December 29th, 2010 Bob
The School of Teaching and Curriculum Leadership at Oklahoma State University is currently accepting applications for an Assistant/Associate Professor, Elementary Science Education.
The position will involve teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in elementary science education; advising undergraduate and graduate students; conducting program of focused research and publication; supervising secondary science student teachers and serving as higher education representative for Residency Year Program (first year teachers); collaborating with public schools and university faculty; active involvement in professional organizations, teacher education curriculum development, university extension, and grantsmanship.
The position requires a Ed.D. or Ph.D. with an emphasis in Elementary Science Education a Master’s Degree in a science field desirable and a minimum of three years elementary science teaching experience.
Applicants should send letter of application, current vita, graduate transcripts, and three letters of reference to:
Dr. Julie Thomas, Search Committee Chair, c/o Cheryl Trent, Administrative Assistant, School of Teaching and Curriculum Leadership, 244 Willard Hall, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078-4042
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December 29th, 2010 Bob
State Senator Josh Brecheen, who represents Atoka, Bryan, Coal, Johnston, and Marshall counties, recently published two articles in the local newspapers in his district where he outlines his newly introduced legislation to ”….requiring every publically funded Oklahoma school to teach the debate of creation vs. evolution using the known science, even that which conflicts with Darwin’s religion.”
The articles have gone viral on the internet with many responses from science blogs and at least one nomination for Oklahoma to be named the Stupidest State in the Union.
Linked below are the articles as published in the Durant Daily Democrat. Please be sure to read the comments as well as the letters to the editor in response to the articles. The comments point out the obvious plagiarism as well as respond to the assertions of the articles point-by-point.
Brecheen discusses evolution and Darwinian Theory
Brecheen says the religion of evolution is plagued with falsehoods
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December 29th, 2010 Bob
If you’re interested in learning more about cutting-edge research in molecular evolution, or helping your students understand how molecular approaches are revolutionizing our understanding of familiar examples of evolution, check out the talks from the NESCent/AIBS Evolution Symposium held at the 2010 NABT (National Association of Biology Teachers) conference in Minneapolis in November, 2010. Four leading researchers in molecular evolution shared their work with a packed house of high school and college biology instructors, and the videos of these talks can be found at https://www.nescent.org/media/NABTSymposium2010.php.
Watch video presentations about research on the toxin arms race between newts and garter snakes, insights on the value of studies in viral evolution, the underlying molecular mechanisms of coat color in beach mice, and Drosophila wing coloration.
Molecular evolution can be challenging for students, but a better understanding of the “genotype to phenotype” relationship can help address a number of common misconceptions about evolutionary concepts. In a companion website to the one listed above, you’ll find a collection of free teaching resources, activities, papers, short videos and other ideas: (http://www.nescent.org/media/NABT2010/index.html).
For example, here are two lab activities you can use with your students:
· A classroom activity by Dr. Jim Smith (Michigan State University) to help students understand the underlying molecular mechanisms resulting in round or wrinkled peas.
· A free computer simulation by Dr. Brian White (University of Massachusetts) that demonstrates the relationship between genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry and evolution.
To access both of these resources and more, go to: Molecular Insights: Labs and Tools, part of the collection of educational resources compiled by NESCent for the 2010 Evolution Teaching Workshop at NABT.
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December 20th, 2010 Bob
(from the American Institute of Biological Science (AIBS) Public Policy Report, December 20, 2010): The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education recently approved new high school biology textbooks that include the topic of evolution, despite the objections of some creationists. The 8-2 vote means that the state will purchase textbooks that do not mention creationism or intelligent design.
Supporters of evolution education praised the decision. “We are pleased and proud that the board has done the right thing,” said the Louisiana Coalition for Science in a statement. “As a result, students in Louisiana public schools will have the most current, up-to-date information about biology, including the theory of evolution, which is the strongest explanation of the history and development of life on Earth ever constructed…Students in our public schools deserve the best science education we can give them. Thanks to [the board’s] decision, they won’t have to wait any longer for decent textbooks.”
