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Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin
May 1, 2008
Volume 14, Number 17
Published by the
Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education

This Week's Topics:

  1. PROPOSED REGULATIONS TO STRENGTHEN NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
  2. PANEL DISCUSSES NATION'S MATH AND SCIENCE CONCERNS
  3. AGI NAMES FIRST EDWARD C. ROY, JR. AWARD RECIPIENT
  4. CREATIVITY ABOUNDS AMONG WINNERS OF 2008 NSTA/VERNIER TECHNOLOGY AWARD
  5. NASA OFFERS EDUCATIONAL ONLINE GAMING OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOPERS
  6. ED IN 08 UNVEILS NEW ANALYSIS AND REPORT CARD
  7. 2008 EVERYDAY MATHEMATICS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 
  8. PREVIOUS ISSUES

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PROPOSED REGULATIONS TO STRENGTHEN NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings recently announced proposed new regulations to strengthen and clarify No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The proposed regulations focus on improved accountability and transparency, uniform and disaggregated graduation rates, and improved parental notification for Supplemental Education Services and public school choice. The Secretary noted that these new regulations build on NCLB's positive results and are consistent with the law's core principles of annual testing, publishing data, and helping schools that fall behind. She added that in her travels to nearly two dozen states -- which included meetings with governors, state school chiefs, and state legislatures -- discussions focused on how states and districts can improve struggling schools, more accurately measure dropout rates, and chart student progress over time.

Several of the proposed regulations seek to clarify elements of the law that demand school systems be accountable for results and transparent in their reporting to parents and the public, including requiring that states publish data from the Nation's Report Card alongside data from their own tests for students. The Secretary emphasized that measures of student academic achievement may include multiple types of questions and multiple assessments within a subject area. Building on the Department's growth model pilot program, the proposed regulations would outline the criteria that States must meet in order to incorporate individual student progress into the State's definition of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). To continue the dialogue and address some of the more technical needs of the states and their departments of education, Secretary Spellings proposed the creation of a National Technical Advisory Council. The council will be made up of experts in the fields of education standards, accountability systems, statistics, and psychometrics and be tasked with advising the Department on highly complex and technical issues and ensuring state standards and assessments are of the highest technical quality. For more information on the new regulations, click here.   

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PANEL DISCUSSES NATION'S MATH AND SCIENCE CONCERNS
A summit of top leaders in education, business, government, mathematics, and science recently gathered in Washington, D.C. to address the alarming decline in American competitiveness and preeminence in science and technology. "Rising Above the Gathering Storm - Two Years Later: Accelerating Progress toward a Brighter Economic Future" was convened by the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) along with the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine. Two years ago, the blue-ribbon committee report by the National Academies, "Rising Above the Gathering Storm," warned that the U.S. is falling behind in math and science education, endangering America's competitiveness and national security. The national convocation addressed what has happened since then.

The National Math and Science Initiative is a non-profit organization, created in 2007 as a result of the "Rising Above the Gathering Storm" report. NMSI's mission is expanding programs with proven success in math and science education across the nation. The initial focus is on multiplying two programs with 10 years of data proving they work: a training and incentive program for Advanced Placement courses and UTeach, a program to recruit, prepare, and retain qualified math, science, and computer science teachers. (More to come after the event). More details are at www.nationalmathandscience.org.  

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AGI NAMES FIRST EDWARD C. ROY, JR. AWARD RECIPIENT

Michelle Brand Buchanan, a teacher at Pineville Junior High in Pineville, LA has been named the first recipient of the Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award for Excellence in K-8 Earth Science Teaching. Ms. Buchanan is currently a National Board Certified teacher of 7th grade life and environmental science and 8th grade earth, space, and environmental science. She is also involved with several organizations that promote science education. In addition to the Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award, Ms. Buchanan has received several other accolades, including the 2007 National Association of Geoscience Teachers Outstanding Earth Science Teacher of the Year Award for Louisiana, the U.S. Department of Education's Star Teaching Award, and the 2005 Sam's Club Regional Teacher of the Year Award.

Given annually, the Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award recognizes one classroom teacher from kindergarten to eighth grade for his or her leadership and innovation in earth science education. This award is named in honor of Dr. Edward C. Roy, Jr., who was a strong and dedicated supporter of earth science education. He served as Past President of Triangle Coalition member, the American Geological Institute (AGI) and chaired the AGI Education Advisory Committee. The American Geological Institute is a nonprofit federation of 44 geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 120,000 geologists, geophysicists, and other earth scientists. AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of resources, resiliency to natural hazards, and interaction with the environment.

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CREATIVITY ABOUNDS AMONG WINNERS
OF 2008 NSTA/VERNIER TECHNOLOGY AWARD
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and Vernier Software & Technology have announced the seven winners of the 2008 NSTA/Vernier Technology Award. Ranging from elementary school teachers to college instructors, seven pioneers were selected as winners by a panel of experts that were appointed by NSTA. They were chosen for creating innovative data-collection lessons and programs in their classrooms. Each winner received $1,000 in cash, $1,000 in Vernier products, and up to $1,000 toward expenses incurred while traveling to the 2008 NSTA National Convention last month in Boston, MA. They were formally recognized during the convention's NSTA Awards Banquet.

