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Smithsonian Science Education Center

Setting the standard in 3D learning and 3D assessment

The mission of the Smithsonian Science Education Center is to transform and improve the teaching and learning of science for PreK–12 students in the United States and throughout the world. Established in 1985 as the National Science Resources Center (NSRC) under the sponsorship of two prestigious institutions – the Smithsonian Institution and the National Academy of Sciences – the Center is dedicated to the establishment of effective science programs for all students. The Smithsonian Science Education Center works to build awareness for PreK–12 science education reform among global, state, and district leaders; conducts programs that support the professional growth of PreK–12 teachers and school leaders; and engages in research and curriculum development in partnership with it is publisher, Carolina Biological Supply Company, the sole source provider of STC™, STCMS™, and Smithsonian Science for the Classroom™.

To learn more about the Center’s efforts, visit their website.

Smithsonian Science Education Center Director Dr. Carol O’Donnell is passionate about the importance of science for all students who are our future workforce. “What we try to do in our work in K through 12 is try to make certain all students are learning.”
Why is it important for students to have a hands-on phenomenon experience in the age of digital technology? Dr. Carol O’Donnell, Director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center, shares what she has learned in over 34 years of personal experience and what she is committed to providing in the Smithsonian’s science curriculum programs in this TEDx talk.