Intended for the staffs of museums, zoos, and other science related centers, this manual is a step by step guide to establishing a rural science outreach and education program. Based on the experiences of the New Mexico Rural Science Education Project (NMRSEP), this manual focuses on rural elementary schools and on earth and life sciences. Much of…

Discusses the establishment of a high school chemistry instrumentation center designed to retrain teachers, improve precollege preparation of high school chemistry students, and to make simple chemical instruments at a minimal cost. (TW)

Describes activities of the nine Centers and one Day Care Center (in England and Wales) sponsored by the Field Studies Council. Focuses on inservice teacher education courses and center-run courses in environmental subjects. Includes a sample outline for a one-week course, indicating exercises/principles and instructional strategies for each day.…

A voluntarily used resource room has been shown to be an effective and reasonably inexpensive mechanism whereby attitudinal levels of students in traditionally taught introductory geology courses can be maintained at the same level as in nontraditional courses, without requiring large-scale revision or restructuring of traditionally taught…

Describes an effort of a library and a school system in which an educational resource science and mathematics enrichment center was created to combat the underrepresentation of minorities in science and technology-related careers. Explains classes at the center, inservice, teacher education, informal use of the center, and additional programs. (RT)

Describes a center for education, research, and passive recreation in wetland settings operated by a community conservation organization in cooperation with the state and a local university. Discusses the philosophy, on-site programs (formal and nonformal), the outreach program, and community involvement in ornithological research of the center.…

Describes the Museum Research Apprenticeship Program (MRAP) for high school students at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles. Participating students learn scientific research methods and have a unique opportunity to work with scientists in the museum and in the field. Offers tips to teachers for designing apprenticeship programs locally with…

Although science centres and museums are important educational resources, school trips to these places are not often conducted in a manner that could maximise learning. In addressing this issue, a Framework for Museum Practice (FMP) is proposed, derived from the perspectives of Cultural Historical Activity Theory, theories of intrinsic motivation,…

This paper describes a year-long project in a fifth grade classroom to investigate the recurring flooding of the Pecatonica River (Illinois) and its effects on plant and animal life. The project was funded by a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to involve elementary school classrooms with a consortium of museums in the…

THIS PAPER SUMMARIZES THE CURRENT STATE OF SCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES SINCE 1950. THE SEQUENCE OF TOPICS INCLUDES (1) HISTORY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES, (2) RATIONALE FOR CURRICULUM CHANGE, (3) COURSE CONTENT IMPROVEMENT GROUPS AND THEIR…

Reports on student attitudes toward science-technology-society (STS) after visiting a science-technology museum and considers what variable factors of the visitation impacted these attitudes. Results indicated that significant differences in attitudes were present between visiting and nonvisiting students and between grade levels. (TW)

Discusses a recent addition to the Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago) known as "Everyday Chemistry." This permanent exhibit on modern chemistry incorporates demonstrations of chemical reactions in ways intended to enhance public understanding. Describes the six cases in the exhibit and the automated aspects of their demonstrations.…

Nearly 100 teachers worked with staff members at the Exploratorium museum in San Francisco, California, to create scaled-down versions of Exploratorium exhibits that teachers could make on their own using common, inexpensive, readily-available materials. The experiments--called "snacks"--are divided into easy-to-follow sections that…

Discusses San Francisco's Exploratorium, a science teaching center with 500 exhibits focusing on human perception, but extending to everything from the mechanics of voice to the art of illusion, from holograms to harmonics. The Exploratorium emphasizes "simple science" (refractions/resonances, sounds/shadows) to tune in the senses and turn on the…

Presents the impressions of the 13-member American science education delegation to the People's Republic of China. Describes the precollege education in terms of quality, practices, extracurricular opportunities, and the new unified national curriculum. (SA)