Dr. Bennett has developed many innovative strategies for teaching science to non-science majors and is the lead author of acclaimed, non-major level textbooks in astronomy, astrobiology, mathematics, and statistics. As a result, he has spoken about strategies for teaching science to faculty at many colleges and universities, including the University of Kentucky, UCLA, San Diego State, Emory University, BYU-Idaho, SUNY-Stonybrook, Rice University, Charleston College, Indiana/Purdue, and many more. Below are titles/abstracts for two seminars he can offer.
Title/abstract: The Race Between Education and Catastrophe
In 1920, H.G. Wells wrote: “Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.” Perhaps no other quote better sums up why teaching is so important, and why so many of us focus our lives on promoting education. In this talk, I’ll discuss a few strategies, with examples, that I believe can help us “win” this race by improving our teaching success at almost any level, and especially for the teaching of math and science. [Click here for a video of a past version of this talk.]
Title/abstract: Strategies for Teaching Science
What does it take to be a successful science teacher? In this presentation, I’ll focus on the idea that the key to success lies in finding ways to get students to put in the study and effort necessary for true learning. Following a brief introduction on teaching philosophy, I’ll provide concrete examples of principles and strategies that should help in your teaching, regardless of the particular science subject, grade level, or number of students you teach. Note: This presentation follows the organization of my book On Teaching Science (www.onteachingscience.com).
Scheduling: Please contact Dr. Bennett with any questions or to schedule a visit. I generally do not charge for these colloquia, but appreciate any standard departmental honorarium.