According to Eugenie C. Scott, the Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education, “The board’s decision is a ray of sunlight, especially because the creationist opponents of these textbooks were claiming — wrongly — that the 2008 Louisiana Science Education Act requires that biology textbooks misrepresent evolution as scientifically controversial. It’s refreshing to see that the board withstood the pressure to compromise the quality of biology textbooks in the state.”
(Ed. note: Oklahoma may soon share the national spotlight with Louisiana as State Senator Josh Brecheen, who represents Atoka, Bryan, Coal, Johnston, and Marshall counties, recently published part one of a two part article in the Johnson County Capitol Democrat where he outlines his plans to introduce legislation this term to ”…bring parity to subject matter taught in our public schools, paid for by the taxpayers and driven by a religious ideology. I’m talking about the religion of evolution.” Stay tuned…)
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December 16th, 2010 Bob
SciencEscape – Spring Break 2011- Teachers with Students
Take your students on the field-trip of a lifetime this Spring Break at no cost and no missed class time! SciencEscape brings the Sam Noble Museum and the Whitten-Newman ExplorOlogy(r) Program to your school for an unforgettable day discovering science outside! Teachers (Grades 1-12) and up to 25 of their students will work with real scientists from the Sam Noble Museum to explore nature and complete a field research project.
Science Institute is open to all teachers (Gr. 1-12, public, private and homeschool) in the Norman/ South OKC Area (see website for eligible school districts.) and is offered at no cost to participants through the generous funding of the Whitten-Newman Foundation. Application deadline: January 19, 2011.
Science Institute – July 25- July 29, 2011 -Teachers
Join the Whitten-Newman ExplorOlogy® Program at the Sam Noble Museum for an innovative professional development experience! This week-long science investigation is geared towards teachers who want to incorporate science more effectively into their classroom. Teachers will create a shared understanding of the process of science and inquiry by conducting scientific investigations with Museum and University scientists. This week-long workshop is based at the Sam Noble Museum. Stipend and lodging will be provided for participants.
Science Institute is open to all teachers (Gr. K-12) and is offered at no cost to participants through the generous funding of the Whitten-Newman Foundation. Application deadline: April 15, 2011.
Paleo Expedition – June 8- June 26, 2011 – High School Students
Paleo Expedition is a once in lifetime chance for high school students to become paleontologists! 10 students selected from across Oklahoma will work together with paleontologists at the Sam Noble Museum to explore the science behind ancient life. Participants will then travel to an incredible field location in Nebraska for the fossil-finding adventure of a lifetime!
This 3- week residential paleontology field program is open to students currently enrolled in grades 9,10 and 11, and is offered at no cost to participants through the generous funding of the Whitten-Newman Foundation. Application deadline: February 25, 2011.
Oklahoma Science Adventure – July 9- July 16, 2011 -Middle School Students
Do you know a middle school student that’s wild about science? 14 students from across the state will be selected to spend a week working with real scientists in the field! They will use science to investigate the natural world as they learn about Oklahoma and themselves.
Oklahoma Science Adventure is open to students currently enrolled in grades 6, 7 and 8, and is offered at no cost to participants through the generous funding of the Whitten-Newman Foundation. Application deadline: February 18, 2011.
Questions? Please contact:
Jes Cole
Whitten-Newman ExplorOlogy® Program Coordinator
Sam Noble Museum
The University of Oklahoma
2401 Chautauqua Ave
Norman, OK 73072
V:405-325-3183 F:405-325-4436
jessicacole@ou.edu
www.snomnh.ou.edu
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December 16th, 2010 Bob
It’s a veritable Blizzard of Science here at OSTA. LOTS of stuff going on with the newly elected Board coming on January 1st, the flurry of activity just past with the OSTA Fall Conference, etc., etc. We’ll try to keep you up-to-date on the latest happenings and going’s-on about science education in Oklahoma as well as nationally. A new Governor, a new State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and a continuing budget crunch will certainly be newsworthy, as will national science concerns like the Common Core and the draft Conceptual Frameworks for K-12 Science Education.
For it’s part, OSTA will continue to expand to become an increasingly inclusive, and interactive organization. This website continues to be our primary tool to bring science education news and events to science teachers in Oklahoma. In the coming year we hope to expand the use of interactive tools such as NING to build the opportunity for collaboration and reduce the isolation of so many Oklahoma science teachers, rural and urban. This past year brought on-line membership renewal and event registration to members. With an increasingly emphasis on science teacher staff development, OSTA will utilize these tools to an even greater degree in the coming months.
One of my favorite features on this website is the monthly (mostly) newsletter produced by Jana Rowland, the State Science Director at OSDE. LOTS of information that is worthy of your close attention. Jana does a good job on this, just as she does a great job representing us and being a champion for science at the State Department of Education.
Click HERE to get this month’s JANAGRAM.
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December 16th, 2010 Bob
Mark your calendar for the 2011 Environmental Education EXPO on Friday, February 11, 2011.
Speakers, vendors and “dynamic panels” (invited experts and YOU) will gather at the Rosser Conservation Education Center at the Oklahoma City Zoo from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Plan now to join in the excitement of discovering new ways to share nature learning with children! Watch for registration information by January 1, 2011.
Hosted by Oklahoma Association for Environmental Education (OKAEE) and Oklahoma State University (OSU) College of Education. Send email inquires and suggestions to ee-expo@okstate.edu.
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December 16th, 2010 Bob
The College Board is pleased to partner with the Oklahoma State Department of Education to provide free professional development experiences for all Oklahoma public school teachers, particularly AP(R) and Pre-AP(R) teachers in both middle and high school. The broad selection of workshops covers all subject areas.
The College Board is pleased to partner with the Oklahoma State Department of Education to provide free professional development experiences for all Oklahoma public school teachers, particularly AP® and Pre-AP® teachers in both middle and high school. The broad selection of workshops covers all subject areas.
The workshops will be held in various locations from January 14 through February 18. A complete list of workshops, along with registration forms, can be found at:
http://noreply.collegeboard.org/1755b2eb3layfousuaefuutqaaaaaaaphijkqlui35yyaaaaa
Please note there are registration deadlines for these offerings and some workshops have size limits.
If you have questions, please contact the College Board office at 866-392-3017, ext. 0.
Jan. 21, 2011
Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills
AP Math, Science and Technology (focus on application and use of technology) Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Calculus AB, Calculus BC and Statistics
Jan. 22, 2011
Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills
Day with an AP Reader
Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Calculus AB, Calculus BC and Statistics
Jan. 28, 2011
Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills
AP Science and Math
Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics, Calculus AB, Calculus BC and Statistics
Jan. 28, 2011
Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills
Pre-AP Effective Thinking Strategies for All Students
All subject areas
Jan. 28, 2011
National Center for Employee Development, Norman
Pre-AP Effective Thinking Strategies for All Students
All subject areas
Feb. 11, 2011
National Center for Employee Development, Norman
AP Strategies Using Data to Design Instruction
All subject areas
Feb. 11, 2011
Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills
AP Strategies Using Data to Design Instruction
All subject areas
Feb. 18, 2011
Tulsa Convention Center
Pre-AP Math and Science
Pre-AP HS Mathematics, Pre-AP MS Mathematics, Pre-AP HS Biology, Pre-AP HS Chemistry, Pre-AP HS Physics and Pre-AP MS Science
Ongoing Online PD Workshops
Early registration encouraged as space is very limited
AP: Chemistry, English Language and Composition, Environmental Science, Human Geography, Music Theory and Spanish Literature Pre-AP: History, Social Sciences, and World Languages and Cultures
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December 10th, 2010 Bob
| Korea and Finland top the OECD’s (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) latest PISA survey of reading literacy among 15-year olds, which for the first time tested students’ ability to manage digital information. The survey, released this week, is based on two-hour tests of a half million students in more than 70 economies, also tested mathematics and science.
The next strongest performances were from Hong Kong-China, Singapore, Canada, New Zealand and Japan. Full results here.
The province of Shanghai, China, took part for the first time and scored higher in reading than any country. It also topped the table in maths and science. More than one-quarter of Shanghai’s 15-year-olds demonstrated advanced mathematical thinking skills to solve complex problems, compared to an OECD average of just 3%.
“Better educational outcomes are a strong predictor for future economic growth,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría. “While national income and educational achievement are still related, PISA shows that two countries with similar levels of prosperity can produce very different results. This shows that an image of a world divided neatly into rich and well-educated countries and poor and badly-educated countries is now out of date.”
