Eastern Mediterranean University is pleased to announce the first international conference on undergraduate science education; Frontiers in Science Education Research 2009 (FISER’09). The aim of FISER’09 is to provide a scholarly environment for promoting discussions in contemporary topics of undergraduate science and mathematics education research. FISER’09 is open to professional science and mathematics education researchers, educators, students and all others who are interested. During FISER’09, topics that will be covered will extend from education technologies to faculty development and from undergraduate curricula designs to the Bologna Process. FISER’09 will take place during 22 – 24 March 2009 in Famagusta. The official language of the conference is English. Papers in all fields of undergraduate science and mathematics education research are invited.

Confirmed Keynote Speakers: Professors Lillian McDermott, David Hestenes and Cedric Linder.

FISER’09

Korean Educational Research Association (KERA) is hosting an International Conference 2008, Global Forum on Education: Quantity and Quality.

Date: November 27-29, 2008
Venue: Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

Currently they are accepting abstracts for the paper presentation until July 30, 3008.

Call for paper and Program

This position is open to only foreign but Korean. Formal due date is Sept 30 2008, but the position will be open until filled. Find more information at theease.org/jobposting

The Faculty of Sciences at the University of Geneva has an opening for two positions at the level of professor (two positions as full, associate, or tenure track assistant professor) in Science Didactics (preferably in Biology, Chemistry, or Physics with an opening in other disciplines taught by the Faculty of Sciences).

Further information and French version

Dear Colleagues and Fellow Science Educators

We are pleased to announce the invitation to participate in the ESERA 2009 Conference which will be held in Istanbul. Istanbul is a very exciting city, so we hope the conference will be too! As the local organizing committee we are making sure that all the preparations are in place so that we can host you at this wonderful event.

Three Turkish universities are hosting the conference this time: Gazi University, Hacettepe University, and Yeditepe University. Science education in Turkey is enjoying a rapid growth. Every year dozens of doctorates are being awarded in several Turkish Universities and many PhD are joining the group in Turkey by earning their degrees abroad. Nowadays you may see more articles in international science education journals originating from Turkey. We strongly believe that this conference will bring more excitement to all of us.

The conference web site is now open and we will post information in due time about the developments. Please do not forget to check the web site at http://www.esera2009.org (flyer) from time to time and also inform your colleagues in your institutions and countries.

We wish you a refreshing and rewarding conference and looking forward to meeting you all in Istanbul!

M. Fatih Tasar, Chair of the ESERA Conference 2009
Esra Akgul
Gultekin Cakmakci

"Sciences serving science: Cross-disciplinary issues in mathematics and science education" is the third in a series of biennial international Science and Mathematic Education Conferences (SMEC) that have been hosted by the Centre for the Advancement of Science Teaching and Learning (CASTeL) this September, 11-12th in Dublin.

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Breadth versus depth in science curricula
• Transfer of knowledge & skills between disciplines
• Interdisciplinarity & multidisciplinarity
• Subsidiary subjects in science
• Implications for teacher education

Submissions can be made by emailing abstracts to: smec08@dcu.ie

Important dates:
Paper Submission and Early Bird Registration: May 31, 2008
Notification of Acceptance: June 30, 2008

www.dcu.ie/smec/2008

SMEC 2008 (Flyer)

Congratulations to ESERA member Nasser Mansour who has been given the Best Paper Award of the European Educational Research Association Postgraduate and Young Researchers Pre-Conference 07. His paper is entitled 'Religious beliefs: A hidden variable in the performance of science teachers in the classroom'.

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Katrina Emmett, PhD student
Supervisors: Prof. Dr Harrie Eijkelhof and Dr Kees Klaassen
Institution: Utrecht University, Netherlands
Visiting: Prof. Joan Bliss, Sussex University, United Kingdom

Angela Fitzgerald, PhD student
Supervisor: Prof. Mark Hackling and Dr Vaille Dawson
Institution: Edith Cowan University, Australia
Visiting: Prof. Kirsti Klette, Marianne Ødegaard and Nina E. Arnesen, University of Oslo, Norway

Roberto Greco, PhD student
Supervisor: Prof. Mauro Marchetti
Institution: Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Italy
Visiting: Prof. Chris King, Keele University, United Kingdom

Clas Olander, PhD student
Supervisor: Prof. Björn Andersson
Institution: University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Visiting: Prof. John Leach, Leeds University, United Kingdom

Dra Mariá Teresa Guerra-Ramos, reader-researcher
Institution: Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados Unidad
Monterrey, Mexico
Visiting: Prof. John Leach and Dr Jim Ryder, University of Leeds, United Kingdom

The University of York, UK and IPN in Kiel, Germany have published a
series of books on science education:

Bennett et al.: Making a difference
Nentwig & Waddington: Making it relevant
Waddington et al.: Making it comparable

Science education, and the declining numbers of young people choosing to pursue the study of science in Europe, have recently been the focus of considerable attention. "Science Education in Europe" reports on the findings of two Nuffield-funded London seminars which drew together a group of leading science educators from across Europe. The report highlights the major issues confronting formal secondary science education, identifies similarities and differences between countries, and makes a series of recommendations for improvement in key areas.

Read the report (pdf)

Dear Member of ESERA

The journal Science & Education will be publishing a special anniversary issue(s) to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the original publication of On the Origin of Species in 1859 and, coincidently, the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth. Researchers working on areas related to Darwinism and evolution education are invited to contribute. More information about the special issue. Please note that a science education perspective is welcome but not necessary.

