Surprising teaching tool in K-12 science education -- Zebrafish research

The world's leading zebrafish researchers contribute to the community's active global efforts to promote science education. Scientific papers, many authored by students in grades K-12, as well as articles highlighting innovative curricula and educational tools, a collection of abstracts (including student, parent, and teacher authors), and an informative report from the recent Zebrafish in Education Workshops are featured in a special issue of Zebrafish, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The special issue is available on the Zebrafish website.

Guest Editors Chris Pierret, PhD, Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) and Jamie Shuda, EdD, University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), together with Education Editors Jennifer Liang, PhD, University of Minnesota Duluth, and Lara Hutson, PhD, University at Buffalo (New York) have prepared a collection of articles that illustrate the progress made in the zebrafish community in the development and implementation of student-led, inquiry-based active learning opportunities for student scientists and teachers.

"The emphasis is on teaching students how to think, rather than on what to think," says Stephen Ekker, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Zebrafish and Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. "This issue will have a substantial impact well beyond the zebrafish community."

The student-authors research articles are of high scientific quality and relevant to modern scientists in their fields. They focus on new curricula that emphasize an inquiry-based approach and give students the opportunity to learn about the process of science. Many of the projects featured in the 15 abstracts culled from presentations at the 10th International Conference on Zebrafish Development and Genetics (Madison, WI, June 2012) will likely lead to full papers submitted for publication in the coming year.

Provided by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc