Science. Some people love it, some people hate it-- but when it comes to education, it is part of the foundation of a well rounded student. We sat down with Xiaoxin Lyu to discuss exactly why science education is critical for student success.
Tell us a little about your background.
I received my Ph.D. in Science Education from Columbia University with a focus on research design and quantitative data analysis, user/ learner experience design, and educational leadership. I have participated in various research projects related to science teaching and learning and have worked with students from various backgrounds across grade levels for the last seven years. Previously, as a middle school science teacher in New York City, I designed and implemented project-based STEM curricula. This successfully promoted diverse learners’ engagement and understanding of science. I also served as the Chemistry Chair at the Korean-American
Scientists and Engineers Association (New York) and orchestrated the Annual Chemistry
Olympic events among Youth.
Why did you join Williams Learning Solutions?
WLS believes that every kid shall have access to high-quality education and is aiming to provide it. This aligns with my philosophy of education.
What do you hope our products will achieve?
Our products will provide a wide spectrum of students with easy access to high-quality science inquiry. They are expected to actively construct knowledge and enjoy the process of learning science.
You specialize in Science Education. What would you like people to understand about it? What are the biggest challenges?
Science is not a subject or discipline that is too difficult to understand. It is everywhere; it
speaks to us about our world; we human beings use its wisdom to improve our lives, the
environment, and the society we live in. The education of science could come from regular school settings, form extracurricular activities, and more importantly, from everywhere and everything in our life. To some extent, everyone has access to it, yet, not everyone is thinking about it or pursuing it.
How to design a cohesive learning experience that promotes critical thinking and reasoning skills has been a challenge within science education for a long time. Nevertheless, with the rapid development of the world, particularly technology, we need to rethink about the roles of science education, how it overlaps with other disciplines, and what essential skillsets kids need to develop in order to succeed in the long run. This further pushes us to rethink about the appropriate approaches to foster learning, ways to represent knowledge or information, and how learners should be evaluated.
What do you believe is most important about science and its influence on early childhood
education?
Young kids are always curious and ready to explore the world around them; this provides us a natural context for structuring their science learning experience. Through actively exploring the world around them, they develop important skill sets, such as logical reasoning and critical thinking, for life-long learning.