Contents contributed and discussions participated by John Burk - WMS Science Teachers

How to Read a Scientific Paper : Uncertain Principles - 1 views

scienceblogs.com/...to_read_a_scientific_paper.php

research how-to

shared by John Burk on 10 Jan 12 - No Cached

John Burk on 10 Jan 12

Really great blog post with detailed instructions on how to read a scientific paper. If you wanted to instruct students on this skill, you could simply give them this post.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Really great blog post with detailed instructions on how to read a scientific paper. If you wanted to instruct students on this skill, you could simply give them this post. </div>

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Work and energy for an accelerating car | Matter & Interactions - 0 views

matterandinteractions.wordpress.com/...energy-for-an-accelerating-car

work energy

shared by John Burk on 10 Jan 12 - No Cached

John Burk on 10 Jan 12

pretty detailed accounting of work and pseudowork for accelerating car

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">pretty detailed accounting of work and pseudowork for accelerating car</div>

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The Richard Feynman Trilogy: The Physicist Captured in Three Films | Open Culture - 0 views

www.openculture.com/...hard_feynman_film_trilogy.html

inspiration video physics

shared by John Burk on 09 Jan 12 - No Cached

John Burk on 09 Jan 12

BBC series of interviews with Feynman on pleasure of finding things out.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">BBC series of interviews with Feynman on pleasure of finding things out. </div>

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Why Science is "Just So Darn Hard" - THE DAILY RIFF - Be Smarter. About Education. - 0 views

www.thedailyriff.com/...e-is-just-so-darn-hard-854.php

pedagogy science_literacy science_for_all

shared by John Burk on 09 Jan 12 - No Cached

The traditional lecture format is the not the best method for teaching science. Again to draw an analogy with physical education, lectures are of limited use when the subject being taught is an activity.
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The competitive model for science education, and for education in general, is poor training for how work is actually accomplished. Corporations compete, athletes compete, politicians compete, but the vast majority of working people have to cooperate if they want to get anything done.
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Competitive grading systems discourage recreational interest. This is true in school athletic programs and it is also true for science classes. Just as students who get picked last for sports teams conclude athletics is not for them, students who fail to make the cut in science classes, conclude that they lack the "science gene," and should not even try to understand the subject.
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Pedagogies that use "inquiry-based" or "discovery" methods have their place in science instruction, but should not, as some educators have advocated, be the only methods used. 
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Traditional classroom education does not select for some character traits that are critical for success in science. Patience and above all persistence are necessary personal traits for a successful career in science.
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I tell them that when choosing research assistants I am not necessarily looking for the best student in the classroom, I am looking for a student with a strong work ethic,  one who can accept direction and feedback, and one who is excited about the work.
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John Burk on 09 Jan 12

interesting article that compares training of scientists to athletes and flaws with that model.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">interesting article that compares training of scientists to athletes and flaws with that model. </div>

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Photo: The Bounty of Species in a Single Scoop of Seafloor Mud | Wired Science | Wired.com - 1 views

www.wired.com/...seafloor-life

biodiversity biology

shared by John Burk on 08 Jan 12 - No Cached

A mere handful of seafloor mud may contain as many species as are found in a square meter of tropical rainforest. The fantastic assemblage seen above was gathered from a single scoop of mud, about 2 inches deep and 5 inches across.
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inches
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Man Embraces Useless Machines, and Absurdity Ensues - NYTimes.com - 3 views

www.nytimes.com/...is-rube-goldberg-machines.html

rube_goldberg energy project pbl physics

shared by John Burk on 07 Jan 12 - No Cached

John Burk on 07 Jan 12

Excellent article about designer of rube goldberg machines. Video is pure gold for introducing a rube goldberg project.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Excellent article about designer of rube goldberg machines. Video is pure gold for introducing a rube goldberg project. </div>

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Anthropomorphism: A Peculiar Institution | The Scientist - 0 views

the-scientist.com/...orphism-a-peculiar-institution

biology

shared by John Burk on 07 Jan 12 - No Cached

John Burk on 07 Jan 12

interesting post about how anthropomorphism might not be useful in describing biological behavior of animals, especially re: ants & slavery.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">interesting post about how anthropomorphism might not be useful in describing biological behavior of animals, especially re: ants & slavery. </div>

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