The Integrated Concentration in Science (iCons) 4-year program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst was designed to promote interdisciplinary STEM collaboration in the solution of real-world problems and encourage student independence and interdependence through a student-centered teaching approach that structures all projects as group…

This study reports on preservice teachers' reported feelings of confidence with learning and teaching science relative to their participation in a science enrichment program. Through Saturday Science, local families are invited to explore various topics with hands-on activities designed and facilitated by students in an early childhood education…

College and university science programs generate hazardous waste that must be dealt with and disposed of in accordance with state and federal regulations. During a recent renovation and addition project for the State University of New York at Plattsburgh (SUNY Plattsburg), the author was contracted to analyze existing regulations, research best…

An experiential science program, such as a summer course at a field station, requires unique assessment tools. Traditional assessment via a pencil-and-paper exam cannot capture the essential skills and concepts learned at a summer field station. Therefore, the authors developed a pre- and postcourse image-based analysis to evaluate student…

Four science programs at our public urban liberal arts college have struggled to attract and retain majors: physics, environmental studies, geology, and teaching science. The Brooklyn Opportunities in Science and Careers (BOSC) program aims to increase student participation in these majors using a new career-focused strategy to recruit students.…

In times of economic downturn, college enrollments often increase. Entering students may come from diverse educational backgrounds and bring variable skill sets. In this article, the authors describe a skills-focused course developed to ensure that transfer and nontraditional students returning to education are prepared to succeed in…

Primary research articles discuss aspects of scientific inquiry that are important in understanding the nature of science. Yet, most introductory science courses use textbooks that ignore the scientific process; opportunities for explicit discussion of the nature of science are lost. In Hampshire College's science program, students read current…

Describes an undergraduate research program for minority students. The program and eight objectives of the first course of the program, "Introduction to Research," are presented. Some strengths and weaknesses of the course are considered. (YP)

Science Training Enrichment Program (STEP) is a program designed to improve high school-college cooperation. Program objectives and activities to meet the objectives are described. The latter include Saturday science seminars, lecture series, computer workshops for students/teachers, consultant program, and a two-week summer practicum for high…

This paper describes a one-and-a-half day Distinguished Scholar Symposium during which undergraduate underrepresented minorities (URMs) from nearby schools visit the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) to learn about advanced degree programs in the biological sciences. The symposium created an environment that inspired URMs to…

Planetarium presentations at Ball State University have been integrated into a science and society course titled Colloquium in Science and Mathematics. A brief description and educational objectives for six of the presentations are provided. (JN)

The National Science Foundation is shifting financial support from the traditional inservice programs to a cooperative arrangement between the school or school system and the college or university. (DF)

A gender gap in academic science continues despite persistent efforts at multiple levels to attract and retain talented women. Thus, impediments to women pursuing careers in science, and particularly in academia, continue to exist. To learn more about how the barriers women in science face can be eased or circumvented, the authors examined how an…

A division of chemical education has been created within the chemistry department at Purdue University. The nature of chemical education, impediments to research and development in chemical education, and future directions of the division are discussed. (JN)

Describes the science program, Science Community Year, that focuses on the improvement of science learning of all students by creating a learning community within the college. Discusses program cost, effectiveness, design, and student perceptions. (ZWH)