Some of my colleagues over at Sciblogs (NZ) publish the occasional ‘crazy science’ letter. I thought I would join them, having just read the following in one of our local free papers. Fluoride and Viagra – what do they have in common? As it turns out, a lot.
Continue readingMonth: April 2011
vision and change: biology education for all students
That’s the title of the first chapter in the AAAS’s Vision and change report. It should cause tertiary biology educators to pause & think – because not all of the students sitting in our first-year classes are biology majors or, indeed, science majors. In my own Faculty around 1/6 of those students will be taking my papers […]
Continue readingvision & change in undergraduate biology education
Last week our department began to review its biology curriculum. I have a sneaking suspicion that some folks were hoping that one day was pretty much ‘it’, but realistically we’ll be continuing the process for some time. Which is just as well, because Grant has pointed me at a document that I would have liked […]
Continue reading‘darwin’s dilemma’ – id in nz
A little while ago Ken alerted me to an Intelligent Design website that appeared to be set up to provide ID ‘resources’ to teachers & others who might be interested. Today I found time to wander over & have a look at what was on offer (not much, at the moment). The site’s owner is […]
Continue readinga weekend funny…
… & I promise to write something more substantial in the next day or so, I just need to get the marking & committee work behind me! In the meantime – & using the word ‘theory’ rather loosely! – I offer you this: With many thanks to Dan Piraro at www.bizarrocomics.com
Continue readingsome thoughts on ‘looking ahead’
I’ve had a most enjoyable, and thought-provoking, discussion with a teacher friend of mine about the ideas & proposals contained in Looking ahead: science education for the 21st century. We both felt that the report is a provocative basis for discussion of what our science education system should look like (& indeed Sir Peter Gluckman described it […]
Continue readinglooking ahead: science education for the 21st century
Last October I wrote about Inspired by Science, a document commissioned by the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor with the aim of "[encouraging’ debate on how better to engage students with science". The paper had a particular focus on science education in primary and secondary schools and also asked "whether there is an increasing mismatch between science education […]
Continue readingto the ridiculous (answersingenesis)…
The internet is a strange place – not least because it makes easier to stumble across such strange juxtapositions as PZ’s sublime posting on killling and a strange and ridiculous piece by AIG (Answers in Genesis) that lays the blame for the Noachian flood on earthquakes (& I have to thank Ted for pointing me at the […]
Continue readingfrom the sublime (pz myers)…
This is not exactly biology, but nonetheless – over on Pharyngula, PZ Myers has written an eloquent and moving post on why applying shades of grey to ‘black-&-white’ issues may be doing us all a disservice: But sometimes the issues are black and white. Sometimes the answers are clear and absolute. And in those cases, […]
Continue readingscience education for the 21st century – an update
For those keen on attending (via the KAREN network or another provider) next week’s launch of Looking ahead: science education for the 21st century, here are the latest details on where & how to join the ‘virtual’ audience: Teachers can participate in the seminar in three ways. 1. Via Satellite Television, combined with the livechat which requires […]
Continue reading