Workshop Opening,
Introduction
To persuade workshop participants that the time and effort necessary to make changes will be well spent, workshops should first convey that students—even many of the nation’s finest—do not understand important and basic science concepts. Participants may vary widely in their appreciation of the need for change and their ideas about what the nature of the change should be. Some may believe other teachers’ students aren’t learning but that their students are. Some may think that high SAT scores or high school grades guarantee a high level of science literacy.
Sample workshop options in this section illustrate alternative ways to establish the
fact that this fundamental problem, science illiteracy, is all around us.
Option A: Video on Astronomy Misconceptions
Option B: Interpreting Data in Newspaper Article
Option C: Video on Photosynthesis Misconceptions
Option D: Video on Molecular Misconceptions
Option E: Students’ Misconceptions About Cells
Option F: Participants List Needed Changes