Research into Practice: Practice Informing Research

The planning of the 2010 NARST International Meeting – March 20-24 – has begun. The call for proposals is available on the NARST web site. The 2010 NARST meeting will be in the ‘City of Brotherly Love’- Philadelphia with the theme Research into Practice: Practice Informing Research. When not attending sessions, I hope that you’ll get the chance to see some of the ‘City of Brotherly Love’. No visit to Philly is complete without visiting Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. For a taste of Philly, be sure to make a visit to Reading Terminal Market where among the 80 merchants you can sample the delectable culinary foods, breads and cheeses of the Amish, the signature ‘Philly Cheese Steak’, soft-pretzels with mustard, and the famous Italian hoagies. Fine dining is another feature of Philly so make plans to book a table.

This year the Philadelphia NARST meeting will overlap with the national meeting of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). As such, we are planning some events that will bring NARST members to NSTA sessions and vise versa. For example, the ‘Research Dissemination Conference’ is an NSTA event on Saturday March 20. This year’s theme is ‘Elementary Education’ and I have been working with NSTA Research Director Julie Luft to help plan the agenda for the day’s events.

Let me remind NARST members and Strand Coordinators to think about offering NARST workshops that address the conference theme - Research into Practice: Practice Informing Research. The workshops are scheduled for Sunday morning and represent a wonderful opportunity to involve both NARST and NSTA attendees. Priority will be given to workshops that engage researchers, school leaders, teachers and educators working in classroom and/or informal learning environments.  

(excerpts from message by Rick Duschl, NARST President)