, Deer Park High School Glass, Millard, K-12 Science Supervisor Bloomfield Municipal School District Glassman, Neil, Gleason, Steve...Superientendent Vaughn Municipal Schools Knop, Ronald N., Teacher Grissom Junior High School Knox, Amie, Director of Master Teacher Program W. Wilson...Science Supervisor Pequannock Township Public Schools Mercado , Roberto, Science Coordinator Colegio Radians, Inc. Merchant, Edwin, K-12 Science

Pair Programming as a Modern Method of Teaching Computer Science

OpenAIRE

Irena Nančovska Šerbec; Branko Kaučič; Jože Rugelj

2008-01-01

At the Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana we educate future computer science teachers. Beside didactical, pedagogical, mathematical and other interdisciplinary knowledge, students gain knowledge and skills of programming that are crucial for computer science teachers. For all courses, the main emphasis is the absorption of professional competences, related to the teaching profession and the programming profile. The latter are selected according to the well-known document, the ACM C...

Computer program design specifications for the Balloon-borne Ultraviolet Stellar Spectrometer (BUSS) science data decommutation program (BAPS48)

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, R. M.

1975-01-01

The Balloon-Borne Ultraviolet Stellar Spectrometer (BUSS) Science Data Docummutation Program (BAPS48) is a pulse code modulation docummutation program that will format the BUSS science data contained on a one inch PCM tracking tape into a seven track serial bit stream formatted digital tape.

AECL's research and development program in environmental science and technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornett, R.J.

1998-07-01

AECL's radiological research and development (R and D) program encompasses work on sources of radiation exposure, radionuclide transport through the environment and potential impacts on biota and on human health. The application of the radiation protection knowledge and technology developed in this program provides cradle-to-grave management for CANDU and related nuclear technologies. This document provides an overview of the Environmental Science and Technology (ES and T) program which is one of the technical areas of R and D within the radiological R and D program. The ES and T program uses science from three main areas: radiochemistry, mathematical modelling and environmental assessment. In addition to providing an overview of the program, this summary also gives specific examples of recent technical work in each of the three areas. These technical examples illustrate the applied nature of the ES and T program and the close coupling of the program to CANDU customer requirements. (author)

A framework for evaluating and designing citizen science programs for natural resources monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Chase, Sarah K; Levine, Arielle

2016-06-01

We present a framework of resource characteristics critical to the design and assessment of citizen science programs that monitor natural resources. To develop the framework we reviewed 52 citizen science programs that monitored a wide range of resources and provided insights into what resource characteristics are most conducive to developing citizen science programs and how resource characteristics may constrain the use or growth of these programs. We focused on 4 types of resource characteristics: biophysical and geographical, management and monitoring, public awareness and knowledge, and social and cultural characteristics. We applied the framework to 2 programs, the Tucson (U.S.A.) Bird Count and the Maui (U.S.A.) Great Whale Count. We found that resource characteristics such as accessibility, diverse institutional involvement in resource management, and social or cultural importance of the resource affected program endurance and success. However, the relative influence of each characteristic was in turn affected by goals of the citizen science programs. Although the goals of public engagement and education sometimes complimented the goal of collecting reliable data, in many cases trade-offs must be made between these 2 goals. Program goals and priorities ultimately dictate the design of citizen science programs, but for a program to endure and successfully meet its goals, program managers must consider the diverse ways that the nature of the resource being monitored influences public participation in monitoring. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

Strategies Employed by Citizen Science Programs to Increase the Credibility of Their Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amy Freitag

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The success of citizen science in producing important and unique data is attracting interest from scientists and resource managers. Nonetheless, questions remain about the credibility of citizen science data. Citizen science programs desire to meet the same standards of credibility as academic science, but they usually work within a different context, for example, training and managing significant numbers of volunteers with limited resources. We surveyed the credibility-building strategies of 30 citizen science programs that monitor environmental aspects of the California coast. We identified a total of twelve strategies: Three that are applied during training and planning; four that are applied during data collection; and five that are applied during data analysis and program evaluation. Variation in the application of these strategies by program is related to factors such as the number of participants, the focus on group or individual work, and the time commitment required of volunteers. The structure of each program and available resources require program designers to navigate tradeoffs in the choices of their credibility strategies. Our results illustrate those tradeoffs and provide a framework for the necessary discussions between citizen science programs and potential users of their data—including scientists and decision makers—about shared expectations for credibility and practical approaches for meeting those expectations. This article has been corrected here: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/cstp.91