It’s Better to Talk With Honey Than Vinegar

According to the National Research Council [(NRC), 2012a], the ability to collaboratively solve problems is of the utmost importance in scientific careers. According to K-12 science framework authored by the NRC (2012a), “science is fundamentally a social enterprise, and scientific knowledge advances through collaboration and in the context of a social system with well-developed norms” (p. 27). The job prospects in science and technology are growing (Lockard & Wolf, 2012). However, our students are underprepared for the job requirements because these collaborative scientific practices are not cultivated in the majority of U.S. schools; when we do not prepare our students adequately for the workplace, then our national prosperity suffers (NRC, 2012b). To make the US globally competitive in science and technology, students need to be engaged with science education, build a suite of scientific practices, and learn to collaborate successfully.