UC Santa Barbara presents Dr. Brian Reiser, prominent science educator, giving the free public lecture “Supporting Next Generation Science in K-12 Classrooms.” This talk, the Third Annual SciTrek Lecture on Science Education, will be held in UCSB Chemistry 1171 at 5 pm on Tuesday, May 6.
Brian Reiser is a professor of learning sciences at Northwestern University’s School of Education. His research examines how to make scientific practices such as argumentation, explanation, and modeling meaningful for classroom teachers and students. He contributed to the writing of the Next Generation Science Standards. He was co-principal investigator in the NSF Center for Curriculum Materials in Science, exploring the design and enactment of science curriculum materials, and served on the National Research Council’s panel authoring the report Taking Science to School and the editorial boards of Science Education and The Journal of the Learning Sciences.
SciTrek is dedicated to allowing 2nd - 5th grade students to experience the scientific process first hand. SciTrek seeks to partner with local schools to present inquiry-based modules that not only emphasize the process of science but also specific grade level standards. Each module allows students to design and carry out an experiment. Providing students with the opportunity to not only learn scientific facts but also experience the scientific method allows students to understand how scientists use evidence-based explanations to explain the world around them. In addition to providing programming for 2nd - 5th grade students, SciTrek strives to demonstrate the importance of inquiry-based lesson in science curriculum to teachers, practicing teachers, and teachers in training.
Dr. Sean Carroll is presented by SciTrek, The Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, and the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry.