Congratulations, Joseph McAllister: You are a role model for future scientists everywhere.

DURANT, Okla. – Five Fish and Wildlife students from Southeastern Oklahoma State University attended the joint meeting of the Arkansas and Oklahoma Chapters of the American Fisheries Society recently in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

All five students gave presentations (co-authored by Dr. Tim Patton, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences), including three oral presentations and two poster presentations.

Joseph McAllister won the best student paper award and one of two $1,000 scholarships awarded by the Oklahoma Chapter of AFS. Notable was that McAllister won the best paper award and the scholarship in competition primarily with graduate students. He is a senior and a graduate of Choctaw High School.

Source: Press release from Southeastern University: http://www.se.edu/news/2010/science/; Accessed 2 Mar 2010.

Congratulations and thank you for setting a great example.

Science Literacy and Searching the Internet

For over a decade, the National Science Education Standards have focused our attention on scientific literacy, a golden umbrella that encompasses not just reading, writing, and speaking but the attitudes, content knowledge, and process skills that make it possible to investigate natural phenomena and understand the results.

Source: http://www.nsta.org/publications/ostb/ostb2008.aspx; Accessed 2 Mar 2010.



In the same way basic literacy involves knowing how to use a dictionary or an index, science literacy involves knowing how to find information on science topics (health, botany, engineering, among others) that is worth reading. One can find so much information on the internet. Look at the variety of search engines:

• Altavista
  
• MSN MSN Germany MSN United Kingdom MSN Canada MSN Spain MSN Italy MSN France MSN Austria MSN Switzerland
  
• Anzwers
  
• Excite Excite UK
• Fireball
• Go
• Google Google Germany Google Azerbaijan Google United Kingdom Google Canada Google Spain Google Italy Google Japan Google Russia Google France Google Austria Google Switzerland Google Poland Google India
• Hotbot
• Infomak
• Infoseek
• Lycos
• National Directory
• Northernlight
• Voila
• Web Crawler
• Web Top
• Web Wombat
• WhatUSeek
• Walhello
• Alexa
• SearchEngine
• InfoTiger
• ScrubTheWeb
• WebSquash
• Admcity
• Unasked
• Teoma
• Ask Jeeves
• Find What
• Yahoo!

So, how do you know what search engine to use, or, does it matter?
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How can you tell valuable information from , "hype?"

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The jury is likely still out on these questions. I try different search engines and usually find what I want most rapidly on Google. I like to find original source material whatever source engine I use. How about you? What search engine(s) do you use? Why? What kinds of responses do you get? Post comments below, or, e-mail me a post and I will post it for readers and link it here. Happy researching!

Let's try some experimenting...

Let's look for science literacy and internet use on the different search engines... (look for original source material).

Google's response starts with:

Scholarly articles for science literacy and internet use
	eHealth literacy: essential skills for consumer health in … - Norman - Cited by 55 … literacy in science and engineering undergraduate … - Leckie - Cited by 81 Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in Internet usage - Teo - Cited by 364

Let's try Altavista's top three:

AltaVista found 9,480,000 results

Science & Information Literacy on the Internet

sciencenetlinks.com

Science and Information Literacy on the Internet: Using the ACRL and Project 2061 Standards to Create a Science Web Page Evaluation Tool. ACRL Conference ...
www.istl.org/01-spring/conf1.html


Magnifico: Science, literacy, and the internet? " Spotlight
Science.net players, on the other hand, role-play as reporters and ... I agree that facilitation of internet use is very important (and sometimes also ...
spotlight.macfound.org/main/entry/magnifico_science_literacy_and_the_internet


Science NetLinks: Resources for Teaching Science')" id="XPLSS_1110701665U1" src="chrome://searchshield/content/safe.gif" border="0" hspace="5">
Science NetLinks provides a wealth of resources for K-12 science educators to provide standards-based Internet experiences for students.
www.sciencenetlinks.com/index.php

Now, you can compare and contrast these two search engines, and try some others.

Unless you want students to look at the top posts, which are determined by how people who know how to post (o their work shows on the top of the list (...and, may not be the best choice...), you have to show better ways of searching. How? By, now here's a place to use Modern Math that often gets picked on (but is actually very useful to me): Use the Boolean Algebra learned in elementary school during the, "Modern Math," period: AND, OR, NOT... Some visionary(ies) saw to teach Boolean Algebra because he, she, or they could see the, "Computer Age," coming.

I had to put some good points in on, "Modern Math," because it has been so helpful to me and it seems to, "get a bad rap," much of the time. But, let me get back to the use of Boolean Algebra for searching the internet. (Math is so important to science literacy.)

In our example:

Science literacy and internet use

Science literacy AND internet use

Compare to:

Science literacy OR internet use

"science literacy" AND "internet use"

"science literacy" AND "internet use" AND (elementary OR K-6)

Try a few different ways of searching and you will get the idea. Are you finding differences?


Using this one:

"science literacy" AND "internet use" AND (elementary OR K-6)

brought up something on target, right away (But, so did the AltaVista search---which perhaps anticipated the search string a person meant to use...):

Magnifico: Science, literacy, and the internet?

Filed at 8:00 pm on March 5, 2007 in Games • 4 comments

Understanding how young people evaluate information on the internet.

In the recent session on games and learning, Jonathan Fanton reported that one goal of the Macarthur digital media and learning initiative is to better understand how young people evaluate information that they find on the internet. In our work on Science.net, an epistemic game in which middle schoolers spend several weeks role-playing as science journalists and writing several stories for an online newsmagazine, we have found that our reporters begin the game feeling comfortable with the internet. They tell us about using web sources for school reports, for chatting, for playing games with their friends. They even report knowing that anyone with a webpage can publish opinions for the world to see.

The majority of them, however, don?t have a strategy for assessing the reliability of the information that they find. Here?s one typical pre-game interview response: ?You never know, it?s the internet. If it?s like the first thing that pops up and then it looks pretty professional, then I?d use it…? READ MORE BY CLICKING HERE.

spotlight.macfound.org/main/entry/magnifico_science_literacy_and_the_internet ; Accessed 2 Mar 2010.

The article mentions, "Jonathan Fanton." Where do we go from here? Use your Reach ReadingTM skills.

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Dr. J

Post scripts:

If you (and your school) are interested in participating in a study on Reach ReadingTM AND/OR on Critical Thinking AND/OR Science Literacy, please e-mail me: shipmanjs at g mail dot com. (I hope you smiled at the AND/OR references).

I think I will do a post on Tsunamis and the role of Boolean Algebra (AND Modern Math) in saving lives. I can tell much of this information first hand.

Please post comments or e-mail me.

Dr. J

(c) 2010 J S Shipman

Genetically Modified Food---Information Sent in to Read=about-it.blogspot.com readers; posted here (from Dr. Gabriel Cousens) Provide your comments.

Science literacy encourages us to read technical topics and make informed decisions. A well-educated, concerned reader, sent this urgent request and asked me to post it. It is an opportunity to use critical thinking skills to solve a global problem. Use your best judgment. Dr.J. Here's the post from Dr. Cousens:

Organic Food Supply Threatened

By Gene Manipulated Organisms From Monsanto

Dear Friends,

In 2006, the Center for Food Safety sued the USDA for illegally approving genetically modified ("GM") alfalfa. Federal courts agreed and banned GM alfalfa until the USDA could provide an Environmental Impact Statement. The USDA submitted a draft in December of 2009 admitting that GM contamination of non-GM and organic alfalfa crops is certain to occur; that GM contamination will economically impact small and family farmers; that foreign export markets will be at risk due to rejection of GM-contaminated products; and that farmers will be forced to use more toxic herbicides on the crops. In spite of all this, the USDA intends to approve GM alfalfa anyway, stating that neither consumers nor organic farmers care if their organic food is GM contaminated. This of course is complete nonsense, as GM crops ruin the business of organic farmers and the health and wellbeing of the public.

Furthermore the USDA asserts that all methods of agricultural production can and should coexist. This fantastic coexistence has already been proven false. GM alfalfa cross-pollinates with non-GMO alfalfa causing irreversible genetic pollution. GMOs will spread into the environment and a total recall is impossible. This self-propagating genetic pollution will outlast the effects of global warming and nuclear waste. Examples of genetic pollution include an unapproved GM rice that was grown for only one year in field trials was found to have extensively contaminated the US rice supply and seed stocks. In Canada, the organic rapeseed oil industry has been destroyed by contamination from GM rapeseed. In Spain, a study found that GM maize has caused a drastic reduction in organic cultivations of this grain and is making their coexistence practically impossible.

Beyond the inescapable certainty that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) will infiltrate conventional, organic, and wild vegetation, is the irrefutable fact, that GMOs are dangerous to the health of animals and humans. Lab animals tested with GM foods had stunted growth, impaired immune systems, bleeding stomachs, abnormal and potentially pre-cancerous cell growth in the intestines, impaired blood cell development, misshapen cell structures in the liver, pancreas, and testicles, altered gene expression and cell metabolism, liver and kidney lesions, partially atrophied livers, inflamed kidneys, less developed brains and testicles, enlarged livers, pancreases, and intestines, reduced digestive enzymes, higher blood sugar, inflamed lung tissue, increased death rates and higher offspring mortality. As for examples of GMO crops at work in the world, about twenty-four farmers report that GM corn varieties caused their pigs or cows to become sterile. Seventy-one shepherds say that 25% of their sheep died from grazing on Bt cotton plants. Filipinos in at least five villages fell sick when nearby Bt corn was pollinating, and hundreds of Indian laborers reported allergic reactions from handling Bt cotton. Soy allergies skyrocketed by 50% in the UK, soon after genetically engineered soy was introduced. There is evidence to suggest that GMOs might cause infertility or hurt newborns. When GM soy flour was added to the diets of female rats, most of their babies died within three weeks. GMOs are regularly approved without adequate safety studies. In 1992, the FDA claimed they had no information showing that GM foods were substantially different from conventionally grown foods. No safety studies were required. However, secret internal memos made public by a lawsuit showed that the actual consensus among FDA scientists was that GMOs can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems. They urged long-term safety studies.

The above evidence is clear. GMOs have an explicitly devastating effect on the environment and the health of the U.S. and global population. In summary, GM technology and GM crops offer no advantages on any level, but rather great disadvantages on every level.

Consider the following 6 points:

1. GM and non-GM cannot coexist as GM crops contaminate the organic crops
2. GM foods are dangerous to human and animal health to eat
3. Products from animals fed GM crops, have been show to be contaminated with GM materials. This is all done without consumers’ consent.
4. GM crops are a long-term economic disaster for farmers.
5. GM crops decrease yield potential and increase toxic pesticide use.
6. GM companies have dealt duplicitously with the public. GM gives them patents that allow them a monopoly over the global food supply.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Gabriel Cousens, M.D., M.D.(H), D.D.

PS: As the foundation of U.S. constitutional law was, and is based on Torah law (which is the foundation of the judeo-christian cultures), I would like to draw attention to Deuteronomy 23:13 which says in essence that no one, including corporations, now afforded the rights of citizens, has the right to pollute the public domain!

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Action Step #1:

The Supreme Court will rule tomorrow on March 3rd. The immediate course of action is to post your comment on this Supreme Court decision at http://ga3.org/campaign/alfalfaEISalfalfaEIS prior to March 3rd. This only takes a minute of your time.

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Action Step #2:

Write a letter/fax/email to your congress person. A sample letter is below for you to copy and paste. The following is a link to find out how to contact your congress person: http://www.contactingthecongress.org

Dear Senator/Congress(wo)man,

I am writing to express my concern about the upcoming Supreme Court decision regarding Monsanto’s genetically modified alfalfa. The USDA admits that GM contamination of non-GM and organic alfalfa crops is certain to occur; that GM contamination will economically impact small and family farmers; that foreign export markets will be at risk due to rejection of GM-contaminated products; and that farmers will be forced to use more toxic herbicides on the crops. In spite of all this, the USDA intends to approve GM alfalfa anyway, stating that neither consumers nor organic farmers care if their organic food is GM contaminated. GM and non-GM cannot coexist.

This is simply not accurate. The little research on GMO foods that has been released shows that it is extremely dangerous to human health. GM foods will exacerbate, instead of solve, the world food crises. GM crops decrease yield potential, rather than increasing it. GM crops increase toxic pesticide use. Better alternatives are available to feed the world, and Integrated Pest Management and other low-input, organic methods of pest control and robust yield are more successful. Products from animals fed GM crops, have been show to be contaminated with GM materials. This is all done without consumers’ consent. GM crops are a long-term economic disaster for farmers. GM companies have dealt duplicitously with the public. GM gives them patents that allow them a monopoly over the global food supply.

I am writing to request that you contact Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and urge him to deny Monsanto’s GM alfalfa, for the safety of our world and future generations.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

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Action Step #3

Call the Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack directly at: (202) 720.3631

For more information, contact Dr. Gabriel Cousens or his staff members.

Contact Dr. Cousens by Phone or Email

866-394-2520

Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center PO Box 778, Patagonia AZ 85624 Phone (866) 394.2520 Toll Free Fax (415) 598.2409

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Watershed Protection---Teach as Part of the Water Cycle

A presentation by Mike Hewitt on watershed-related careers...

Source: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1637140689874820431&ei=MMogS9S4LJvE2wKiz5TCCQ&q=%22mike+hewitt%22#; Accessed March 2, 2010. Contact Mike Hewitt by sending email to: hardcoal@epcamr.org or visit www.OrangeWaterNetwork.org

I think students become more interested in studying something like the water cycle if they understand that there are important jobs related to the knowledge they'll gain.

www.kidzone.ws/WATER/ Has some children's water cycle ideas. Here's another website you might like: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html

How about reviews and journal articles in this area? Do you think there are journal articles on the water cycle?

Let's look for some...

The water-water cycle in chloroplasts: scavenging of active oxygens and …

K Asada - Annual Review of Plant Biology, 1999 - Annual Reviews
▪ Abstract Photoreduction of dioxygen in photosystem I (PSI) of chloroplasts generates superoxide
radicals as the primary product. In intact chloroplasts, the superoxide and the hydrogen peroxide
produced via the disproportionation of superoxide are so rapidly scavenged at the site of ...

Global water cycle: geochemistry and environment

EK Berner, RA Berner - Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs New Jersey. …, 1987 - csa.com
Global Water Cycle: Geochemistry and Environment. EK Berner, RA Berner
Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs New Jersey. 1987. 397, 1987. The study of natural
waters is approached via a discussion of the geological, biological ...

Geochemistry of natural waters

JI Drever - Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs New Jersey. 1982. …, 1982 - csa.com
... 1982. 388, 1982. Water is an essential part of the geological cycle. Rain water converts
the granitic rocks of the continents to clay, sand, and solutes, and transports them to the
ocean where they become the raw material of future continents. ...

Evidence for intensification of the global water cycle: Review and synthesis

waterandclimateinformationcentre.org [PDF]
TG Huntington - Journal of Hydrology, 2006 - Elsevier
One of the more important questions in hydrology is: if the climate warms in the future, will there
be an intensification of the water cycle and, if so, the nature of that intensification? There is considerable
interest in this question because an intensification of the water cycle may lead to changes ...


There are many others. Try your own search.


But then, look at the difference between the children's posts and the higher reader levels. Can you find anything to fill in the gap?

