Reflections on Three “Might-Have-Been” Mentors

Note: I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the role of mentors in one’s educational development and remembered the following essay I wrote for the Virtual Conference in Informal Science Education, sponsored by the Society for Amateur Scientists in … Continue reading

The Science Project is Blowin’ in the Wind

Elsewhere I have written about the power of projects.  There is no educational experience that quite matches making an example of what you are studying, or even a model of it.  But the experience of building or making something goes … Continue reading

Competition, Innovation, and Learning

Every other week or so my spouse and I meet with some friends for dinner and conversation, usually at a favorite Chinese restaurant where we enjoy stimulating banter over excellent cuisine. An evening’s dinner conversation recently turned to the matter … Continue reading