National STEM Education Organizations
There are many interesting and important national organizations focused on
STEM education. GMST alumni are familiar with these (and probably are members
of one or more!) but just in case you're wondering...
Mathematics
- National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics (NCTM) - NCTM is the premier organization for K-12
mathematics teachers and research. They have several journals for teachers
- one each for elementary, middle, and high school teachers - and a
well-repsected research journal. In addition to hosting an annual national
conference, they host regional conferences.
Science
- National Science Teachers Association
(NSTA) - NSTA examines issues related to science education at all levels:
elementary, middle school, high school, and post-secondary. The sponsor national
and regional conferences, and have journals for teachers: one each for elementary,
middle, high school, and college.
In addition, there are several discipline-specific organizations:
- National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT)
- American Chemical Society
(ACS) - While there is no separate chemical education organizaiton, the ACS
has a long history of being involved in chemistry education. They put out
the Journal of Chemical Education.
- American Association of Physics
Teachers (AAPT) - The AAPT maintains a particularly strong focus on high
school teaching, although it examines physics education across the spectrum
from K through college. They have a number of outreach programs, and publish
two very good journals: The Physics Teacher, which tends to be more
praxis-oriented and focused on high school teachers, and the American Journal
of Physics, which has a wide range of physics-related information, including
a section on Physics Education Research. (Technically, the AJP is published
by the American Physical Society, but AAPT members can - and should - get
it.)
Technology
- International Society for
Technology in Education (ISTE) - ISTE is all about using technology
to assist learning in the content areas, and their National Educational
Technology Standards project formed the basis of many state technology
standards. Their journal, Learning and Leading with Technology,
has a wide range of helpful ideas and information for teachers.
Research in STEM Education
In addition to the above organizations, there are some more research-focused
organizations and journals:
- National Association for
Research in Science Teaching (NARST) - In addition to a yearly conference,
they put out the Journal for Research in Science Teaching, which
is very good and very insightful.
- Science Education is also very good...and Lavery Library has
this in print.
- Science and Education is a European journal, but still good.
|