Jonathan Osborne, professor emeritus of science education at Stanford Graduate School of Education, had a hand in many of the changes in the way kids learn science today. As an author of the Next Generation Science Standards for K-12 schools nationwide, the former science teacher and scientist sought to create guidelines based less on measuring what students know and more on encouraging them to analyze and interpret data, construct an explanation and argue from evidence.

“Fundamentally, in the end, science is about ideas, and they’re often difficult ideas,” says Osborne. “Even the idea that we live on a sphere rather than a flat plane—it’s very difficult to accept.”

On this episode of School’s In, Osborne talks to GSE Dean Dan Schwartz and Senior Lecturer Denise Pope about the process of developing new science standards for K-12 schools and how teachers and parents can help students meet them. He emphasizes the importance of making science fun and enjoyable for kids, which can come from experiences inside and outside of the classroom.

You can listen to School’s In on SiriusXM Insight channel 121, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Soundcloud.