In the world of teaching with technology, there are constant challenges. Often that leads to tension between the teachers who are using technology in the classroom and the IT techs who are charged with installing and setting up new computers, ordering new equipment, making sure software programs are up to date, and securing the system. IT techs…

Radiation pressure is an important topic within a standard physics course (see, in particular, Refs. 1 and 2). The physics of radiation pressure is described, the magnitude of it is derived, both for the case of a perfectly absorbing surface and of a perfect reflector, and various applications of this interesting effect are discussed, such as…

This article presents an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) task developed for teaching aeronautical engineering students. The task Design-Build-Write rests on the assumption that engineering students are skilled at mathematical reasoning, problem solving, drawing and constructing. In Gardner's 1983 Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory, these…

The author presents the science and engineering practices from the recently released "A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas." He recognizes the changes implied by the new framework, and eventually a new generation of science education standards will present new perspectives for the science…

This paper describes a newly adapted instrument for measuring novice-to-expert-like perceptions about biology: the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Biology (CLASS-Bio). Consisting of 31 Likert-scale statements, CLASS-Bio probes a range of perceptions that vary between experts and novices, including enjoyment of the discipline,…

Administrators in early care and education programs often turn to training initiatives to bolster staff competence in supporting children with emotional and behavioral challenges. However, training alone rarely results in the wide-ranging changes these administrators seek. This article presents a flexible approach to training, consultation and…

The "Golden Key" programme is a preschool education programme that is constructed on the basis of Vygotskij's cultural-historical theory. One of the most important aspects of this theory is not just the unity of intellect and affect, but the fact that the relationship between these two changes during the course of development. In infants, affect…

James Clerk Maxwell "translated" Michael Faraday's experimentally-based field theory into the mathematical representation now known as "Maxwell's Equations." Working with a variety of mathematical representations and physical models Maxwell extended the reach of Faraday's theory and brought it into consistency with other…

This paper deals with the "problem" of student retention in higher education. But unlike most, this paper focuses not on the problem of retention "per se" but rather on how institutional leaders think about student retention, completion, and success--how the way they frame their concerns about retention can give rise to a different sort of…

The use of projectiles is a concept familiar to most students, whether it is a classic slingshot, bow and arrow, or even a spit wad through a straw. Perhaps the last thing a teacher wants is more projectiles in the classroom. However, the concept of projectiles is relevant to most students and may provide a means of bringing more authenticity into…

"Teaching mathematics from a sense-making perspective entails more than solving non-routine problems" (NCTM 2007, p. 85). When teachers want students to see mathematics as something that makes sense, they must furnish opportunities for them to solve problems in their own way and use structures that nurture their reasoning and sense making. The…

The purpose of this article is to present two very active applied modeling projects that were successfully implemented in a first semester calculus course at Hollins University. The first project uses a logistic equation to model the spread of a new disease such as swine flu. The second project is a human take on the popular article "Do Dogs Know…

As educators, the authors believe in guiding students towards the life skills, knowledge, and expertise they need to succeed in life and in the workforce of the 21st century. With that in mind, they have created a project in which students drive their own learning through creativity and collaborative work to develop an efficient product. Through…

Computation instruction continues to be one of the most important aspects of the mathematics curricula. Students who fail to understand and master the foundational components of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are likely to experience mathematics difficulties in both their school and post-school lives. A balanced instructional…

Trash is having a global impact not only on land, but at sea--making its way into the ocean and creating large islands of floating debris. One such island is The Great Pacific Trash Patch, which is located in the North Pacific and is made up of floating trash and debris that is spread out in an area as much as one and a half times the size of the…