Teaching students how to conduct research

The contest, which began in 1941, has been monopolized by New York schools because it had its roots in a local science fair and a cluster of New York personalities. Bronx Science and Stuyvesant eventually figured out the magical formula: Teach your kids to do research; don’t just offer cookbook experiments. Pair them with mentors at hospitals and universities, perhaps working on a small piece of the mentor’s puzzle, so the projects are more than garage-built contraptions. Assign high school teachers as enforcers to help students through rough patches and make sure they meet deadlines.

In today's education reform movements it is increasingly common to hear about providing students with learning opportunities that stretch outside of the classroom by offering a more hands-on approach to learning. It seems that everyone is searching "new and innovative" ways to teach students through real-world application and experience. The Intel competition is no exception. I think its great that educators are trying to teach students in unique ways. But at the same time I am slightly concerned that we are losing sight of what is really important. Its important that we realize there are certain things that students must be taught. Things that are more basic than teaching students to perform well on standardized tests, meeting standards, and excelling at everything instead of allowing them to be average at some things. This article provides a good insight at the direction in which education is quickly moving. I can see the majority of schools moving to a system where students are immersed in real-world experiences. The idea of the traditional classroom, where students listen to lectures, take tests, and sit at desk all day is on its way out. I am not saying that it is either a good thing or a bad thing. I am curious, however, how different educational practices and institutions will be twenty years from now.

Source:
Berger, Joseph (2007, March 7). Intel competition is where science rules and research is the key. The New York Times, Retrieved March 7, 2007, from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/07/nyregion/07education.html?ex=1173934800&en=5a8601b772717b9b&ei=5024&partner=BLACKBOARD