K-12 Science Resources, Part 2

The MIT alumni association just hosted a panel with some of the luminaries in the battle to improve elementary and high school science education, and the archive along with several great resource links were posted on the web log.

You can watch an online broadcast of the panel here, if you first download and install the free RealPlayer from here.

Here is the list of speakers:

• Catherine Drennan, Associate Professor, Chemistry - Chemistry and Beyond
• Woodie Flowers ME '73, Pappalardo Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering - FIRST Competition
• Mitch Resnick EE '88, LEGO Papert Professor of Learning Research, MIT Media Lab - Lifelong Kindergarten Research Group
• Isaac Colbert HM, Dean for Graduate Students - Introductory Remarks
• Dedric Carter '99, Executive Director, Office of Engineering Outreach Programs - Moderator

It is a great panel, where each told of anecdotes and learnings from the K-12 science innovation efforts. Here are some of the comments from attendees:

"Very impressed by all of the speakers. I am a physics teacher so it energized me to hear great ideas and wonderful stories." Kelly Forest CE '92

"Great speakers, very timely topic in both my personal life and the world at large." Megan Brewster, PhD student

"Very significant and important topic. Personally interested for both my own children and our nation. Very creative programs have shown practical tools/links to find more info-Thanks!" Scott Brazina GM '89

Here are some links to a few of the individual web sites chronicling their respective missions.

The Lifelong Kindergarten Laboratory at MIT's Media Lab

MIT's K-12 education outreach initiatives for students and teachers. This one is a real treasure trove with dozens of programs throughout the year for students and teachers to come to MIT and learn to do their own science research and undertake their own creative efforts at technical innovation. Every school should make strong efforts to find and attend services like this one, even if it would require extra fund raising efforts to make it happen. (I would very much like to hear from anyone, student, teacher, administrator or otherwise that would like to attend such a program but is having difficulty for any reason, be it finance, distance, or time that is the barrier. I would also like to receive links to other programs in other cities that support similar notion of hands-on, unguided exploration and innovation.)

The FIRST national robotics competition.

MIT Alumni Discussion on K-12 science education.


Go forth, crusaders, and banish the ignorance!