Special Issue | 19 April 2013Education
INTRODUCTION—In this special issue of Science, we have invited experts to tell us what they think are the most important challenges facing science education. Through a mixture of News, Reviews, Perspectives, Education Forums, and an Editorial, we explore the obstacles to progress, be they within the classroom, across the school system, or in the larger social arena. We also offer substantive suggestions on how to proceed. For example, distance education, online simulations as educational aids, and social networking tools are already part of science education. Many university faculty members are working to upgrade centuries-old approaches to instruction. And, with a new emphasis on the practice of science, promising assessment tools are being developed to improve learning. [Read the full introduction]
From Science
Prioritizing Science Education
From Science Signaling
p53 as Batman: Using a Movie Plot to Understand Control of the Cell Cycle
Using Partial Least Squares Regression to Analyze Cellular Response Data
Transport Proteins
Intercellular Transport
Coupled Transport Protein Systems
Charged Membranes
Also in this Special Issue:
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Education ForumOpportunities and Challenges in Next Generation Standards
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Education ForumDriven by Diversity
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Science CareersA Downstream Pathway into Teaching
Related Resources
- Community Action
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- P. Brown and E.J Mikkelsen, No Safe Place: Toxic Waste, Leukemia, and Community Action (University of California Press, 1997).
- S. Epstein, Impure Science: AIDS, Activism, and the Politics of Knowledge (University of California Press, 1998).
- D. L. Kleinman, Ed. Science, Technology, and Democracy (State University of New York Press, 2000).
- B. Wynne, Rationality and Ritual: Participation and Exclusion in Nuclear Decision-making, 2nd ed. (Routledge, 2010).
- Citizen Science
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- Citizen Science Central A gateway to citizen science projects.
- Science Cafes Meet, eat, and talk about science.
- Foldit Play a computer game and solve protein folding problems.
- Galaxy Zoo Classify galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
- Makerspace A gathering point for tools, projects, mentors, and expertise.
- General
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- UK Government-issued Education Materials Advanced training materials for autism; dyslexia; speech, language and communication; emotional, social and behavioural difficulties; moderate learning difficulties.
- Dyslexia
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- dysTalk Video: Maggie Snowling A video featuring information about support and interventions for dyslexia.
- Left From Write An online documentary about dyslexia by people with dyslexia.
- The International Dyslexia Association A collection of useful information about dyslexia and teaching resources.
- Dyscalculia
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- The Mathematical Brain A collection of resources on dyscalculia from Brian Butterworth.
- About Dyscalculia Dyscalculia news, information, and resources from dyscalculia researcher Anna Wilson.
- VIDEO: Dyscalculia A conversation with dyscalculia researcher Brian Butterworth.
- ADHD
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- A. Schwarz and S. Cohen, A.D.H.D. Seen in 11% of U.S. Children as Diagnoses Rise. NY Times March 31, 2013. Recent news article reporting increasing number of ADHD diagnoses and the medical community's concern about the trend.
- US National Institute of Mental Health: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Comprehensive information page about symptoms, causes, and treatment of ADHD.
- VIDEO: Living With ADHD The BBC takes a look at families living with ADHD.
- Autism
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- UK National Autistic Society Up-to-date news and resources for autism, including video.
- US National Institute of Mental Health: Autism Spectrum Disorders The latest reports and news from the the US NIMH.
- US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Fact sheet on autism.
- VIDEO: Autism and the Brain's Theory of Mind Lecture by Uta Frith, University of London, a pioneer in the cognitive and neural basis of autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.
- Overviews
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- US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Specific Language Impairment Specific Language Impairment fact sheet.
- SLIDESHOW: How is Specific Language Impairment Identified? Lecture slides from Dorothy Bishop of the University of Oxford, a leading researcher on Specific Language Impairment
- VIDEO: Why We've Launched RALLI A brief video featuring Dorothy Bishop talking about the launch of an awareness campaign for Specific Language Impairment.
- Specific Language Impairment
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- R. Glennerster and M. Kremer, Small Changes, Big Results. Boston Review, March/April 2011. A more general discussion of behavioral economics in world development.
- P. Glewwe and M. Kremer, Schools, Teachers, and Education Outcomes in Developing Countries, In The Handbook on the Economics of Education, Volume 2. Edited by E. A. Hanushek and F. Welch. (North‑Holland, 2006). A review of lessons emerging from randomized evaluations in education.
- M. Kremer, Expanding Educational Opportunity on a Budget: Lessons from Randomized Evaluations, In Educating All Children: A Global Agenda. Edited by J. E. Cohen, D. E. Bloom, and M. B. Malin. (American Academy of Arts and Sciences: MIT Press, 2006). A review of randomized trials in education.
- K. Toyama, Can Technology End Poverty? Boston Review November/December 2010. A debate on the potential of technology to improve learning in the developing world.
- Projects
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- VIDEO: Deworm the World—A Call to Action Learn about recent efforts to expand school-based deworming.
- Booked for Learning An overview of a month-long classroom "Read-A-Thon" program in the Philippines from the J-PAL Policy Briefcase.
- Deworming: A Best Buy for Development An overview of school-based deworming for improving health and school attendance from the J-PAL Policy Briefcase.
- Report
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- Annual Status of Education Report 2012. ASER Centre, 2012. Data on the status of learning in India.
- Virtual Labs
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- Report of a Workshop on the Scope and Nature of Computational Thinking. US National Research Council, 2010. A report of a workshop on the scope and nature of computational thinking.
- Web-based Inquiry Science Environment An online tool for teachers and students.
- Fostering Learning in the Networked World: The Cyberlearning Opportunity and Challenge. US National Science Foundation, 2008. Report from the NSF's task force on cyberlearning.
- Change the Equation: The STEMworks Database Database of progams that aims to be a resource for funders, program developers and STEM advocates.
- HYPATIA Educational project at the frontier of physics.
- VIDEO: WebLab-Deusto Remote Laboratory Video about an Internet-based laboratories project.
- Reforming Education
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- Science Education NOW: A Renewed Pedagogy for the Future of Europe. European Commission, 2007. Expert report from the European Commission on best practices in science education.
- SATIS Revisited A UK project offering updated science and technology units focused on "how science works."
- SciJourn Project The SciJourn Project uses the practices of science journalism to develop science literacy among high school-aged students.
- S. Alsop, L. Bencze, and E. Pedretti, Eds. Analysing Exemplary Science Teaching (Open University Press, 2005).
- P. Black and J.M. Atkin, Inside Science Education Reform: A History of Curricular and Policy Change (Teachers College Press, Columbia University, 2003).
- R. W. Bybee, Reforming Science Education: Social Perspectives and Personal Reflections (Teachers College Press, Columbia University, 1993).