As well as providing a valuable and enjoyable experience for pupils, outdoor learning also enhances and contextualises learning in science by helping pupils understand science concepts. Teachers' lack of confidence in which aspects of the science curriculum they can actually teach outdoors deters them from venturing outside the classroom for…

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College (OCtech) has been awarded two National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF-ATE) grants since 2011 that have the development of module-based hybrid courses in Engineering Technology and Mechatronics as objectives. In this article, the advantages and challenges associated with module-based…

An innovative, three-year seminar program was developed for undergraduates at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) that supplements the core chemistry curriculum by teaching the auxiliary skills necessary for life as a professional chemist. Advising, good laboratory practice, and information literacy are the strategic components of this program that…

The educational goals and objectives provide a reference for curriculum designers, teachers, and educators, and they are required for evaluation or accreditation processes. This article presents a systematic method to state the learning objectives and analyze the consistency of a secondary school science program developed in Spain. The method is…

This is an exciting time to be in science education. New science standards are being developed by a group of science educators from across the country, working with 26 states in a process managed by Achieve, Inc., a non-profit education reform organization. The development of the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS) promises to be the most…

The Vision and Change effort to explore and implement needed changes in undergraduate biology education has been ongoing since 2006. It is now time to take stock of changes that have occurred at the faculty and single-course levels, and to consider how to accomplish the larger-scale changes needed at departmental and institutional levels. This…

Excursions to museums and science centres generally are great fun for students and teachers. The potential educational benefits beyond enjoyment, however, are rarely realised or analysed for their efficacy. The purpose of this paper is to describe four educational enrichment programs delivered at the Gravity Discovery Centre (GDC), near Gingin,…

The Akamai Workforce Initiative (AWI) is a program that seeks to develop a skilled local STEM workforce to meet the needs of Hawai'i's growing high-tech industry. Launched as an internship program in 2002, AWI is the result of a long-term collaboration among the University of California Santa Cruz's Institute for Scientist and Engineer Educators…

This report shows how insights gained from system dynamics modeling and the U.S. STEM Undergraduate Model® can help inform the Navy's strategy to grow a robust civilian workforce that is strongly invested with Navy-relevant STEM skills and ready to contribute to the next generation of Naval innovation. This work positions the Navy to serve a…

This paper presents low-cost experiments for a control systems laboratory module that is worth one and a third credits. The experiments are organized around the microcontroller-based control of a permanent magnet dc motor. The experimental setups were built in-house. Except for the operating system, the software used is primarily freeware or free…

Reports on a project with five schools in which students and teachers engaged in participatory research of water resources and water quality. Describes the student-teacher interaction, a computer network linking the project to an international conference on water quality, and the impact on local public opinion about water resources. (CFR)

Discusses reasons for the failure of the post-Sputnik science curricula and offers criteria for selecting relevant curriculum content, suggesting that these curricula focus on problem-solving. Lists seven problem areas (technological, environmental, empirical, historical, aesthetic, philosophical, and futuristic) with recommended topics for each…

Presents overviews of two programs developed in the spirit of the National Science Education Standards. BSCS Biology: A Human Approach is an inquiry-based, activity-driven biology program developed by the Biological Science Curriculum Study (BSCS). Insights in Biology, developed by the Education Development Center (EDC), is a modular program that…

Describes three programs designed to attract students to science education: Project 2061, developing curriculum models and blueprints for science teacher education; the Scope, Sequence, and Coordination Project, recommending that science be taught each year in grades 6-12; and the National Science Education Standards project, developing standards…

This issue of R&D Alert presents a sample what of works to strengthen mathematics and science education. The lead article describes the core principles of WestEd's National Academy for Science and Mathematics Education Leadership. After 5 years running the academy, WestEd staff have refined effective approaches for developing teacher leaders…