Science Literacy in China: Popularization of Science

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ThmNFgScRU&feature=player_embedded#; Accessed 3-1-2010

Video blog by ScienCentral's news director, after attending a conference on public scientific literacy in Shanghai. Also: don't miss the "Science Literacy Olympics" at sciencentral dot com! http://...

http://www.out2teach.com/literacy/scientific-literacy-in-china; Accessed 3-1-2010

A link to another scholarship...technology

http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/tsp/default.asp

Helping students to design experiments

A student might be interested in an article from the newspaper or a digitized article like this one: http://www.realage.com/tips/have-your-blueberries-this-way-its-better. That interest in the news or digital article can be steered into an excitement for science.

The example states:

... a recent study revealed that combining blueberries and milk in the same meal could block your body's absorption of the antioxidant goodness in the berries.

The example also posts the original source:

References

Published on 03/01/2010

Antioxidant activity of blueberry fruit is impaired by association with milk. Serafini, M. et al., Free Radical Biology & Medicine 2009 Mar 15;46(6):769-774.

[Note: Not all articles post the original source (though ethics says they should), but, you can use Reach Reading TM skills to help a student find original sources on the same material.]

Now, the student might come in bursting with questions...

What if I eat my blueberries with cream, yogurt, or cheese? What about raspberries? Does milk affect the absorption of antioxidents from raspberries?

If the student doesn't have such questions, but, is interested in the article, you might steer him or her to wonder...to formulate such questions.

Such curiosity is the beginning of experimental design when one thinks like a scientist. What is the next step?

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If you said formulate a hypothesis, or something similar. That's good. But suppose the student said, "Let's have a yogurt (or, even better...blueberries) snack," as long as you took the snack out of the lab, or washed the whole lab and everyone washed his or her hands, too (safety first), then...it could come under the guise of preliminary research. Hmm! Remember, science is supposed to be fun (or we'd have no scientists...). Also, eating the yogurt will give time for discussion, and other students might come up with other hypotheses.

I want to test carrots?
Is this why my parents say, "don't eat spinach and milk at the same time?"

and other questions---soon to be hypotheses. Can you feel the excitement catching on? Students might not have thought about chemicals in their foods before (Oh, yes, all matter is made of atoms...Here is a, "teachable moment:" not all chemicals are bad.)

More coming....

Other students might branch out and get ideas for experimental design on health and beauty issues, for example, this link: Skin Care Information, Research and Reviews. Look at all the chemistry he or she could get in just a couple of clicks (Don't forget, biologists (from botanists to cell biologists , skin biologists to ...) use a lot of chemistry, and for that matter, physics):

Hyaluronic acid is synthesized by the enzymes called hyaluronan synthases. Humans have at least three types of hyaluronic acid synthases: HAS1, HAS2, and HAS3. HAS1 and HAS2 synthases produce high molecular weight HA whereas HAS3 produces low molecular weight HA. Hyaluronic acid is degraded by the enzymes called hyaluronidases, of which there also appear to be several types

Source: http://www.smartskincare.com/skinbiology/skinbiology_hyaluronic-acid.html; Accessed 2-29-2010.

What is the end result the student would expect from a design?

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Did you say:

Gather background information and write it up?
Form a hypothesis?
Create a protocol...what you will do (steps)...what will you use?
Create a table for collecting the data you expect to collect?
Keep track of sources you used?

or, something like that?


Okay so, how do they get there?

You can throw out the open-ended question of how much it would cost to do the experiment they have designed. Remind students of funding and the tax-connection. Is the experiment worth doing? Why or why not? Is the design sound? Is there a control planned? Has a thorough literature search been done? Do we already know the answer?

Ah! That last question is very important for funding,

Do we already know the answer?

Another important concept to convey is,

What if we get the opposite of what our hypothesis predicted, do we fail the experiment?

This question, too, is important for funding.

Can you think how?

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Here's a blueberries video while you think:


Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVyrv47m2ck; Accessed March, 1, 2010.

(c) 2010 J S Shipman. All rights reserved.

Please note copyright on blog applies to all posts. Please cite any articles, even if you paraphrase.