Nanoscience education, workforce training, and K-12 resources

The first book of its kind, Nanoscience Education, Workforce Training, and K-12 Resources promotes nano-awareness in both the public and private sectors, presenting an overview of the current obstacles that must be overcome within the complex U.S. educational system before any reform is possible. It's a race against timeùand other countriesùand the fear is that U.S. students could lag behind for decades, with ineffective teaching and learning methods handicapping their ability to compete globally.

Focusing on the application of new knowledge, this concise and highly readable book explores the transdisciplinary nature of nano and its societal impact, also addressing workforce training and risk management. Illustrating the historical perspective of the complexity of K-12 education communities, it defines nanotechnology and evaluates pertinent global and national landscapes, presenting examples of successful change within them.

Composed of four sectionsù"Foundations," "Teaching Nanotechnology," "Nanoscience Resources and Programs," and "Framework Applied"ùthis book offers plans of action and links to sustainable (largely free) development tools to help K-12 students acquire the skills to understand and evaluate emerging technologies. Promoting a holistic teaching approach that encompasses all aspects of science, the authors strive to help readers implement change so that decisions about resources and learning are no longer made "from the top down" by policymakers, but rather "from the bottom up" by teachers, parents, and students at the local level. --Book Jacket.