Welcome to the New Zealand Science Teacher

The NZST is the official journal of the NZASE and features a veritable cornucopia of information on everything you wanted to know about science and science education but never thought to ask!

Published three times a year (March, June and October) the NZST is a much sought after rollicking good read for practitioners, researchers and anyone interested in science and science education.

The NZST is a unique publication that proudly celebrates local scientific and education endeavour. There is no other publication of its type in New Zealand. Because it is a member only publication, you must be a member of the NZASE to receive it. So join the NZASE today-individual and institution membership options are available.

Issue 129 - Science and Literacy
Welcome to the first issue of the NZST for 2012, which has the theme Science and Literacy, and is to be posted to all financial members of the NZASE within the first two weeks of March.

In the introduction to the issue’s theme, Rose Hipkins, from the NZCER and a member of the NZST Editorial Advisory Group, writes: “What a bumper set of articles has been collected to address the ‘science and literacy’ theme. The collection contains three types of perspectives on science-and-literacy as a combination. While these three meanings are interconnected, it is also helpful to keep their differences in mind... Enjoy and be inspired!”

The issue opens with an excellent article written by Billy McClune and Ruth Jarman, from Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, who describe how science in the media can be used to teach scientific literacy. Their article is a must-read for all science educators.

The issue also features articles from some award-winning science communicators about the importance of, and challenges with, communicating science. Contributors include: Sir Paul Callaghan, Professor Ian Shaw, Dr Mark Quigley, Dr Donna Rose Addis and Dr Marc Wilson, to name a few.

There are a number of excellent science education articles: how scientists and school students collaborated in an authentic learning experience, teaching chemistry students’ causal text connectives; and for primary science educators: how role play was insightful for student science teachers, and using picture books for teaching science.

There is also a report from the NZASE President, Sabina Cleary who shares with readers five great resources for teachers; and reports from the NZASE standing committees.

The NZST welcomes contributions, and all prospective authors are advised to read the NZST writing guidelines prior to submission. These guidelines are published on this website and also in the NZST.

If you would like to receive the NZST and are not a member of the NZASE then please contact: nzase@xtra.co.nz.

Kind regards

Lyn Nikoloff
Editor NZST
nzst@nzase.org.nz

Issue 128 - (bio)diversity
Welcome to this diverse issue of the NZST (Issue 128, published 1 October 2011) which features a cornucopia of information that is both professionally and practically relevant to science educators.

Lindsey Conner, outgoing NZASE President, writes about the future of science education and how members can/must engage in the process.

Jessie McKenzie (RSNZ) shares with readers a strategy for primary science and Chris Astall (University of Canterbury) has written a great article for primary sector colleagues on the nature of science.

Because we recognise that a student’s interest and learning in science can be positively impacted on when parents engage in the process, Miles Barker (University of Waikato) and Claire Donaldson (University of Auckland) provide some useful case studies about how this may happen.

And have you ever thought about using pseudoscience as a context for teaching critical thinking skills? Alison Campbell’s (University of Waikato) article provides some useful tools. When teaching science in refugee camps Rob Julian (VUW) found he had to approach the task with an open mind.

This year, we have been striking up conversations with the science community and recently Ally Bull and Rose Hipkins (NZCER) spoke with marine scientist, Dennis Gordon, and Anne Hume (University of Waikato) enjoyed her conversation with Eocene climate modeller, Duncan Ackerley (formerly from NIWA).

Did you know that this year is the centenary of Ernest Rutherford’s Nobel Prize? John Campbell (University of Canterbury) has written a wonderful article celebrating Rutherford’s contribution to physics.

Is ecology at a crossroads? Kevin Burns and Rex Bartholomew (VUW) consider the current status of the theory of ecology.

This issue also has a focus on NZ’s biodiversity: Dennis Gordon’s (NIWA) article is a tour de force of NZ marine biodiversity; Peter Heenan (Landcare Research) describes the importance of studying the origin and evolution of the native alpine cress to gain a better understanding of adaptive radiation and speciation in NZ alpine plants; Peter Buchanan (Landcare Research) brings to your attention the missing f-word: fungi, and in so doing gives us a newfound respect for this often maligned group; Jon Palmer (Massey University) writes about microbial life on biofilms; Hugh Morgan (University of Waikato) describes how thermophilic bacteria are helping scientists to better understand the evolution of life; and Louise Malone (Plant & Food) writes about the biodiversity of arthropods in two agroecosystems.

There are also reports from: BEANZ—biology (p.42), chemistry (p.44), physics (p.45), and ESSE (p.46). And we have an illuminating article from science technicians in Christchurch who are being innovative and creative post-earthquake.

