the quasi-linear dynamics of a career in science education
DESCRIPTION
This is a talk that I gave for the University of Oregon Women in Science group on my career in science research, science journalism, museums, teacher education, and education research, culminating in my own consulting business.TRANSCRIPT
The Quasi-Linear Dynamics of a Career in Science Education
Stephanie Chasteen
[email protected]://blog.sciencegeekgirl.com
Who are you?
A.Science
B.Writing & communication
C.Education
D.Business / Industry
E.More than one / something else
What is the main thing that interests you now (or that you are employed in)?
What interests you?
Introduce yourself to your neighbor. Explain at least one struggle you have / have had in choosing a life path.
Who am I now?
Who am I now?
Let’s try an activity
More like this at http://exploratorium.edu/snacks
Secret Bells or Head Harp
Who was I then?
What kind of a student was I?
Mentors:
Dr. Dennis Chasteen
Margaret Chasteen
High School
Mentors:
Dr. Dennis Chasteen
Mr. Perry
Brendan Crill
College: What to study?
PhysicsSocial PsychologyPhysicsNow what?
First, Peace Corps
Now what?
BA in Social Psychology
Peace Corps
?
What we can learn from bacteria:sense temperature
gradients or changes
where is the warm spot?
Figuring out how things work
Mentor:
Dr. Sue Carter
How to keep my love for science...?
BA in Social Psychology
Peace Corps
Physics research
?
Communicating Science
What is science journalism?
What techniques does the piece use to reach its audience?(David Kestenbaum and Marvin Marshak - NPR)
What is the purpose of that piece?A.To educate people
about science
B.To keep the listener informed about current research
C.To get the listener interested in science
D.To give the journalist a job
E.More than one / something else
Communicating Science
Mentors:
Dr. Sue Carter
Dr. Sarah Rabkin
Dr. David Kestenbaum
Some principles of good writingKnow your audienceBuild from the familiar (e.g., analogy)Tell a storyNo jargonShort simple sentences, active voiceWalk the line between accuracy and understandability (you won’t be as precise as you want to be!)
BA in Social Psychology
Peace Corps
Physics research
How to reach the public with exciting science?
freelance writingNPR intern
Now what?
Communicating Science... to Teachers & the Public
Mentor:
Dr. Paul Doherty
Communicating Science... to Teachers & the Public
Mentor:
Dr. Paul Doherty
Remember our warmup activity?
And another: Head Harp
More like this at http://exploratorium.edu/snacks
Let’s try an activity
Blue SkyNow you can explain why the
sky is blue and the sunset is
red
When sunlight travels through the
atmosphere, blue light scatters more
than the other colors, leaving a dominant
yellow-orange hue to the transmitted
light. The scattered light makes the sky
blue; the transmitted light makes the
sunset reddish orange.
A transparent plastic box, or a large
beaker, jar, or aquarium
A flashlight or projector (either a slide or filmstrip projector)
Powdered milk
Polarizing filter (such as the lens from an old pair of polarized sunglasses)
Blank white card for image screen
Paper hole-punch
Optional: Unexposed (black) 35 mm slide or photographic film, or an index card cut to slide size
(15 minutes or less)
Fill the container with water. Place the light source so that the beam shines through the container. Add
powdered milk a pinch at a time; stir until you can clearly see the beam shining through the liquid.
(15 minutes or more)
Look at the beam from the side of the tank and then from the end of the tank. You can also let the light
project onto a white card, which you hold at the end of the tank. From the side, the beam looks bluish-
white; from the end, it looks yellow-orange.
If you have added enough milk to the water, you will be able to
see the color of the beam change from blue-white to yelloworange
along the length of the beam.
If you want to look at a narrower beam of light, use a paper
hole-punch to punch a hole in the unexposed black slide or in a
piece of 35 mm film, or even in an index card cut to size. Place
the slide, film, or index card in the projector. (Do not hold it in front of the lens.) Focus the projector to
obtain a sharp beam.
