This article provides commentary on the five articles in this issue on large-scale interventions in science education for diverse student groups in varied educational settings. Using these articles as a point of departure, I discuss three challenges to science education research and practice. The first concerns the changed meaning of science…

Doing and learning science are social activities that require certain language, activities, and values. Both constitute what Gee (2005) calls Discourses. The language of learning science varies with the learning context (Lemke, 2001,1990). "Science for All Americans" (AAAS, 1990) and "Inquiry and the National Science Education…

The America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-358) was put in place to invest in innovation through research and development, to improve the competitiveness of the United States, and for other purposes. The table of contents for this Act is as follows: (1) Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents; (2) Sec. 2. Definitions; and (3)…

Presents the views of Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale on various science issues. Major areas examined include: science policy goals; science education; adequate research and development funding; importance of research activities; role of science and technology in solving national problems; and other issues. (JN)

This report is the latest in a series of annual reports to the President and Congress on total Federal obligations (excluding loans) awarded to individual institutions of higher education and selected nonprofit institutions. A major portion of the report focuses on Federal obligations to universities and colleges for research and development, R…

The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) examined its member companies and their existing university relationships as an initial step in the process of strengthening these ties. Information drawn from background research, interviews (with company representatives and university, government, and private sector spokesmen), and a formal survey of…

Perspectives on the conditions of academic research facilities and the various funding mechanisms proposed for modernizing them are offered in this report on the University Research Facilities Revitalization Act of l985 (H.R. 2823). Major components of this bill include: (l) the creation of a university and college research laboratory…

Responding to a request by the United States Senate, this report examines the patterns of distribution of federal research funds to universities and colleges. These distribution patterns were determined by institution, state, agency, and field of science. In addition, the document provides an analysis of the extent to which patterns of…

This document presents a transcript of the hearing on the present state and future directions of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the state of science and mathematics education in the United States. Testimony was presented by the director of the NSF and the deputy assistant direction of Education and Human Resources at NSF. The witnesses…

Provided are papers and speeches presented at the Seventh Annual American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Colloquium on Research and Development (R&D) Policy. Presenters included key representatives of Congress, the Reagan administration, government agencies, and those involved in industry and university R&D. Major areas…