The due date for submissions has been set for over a year from now on 31 Dec 2008 so as to encourage high quality contributions from as many scholars as possible. (As with other special issues, notification of intent to submit and subject matter are greatly appreciated as it assists with the coordination and planning of the issue.)

Sincerely, David Rudge & Kostas Kampourakis

Guest editors, Special Journal Issue: Darwinian Anniversary Year, 2009, Science & Education

Organizers of the XIII Symposium of the International Organization for Science and Technology Education (IOSTE) invite interested researchers and educators to submit papers for the symposium, to be held at Pine Bay Resort, Izmir, Turkey from Sept 21 - 26, 2008. The theme of the symposium is "Science and Technology Education for Peace and Sustainable Development"

As many of you know, I am interested in young children’s scientific development or Emergent Science (science for young children aged between 0 and 8 years of age). Over the last year, I have set up an Emergent Science electronic network which incorporates early childhood and science education professionals, researchers and interested groups and individuals from many different countries and affiliated to different professional and research associations.

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The ESERA Selected Contributions book “Contributions from Science Education Research” is ready for distribution from Springer Science Business Media B.V. This book includes 37 edited papers from the most outstanding contribution in the ESERA Conference held in Barcelona in 2005.

Members of ESERA, participants of the ESERA Conference in 2005 and/or 2007 can obtain the book at a reduced price: 23,70€ plus shipping costs (5€ within Europe/ 10€ rest of the world), by filling an order form.

Order form

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Edited by Sandra K. Abell University of Missouri/Columbia &
Norman G. Lederman Illinois Institute of Technology

This state-of-the art research handbook provides a comprehensive, coherent, current synthesis of the empirical and theoretical research concerning teaching and learning in science and lays down a foundation upon which future research can be built. Structured to highlight recent trends in the field, the volume is organized around five themes:

• Science Learning
• Culture, Gender, and Society and Science Learning
• Science Teaching
• Curriculum and Assessment in Science Teacher Education

More details can be found at: http://www.routledge.com/9780805847147

Handbook of Research on Science Education (pdf)

The Rocard Report on Science Education 24/07/2007

In April 2006, Michel Rocard (former French Prime Minister, and MEP) contacted the EU Commissioner for science and research, Janez Potocnik to draw attention to a European initiative which he considered as showing enormous potential for increasing young people's interest in science and mathematics.

Mr Rocard's concern, and indeed that of policy makers across Europe, was that the declining interest for certain science studies among young people will stand in the way of the emergence of a truly knowledge-based society, both in terms of Europe's need for more scientists, and the need to ensure that all young people develop key analytical skills at school that will prepare them for the future - whatever they choose to do.

Mr Rocard, was therefore invited to chair a small group of experts to see what action could be taken. The ESERA president, Doris Jorde participanted in the expert group.

The work of this group is now accomplished, and the report is available to download. It makes a number of recommendations ranging from the need for collective action, how improvement in science teaching can be brought about, and what could be done at all levels: local, national and European. The main message, however, is that we need to radically revise the way that science is taught in our schools.

The report is being widely disseminated and it is hope that it will stimulate debate and a commitment for real action among policy makers at the highest levels within the European Union. Other language versions shall be available shortly.

Science Education NOW - A Renewed Pedagogy for the Future of Europe

A new version of the Bibliography STCSE (Students' and Teachers' Conceptions and Science Education) may be downloaded from: www.ipn.uni-kiel.de/aktuell/stcse/stcse.html

Philip Bell (University of Washington) has started a new blog dedicated to research developments related to the science of learning. It is a stream of relevant studies, books, articles, and resources.http://how-we-learn.blogspot.com

A new report has been published by EURYDICE. The report focuses on science teaching in 30 European countries at primary and general lower secondary level. It was carried out during 2004/5. The report provides a comparison of the regulations and official recommendations concerning initial teacher education: programme content and accreditation criteria, and the qualifications and experience of trainers in training establishments and in schools (for practical placement and final 'on-the-job' qualifying phase). The main learning activities and objectives of school curricula are examined, as well as the content of standardised evaluation of science pupils. The projects and debates relating to the development of this type of evaluation are reviewed. A summary of research results on learning science subjects and the practices and training of science teachers rounds off the study.

The report, to which ESERA members including Martine Meheut and Edgar Jenkins took part is available at: Eurydice.org

SensePublishers offer an interesting series of books on Mathematics and
Science Education and related subjects.The series editors Kenneth Tobin and Wolff-Michael Roth welcome proposals to publish in the series.

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CSSE invite you to contribute to scholarly discussions in relation to
cultural studies in science education on the BLOG: blogs.springer.com/csse

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Are student enrolments in Science and Technology studies really going down? What are the factors that affect students’ choices? What are the mechanisms that can be implemented to influence such choices? The OECD Global Science Forum has just released a concise policy-level report, featuring findings and recommendations for the different stakeholders in S&T education and describing the main quantitative and qualitative aspects of this problem.

Report on the Evolution of Student Interest in Science and Technology Studies

This is a course for science education professionals who wish to develop their practice and enhance student learning. Academic research and hands on experience at an international centre for teaching and research in science and education.

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Science Activities is a peer reviewed journal targeted at practitioners- providing specific, inquiry-based science lessons for educators at the K-12 level.

Call for papers
Author guidelines