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Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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How about something like-
"An ongoing, self-correcting process for explaining the universe"
An ornithology professor I had used a definition that was something
like that and the thing that struck me about it at the time and which
has remained valuable to me is the "self-correcting" aspect. Too much
of my science education experience has not emphasized the ongoing
nature of science. I spent a lot of time trying to master a body of
knowledge or maybe a collection of facts without understanding that
its an ongoing effort.
Adele Binning
Science Museum of Minnesota
On Apr 17, 2006, at 9:17 AM, Lou Papai wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> **********************************************************************
> *******
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lou Papai
> Sent: Friday, April 14, 2006 3:00 PM
> To: Informal Science Education Network
> Subject: Definition of Science for 7 and under
>
>
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> **********************************************************************
> *******
>
> Ok,
> This should generate some interesting responses. I know it has
> around here.
>
> We have a Word Wall that was put together as a collaborative
> project between us and a local universities early childhood
> program. They came up with 53 vocabulary words that can be or are
> reflected in our Kids Central area designed for ages 7 and under.
> What we did was put them all up on a really cool backing on the
> wall and then down lower on a separate wall by the entrance is the
> 'Word of the Week'. Along with the word is its definition, a list
> of "I wonder..." questions centered around the word, and then a
> list of additional words the parents can use to extend their
> exploration of the main word.
>
> Here's where the fun comes in. A month ago, we had a comment card
> that said our definition of the word Science wasn't correct or
> poorly written. We passed it around the staff and even polled our
> Educator Advisory Committee just for fun. We can't believe how
> HARD it is to come up with a simple enough definition that a parent
> of a 7 or younger age child could understand and use for the word
> science.
>
> Here's what we had up: A branch of knowledge or study that
> investigates and explains everything in our universe.
>
> So, now we ask you all. Can you helps us come up with a simple,
> yet effective definition of the word science for ages 7 and under?
>
>
>
> Lou Papai
> Education & Public Programs Manager
> Science Central
> 1950 N. Clinton St.
> Fort Wayne, IN 46805
> (260) 424-2400, ext. 442
> [log in to unmask]
> www.sciencecentral.org
> Latitude: 41 05' 31"
> Longitude 85 08' 22.9"
>
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> More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
> Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://
> www.astc.org.
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More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
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