A History of Science Crossword Puzzle

How is your memory? The names of famous contributors to science provide the answers to the following crossword puzzle

Comprehensive Examination in Physics

The following exam has been developed over several years of physics teaching and research. It is designed to serve as the comprehensive final exam for graduating seniors completing physics at Northern University High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa

Survey of In-Service Needs of Iowa Science Teachers

National concerns about science education have suggested a number of factors which are contributing to what is now being called a crisis. One such factor is that colleges and universities are producing fewer certified science teachers, even as many science teachers are leaving the classroom to pursue other employment. A second factor is that the average age of the science teacher is increasing and many teachers have not continued to update their training. A third factor; which may be a result of the first two, is that the number of secondary students taking science and the number of courses they are taking is on the decline

The Iowa Physics Project: Past, Present, and Future

Iowa, along with many other states, has been faced with a loss of qualified physics teachers to the private sector for better salaries. This has created a shortage of people qualified to teach physics. A study by Howe and Gerlovich (1983) indicated that the majority of states in the United States are experiencing serious shortages of qualified science and math teachers. Science consultants from each state were asked to rate the supply of science and mathematics teachers on a Likert Scale ranging from one to five (1 = surplus and 5 = critical shortage) in the years from 1980 to 1982. The summary in Table 1 shows the degree of shortage of physics, chemistry and mathematics teachers and permits a comparison of physics with chemistry and mathematics teachers

Float, Sink, Think!

The following is a typical question asked at the end of physics units dealing with buoyancy: A barge loaded with scrap iron is in a canal lock. The captain orders his crew to dump all of the scrap iron overboard. What happens to the water level in the lock? I have asked this type of question to both high school and college physics students. Of course, answers are given which predict an increased, a decreased , or an unchanged water level

“Come and See for Yourself”: Exploration of Mindfulness Practice by First-Year College Students

This grounded theory study aims at explaining how college freshmen develop and stay engaged with a regular mindfulness practice, and the benefits they experience. The authors investigated an intentional effort to integrate mindfulness practices in the curriculum of a First-Year Seminar and English Composition course. The results presented here support existing findings concerning the integration of mindfulness practice in higher education settings. This study also advances unique findings relative to utilizing classroom settings to introduce first-year students to the practice, as a long as the course follows a regular structure (i.e., attendance, homework assignments). The substantive theory presented describes how students developed a practice routine and made the practice relevant for their academic and personal lives. Recommendations for practice and future research are included

Science-Related Social Issues Survey

During the past several years, many science-related social issues have been of concern to the people of Iowa. Abortion has been an issue. Protests have been made against the Duane Arnold Energy Center nuclear generating plant. Evolution and creationism were debated in the state legislature. In addition, arsenic and nitrates have been found in some municipal water supplies. Other technological issues, such as soil conservation and gasohol, have been making headlines. These societal concerns are often of interest to students in our schools. Important and, as of yet, unanswered questions have been posed about how educators will deal with these important topics in their classrooms. We would like to share the results of a survey we made in the fall of 1979

A smart city-smart bay project - establishing an integrated water monitoring system for decision support in Dublin Bay

Environmental and water quality monitoring is key to measuring and understanding the chemical and biological quality of water and for taking reactive remedial action. Over the coming years, monitoring of water bodies will increase within Europe, in order to comply with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD, Council Directive 2000/60/EC), and globally owing to pressure from climate change. The establishment of high quality long-term monitoring programmes is regarded as essential if the implementation of the WFD is to be effective. However, the traditional spot/grab sampling using conventional sampling and laboratory based techniques can introduce a significant financial burden, and is unlikely to provide a reasonable estimate of the true maximum and/or mean concentration for a particular physico-chemical variable in a water body with marked temporal variability. When persistent fluctuations occur, it is likely only to be detected through continuous measurements, which have the capability of detecting sporadic peaks of concentration. The aim of this work is to demonstrate the potential for continuous monitoring data in decision support as part of a smart city project. The multi-modal data system shows potential for low-cost sensing in complex aquatic environments around the city. Continuous monitoring data from both visual and water quality sensors is collected and data from grab samples collected support the observations of trends in water quality