Science

Ethics in Biology

High school tackle ethical issues related to vaccination, genetic testing, and clinical trials.

In a new EDC curriculum, high school students tackle ethical issues related to vaccination, genetic testing, and clinical trials.

Scores Are Only A Start

Op-ed by EDC’s Judi Sandler and Barbara Brauner Berns discusses the need to prepare Massachusetts students for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Research Points to Quality Teaching

An EDC study found that classroom teaching experience is a stronger indicator of first-rate science instruction than other qualifications, in particular the “highly qualified teacher” status as determined by the No Child Left Behind Act.

Gaming goes to School

An EDC project will bring together students, teachers, and game developers to design and evaluate digital games and learning tools, built around the Nintendo DS, for classroom science and literacy lessons.

EDC and Dept. of Education to Explore Video Games in Classrooms

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded $9.2 million to EDC’s Center for Children and Technology.

Designed for Learning

The typical science textbook is a dense read, presenting students with a highly specialized vocabulary and hundreds of new terms. For students with language-based disabilities, textbooks can be an insurmountable barrier to success in science.

A World In Motion: Replacement Activity

In the 1990s, EDC’s Center for Educational Resources and Outreach (ERO) developed an interdisciplinary curriculum for elementary and middle school students, for the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). The curriculum activities are a key part of SAE’s A World In Motion® (AWIM) curriculum that joins together teachers, students, and industry volunteers in an exploration of physical science while addressing essential mathematic and scientific concepts and skills.

Assessing the Potential Impact of a Professional Development Program in Science on Head Start Teachers and Children

CC&F is collaborating with Head Start partners to design and evaluate a credit-bearing professional development program, Foundations of Science Literacy. Foundations will help teachers master science content and inquiry-based methods through a combination of mentoring and face-to-face instruction. An emphasis will be placed on developing effective strategies for English language learners and low-income children who demonstrate lower levels of science proficiency than their peers.

Brownfield Action Project Evaluation

Brownfield Action is an interactive simulation that allows students to explore how environmental scientists investigate a suspected contaminated land site. Developed by Columbia University’s Center for New Media Teaching and Learning, the simulation is intended for use in the laboratory component of the Introduction to Environmental Science Course at Barnard College. CCT is conducting a multi-year evaluation of the program. In Brownfield Action, paired sets of students assume the role of an environmental consulting company.

Urban Ecology, Information Technology, and Inquiry Science for Students and Teachers

CSE is directing the summative evaluation of the Urban Ecology Institute’s (UEI) Urban Ecology, Information Technology, and Inquiry Science for Students and Teachers project. This three-year project improves the UEI program by partnering with science educators who specialize in technology integration and school-university partnerships, counseling psychologists who specialize in career development, scientists who are experts in urban ecology, and Boston Public School teachers who understand teaching and learning in urban settings.