Education reform, more education reform and David Foster Wallace
Mark’s 2016 summer reading list This past academic year was one of the busiest and most invigorating year I have
Read moreAuthor: Mark W. Olofson
Community Based Learning in Vermont: What’s going on?
4 lessons from a recent gathering On Friday, March 11, more than 50 participants from public and private schools, community
Read moreWhat are some good tools for studying hurricanes?
Science app-smashing in a 1:1 environment Brendan Nerney, a middle grades educator at Mill River Union High School in Clarendon,
Read moreHow online education can find a path forward
In her excellent memoir Rethinking Normal, Katie Rain Hill describes her experience with online learning: I’d click on one tab,
Read moreStudent depression and anxiety: symptoms of dysfunction in a “traditional” educational system
From the New York Times: Is the Drive for Success Making our Children Sick? Now, I am never one to
Read moreE is for e-books …or are they “C-books”?
Why create and use e-books in the classroom? Resources like e-books are a common “first step” when we think about integrating
Read morePushing my thinking with summer reading
With July comes the “Dog Days” of summer – named due to their association with Sirius, the Dog Star. Sirius
Read moreMaking even more of “Beyond Bling”
A couple of weeks ago, Lucie deLaBruere of Learning with Lucie shared a post considering how we can embrace the
Read moreSugaring and the community part 2: Students become teachers
Last week we looked at the sugaring operation at Essex Middle School. The students at the Edge Academy built a
Read moreSugaring, STEM, and community connections
Early spring is sugaring season in Vermont. We produce the lion’s share of the domestic output of maple syrup, and
Read moreThe backlash to STEM education
There is a lot of conversation about the importance of STEM education – in the media, in politics, and among
Read moreSeparate Science in New Zealand
Kia ora! You may (or may not) have noticed that the semi-regularly occurring Science Saturdays column has been off the
Read moreThe Weather and Vermont
In Vermont, in the winter, we talk about the weather. A lot. Perhaps this is due to our agrarian roots
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Robotics, PBL, and collaboration
At TechJam this past autumn I was fortunate to run into a number of student groups who were there to
Read moreThe 7 characteristics of a digitally competent teacher
How do you score? The fine folks over at Daily Genius recently created this infographic, which has subsequently made the rounds
Read moreThinking about flipped science classrooms
Here at the beginning of the year, many people make resolutions. A new year can mean new opportunities, and offer
Read moreFor your STEM reading pleasure
The traditional winter recess gives us time to rest and reflect. If you’re like me, it also grants time to
Read moreNewton’s Laws, standards, and practices
Here at the Tarrant Institute, we have spent years focusing on the unique characteristics of young adolescent learners. Many of our
Read moreResearch and computer-based science inquiry
Research-fueled decision-making & teaching As a research fellow here at the Tarrant Institute, peer-reviewed research articles mediate my perception of reality. But
Read moreMonster Physics and the importance of careful consideration
This has been a very interesting week for me, trying to write a post for today. The task actually seemed
Read moreMolecules in Augmented Reality
One of the challenges in science is to help students make connections from concepts to their real world. This can
Read moreTech Jam, Jobs and STEM Education
It is Tech Jam time here in Burlington! This annual two day event is a chance for employers in the
Read moreNatural Disasters in the Classroom
When I was still teaching high school, I was presented one quarter with the option of creating and teaching a
Read moreIn support of Community Partnerships in STEM
Here in Vermont we’re lucky to have a strong sense of community spirit. Co-ops, partnerships, collectives; these concepts run through
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Science and Math simulations for your class
One of the big challenges in the math and science classroom is to make abstract concepts real for your students.
Read moreLearning with robots
Why get started? I can’t deny it – I’m a big fan of robotics in education. When I was still
Read moreCitizen Science: routes to collaboration on scientific research
For a lot of kids, science can be something you learn about, instead of something that you do. This is
Read moreBreaking Down the Next Generation Science Standards
Let’s talk about the Next Generation Science Standards for a little bit. There continues to be a lot of talk
Read moreWorld Science U launches
It has been a while since I have posted anything under the tag of “Science Saturday” but a new resource
Read moreHistory of a Scientific Discovery – Timeline Construction
I really like to use timelines when teaching the history of scientific discovery. I think that it allows students to
Read moreScientific Method
Hi there! My name is Mark Olofson, and I am a new research fellow here at TIIE. I worked for
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