Some OECD countries saw strong gains in reading literacy, most notably Chile, Israel and Poland, but also Portugal, Korea, Hungary and Germany. In mathematics, Mexico, Turkey, Greece, Portugal, Italy and Germany saw rapid improvements. In science, Turkey, Portugal, Korea, Italy, Norway, the US and Poland showed the biggest improvements.
The OECD studied differing results between girls and boys, as well as the influence of class size, teacher pay and the degree of autonomy schools have in allocating resources. Findings include:
• Girls read better than boys in every country, by an average of 39 points, the equivalent to one year of schooling. The gender gap has not improved in any country since 2000, and widened in France, Israel, Korea, Portugal and Sweden. This is mirrored in a decline of boy’s enjoyment of reading and their engagement with reading in their leisure time.
• The best school systems were the most equitable - students do well regardless of their socio-economic background. But schools that select students based on ability early show the greatest differences in performance by socio-economic background.
• High performing school systems tend to prioritise teacher pay over smaller class sizes.
• Countries where students repeat grades more often tend to have worse results overall, with the widest gaps between children from poor and better-off families. Making students repeat years is most common in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain.
• High performing systems allow schools to design curricula and establish assessment policies but don’t necessarily allow competition for students.
• Schools with good discipline and better student-teacher relations achieve better reading results.
• Public and private schools achieve similar results, after taking account of their home backgrounds.
• Combining local autonomy and effective accountability seems to produce the best results.
• The percentage of students who said they read for pleasure dropped from 69% in 2000 to 64% in 2009.
The OECD’s PISA aims to help countries see how their school systems match up globally with regard to their quality, equity and efficiency. The best performing education systems show what others can aspire to, as well as inspire national efforts to help students to learn better, teachers to teach better, and school systems to become more effective.
In 2011, as part of the deliverables of the OECD’s 50th Anniversary, the organisation will launch two new programmes to help countries build, maintain and improve the skills of their citizens for tomorrow’s world. The first results of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) and the OECD Skills Strategy will be released in 2013. |
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December 10th, 2010 Bob
News about our close neighbor state from the National Center for Science Education(NCSE) Evolution Education Update, December 10, 2010…
At its December 9, 2010, meeting, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted 8-2 to approve high school biology textbooks, despite the ongoing complaints of creationists objecting to their treatment of evolution. As NCSE previously reported, a decision on the textbooks, expected initially in October 2010, was deferred by the board, which sought a recommendation from its Textbook/Media/Library Advisory Council. On November 12, 2010, the council voted 8-4 to recommend the textbooks. Then, on December 7, 2010, a committee of the board voted 6-1 to move forward with the purchase, “over the objection of a crowd of people who wanted books that at least mention creationism or intelligent design or say that evolution is not a fact,” according to the Lafayette Daily Advertiser (December 7, 2010).
Since there are eleven members of the board, the six members of the committee who voted to move forward with the purchase constituted a majority, and so the committee’s vote was widely regarded as all but decisive. In a December 7, 2010, statement, the Louisiana Coalition for Science hailed the committee’s decision: “We are pleased and proud that the board has done the right thing. As a result, students in Louisiana public schools will have the most current, up-to-date information about biology, including the theory of evolution, which is the strongest explanation of the history and development of life on Earth ever constructed.” The statement continued, “Students in our public schools deserve the best science education we can give them. Thanks to today’s decision, they won’t have to wait any longer for decent textbooks.”
Taking nothing for granted, however, Zach Kopplin—a high school student in Baton Rouge—contributed a guest column to the Shreveport Times (December 8, 2010), urging the full board to approve the textbooks. “I feel strongly that BESE should immediately adopt proper science textbooks that teach evolution without any disclaimers, revisions or supplementary materials,” he wrote. “Louisiana public school students desperately need new books that teach proper science and will prepare us for success in the global economy.” He emphasized, “There is no controversy among scientists about evolution! This point repeatedly has been made by prominent science organizations like the American Association for the Advancement of Scientists, which contains 10 million members and has made strong statements in support of teaching evolution. Any attempts to act like there is a controversy are disingenuous.”
