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Table of Contents

• Science and Math Education Part of Major New Initiative Unveiled During the President’s SOTU Address
• American Museum of Natural History Spring Opens Registration for Spring 2006 Online Professional Development Courses
• Share Your Expertise With Your Peers—Proposals Being Accepted for NSTA 2007 National Conference on Science Education
• STEM Educators with Disabilities Sought for National Workplace Survey
• Secondary Science Teacher Reviewers Needed for New NSF Publications

Science and Math Education Part of Major New Initiative Unveiled During the President’s SOTU Address

As expected science and math education were highlighted during the State of the Union (SOTU) address last week as part of the Administration’s American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI). The new Administration initiative seeks to significantly expand Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) science and math programs, bring 30,000 professionals into high school classrooms nationwide, and create new programs similar to the Reading First initiative for math education at the elementary and middle levels. The Administration is also calling for NCLB science assessments to be part of a state accountability systems for adequate yearly progress (AYP). Read more in this issue of the NSTA Legislative Update (http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2006_02_06_legupdate.htm).

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American Museum of Natural History Spring Opens Registration for Spring 2006 Online Professional Development Courses

Designed for K-12 educators and available this Spring, the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) offers award-winning Seminars on Science online professional development courses including The Ocean System (integrated science), Space, Time and Motion (physical science), Earth: Inside and Out (dynamic Earth systems) and Genetics, Genomics, Genethics (molecular biology). The six-week courses immerse the learner in an area of contemporary research, and are taught by Museum scientists and educators, and feature rich web-based discussions. Graduate credit is available from a number of major institutions and may meet local professional development requirements. Spring courses begin March 20 through April 30, and registration closes March 6, 2006. An earlybird discount is available for those who register by February 20. For more information and to register, go to http://learn.amnh.org or call 800-649-6715.

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Share Your Expertise With Your Peers—Proposals Being Accepted for NSTA 2007 National Conference on Science Education

Looking for the best forum to present your collected wisdom and expertise on a subject of interest to science educators? NSTA’s 2007 55th National Conference on Science Education in St. Louis, March 29-April 1 may be the right audience, at the right time and place for you (alone or with colleagues) to be heard. NSTA is accepting proposals submitted online only by April 15, 2006 for this exciting international event. What’s the best format, you wonder? You can select Presentation, Workshop, or Short Course, all of which have set time lengths, room set-ups and presentation definition. So, don’t wait… for details, criteria and instructions visit http://www.nsta.org/sessions and prepare to meet us in St. Louis!

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STEM Educators with Disabilities Sought for National Workplace Survey

Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology, in partnership with NSTA, are conducting a survey to learn about the employment experiences and workplace accommodations used by science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) K-16 educators who have a disability. The survey is anonymous and takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. The goal of the research is to provide information to help people with disabilities successfully become teachers and to help educators who acquire a disability to be able to continue in their career. To participate in this NSF-funded research project, go to http://www.catea.org/teachersurvey.

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Secondary Science Teacher Reviewers Needed for New NSF Publications

The National Science Foundation will be publishing three free books for secondary science teachers—Reform in the Secondary Science Classroom, Technology in the Secondary Science Classroom, and Science as Inquiry in the Secondary Science Classroom—and teacher reviewers are needed. Editors Julie Luft, Julie Gess-Newsome, and Randy Bell are seeking teachers to review one or two of the book chapters, which are 10-25 pages long, double-spaced. Chapters will be available for review in February and March and must be completed by April 1. Teachers who complete the reviews according to the time and review guidelines will be compensated at $125 per review. Interested? Visit http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2006_02_06_asu.htm for additional details.

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And Don't Forget... 

• During the month of February, you can purchase the online book special—Stepping Up to Science and Math at 30% off list price when you buy online. To browse the book and to order, visit http://www.nsta.org/onlinespecial.

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Professional development courses in your future?
Online options give you a world of choice.
Take a look at these institutions offering courses for science educators!
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