What better way to gain a deeper understanding of a topic or concept than to associate with people who are immersed in it everyday. The Ask a Scientist website from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute allows you to do just that. It allows anyone from any demographic to pose a question to experts in the fields of biology in animals, humans, evolution, genetics, health, and diseases. On the website, there are links for the top ten questions posted, ask a question, get help with homework, science fair projects, careers in science, and personal health.
When posing a question, the text box allows you to type in your question then search the archives for any questions that are similar to yours. If nothing matches, then you may submit your question with your email address so when a response is posted it will be sent to you. I submitted a question regarding the mechanism driving the flow of nerve impulses from the sensory site to the brain. I wanted to know how each nerve cell transmits information through the cell itself as well as between cells, and then how that information gets interpreted by the brain. Sadly, I have not received a response to my question so I have no answer at this particular time. Hopefully in the near future I will receive a response and be able to share that with you.
Sites such as this are a great tool to use in the classroom in that it allows the students to access “real” scientists. I use “real” in quotation marks because I tell my students we are all real scientists because we ask questions and seek answers to those questions. The only difference is we don’t get paid for it. Many science based websites offer similar forums for contacting the experts and posing questions or engaging in discussions. For example, National Geographic has a link to a list of blogs, found at http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/, where people in the field regularly correspond and answer questions. Sites such as these provide numerous opportunities for students to step outside the classroom without ever leaving the school building.
References:
Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Ask a Scientist. (2010). Retrieved September 26, 2010 from http://www.askascientist.org/
National Geographic. National Geographic Blogs. (2010). Retrieved September 26, 2010 from http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Did you ever get a response? I never received a response on my post. I wonder how many posts actually received a comment back to the questions posed to the experts. I like the idea of being able to ask "experts", but if no one is receiving responses, then it loses its credibility.
ReplyDeleteI did receive a response just the other day and the question was not answered directly with an explanation but rather a referral to a website. Not sure if that really constitutes receiving an expert opinion, so in that regard you are correct in questioning the credibility of the process. However, the website was useful and is something I may not have found if it were not for the input of the expert providing the reference.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteKevin,
ReplyDeleteI received a response about four weeks after my question was submitted. Although the response from the expert scientist was delayed, I still find the website is useful for the links of the top ten questions asked and the archive of information in various scientific areas.