Educators look for more support with new Manitoba science curriculum - CBC

Katherine L. McNeill, the Bryk Faculty Fellow in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, has been selected for the Massachusetts Science Educators Hall of Fame, which acknowledges individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of education in the sciences and/or science teaching in the commonwealth for a minimum of 20 years. McNeill, a professor in the Teaching, Curriculum and Society Department, will be inducted at the Massachusetts Science Education Leadership Association Annual Conference on October 23.  Additionally, she will be honored that evening by the Massachusetts Science Teachers Association at its annual awards dinner.

The science of reading boom has created a groundswell of interest in whether there’s an analog for math. One of the more interesting thinkers on this count is Daniel Ansari, a professor of psychology and education at Western University in Ontario, where he directs the Numerical Cognition Laboratory. Daniel’s research focuses on how children develop mathematical and numerical skills, and he thinks there’s a lot of popular confusion regarding the “science of math.” I reached out to hear what he thinks we’re getting right and wrong. Here’s what he had to say.—RickRick: You study how young children learn math. How’d you get into that? Daniel: It happened rather accidentally. When applying to Ph. D. programs in psychology, I came across a position that involved investigating the numerical abilities of children with Williams syndrome, a rare genetic developmental disorder. The relationship between the two sounded interesting, so I applied and was accepted. Rick: There’s been much recent attention to the science of reading. Is there an analogous science of math? Daniel: Yes, there is.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researcher Isaiah Santistevan led the development of three-dimensional simulations exploring how a nuclear device could deflect or disrupt an asteroid threatening Earth. Credit: Blaise Douros/LLNL Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers are developing three-dimensional simulations to examine how a nuclear device could be used to deflect or potentially disrupt an asteroid threatening Earth.