On Teaching Science

On Teaching Science is a short, practical guide to key principles and strategies that will help students learn in any subject at any level, but with special focus on the so-called STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects. Based on a popular workshop developed by the author, the book begins with brief introductions to the nature of teaching and the nature of science, then consists of four major sections: the “one key to student success”-namely, that learning requires study and effort; three “big picture” ideas about teaching; five “general suggestions for successful teaching”; and seven “pedagogical strategies for success in science teaching.” Within each section, the author uses a combination of personal experience and research-based studies to discuss both the current state of education in the United States and how it can be improved by individual educators and through suggested systemic changes. Written by an author well-known in science and education circles both for his bestselling college textbooks in four STEM subjects (astronomy, astrobiology, mathematics, and statistics) and for his children's science books that have been read by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, the personal and engaging style of On Teaching Science will appeal not only to teachers, but also to parents and others interested in the educational process. It will likely meet the author's stated goal of contributing to the national conversation about education, by helping readers think about the challenges we must meet in order to improve our educational system.