NSTA Position Statement on Science Labs

A couple of items that were posted in the NACOL forums related to the issue of online science labs.  The first:

The National Science Teachers Association, a 55,000 member organization and arguably the most qualified authority to weigh in, has made a clear stance in the debate of hands on vs. virtual labs.

http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/laboratory.aspx

They do however also laud the use of computers in scientific inquiry, with the following caveat:

“Lest the following emphasis on computers be misunderstood, we assert at the outset that computers should enhance, but not replace essential “hands on” laboratory activities. “

http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/computers.aspx

eScience labs inc., ( www.esciencelabs.com ) shares this position and uniquely provides a blended approach combining the best hands-on activities coupled by supplemental online learning tools.

And a response was also posted, that read in part:

Please, a point of clarification . . . The NSTA policy statement on laboratories that was approved in 2007 does not use the words “hands on” - so we can’t jump to that conclusion or make that differentiation when it is not indicated in that statement of policy.

In fact, I’m on a committee on e-learning for NSTA and they have approved a new 2008 policy statement advocating specifically in support of e-learning and science education that has not been posted yet to their website. It does support the use of online learning for science education and does not include a reference to “hand on” laboratories, but references the NACOL paper on Scientific Investigations — emphasizing quality investigations and scientific inquiry in online education for K-12 grade levels.

It appears that this continues to be an issue that K-12 online learning programs are wrestling with.

eScience Labs Expands Hands-On Product Line

This press release showed up in my inbox.

For Immediate Release

Contact: info@esciencelabs.com

888-ESL-KITS

eScience Labs Expands Its Product Line of Affordable Home Science Kits

Provider of quality at-home science experimentation tools offers online learners and homeschooled students the opportunity to explore biology with affordable, environmentally friendly hands-on lab kits

The Next Generation of Hands-On, Home Science Labs

eScience Labs, the pioneer of the next generation at-home science kits for the modern learner, has received glowing reviews for its series of entry level lab kits developed for high school and introductory-level college students. The dynamic and comprehensive design of ESL products has raised the bar for hands-on kits, providing a blended approach to enhance comprehension and learning outcomes. The overwhelming success of its Introductory Biology and Accelerated Biology series has prompted eScience Labs to take this model and develop a series of hands-on labs for middle school learners.

“eScience Labs’ middle school science kits lay the foundation for scientific literacy in a fun, dynamic way” explains Dr. Ann Marie Bottcher, Director of Curriculum Development at eScience Labs. “The Life Science kit was developed to enrich the students’ growing understanding of the diversity of life, and encourage them to draw parallels with other subject, such as geography” she adds.

A life science series, available in time for the fall semester, will include labs on the Scientific Method, The Basis of Life, The Kingdoms of Life and Environmental Science. This series will be followed by an Earth Science and a Physical Science series, set to release by the end of 2008. Though each will be designed with the same standards and rigor as our upper level series, they will be written at the 6^th to 8^th grade levels. Each series will provide the fundamental skills and knowledge students need to meet and exceed their states’ 8^th grade science standards.

“Middle school is a great opportunity to get students excited about science.” explains Dr. Nicolas Benedict, President and CEO of eScience Labs. “However, not all parents or teachers have the science background to take advantage of this opportunity. We take care of this for them with a fun and blended learning experience that today’s kids have come to expect”.

For more information visit http://www.eScienceLabs.com.

About eScience Labs, Inc.

Founded in 2007 by a team of PhD-level scientists and academics, Denver-based eScience Labs, Inc. is the pioneer of the next generation at-home lab kits. Created for online, distance, and homeschooled learners in middle school, high school and introductory-level college levels, eScience lab kits provide interactive, safe, and complete hands-on experimentation tools for the modern student. Designed to complement any curriculum or teaching style, the kits serve as supplemental course content and provide teaching aids that make scientific exploration both engaging and fun. To learn more about eScience Labs, visit http://www.eScienceLabs.com.

College Board Approves AP Chemistry

I know that this has been an issue for many virtual schools, getting the AP science courses approved under the College Board audit process. This was posted in the NACOL forum late yesterday.

The Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University has received approval for its online AP Chemistry course. To my knowledge, it’s the first such course to receive approval from the College Board. Last year, all AP Chemistry submissions were rejected.

NACOL, by its steadfast efforts, has made this event possible.

Wonder if there is a link for this course?

Hands-On Advanced Placement Biology Kit

Last month I posted an entry about Problems With AP Science Online. Yesterday I received this in my inbox, which may provide some possible solutions for one of those subject areas in the sciences. It may not, but I wanted to post this press release to see if anyone has used this product yet and whether or not it has helped with the College Board’s AP audit.

For Immediate Release

Contact: info@esciencelabs.com

888-ESL-KITS

eScience Labs Announces the availability of their Advanced Placement Biology Kit

Provider of quality at-home science experimentation tools offers online learners and homeschooled students the opportunity to explore biology with affordable, environmentally friendly hands-on lab kits

Denver, CO—May 6^th, 2008—eScience Labs, the pioneer of the next generation at-home science kits for the modern learner, today announced the availability of an Advanced Placement Biology Kit for use with AP^* Biology courses.

