Education

Reports on the Teaching of Evolution

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the National Academies Press are disseminating three reports on evolution to science teachers. Those who visit http://nap.edu/hawaii beginning Monday, May 3, 2004 and complete a questionnaire may be eligible to receive a free pdf format copy of each of the following reports (depending on continuing availability): - Evolution in Hawaii: A Supplement to Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science (2004) - Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science (1998), and - Science and Creationism: A View from the National Academy of Sciences, 2nd ed. (1999). Once you have completed the questionnaire, you will have the option to download all three reports immediately or to receive them on a CD-ROM (there are no shipping and handling costs). The questionnaire will help the National Academies Press and the National Academies' Center for Education learn more about the needs and product preferences of teachers. A limited number of free copies are available.


Report Lists Criteria for Evaluating K-12 Math Programs

Evaluations of mathematics curricula provide important information for educators, parents, students, and curriculum developers, but those conducted to date on 19 specific curricula fall short of the scientific standards necessary to gauge overall effectiveness, says a new report from the National Academies' Mathematical Sciences Education Board. The report recommends a comprehensive, rigorous, and scientifically valid evaluation strategy to determine the effectiveness of K-12 mathematics curricula.


National Academies Name Biology Teaching Fellows and Mentors

The National Academies bestowed the title of Education Fellow in the Life Sciences to 39 educators around the country who successfully completed a summer institute aimed at fostering innovative approaches to teaching undergraduate biology. The Academies also named 18 Education Mentors in the Life Sciences, who served as speakers, facilitators, or organizers at the summer institute.


Academies Confront Challenges to Teaching Evolution

NAS President Bruce Alberts has called on NAS members to "stand ready" to help fight attempts to limit the teaching of evolution in public schools. Alberts says there is a "growing threat to the teaching of science through the inclusion of non-scientifically based 'alternatives' in science courses throughout the country."


New Measures Needed for Adult Literacy Assessment

The US Department of Education should adopt new performance levels and passing scores when it reports the results of its latest assessment of adults' English literacy skills, says a new National Academies report. The report recommends specific changes that would improve public understanding of the test results.


National Academies Unveil Evolution Web Page

The National Academies have designed a new Web page to allow easy access to books, position statements, and additional resources on evolution education and research. Evolution is one of science's most robust theories, and the National Academies have long supported the position that evolution should be taught as a central element in any science education program. Over the past several years, there has been a growing movement around the country to include non-scientifically based "alternatives" in science courses. Currently there are challenges to the teaching of evolution in some 40 states or local school districts.


Report Offers Framework for Improving High School Science Labs

The quality of science laboratory experiences is poor for most US high school students, but four principles of instructional design can guide improvements in laboratory teaching and learning, says a new report from the National Research Council.


Kansas Denied Use of National Science Education Standards

The National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Teachers Association have refused to grant copyright permission to the Kansas State Board of Education to make use of publications by the two organizations in the state's science education standards. According to a statement from the two groups, the new Kansas standards are improved, but as currently written, they overemphasize controversy in the theory of evolution and distort the definition of science. NAS and NSTA offered to work with the board to resolve these issues so the state standards could use text from the National Research Council's "National Science Education Standards" and NSTA's "Pathways to Science Standards."


Evaluation of Research Doctorate Programs Gets Under Way

The National Research Council has launched its latest project to assess US research doctorate programs. Like previous efforts in 1983 and 1995, the new study is designed to help universities improve the quality of these programs through benchmarking; provide potential students and the public with accessible, readily available information on doctoral programs nationwide; and enhance the nation's overall research capacity. Data will be available in 2007. Project details are available at the accompanying links.


National Academies Name Biology Teaching Fellows and Mentors

The National Academies has bestowed the title of Education Fellow in the Life Sciences on 42 educators around the country who successfully completed a summer institute aimed at fostering innovative approaches to teaching undergraduate biology.


Women's Adventures in Science Series Now in Paperback

The "Women's Adventures in Science" series has now been released in colorful paperbacks. These first ten biographies describe the lives and work of women who are making exciting contributions to all kinds of scientific study, from astronomy, forensics, and physics to robots, bones, and gorillas. The books are targeted to middle-school-age girls to encourage their interest in science. Further biographies in the series are in the works.


Changes Needed to Boost K-8 Science Learning

Improving science education in kindergarten through eighth grade will require major changes in how science is taught in America's classrooms, as well as shifts in commonly held views of what young children know and how they learn, says a new National Research Council report.


Exploring Opportunities in Green Chemistry and Engineering Education

"Going green" is a hot topic in both chemistry and chemical engineering. Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate hazardous substances; green engineering is the development of economically feasible industrial processes that reduce risks to human health and the environment. This book summarizes a workshop convened by the National Research Council to explore the integration of green chemistry and chemical engineering concepts in undergraduate and graduate education. Speakers highlighted effective educational practices and discussed promising educational materials and software tools in green chemistry and engineering.


US Needs New Approach to Improve International Education

More support from all levels of the US education system is needed to develop an integrated approach to improving foreign language skills and expertise on other cultures, says a new report from the National Research Council. Also, the Education Department should consolidate oversight of its foreign language and international education programs under a high-ranking official who would provide strategic direction and coordinate its work with other federal agencies.


New Teacher Resources Available

To help teachers bring the latest in science and policy to the classroom, the Division on Earth and Life Studies of the National Academies has launched a new Teacher Resources website. The site provides comprehension questions and other classroom activities based on 4-page report briefs that explore key scientific and policy issues on the environment and life sciences. Teachers are also encouraged to use the wide variety of Academies report briefs and special products to create their own materials to be featured on the site.


Summit Gauges Progress on Math and Science Education, Competitiveness

At a national convocation held April 29th, leaders from government, business, and education weighed how much progress has been made in bolstering math and science education and strengthening the nation's research enterprise since the National Academies released their 2005 report Rising Above the Gathering Storm.


Board Certification Identifies Effective Teachers, But School Systems Not Using Them

Advanced certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) identifies effective teachers, says a new congressionally mandated report from the National Research Council. Students taught by NBPTS-certified teachers make greater gains on achievement tests than students taught by teachers who are not, the report says, yet most schools do not use their board-certified teachers well.

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Professional Science Master's Degree Programs Should be Expanded

U.S. policymakers, universities, and employers should work together to speed the development of professionally oriented master's degree programs in the natural sciences, says a new report from the National Research Council. Graduates of these programs -- which build both scientific knowledge and practical workplace skills -- can contribute significantly to the nation's competitiveness, the report says.

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Report Offers Guidance on Assessing Preschoolers

A new congressionally mandated report from the National Research Council offers guidance on how to assess children in preschool and early childhood programs such as Head Start. Well-planned assessments can help improve programs and lead to better outcomes for children, but poor assessments or misuse of results can harm both children and programs, the report says. Extreme caution is needed in implementing high-stakes assessments in early childhood settings.

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For additional information visit The National Academies Subject page.