Mission & objectives
Science Overdrive aims to develop an interest in, and instill a passion for science through active collaboration between secondary science teachers and K-8 science teachers.
A local perspective
In addition to sharing our passion for science and science education, our goals keep in mind the daily life of a teacher. We strive to:
- Provide a stipend for all participants
- Provide effective and extremely useful professional development that may be used towards recertification
- Provide class sets of all materials, powerpoints, and worksheets to be used in the classroom.
- Establish a horizontal (other science teachers of the same grade), and vertical (elementary, middle, and high school science teachers) long-term support system.
- Develop confidence and excitement in teaching science
- Positively impact student's science SOL scores
A national & international perspective
Young students (grade 8 and below) who are interested in and encouraged in science are more likely to graduate with college degree in science. In a 2006 study by UVA's Dr. Robert Tai [1], 8th graders who expected to have science-related careers were 3.4 times more likely to earn a Bachelors in the physical sciences or engineering than students without similar expectations. Science Overdrive is keenly aware of the dire state of science in the U.S. [2] [3], and its decreasing rate of home-grown scientists. An educated, science-aware, and technologically advancing culture is the basis for economic growth in the modern world we live in. With this in mind, we strive to:
- Inspire the next generation of U.S. scientists
- Tai, Robert H., Christine Qi Liu, Adam V. Matlese, Xitao Fan. "Planning Early for Careers in Science". Science. Vol 312. 26 May 2006.
- "Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future". Committee on Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st Century: And Agenda for American Science and Technology, National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine. (c) The National Academic Press. 2005.
- Mooney, Chris, Sheril Kirshenbaum. "Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future". Basic Books. 2009.