Science Committee Hearing on Science and Math Education
Features "Bill Nye the Science Guy"
March 4, 1998
At a March 4, 1998 House Science Committee hearing
on maintaining interest of young children in science
and math, lawmakers heard from several science education
experts including a winner of the Presidential Award
for Excellence in Science and Math Teaching and television
personality "Bill Nye the Science Guy". During the
hearing, committee members continually voiced their
concerns over recent results from the Third International
Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) that showed
U.S. 12th grade students lagging far behind their
counterparts abroad in math and science.
The hearing was the first in a series relating to
the on-going study of science policy requested by
House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Chairman James Sensenbrenner
(R-WI) opened the hearing by saying that the aim of
study would be get beyond simply budget policy and
formulate sound principles that would guide future
decisions and policies. Committee Vice Chairman Vern
Ehlers voiced his hope to create a truly bipartisan
effort that would involve the entire science committee.
Noting that he had been chosen by Chairman Sensenbrenner
to lead the study on behalf of the Science Committee,
Ehlers stressed that the study would be reflect the
work of the entire committee - not a select task force.
Ehlers went on to say that science and math education
would be a focus of the science policy study. "I am
convinced from my own experience as an educator that
a hands-on inquiry-based approach to science is the
best way [to improve student learning]", he said.
Bill Nye and other witnesses echoed Ehlers's comments
by noting that we are all scientists with innate curiosity
about the natural world, and it is important science
and math education to reflect this natural passion
for discovery.
There was a demonstration of several activities funded
by NSF at the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science,
as well shows produced by the Children's Television
Workshop. Witnesses discussed a number of ways to
keep science fun and to better link the approach of
science television shows like Bill Nye the Science
Guy to efforts in the classroom. Panel witnesses praised
efforts of the National Science Foundation to help
fund informal science activities and to enable better
understanding of child cognitive development and learning.
Lawmakers also were shown an example of inquiry-based
learning from a group of 5th grade students from Flint
Hill School in Oakton, VA that demonstrated the circular
flow of electric current. One of the key conclusions
of the panel was that teachers often do not have background,
the tools, or the training to improve the teaching
of science in the classroom. Better teacher training,
both of the existing teacher corps and of the young
people studying to become teachers was critical. All
agreed with Bill Nye's opinion that the abysmal state
of school construction - especially in underserved
areas - was a serious impediment to learning.
There was some debate over the federal role in education
and whether government policies were hindering or
helping young people learn science. Democrats including
Mike Doyle (D-PA) complained that funding schools
based on property taxes allowed affluent school districts
to have the best technology and teachers while poorer
school districts got left behind. Rep. Connie Morella
(R-MD) advocated legislation that she is sponsoring
to establish a federal commission on women in science
and technology to improve the representation of women
in science and engineering. She also noted that she
would soon introduce a bill that would establish a
national commission on science and math leadership
through the National Academy of Sciences.
Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) agreed with comments by the
witnesses and by other committee members that participation
of young women in science and math is critical for
the future. Noting the experience of his own daugheter,
Rep. Salmon commented that young girls are often discouraged
in subtle ways from pursuing science and math careers
during high school.
Some Republican members, including Reps. Gil Gutneckt
(R-MN), Chris Cannon (R-UT) and Thomas Ewing (R-IL)
advocated school choice policies and questioned whether
throwing more and more money at the problem was a
good policy since student performance in science has
not improved over the past decade, despite rising
budgets for education. Republicans generally called
for schools to have more flexibility to hire and promote
teachers based on performance rather than approve
across the board salary increases for all teachers
regardless of teaching ability or area of expertise.
-- Tim Clancy, OLPA
Hearing Witnesses:
Mr. Bill Nye
Host
"Bill Nye the Science Guy"
McKenna/Gottlieb Producers, Inc.
Seattle, Washington
Dr. Joel Schneider
Vice President for Education and Research
Children's Television Workshop
New York, New York
Ms. Sandra L. Parker
Distinguished Teacher
1997 Recipient of Presidential Award for
Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
Flint Hill School
Oakton, Virginia
Dr. Thomas H. Krakauer
President and CEO
North Carolina Museum of Life and Science
Durham, North Carolina
Dr. Susan Carey
Department of Psychology
New York University
New York, New York
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