[Phys-l] 8+1 Science: A New Concept in Science Education

[Richard Hake <rrhake@earthlink.net>]

Some subscribers to Phys-L might be interested in a Michigan State 
University (MSU) press release titled "8+1 Science: A new concept in 
science education" at <http://bit.ly/Hz898n>.

An excerpt reads as follows [bracketed by lines "MSU-MSU-MSU-. . . . 
. ."; slightly edited] :

MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU
American students need a dramatically new approach to improve how 
they learn science, says a national group of scientists and educators 
led by Michigan State University professor William Schmidt.

After six years of work, the group has proposed a solution. The "8+1 
Science Concept" <http://8plus1science.org/> calls for a radical 
overhaul in K-12 schools that moves away from memorizing scientific 
facts and instead focuses on helping students understand eight 
fundamental science concepts. The "plus one" represents the 
importance of inquiry, the practice of asking why things happen 
around us - and a fundamental part of science. . . . . . . . . . . . 
. .

The 8+1 concepts were derived from two basic questions: what are 
things made of and how do systems interact and change? The eight 
concepts are: atoms, cells, radiation, systems change, forces, 
energy, conservation of mass and energy, and variation. . . . . . . . 
. . . .

Visit <http://8plus1science.org> for more information, including:

a. a research report "Towards Coherence in Science Instruction: A 
Framework for Science Literacy" [Schmidt et al. (2011) at 
<http://bit.ly/y1EURF>];

b. 8 + 1 Science video on U-Tube at <http://bit.ly/I1B2Dy> [149 views 
as of 11 April 07:22-0700 - to see views vs time click on bar graph 
icon after "Views"]; 

c. Facebook page at <http://on.fb.me/HxfLaM>; and

d. related 8 + 1 classroom posters for elementary-, middle-, and high-school.
MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU-MSU

This post also appears on my blog "Hake'sEdStuff" at 
<http://bit.ly/It6q2A> with a provision for comments.


Richard Hake, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Indiana University
<rrhake@earthlink.net>
Links to Articles: <http://bit.ly/a6M5y0>
Links to SDI Labs: <http://bit.ly/9nGd3M>
Blog: <http://bit.ly/9yGsXh>
Academia: <http://iub.academia.edu/RichardHake>
Twitter <https://twitter.com/#!/rrhake>


REFERENCES [All URL's shortened by <http://bit.ly/> and accessed on 
10 April 2012.]
Schmidt, W., G. Leroi, S. Billinge, L. Lederman, A. Champagne, R. 
Hake, P. Heron, L. McDermott, F. Myers, R. Otto, J. Pasachoff, C. 
Pennypacker, & P. Williams. 2011. "Towards Coherence in Science 
Instruction: A Framework for Science Literacy," online as a 856 kB 
pdf at <http://bit.ly/y1EURF>.
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