Comments on: Outraged! Calling All Readers to Stand Up for Science Education http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/04/19/outraged-calling-all-readers-to-stand-up-for-science-education/ Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:28:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Kevin Bonham http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/04/19/outraged-calling-all-readers-to-stand-up-for-science-education/#comment-52589 Kevin Bonham Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:30:22 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=17410#comment-52589 It gets worse. The NSF graduate research fellowship program (I am currently a fellow) has amended their guidelines so that we are not allowed to do <i>any</i> teaching if we are paid for it. In other words, even if it's OK with my PI (it is) and even if it's OK with my program (it is), I'm not allowed to be a TA for undergraduate or graduate courses. One of the most important parts about the NSF application is a focus on "broader impacts" - those things <i>other than</i> research that you will do to improve science literacy. Yet they seem to be cutting all of these efforts off at the knees. It gets worse. The NSF graduate research fellowship program (I am currently a fellow) has amended their guidelines so that we are not allowed to do any teaching if we are paid for it. In other words, even if it’s OK with my PI (it is) and even if it’s OK with my program (it is), I’m not allowed to be a TA for undergraduate or graduate courses.

One of the most important parts about the NSF application is a focus on “broader impacts” – those things other than research that you will do to improve science literacy. Yet they seem to be cutting all of these efforts off at the knees.

]]> By: Caitlin S http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/04/19/outraged-calling-all-readers-to-stand-up-for-science-education/#comment-52588 Caitlin S Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:13:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=17410#comment-52588 I am a doctoral candidate and I have been an NSF Graduate Teaching Fellow twice in my graduate career and firmly believe my GK-12 experiences to be among my most valuable and rewarding. I worked with 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders in public schools and know that my interactions with these students and their teachers provided me a perspective on education unique to the one I would have received had I only taught undergraduates (or not taught at all, as is the case with many graduate students). I have implemented the (life and curricular) lessons I learned in those classrooms into my teaching since, with great success. I have won teaching awards based on a teaching philosophy and teaching effort that has been sculpted significantly by my GK-12 experiences. I will be greatly saddened if this outstanding program is discontinued. I am a doctoral candidate and I have been an NSF Graduate Teaching Fellow twice in my graduate career and firmly believe my GK-12 experiences to be among my most valuable and rewarding. I worked with 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders in public schools and know that my interactions with these students and their teachers provided me a perspective on education unique to the one I would have received had I only taught undergraduates (or not taught at all, as is the case with many graduate students). I have implemented the (life and curricular) lessons I learned in those classrooms into my teaching since, with great success. I have won teaching awards based on a teaching philosophy and teaching effort that has been sculpted significantly by my GK-12 experiences. I will be greatly saddened if this outstanding program is discontinued.

]]> By: Outraged! Calling All Readers to Stand Up for Science Education - Discover Magazine (blog) | SciAnswers Social Media Website http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/04/19/outraged-calling-all-readers-to-stand-up-for-science-education/#comment-52587 Outraged! Calling All Readers to Stand Up for Science Education - Discover Magazine (blog) | SciAnswers Social Media Website Tue, 19 Apr 2011 21:42:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=17410#comment-52587 [...] Want more than this snippet? … Click here for full story. Tweet « Investigators: School Bathroom Fire Was Arson - KPTV Portland [...] [...] Want more than this snippet? … Click here for full story. Tweet « Investigators: School Bathroom Fire Was Arson – KPTV Portland [...]

]]> By: Elaine http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/04/19/outraged-calling-all-readers-to-stand-up-for-science-education/#comment-52586 Elaine Tue, 19 Apr 2011 21:26:28 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=17410#comment-52586 This is extremely disappointing. I know several GK-12 fellows and have seen their impact on educational communities across the globe. This is extremely disappointing. I know several GK-12 fellows and have seen their impact on educational communities across the globe.

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