The Shreveport Times (December 9, 2010) was also pleased with the committee’s decision, editorially remarking, “Only in these strange times is it news that Louisiana’s education board has approved a science textbook based on, well, science,” and explaining, “the majority of the panel accepted the arguments of people such as retired biology teacher Patsye Peebles, who said: ‘The opponents to these biology books have an unfortunate misunderstanding of what is and isn’t in the realm of science. By opening the door for their “both sides” of any issue, you allow non-science and pseudo-science into the science classroom.’” The editorial concluded by quoting a Presbyterian pastor who told the committee, “Let the science teachers of Louisiana teach science and let churches and families teach religion,” and seconding the sentiment with “Amen.”
NCSE’s Joshua Rosenau told Wired’s Wired Science blog (December 8, 2010), “Accurate textbooks are going to be in the classrooms. A six to one vote is a repudiation of the attempt by the Louis[i]ana Family Forum to politicize science in Louisiana.” The blogger, Brandon Keim, commented, “Texas, which last year passed legislation instructing teachers to convey ‘all sides’ of theories like evolution, is the nation’s largest purchaser of textbooks, and traditionally pulls the textbook industry in its market wake. But state budget deficits have delayed new purchases, making textbook choices by other states more important.” Rosenau explained, “If Louisiana’s board had said, ‘You have to teach the controversy, to put in both sides,’ then publishers would have said, ‘Maybe this is a trend,’” said Rosenau. “With strong support given to textbooks as written by experts, it’s another reason for publishers to stand strong.”
At the committee meeting, the New Orleans Times-Picayune (December 8, 2010) reported, “Opponents of the texts, led by the Louisiana Family Forum, said the theory of evolution is full of holes and that biology texts should encourage students to think critically about the origins of man,” and quoted the president of the LFF as saying that the textbooks “are biased and inaccurate when covering controversial scientific topics.” But Barbara Forrest, a founder of the Louisiana Coalition for Science and a member of NCSE’s board of directors, replied, “Every claim you hear today from the Louisiana Family Forum and its allies—without a single exception—has been refuted over and over again, in state after state, and in federal court, over almost 50 years,” adding, “Not a single creationist claim has ever held up under either scientific scrutiny or legal analysis.”
The sole vote not to recommend the textbooks at the committee meeting was from the president of the board, Dale Bayard, who also voted against them at the board meeting. In a cover story, the Independent Weekly (December 8, 2010) quoted Bayard as saying, “I am an open-minded person, and I challenge anybody to come and tell me—and I’ve asked a couple of educators that are friends of mine—can you do me a favor and tell me, can you swear on a stack of Bibles there’s no other refutable data that provides an objective other approach to Darwin’s theory?” Taking the answer to be no, he continued, “Well then why do we print a textbook that says that? Why can’t we provide the children with textbooks that provide objective educational methods to look at what’s out there? … We’re going to spend $72 million with a textbook company, and they’re not going to swear this is accurate?”
Forrest responded, “[Evolution] has exactly the same status as electromagnetic theory, germ theory of disease, cell theory and gravitational theory, and it is about as strong an explanation as science can come up with.” And Joe Neigel, a professor of biology at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, whose teaching and research focuses on evolution, told the Independent Weekly, “To suggest we need to teach both sides is like saying we should be teaching the opinion that the earth is flat because there are some people who believe the earth is flat and they claim they have evidence the earth is flat, so we should give equal time to these people. Or we should give equal time to people who say there was no Holocaust. … It’s an attempt to make it seem like there are two sides that have similar weight when in fact that isn’t the case at all.”
“The board’s decision is a ray of sunlight,” commented NCSE’s executive director Eugenie C. Scott, “especially because the creationist opponents of these textbooks were claiming—wrongly— that the 2008 Louisiana Science Education Act requires that biology textbooks misrepresent evolution as scientifically controversial. It’s refreshing to see that the board withstood the pressure to compromise the quality of biology textbooks in the state. But when will the state legislature revisit this confusing, unnecessary, and pernicious law, which is already opening the door to the teaching of creationism in the public school classroom?” She added, “Thanks to all in Louisiana, including especially Barbara Forrest and her comrades at the Louisiana Coalition for Science, who helped to convince the board to do the right thing for Louisiana’s students.”
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