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The use of fossils as a tool in the classroom provide the medium in which students enthusiastically and directly engage in scientific exploration and thinking, enhancing their interest in future science curricula, and provide an avenue to develop scientific literacy. The National Research Council stated that students should have authentic experiences with natural phenomena to develop an understanding of how science is explored, while developing skills necessary in science related careers. Science teachers can use fossils as a natural-world phenomenon to support students' learning of multiple concepts and scientific practices throughout a K-12 science curriculum through a series of hands on activities that use fossils or imprints as the tool to present various science content topics. Fossils tend to be engaging and connect learners to formal and informal learning opportunities. Key words: fossil trackways, experiential learning, hands-on learning, ecosystem lab, chemical reaction, animal speed lab, Children are drawn to fossils. Bakker (1986) lightheartedly identified "dinosauritus" as a childhood illness. Kids love to hold and play detective with fossils, as they try to interpret the fossil's [...] more...

The National Science Education Standards have highlighted the importance of active learning and reflection for contemporary scientific methods in K-12 classrooms, including the use of models. Computer modeling and visualization are tools that researchers employ in their scientific inquiry process, and often computer models are used in collaborative projects across disciplines. The goal of this project was to develop and field-test a module that used a computer model to teach marine sciences content in an applied, inquiry-based, and collaborative manner. Students used an estuarine transport model to explore the question of how circulation patterns affect planktonic organisms, demonstrating the interdisciplinary interaction of physics and biology. Our experience suggests that computer models, when used for inquiry, can help foster students' understanding of the nature of science and critical-thinking skills. Key Words: Interdisciplinary lesson; environmental science; estuarine transport; STEM., Project Motivation Calls from the National Research Council (1996) and National Science Foundation (2000) emphasized the importance of providing students with authentic science experiences through active inquiry. They also highlighted [...] more...

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2008.07.010 Byline: Sarah Manlove, Ard W. Lazonder, Ton de Jong Abstract: This paper looks across three experimental studies that examined supports designed to assist high-school students (age 15-19) with cognitive regulation of their physics inquiry learning efforts in a technology-enhanced learning environment called Co-Lab. Cognitive regulation involves the recursive processes of planning, monitoring, and evaluation during learning, and is generally thought to enhance learning gains for students. The research synthesis described in this paper examined the usage effects of a support tool called the process coordinator (PC) on learning outcomes. This tool incorporated goal-lists, hints, prompts, cues, and templates to support the cognitive regulation skills of students during a fluid dynamics task. Students were asked to produce two learning outcomes of their investigations: system dynamics models and lab reports. Results from the three studies indicated trends in frequent use of the PC for planning activities, but low usage for monitoring and evaluation. Correlational analysis revealed two trends with regard to how these regulative activities impacted learning outcomes. First, consistent positive correlations were apparent between regulative activities and lab report scores of students and second, consistent negative correlations between the use of supports and model quality scores. Trends with regard to how task complexity, time, and student prior experience impacted these findings are also presented with suggestions for future research. Author Affiliation: University of Twente, Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, Department of Instructional Technology, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands more...

We describe a course designed to help future educators develop an integrated understanding of different elements of physics education research (PER), including research into student learning, content knowledge from the perspective of how it is learned, and reform-based curricula, together with evidence of their effectiveness. Course elements include equal parts of physics study through proven curricula and discussion of research results in the context of the PER literature. We provide examples of the course content and structure and representative examples of student learning in the class. [DOI: 10.1119/1.2897287] more...

Biodiversity conservation programs can be made by adopting a national strategy that will encourage active participation of public and private sectors. Scientists should suggest, based on their vast knowledge, viable solutions for ecological problems and government should make and implement laws. In a suggested US national strategy, it is cited that knowledge of and education on biodiversity and its conservation plays an important role. more...

Surveys conducted in the late 1980s revealed that American students perform poorly in science as they are averse to science at the high school level, and that teachers find it difficult to cope with such a situation. The highly complex technical studies in today's education and the vastness of any particular sphere of science are some of the factors that make the students uncomfortable. Children should be motivated to develop rational thinking and to appreciate the application of science in daily life. more...

In recent years, business school education in general - and operations research and management science education in particular - have been criticized as deficient in providing students with the practical, [...] more...