Newsletter for Math and Science

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Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 13:26:24 -0500

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Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2006 21:10:12 -0600
 Newsletter for Math and Science

MSP News
http://mspnet.org
December 28, 2005

HIGHLIGHTS AT A GLANCE 1. NEW IN LIBRARY A. "Kitzmiller, et al. vs. Dover Area School District: Memorandum Opinion," by Judge John E. Jones III, US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, December 20, 2005. The full-text memorandum opinion from Judge Jones in Kitzmiller vs. Dover is available online. This may be of special interest to those who are engaged in debates within their own districts concerning the teaching of evolution and intelligent design. http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/12578

B. Many thanks to Keith Wayland and his colleagues from the Puerto Rico MSP for sharing this 'how to' guide for developing higher conceptual level mathematics questions. "The Art of Asking Thought Provoking Questions in the Mathematics Classroom," by Carmen Bellido, Uroyoan Walker, Keith Wayland, University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez, December 21, 2005. http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/12574

C. "The State of State Science Standards 2005," by Paul R. Gross, Ursula Goodenough, et al., Thomas B. Fordham Institute, December 7, 2005. http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/12576

3. NEW IN RESOURCES National Center for Science Education: Defending the teaching of evolution in public schools. http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/12577

DETAILS BELOW

1. NEW IN LIBRARY

A. "Kitzmiller, et al. vs. Dover Area School District: Memorandum Opinion," by Judge John E. Jones III, US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, December 20, 2005.

Judge Jones finds that "intelligent design" is not science. The Dover Area School District Intelligent Design policy fails the "endorsement test" for both student and adult observers, violates both purpose and effect prongs of the Lemon test, and also violates the Pennsylvania constitution.

From the conclusion: "The proper application of both the endorsement and Lemon tests to the facts of this case makes it abundantly clear that the Board's ID Policy violates the Establishment Clause. In making this determination, we have addressed the seminal question of whether ID is science. We have concluded that it is not, and moreover that ID cannot uncouple itself from its creationist, and thus religious, antecedents.

Both Defendants and many of the leading proponents of ID make a bedrock assumption which is utterly false. Their presupposition is that evolutionary theory is antithetical to a belief in the existence of a supreme being and to religion in general. Repeatedly in this trial, Plaintiffs' scientific experts testified that the theory of evolution represents good science, is overwhelmingly accepted by the scientific community, and that it in no way conflicts with, nor does it deny, the existence of a divine creator.

To be sure, Darwin's theory of evolution is imperfect. However, the fact that a scientific theory cannot yet render an explanation on every point should not be used as a pretext to thrust an untestable alternative hypothesis grounded in religion into the science classroom or to misrepresent well-established scientific propositions."

MSPnet Location: LIBRARY>>Ed Change & Policy
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/12578

B. "The Art of Asking Thought Provoking Questions in the Mathematics Classroom," by Carmen Bellido, Uroyoan Walker, Keith Wayland, University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez, December 21, 2005.

"This is a position paper that advocates the use of higher level conceptual questions in the mathematics classroom. Recent research on how students learn mathematics shows that understanding what they are doing and why is critical. Such learning does not happen spontaneously, the teacher must provoke the student to do the thinking required to understand. The key is in the questions the teacher asks. Students answer 'typical' classroom and textbook questions by looking for and following an example or by mindlessly executing a standard procedure. Most of the paper is a 'How To' guide for developing higher conceptual level questions that provoke students to think. Several techniques for modifying traditional questions are illustrated with examples ranging from elementary to high school level topics."

MSPnet Location: LIBRARY>>Teaching & Learning
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/12574

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Censorship, Text Book Publishers & The Money
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Teachers/textbookcensorship.html

Science Book Errors
Bill Bennett X Secretary of Education cashes in on education reform.
About Online Digital Curriculum
Currently a law going through the legislature that would change the
term for funding from "textbook" to "instructional materials."
President Bush's brother Neil Bush has a company.

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C. "The State of State Science Standards 2005," by Paul R. Gross, Ursula Goodenough, et al., Thomas B. Fordham Institute, December 7, 2005.

"Science education in America is under attack, with "discovery learning" on one flank and the Discovery Institute on the other. That's the core finding of our just-released comprehensive review of state science standards, the first since 2000. Written by pre-eminent biologist Paul R. Gross, The State of State Science Standards finds that even though the majority of states have reworked, or crafted from scratch, their science standards over the past five years, we're no better off now than before. That's the bad news. The good news is that many of the standards are easily fixed. More involvement by bench scientists, and better editing, could greatly improve what's out there. Plus, there are a number of excellent models to follow (California, Massachusetts, and South Carolina, for example). The public's anxiety about the future of our nation's scientific prowess is palpable--and reasonable. How serious are we in addressing their concerns? To find out, read the report."

MSPnet Location: LIBRARY>>Ed Change & Policy
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/12576


3. NEW IN RESOURCES

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Teaching Intelligent Design vs Evolution in the classroom.
Is intelligent design religion or science?
TEACHING INTELLIGENT DESIGN
TEACHING EVOLUTION
Teaching Evolution or Creation Debate
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Teachers/newteacherevolution.html
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National Center for Science Education

The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) defends the teaching of evolution in public schools. NCSE is a nationally-recognized clearinghouse for information and advice to keep evolution in the science classroom and "scientific creationism" out. NCSE is the only national organization to specialize in this issue. The NCSE website provides: * Reviews of current anti-evolution activity in the United States and around the world * Background to the fundamentally creationist and anti-evolution movement known as "Intelligent Design" * Detailed information on the Creation/Evolution controversy from 1859 to the present * Resources for parents, teachers, school boards, and the general public

MSPnet Location: RESOURCES>>Useful Websites
http://hub.mspnet.org/entry.cfm/12577

To view this email online, go to the MSP News Archive under the heading "MSPnet Essentials." Past issues of MSP News are also available online.

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Newsletter for Math and Science

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