Written communication and computer programming are foundational components of an undergraduate degree in the mathematical sciences. All lower-division mathematics courses at our institution are paired with computer-based writing, coding, and problem-solving activities. In multivariable calculus we utilize MATLAB and LATEX to have students explore…

The Montana University System Strategic Plan is the primary planning document of the Board of Regents. The Plan sets forth an agenda for higher education in Montana by delineating the strategic directions, goals, and objectives that guide the Montana University System (MUS). It is comprised of three primary goals that contain a series of sub-goal…

America's K-12 education system faces three significant challenges: (1) increased global demands for skilled workers, (2) significant financial shortfalls, and (3) a looming teacher shortage. Independently, these factors present significant challenges for U.S. schools. In combination, they create a national imperative for swift action to create a…

In 1990, a group of geologists discovered a large number of shatter cones in southwestern Montana. Shatter cones are a type of metamorphosed rock often found in impact structures (the remains of a crater after a meteor impact and years of Earth activity). Scientists have discovered only 168 impact craters around the world. If rocks could talk,…

The major focus of this paper is school teachers' integration of educational technology in their curriculum. Single studies made in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Florida will be examined and a more complex study made in Michigan, Tennessee, Illinois, Montana, California, and Massachusetts which were later implemented among the Model School…

Information-related competencies and training needed by professionals in the Montana Extension Service in order to acquire and disseminate information to clients electronically were studied in a needs assessment of administrators, specialists, and extension agents. An e-mail survey listing 37 competencies was completed by 96 extension agents and…

Deliberately patterned on the recommendations of the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, Hellgate Middle School (Montana) teaches practical skills to promote critical thinking, teamwork, and decision-making skills; uses computer-assisted learning to allow student exploration and individualized learning; includes an interdisciplinary…

Contends that new distance-learning technology creates a danger of dehumanizing students and instructors. Discusses the need for teachers to focus on culture and relevancy, and build relationships with their students. Offers suggestions from the Montana Consortium, an organization of three tribal colleges, for sustaining the human aspect of…

This paper reports on outcomes of community college programs monitored by the Wyoming Community College Commission (WCCC). The document covers the following WCCC objectives: (1) Study of tuition rates for the community colleges; (2) Negotiation of contracts and provision of financial support for administrative computing system components and…

This paper discusses the market for rapidly expanding information technology and the benefits of developing community computer networks. Accessible low-cost community networks allow rural communities to provide specific training and educational opportunities tailored to their needs. However, communities must assess the value of connectivity…

Four 3-year projects within the Rural Telecomputing Initiative enabled rural teachers in Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, and Tennessee to connect with math and science reform communities and use resources available through the Internet. This study of the projects' first 2 years examined: (1) whether the projects made a difference in teachers'…

Discusses how computers can be applied in the science laboratory. Describes the hardware and software associated with the laboratory interface system. Outlines a three-and-a-half-day workshop to train secondary science teachers to apply computer interfacing in their laboratories. Lists 5 references. (YP)

Discusses a comparative study of two fourth grade social studies teaching programs based upon study units concerning flight. Concludes that both Hilda Taba's Teaching Strategies Program and the published simulation program "Flight" were exciting alternative methods of teaching map reading to fourth graders. Reports that students using…