Journal of College Science Teaching articles from September 2007

Journal of College Science Teaching archives from September 2007

NSF research outreach requirements: an opportunity for JCST readers.(GUEST EDITORIAL)(National Science Foundation)(Editorial)
September 1, 2007... A recent issue of the American Physical Society newsletter (2007) described the various reactions that research physicists have to the NSF requirement that grant applications seeking support for basic research include a section describing the...

Impassioned about passivity.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2007... I read your editorial in the May/June issue of JCST last week, but have only just had a moment now to respond. I teach mainly freshmen in a large-enrollment (n~275) introductory biology course for majors (i.e., students majoring in Biol, Bioc,...

Bond breaking misconception.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2007... We write to discuss an important clarification in the article "Combustion and Energy Transfer Experiments," which appeared in January/February 2007 issue. The thesis of the article, that core concepts in science can be linked across courses and...

The art of a deal: a Kyoto Protocol simulation.
September 1, 2007... In this case study, groups of students represent countries as they negotiate an agreement to limit greenhouse-gas emissions. While initially developed for and used in an environmental-science course for first-year college students, the case...

Cell-phone use and cancer: a case study exploring the scientific method.
September 1, 2007... Designed for an introductory nonmajors biology course, this case study presents students with a series of short news stories describing a scientific study of cell-phone use and its health effects. Students read the news stories and then the...

Giving birth to someone else's children? A case of disputed maternity.
September 1, 2007... Most students have heard about situations in which the paternity of a child is questioned; in a surprising reversal, in this case study, maternity is in question. Designed for an introductory biology course, the case involves concepts from...

Tools of engagement: using case studies in synchronous distance-learning environments.
September 1, 2007... Faced with the challenges of addressing a variety of student learning styles, academic levels, and demographics, incorporating innovative learning strategies, attaining higher-level thinking skills, and offering new courses with contemporary...

Teaching science with case studies: a national survey of faculty perceptions of the benefits and challenges of using cases.(Report)
September 1, 2007... To understand more about faculty perceptions of the instructional benefits of and barriers to using case studies, we surveyed 101 science faculty at universities and colleges in the United States and Canada. The results provided evidence that,...

Does the color-coding of examination versions affect college science students' test performance? Countering claims of bias.(RESEARCH AND TEACHING)(Report)
September 1, 2007... Introductory college science survey courses often present a multitude of challenges to the instructor. Not only are instructors expected to teach an assortment of scientific concepts and principles within the time constraints of one semester,...

Demonstrating inquiry-based teaching competencies in the life sciences: part 1.(FAVORITE DEMONSTRATION)
September 1, 2007... Research shows that many students hold misconceptions related to plant functions (Hershey 2004). Some of these students will become teachers with little content understanding to identify their students' misconceptions about plants (Amir and...

Please don't read the text before coming to lecture.(SCST: SOCIETY FOR COLLEGE SCIENCE TEACHERS)
September 1, 2007... It's common for college professors to require students to complete a reading from the textbook prior coming to class. Most professors who maintain syllabi for their courses list the chapters or page numbers that class members should read ahead...

The boy scouts said it best: some advice on case-study teaching and student preparation.(EDITORIAL)
September 1, 2007... I was a failure as a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout. I never got past the Tenderfoot stage. And Sea Scouts was a wash too, though it really wasn't my fault there. It was mal de mer that did me in. Yes, there really is a Sea Scout organization,...

Evolution for Everyone: How Darwin's Theory Can Change the Way We Think About Our Lives.(Book review)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Evolution For Everyone: How Darwin's Theory Can Change the Way We Think About Our Lives David Sloan Wilson. 2007. 390pp. $24. Random House, New York. ISBN: 9780385340212. What a valuable resource--390 pages...

Guide to Deserts.(Brief article)(Book review)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Guide to Deserts Andrew Warren and Tony Allan. 2006. 208pp. $19.95. Firefly Books, Toronto. ISBN: 1554072131. Human activities shape the environment, and the environment shapes human activities. This idea is...

Into That Silent Sea: Trailblazers of the Space Era, 1961-1965.(Book review)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Into That Silent Sea: Trailblazers of the Space Era, 1961-1965 Francis French and Colin Burgess. 2007. 397pp. $29.95. University of Nebraska, Lincoln. ISBN: 9780803211469. Dedicated to Scott Carpenter and Gherman...

The Scientist as Rebel.(Brief article)(Book review)
September 1, 2007... The Scientist as Rebel Freeman Dyson. 2006. 360pp. $27.95. Random House, New York. ISBN: 9781590172162. This collection gives readers a sense of the author's personal perspectives on events and the people who were instrumental in the...

The Theory of Almost Everything: The Standard Model, the Unsung Triumph of Modern Physics.(Book review)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Theory of Almost Everything: The Standard Model, the Unsung Triumph of Modern Physics Robert Oerter. 2006. 327pp. $15. Penguin Books, New York. ISBN: 0452287863. Some students are lured into science careers...

Extinction: How Life on Earth Nearly Ended 250 Million Years Ago.(Brief article)(Book review)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Extinction: How Life on Earth Nearly Ended 250 Million Years Ago Douglas H. Erwin. 2006. 296pp. $24.95. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. ISBN: 0691005249. The Permian mass extinction that saw the demise...

Meeting the needs of the new world student.(A message from the NSTA President)(Essay)
September 1, 2007... I began my career teaching chemistry in 1970 and have spent 35 years in the classroom. I recently accepted a position as the curriculum coordinator in my district, which gives me the opportunity to step back and look at our profession from a...

The case of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker: the scientific process and how it relates to everyday life.(Case study)
September 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In this case study, based on the reported rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in April 2005, students examine a real-world example of the scientific process and explore the practical implications of their...