The series of 12 labs is designed to precisely meet all of the criteria and outcomes required by the College Board^* for the lab component of its’ AP^* Biology courses. The labs are supplemented by online content, including virtual labs, interactive tutorials, educational games, instructional videos and real life case studies. Registered students also have access to additional tools including a user-restricted, monitored blog, where they can share observations, compare results and pool data.

“It is widely recognized that to really provide a college level equivalent experience, science courses must have hands-on labs. Though virtual labs are very powerful learning tools, they are simply not enough” states Dr. Nicolas Benedict, President and CEO of eScience Labs, inc.

“The lack of quality science education is a great concern in this country. Providing the online community with a series of well designed, rigorous, educational tools, reaches an entirely underserved group of students. By blending hands-on labs with great online tools, we can better engage students, and with a little bit of luck they will pursue a career in science. At the very least, they will better understand the world around them” said Dr. Thomas Burke, Chief Science Officer of eScience Labs, Inc.

The Advanced Placement Biology Kit will be available for shipping on June 1^st. Because of the complexity and number of components in this kit, pre-ordering is highly recommended. Instructors interested in using these kits with their courses are encouraged to contact eScience Labs directly at 888-ESL-KITS, to discuss their needs or request a sample kit.

In addition to the Advanced Placement Biology Kit, multiple versions of the Introductory Biology Kit are currently available. eScience Labs is currently developing a Middle School Biology Kit, as well as a new series of Physics and Environmental Science Kits. These are all scheduled to be available for the 2008 Fall Semester. For more information visit http://www.eScienceLabs.com

About eScience Labs, Inc.

Founded in 2007 by a team of PhD-level scientists and academics, Denver-based eScience Labs, Inc. is the pioneer of the next generation at-home lab kits. Created for online, distance, and homeschooled learners in high school and introductory-level college levels, eScience lab kits provide interactive, safe, and complete hands-on experimentation tools for the modern student. Designed to complement any curriculum or teaching style, the kits serve as supplemental course content and provide teaching aids that make scientific exploration both engaging and fun. To learn more about eScience Labs, visit http://www.eScienceLabs.com

*AP and *College Board are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

Problems With AP Science Online

Some of you may be familiar with the issues that virtual schools have been having with the College Board over the lack of actual science labs in Advanced Placement science courses offered online. For those not familiar with the issue, you may want to check out

• Online/Distance Learning AP Courses
• No Test Tubes? Debate on Virtual Science Classes

Anyway, I mention this today because this showed up in my inbox.

Affordable Home Science Kits for Online Science

For Immediate Release                        

Contact:  info@esciencelabs.com

888-ESL-KITS

eScience Labs Announces the Launch of New, Affordable Home Science Kits

Provider of quality at-home science experimentation tools offers online learners and homeschooled students the opportunity to explore biology with affordable, environmentally friendly hands-on lab kits

Denver, CO—March 11^th, 2008—eScience Labs, the pioneer of the next generation at-home science kits for the modern learner, today announced the availability of affordable entry level lab kits, designed for high school and introductory-level college students. These innovative tools complement progressive biology instruction to enhance comprehension and learning outcomes.

“Due to the broad range of online and homeschooled students, we’ve simplified the way we provide our hands on lab kits” explains Dr. Nicolas Benedict, president and CEO of eScience Labs. “For example, to require a student to purchase an expensive microscope on top of the price of a set of slides, costs the student over $10 for every slide they look at.  It is hard to justify requiring instructors or students to purchase things they may not need or want.  Printed manuals are another example.  Most students would just as soon save some money and have it on a CD.  If we can save a few trees in the process, all the better”.

eScience Labs now provides both its one semester (14 lab) and two semester (24 lab) Introductory Biology Lab Kits with an electronic manual and High Definition images to replace the slide set.   These experiments yield identical learning outcomes to labs with microscopes and they still contain hands on exercises.

For those students, or instructors, who want either a slide set or printed manual, they are available as options to the kit.

“Why make students pay for something that isn’t required, they don’t want, don’t need and may not be able to afford.  Who knows, with the advancements in the digital world, microscopes, as we know them may not even be around in ten years,” adds Dr. Benedict.

In addition to the Introduction to Biology lab kit, eScience Labs is currently developing Advanced Placement Biology, Physics, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, and Microbiology kits. For more information visit http://www.eScienceLabs.com.

About eScience Labs, Inc.

Founded in 2007 by a team of PhD-level scientists and academics, Denver-based eScience Labs, Inc. is the pioneer of the next generation at-home lab kits. Created for online, distance, and homeschooled learners in high school and introductory-level college levels, eScience lab kits provide interactive, safe, and complete hands-on experimentation tools for the modern student. Designed to complement any curriculum or teaching style, the kits serve as supplemental course content and provide teaching aids that make scientific exploration both engaging and fun. To learn more about eScience Labs, visit http://www.eScienceLabs.com.

I suppose I probably shouldn’t be promoting what is likely a commercial provider.  And I suspect that the got me e-mail address off of one of my business cards that I put into some bowl at a vendors booth at the Virtual School Symposium trying to win an iPod or something.  However, this is a legitimate problem for many virtual schools and this likely commercial provider may offer a potential solution for some of them.