How Students Science in the Classroom builds on the discoveries detailed in the best-selling How People Learn . Now these findings are presented in a way that teachers can use immediately, to revitalize their work in the classroom for even greater effectiveness. Organized for utility, the book explores how the principles of learning can be applied in science at three elementary, middle, and high school. Leading educators explain in detail how they developed successful curricula and teaching approaches, presenting strategies that serve as models for curriculum development and classroom instruction. Their recounting of personal teaching experiences lends strength and warmth to this volume. This book discusses how to build straightforward science experiments into true understanding of scientific principles. It also features illustrated suggestions for classroom activities.
The National Research Council (NRC) functions under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), and the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The NAS, NAE, IOM, and NRC are part of a private, nonprofit institution that provides science, technology and health policy advice under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln that was originally granted to the NAS in 1863. Under this charter, the NRC was established in 1916, the NAE in 1964, and the IOM in 1970. The four organizations are collectively referred to as the National Academies.
The mission of the NRC is to improve government decision making and public policy, increase public education and understanding, and promote the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge in matters involving science, engineering, technology, and health. The institution takes this charge seriously and works to inform policies and actions that have the power to improve the lives of people in the U.S. and around the world.
The NRC is committed to providing elected leaders, policy makers, and the public with expert advice based on sound scientific evidence. The NRC does not receive direct federal appropriations for its work. Individual projects are funded by federal agencies, foundations, other governmental and private sources, and the institution’s endowment. The work is made possible by 6,000 of the world’s top scientists, engineers, and other professionals who volunteer their time without compensation to serve on committees and participate in activities. The NRC is administered jointly by the NAS, NAE, and the IOM through the NRC Governing Board.
The core services involve collecting, analyzing, and sharing information and knowledge. The independence of the institution, combined with its unique ability to convene experts, allows it to be responsive to a host of requests.
The portfolio of activities includes:
* Consensus Studies: These comprehensive reports focus on major policy issues and provide recommendations for solving complex problems. * Expert Meetings and Workshops: By convening symposia, workshops, meetings, and roundtables, the NRC connects professionals as well as the interested public and stimulates dialogue on diverse matters. * Program and Research Management: At the request of state and federal agencies, the NRC manages and evaluates research programs, conducts program assessments, and reviews proposals. * Fellowships: The NRC administers several postdoctoral fellowship programs.
Free Scientific Information: Publishing more than 200 reports and related publications each year, the institution is one of the largest providers of free scientific and technical information in the world. Most of it is now on the Web at www.nap.edu.
At the University level trained scientists are dropped into classrooms and told to teach. By instinct I suspect a lot of us tend to use a scientific approach to improving our teaching, but at some point, if one is really going to take on a research project one should read the literature. This book has been my first stop. As such, it's not a bad first stop. It starts with what I knew, namely that students have pre-conceptions and these preconceptions can hinder learning if not addressed and moves on to the less obvious: that metacognition leads to increased comprehension and retention. The three chapters showing examples of guided inquiry classrooms are largely repetitive. Just one of them would have sufficed.