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Peer Review, Winter 2005
From the Editor
Shelley Johnson Carey |
Now, more than ever, the challenges of today's world
require greater facility with, and comfort in, the worlds
of science, technology, and engineering. The time is right
to do everything possible to improve students' academic
achievement in these areas. New forms of engaged learning
promise to improve student achievement in the sciences and
attract more students to major in these essential fields.
At the opening plenary for the 2005 AAC&U Annual Meeting,
Lee S. Shulman, President of The Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching, spoke on the need for classroom engagement,
observing that student "invisibility breeds disinterest,
[which] leads to zoning out." And, of course, encouraging
active learning is just one step toward true engagement. For
the proverbial light bulb to come on, most students must find
some connections with the subject to truly engage.
This light bulb allusion brings to mind a man who began his
career as a mechanical artist and, once engaged, used his
engagement to make key contributions to science and technology
as one of the inventors of the light bulb. This innovator,
who took a nontraditional path toward becoming a scientist,
was Lewis Latimer, an African American draftsman who was hired
in 1880 by U.S. Electrical Lighting to work for Hiram Maxim,
Thomas Edison's chief rival in the development of the
incandescent light bulb. While Edison patented the first light
bulb, Maxim endeavored to improve the product. Edison's
bulb only lasted a few days because the bamboo, paper, or
thread filaments burned out so quickly. Although his background
was in art, Latimer was encouraged by his employer to become
engaged in the invention process. He enthusiastically took
on the challenge and explored every aspect of electric light
design. Through trial and error, Latimer devised a filament
that was encased in a cardboard envelope, which allowed the
bulb to burn longer. This improvement made the light source
more efficient and affordable and, in concert with the improvements
suggested by others, gave us the precursor to the lighting
that we know today.
Latimer's story provides but one example of the way that
even traditionally underrepresented students can succeed in
science and technology when encouraged and engaged. In today's
science classrooms, all students can become engaged through
a host of new teaching methods discussed in this issue of
Peer Review. Whether they choose to major in science
or not, every student should leave college ready to make informed
decisions in a world that presents its citizens with daily
science and technology dilemmas.
The composition of the House of Representatives committee
that oversees all of the major federal government science
and technology agencies (such as NASA, NOAA, DOE, NSF, and
EPA) provides an interesting test case for the significance
of engaged science learning for all college students. Over
half of the present committee members were government and
political science majors; only a handful reference a science
major or science-related career in their official biographies.
Did they get enough engaged science learning in college to
do their jobs well? As the committee "tackles some of
today's toughest issues and proposes ways in which research
and development can solve some of our nation's most
pressing problems," its members make recommendations
on matters that have a profound effect on our present and
future world. Their understanding of fundamental scientific
principles and practices is crucial. Whether future members
of this committee will have the skills and knowledge they
will need depends on our success with engaged science learning
today.
As the new Peer Review editor, I am pleased that
my first major project has been editing this issue on Science
and Engaged Learning. I came to AAC&U after fifteen years
of working with many dedicated K-16 teachers while managing
journals produced for science educators. Starting my editorship
with a journal on this theme seems a natural place for me
to begin--sharing key strategies to engage the hearts
and minds of science students.
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