Blue SkyNow you can explain why the
sky is blue and the sunset is
red
When sunlight travels through the
atmosphere, blue light scatters more
than the other colors, leaving a dominant
yellow-orange hue to the transmitted
light. The scattered light makes the sky
blue; the transmitted light makes the
sunset reddish orange.
A transparent plastic box, or a large
beaker, jar, or aquarium
A flashlight or projector (either a slide or filmstrip projector)
Powdered milk
Polarizing filter (such as the lens from an old pair of polarized sunglasses)
Blank white card for image screen
Paper hole-punch
Optional: Unexposed (black) 35 mm slide or photographic film, or an index card cut to slide size
(15 minutes or less)
Fill the container with water. Place the light source so that the beam shines through the container. Add
powdered milk a pinch at a time; stir until you can clearly see the beam shining through the liquid.
(15 minutes or more)
Look at the beam from the side of the tank and then from the end of the tank. You can also let the light
project onto a white card, which you hold at the end of the tank. From the side, the beam looks bluish-
white; from the end, it looks yellow-orange.
If you have added enough milk to the water, you will be able to
see the color of the beam change from blue-white to yelloworange
along the length of the beam.
If you want to look at a narrower beam of light, use a paper
hole-punch to punch a hole in the unexposed black slide or in a
piece of 35 mm film, or even in an index card cut to size. Place
the slide, film, or index card in the projector. (Do not hold it in front of the lens.) Focus the projector to
obtain a sharp beam.
Teacher Institute
Iron science teacher
The Exploratorium
What is the primary purpose of an interactive exhibit?A.To give hands-on
experience with a phenomenon
B.To motivate students to learn about science in school
C.To give the exhibit designer a job
D.To teach science content
E.More than one / something else
What I did at the Exploratorium
BA in Social Psychology
Peace Corps
Physics research
I want to know more about education...
freelance writingNPR intern
Now what?
Exploratorium &teacher education
An informed education activistDr. Steve Pollock
Mentors:
Dr. Kathy Perkins
Dr. Carl Wieman
Education ResearchThe teaching of science AS a scienceStudying how people learnDesigning instructional materialsTraditional lecture isn’t very effective!
Can we affect students’ beliefs?Shift (%)
-6-8-12-11-10-17
Real world connect...Personal interest........Sense making/effort...Conceptual................Math understanding...Confidence................
Attitude survey
Students come out of introductory classes with more negative views of physics than they came in with!
A. More positive
B. More negative
C. Stay same
how do you think intro physics classes affect student attitudes?
I think about the physics I experience in everyday life.
There is usually only one correct approach to solving a physics problem.
Spending a lot of time understanding where formulas come from is a waste of time.
Trad’l Model of Education
Common themes in Education & Communication
1. Motivation is essential for learning
2. People learn by actively constructing their own understanding.
3. Working memory limited (cognitive load)
4. People learn by building on what they know.
Principles of learning
Principles of communication1. Know audience
2. Hook people in
3. Help people relate to the topic
4. Keep it simple
5. Tell stories
BA in Social Psychology
Peace Corps
Physics research
Now how to use all this?
freelance writingNPR intern
Exploratorium &teacher education
physics education research
Tying it all together: sciencegeekgirl enterprises
BA in Social Psychology
Peace Corps
Physics research
A non-specialized specialist
freelance writingNPR intern
Exploratorium &teacher education
physics education research
remember the bacteria?
BA in Social Psychology
Peace Corps
Physics research
freelance writingNPR intern
Exploratorium &teacher education
physics education research
I found a warm spot
What my mentors gave meFLEXIBILITY
encouragement
expertise feedback enthusiasm
benefit of the doubt
What I’ve learnedDon’t hesitate to try
It doesn’t hurt to ask
You are not a prisoner of your choices
The world needs eclectic generalists too
Generosity yields returns
Seek inspiration
So does hard workPay attention & be curious
Thank you!Thank you!
Please ask me questions!Please read my blog!Please contact me anytime!Please hire me!
http://[email protected]