In the middle school category, Mary Cook, an 8th Grade Science Teacher at Roosevelt Middle School in Glendale, CA was selected for her "Demonstrating Newton's Laws" activity. The activity encourages students to research, design, and create a small cart and use it to demonstrate Newton's first, second, and third laws of motion. The activity incorporates Vernier Motion Detectors to provide a real-time plot of position, velocity, and acceleration. A full list of all this year's winners is online. Triangle Coalition member, Vernier Software & Technology, has been an innovator of data-collection technology for 27 years. Creating easy-to-use and affordable science interfaces, sensors, and software, their products can be found in education from elementary school to college. Vernier helps teachers enhance their science curriculum, increase learning, and build students' critical thinking skills. For more information visit www.vernier.com.

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NASA OFFERS EDUCATIONAL ONLINE GAMING OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOPERS

Educators soon may be able take the "learning can be fun" adage to another level using computer-simulation games with new technologies created by NASA and a yet-to-be-selected game developer. NASA Learning Technologies recently sponsored a workshop to present its concept of delivering NASA content through a Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) educational game to interested development partners. Designed to enhance learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), such an online educational game would draw players into a synthetic environment that can serve as a powerful "hands-on" tool for teaching a range of complex subjects. "NASA will continue to pursue innovative strategies to encourage students to improve their interest and performance in STEM and related careers," said Dr. Joyce Winterton, NASA assistant administrator for education. "The use of online educational games can capture student interest in NASA's missions and science."

The daylong workshop provided more than 200 potential development partners the opportunity to learn directly from NASA officials about the vision, goals, and expectations for the development of an MMO educational game. Participants heard top NASA scientists and education officials talk about NASA's future plans for space exploration and how the agency is planning to leverage the game to enhance education efforts across the country. The power of games as educational tools rapidly is gaining recognition. Virtual worlds with scientifically accurate simulations could permit learners to experiment with chemical reactions in living cells, practice operating and repairing expensive equipment, and experience microgravity. The goal is to make it easier to grasp complex concepts and transfer this understanding quickly to practical problems. NASA's MMO educational game will function as a persistent, synthetic environment supporting education as a laboratory, a massive visualization tool, and a collaborative workspace that simultaneously draws students into challenging game-play. NASA Learning Technologies expects the MMO to appeal mainly to teenagers, ranging from middle-schoolers through high-school and college students. For more information, click here. 

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ED IN 08 UNVEILS NEW ANALYSIS AND REPORT CARD
At the 25th anniversary of "A Nation at Risk," the Strong American Schools' "ED in 08" campaign has unveiled an original analysis and report card showing the lack of progress in the school reform movement since the release of the National Commission on Excellence in Education's letter to the American people, "A Nation at Risk." The report was published April 26, 1983, and warned that American schools were being eroded by a "rising tide of mediocrity." It was one of the first comprehensive assessments of the American education system and explained that America's once unchallenged schools were being overtaken by its international competitors, and America's weak education system was undermining American prosperity, security, and society. The report documented deep problems in America's academic standards and expectations, the time allocated for learning, and the quality of the teaching force.

ED in 08's report, "A Stagnant Nation: Why American Students Are Still at Risk," explains that few of the National Commission on Excellence in Education's recommendations related to time, teaching and standards, have been enacted. The report also says that America's economic future remains gravely at risk. The paper includes a report card that critically scrutinizes the lack of progress in the school reform movement. The report also shines a light on the lack of learning taking place in America's schools, including: one in four high school seniors cannot glean basic information about subway fares by reading a Metrorail guide; two out of five high school seniors lack math skills that are commonly taught in 7th or 8th grade math; and reading skills have declined for 12th grade students from all backgrounds, including those with college-educated parents. ED in 08 is a national, nonpartisan campaign that calls on all the presidential candidates to propose plans to ensure that American students will graduate from high school with the skills needed to compete in a global economy. The executive summary of "A Stagnant Nation: Why American Students Are Still at Risk" and the report card can be found at www.edin08.com.   

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2008 EVERYDAY MATHEMATICS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Wright Group/McGraw-Hill has honored three school districts for academic growth in elementary mathematics education with the 2008 Everyday Mathematics Outstanding Achievement Award. This year's winners are Denver Public Schools, Colorado; Orange County Public Schools, Florida; and Woodbridge Township School District, New Jersey. Representatives from each district attended an awards ceremony in Salt Lake City at the Clark Planetarium on April 10, as mathematic educators from around the country convened for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual conference. The award -- formerly known as the Excellence in Education Award -- was designed to celebrate the accomplishments of school districts that have seen success in student achievement with support of the Everyday Mathematics research-based series.

"These three districts are models of success for others looking to improve math education," said Dr. Andy Isaacs, author of Everyday Mathematics. To see videos on each winner, click here. Wright Group/McGraw-Hill's Everyday Mathematics is a standards-based elementary mathematics program for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6. Everyday Mathematics celebrated 20 years of teaching success in 2005. The program helps students measure up to the demand for greater mathematical competence and problem-solving ability. Developed by the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project, the research-based curriculum is used in nearly 185,000 classrooms across the United States by more than 3 million children.      

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