I commend this issue to you.

If you would like to become a member (individual or institutional) of the NZASE and receive the NZST then please contact the NZASE: nzase@xtra.co.nz. If you are a member of the NZASE but have not received your copy of Issue 128 by mid-October, please contact NZASE Administrator Kate Fowler: nzase@xtra.co.nz. The NZST welcomes submissions and asks that you please contact the editor in the first instance: nzst@nzase.org.nz to obtain writing guidelines.

Kind regards

Lyn Nikoloff
Editor NZST
nzst@nzase.org.nz

Check out the full list of articles: Issue 128

Issue 127 - IT
Welcome to Issue 127 of the New Zealand Science Teacher (published 1st June, 2011), which has the theme of Model IT. Inside there are 48 pages of great reading for those long winter nights.

The issue begins with the NZASE President, Lindsey Conner, encouraging members to engage in a dialogue about the future of science education (see the website for more information).

To retain our vitality in the classroom is it is essential that, as teachers, we explore new ways of thinking and teaching science. In this issue we have some interesting articles that might have merit in your classroom: problem-based learning; reading to learn about NZ birds; Junior Café Scientifique and a teacher-student-scientist collaboration.

The issue has four dedicated pages for primary science teachers: iPod Touch apps; science entrepreneurs; and a colour activity. The NZASE standing committees’ reports include: Chemistry Olympiad, International Year of Chemistry, using bathroom scales in physics, and proving Earth’s age.

This year we have been engaging some of our contributors in a conversation at the science/science education interface. In this issue, Miles Barker converses with Cather Simpson (Issue 127—Magic of quantum mechanics) and in so doing illuminates aspects of Nature of Science. Miles also spoke with Vic Arcus (Issue 126—Data deluge and polymaths) and their conversation raised the important issue of public scientific literacy. I commend both conversations to you.

Modelling is a vital tool in science, and in this issue we bring to your attention contemporary examples including: Eocene climate, fluid mechanics, Southern Ocean carbon cycle, weather forecasting, and more...

Issue 127 of the NZST will be mailed to all members on 1st June, 2011.

If you would like to become a member (individual or institutional) of the NZASE and receive the NZST then please contact the NZASE: nzase@xtra.co.nz. If you are a member of the NZASE but have not received your copy of Issue 127 by mid-June, please contact NZASE Administrator Kate Fowler: nzase@xtra.co.nz. The NZST welcomes submissions and asks that you please contact the editor in the first instance: nzst@nzase.org.nz to obtain writing guidelines.

Happy reading everyone!

Kind regards

Lyn Nikoloff
Editor NZST
nzst@nzase.org.nz

PS: NZST Issue 128—(Bio)Diversity, published 1st October 2011.
Check out the full list of articles: Issue 127

Issue 126
Welcome to the first issue of the NZST in 2011.
In Issue 126 we have a ‘future focus’ theme.
So ... read about the future of science education, innovative pedagogies, nature of science in the NZC, a new assessment resource plus articles with a primary science focus, and standing committee reports.

And ... read about the future of science including managing the data deluge, predicting the future, Polynesian migration, evolution holy grail, the $1000 genome, food and obesity, and microfluids (front cover).

In this issue Rose Hipkins, NZCER, engaged nanotechnology scientist, John Watt in a conversation at the science/education interface and we hope you find this informative and useful in bringing nanotechnology into your classroom.

The NZST is to be mailed to all members of the NZASE during the first week of March. If you have not received your copy by the middle of March (at the latest) yet had paid your NZASE subscription prior to 24 February then please contact the NZASE in the first instance (not the NZST).

If you would like to become a member (individual or institutional) of the NZASE and receive the NZST then please contact the NZASE.

If you would like to submit an article for publication in the NZST please contact the editor in the first instance (nzst@nzase.org.nz) to obtain writing guidelines.

Happy reading everyone!

Kind regards

Lyn Nikoloff
Editor NZST
nzst@nzase.org.nz

Coming up in June ... The next issue of the NZST has the theme Model IT.
Check out the full list of articles: Issue 126

Issue 125
In this issue we feature articles about nitrogen, all of which exemplify good science carried out by scientists who are knowledgeable, curious and persistent: nitrogen in food-Alistair Carr; nitrogen soils and the environment-Louis Schipper and Graham Sparling; reactive nitrogen in the environment-Scott Fraser; agricultural nitrous oxide emissions-Donna Giltrap and Surinder Saggar; and global warming-Mike Harvey. There is also an article about Allan Wilson and human origins written by Professor David Penny. And Philip Catton comments about science, education and the NZST. Also in this issue we feature education research articles about: teaching and learning about controversial science issues-Kathy Saunders; a futures focus in our classrooms-Cathy Buntting; and key competencies in praxis-Steve Sexton. Plus we feature all of your regular subject association reports. So there you have it.another great rollicking read from the scientific and education community who have contributed their time and expertise freely.
Check out the full list of articles: Issue 125

Issue 124
In this issue, which has the theme of iron, be inspired by articles about iron sand (Tony Christie, GNS), iron in the diet (Fran Wolber, Massey University), iron and life on Earth (Andy Pratt, University of Canterbury), iron and the stars (Jeffrey Simpson, University of Canterbury), the iron pump (Cather Simpson, University of Auckland) and fertilising the oceans with iron (Cliff Law, NIWA). Also read about using the media in science programmes (Rose Hipkins, NZCER), more of Miles Barker's ripping yarns, Anne Hume's paper on professional knowledge and Philip Catton's article 'What is "Western" about Science is not from Religion'. Happy reading...
Check out the full list of articles: Issue 124

Issue 123 - Air
The first issue of the NZST for 2010 has the theme of Air and features articles about: Reducing drag in track cycling (Mark Jermy, University of Canterbury); Storms and jet streams (James Renwick, NIWA); Clouds: Brown, Einstein and Perrin (Geoff Austin and Kim Dirks, University of Auckland); Bubbles in our food (Matt Golding, Massey University); Weather impacts on health (Kim Dirks, University of Auckland); Lifelong science learning (Miles Barker, University of Waikato); Engaging students in science (Rosemary Hipkins, NZCER); Why 'absolute' time? (Philip Catton, University of Canterbury) and more ...
Check out the full list of articles: Issue 123

Issue 122 - Light
The final issue for 2009 has the theme of light and includes articles about: the impact of light on food (Steve Flint-Massey University); impact of light on myopia (John Phillips, Simon Backhouse and Andrew Collins-University of Auckland); rotation sensing with lasers (Jon-Paul Wells, Robert Hurst and Geoffrey Stedman-University of Canterbury); light and UV radiation (Richard McKenzie-NIWA Lauder).
Check out the full list of articles: Issue 122

Issue 121-Sound
Our June issue focused on sound and featured articles such as: the phantom sound of tinnitus (Grant Searchfield-University of Auckland); underwater sound waves and sonar (Peter Gough-University of Auckland); tuning into volcanic vibrations (Gill Jolly-GNS); and the sound of babbling brooks (Alan Walton-Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, UK).
Check out the full list of articles: Issue 121

Issue 120 - Carbon
Our first issue in 2009 featured articles about carbon including: developing a global and regional understanding of the carbon cycle (Mike Harvey and Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher-NIWA); measuring carbon stocks (David Whitehead-Landcare Research); sustainable steel construction and embodied carbon dioxide assessment (Clark Hyland-Steel Construction NZ Inc); carbon in the stars (Clare Worley, Mita Brierley and Karen Pollard-University of Canterbury); and the discovery of carbon nanotubes (John Abrahamson-University of Canterbury).
Check out the full list of articles: Issue 120

Science Education

The NZST features articles from the science education research community, and in 2009 we published articles about learners' perception of scientists, plus science teaching and the NZ curriculum (both articles were written by Miles Barker-University of Waikato); time to bring science alive (Ian Milne-University of Auckland College of Education); human ethics guidelines for schools (Rosemary de Luca and Bev Cooper-University of Waikato); and an article about what biology education can learn from disciplinary biology (Rosemary Hipkins-NZCER).

Regular Features

Each issue of the NZST includes articles from the National Library; NZIFST; and reports from the NZASE standing committees: biology, chemistry, physics, primary science, science/PEB, and technicians; plus ask-a-scientist and science news.

Each issue also includes a history philosophy of science article written exclusively for the NZST by Philip Catton (University of Canterbury). In 2009 the NZST published a series of three articles about Matauranga Maori and science.

NZST and Advertising

The NZST welcomes advertising and invites advertisers to contact the editor: nzst@nzase.org.nz.

The NZST also welcomes insertions in our mail-outs. Please contact the editor for more information: nzst@nzase.org.nz.

And looking ahead to 2010...

Along with all our education research and regular articles, we have planned three very exciting issues that will feature current scientific research about air (Issue 123-March), iron (Issue 124-June), and nitrogen (Issue 125-October).

For more information about deadlines for articles, or enquiries about submitting articles please contact the editor in the first instance. The editor reserves the right to publish articles.

So whether you are a practitioner, researcher or just interested in science and/or education...the NZST has something for you!

Make sure that you secure copies of our 2010 issues by joining the NZASE!

Lyn Nikoloff
Editor NZST