This report describes how effective environmental literacy can be for catalyzing Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) teaching, and how the California K-8 NGSS Early Implementers Initiative has provided professional learning about environmental literacy to prompt and support this synergy. The report also outlines how the California Science…

The aim of this report is to encourage enhanced richness and relevance of the undergraduate engineering education experience, and thus produce better-prepared and more globally competitive graduates, by providing practical guidance for incorporating real world experience in US engineering programs. The report, a collaborative effort of the…

Science, engineering, and technology permeate nearly every facet of modern life and hold the key to solving many of humanity's most pressing current and future challenges. The United States' position in the global economy is declining, in part because U.S. workers lack fundamental knowledge in these fields. To address the critical issues of U.S.…

"Approaches and Strategies in Next Generation Science Learning" examines the challenges involved in the development of modern curriculum models, teaching strategies, and assessments in science education in order to prepare future students in the 21st century economies. This comprehensive collection of research brings together science educators,…

Reforms such as technology-enhanced instruction require principal leadership. Yet, many principals report that they need help to guide implementation of science and technology reforms. We identify strategies for helping principals provide this leadership. A two-phase design is employed. In the first phase we elicit principals' varied ideas about…

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) was tasked with identifying the key science concepts for science literacy in K-12 students in America (AAAS, 1990, 1993). The AAAS Atlas of Science Literacy (2001) has organized roughly half of these science concepts or benchmarks into fifty flow charts. Each flow chart or strand map…

This document describes science benchmarks for grades K-8 in Earth and Space Science, Life Science, and Physical Science. Each subject area is divided into topics followed by a short content description and grade level information. Source documents for this paper included science content guides from California, Ohio, South Carolina, and South…

Although there are numerous challenges for implementing a comprehensive K-12 computer science curriculum in the United States, the need is obvious, and the time to begin is now. Computer science is a well-established academic discipline at the collegiate and postgraduate levels, as well as a distinct and important profession in the world economy.…

The U. S. is losing its competitive edge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Thomas Friedman warns that America is not producing enough young people in STEM fields that are essential for entrepreneurship and innovation in the 21st century (The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, 2005). Blue ribbon…

Discussed are three themes related to changes taking place in secondary school education in Great Britain. The themes considered are curriculum, assessment, and school organization. (RH)

Analyzed and classified were Individualized Science Instruction System (ISIS) minicourse performance objectives and criterion-referenced test items according to Bloom's cognitive "Taxonomy" to determine levels of cognition emphasized. The findings indicate that ISIS minicourse test objectives are written primarily at the knowledge and…

Scientific terms and names included in "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know" are analyzed and geology related terms are listed. Some items not listed are considered. (RH)

Described is an acid-leaching facility at Macquarie University in Australia for teaching paleontology. The facility is used for teaching both undergraduate and graduate students and for research by staff and graduate students. Drawings of the facility are included and courses are described. (Author/RH)

Described is the Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education (CASE) project in Great Britain. The project is investigating the possiblilty of accelerating the rate at which secondary pupils' logical thinking develops by using the science curriculum. A pilot project and parts of the curriculum are discussed. (RH)

The Georgia Learning Framework is a collaborative effort among community-based partners and professional educators to produce a vision of mathematics and science that will prepare all Georgia students for the 21st century. It identifies habits of mind, skills and knowledge, and dispositions that all students must possess to be productive citizens.…