The Texas statewide assessment of academic skills in 1997 indicated that >55 % of the student population failed to master the mathematics objectives set by the test criteria and 42 % of the mathematics teachers at the secondary level in the East Texas region were categorized as underqualified to teach mathematics at that level. The issue of…

The goal of this article is to present a description of a professional development program designed to immerse middle and high school teachers in an inquiry-based learning environment using a forensic science context and the consequent impact participating in this program had on teachers' pedagogy. Teachers participated in a year-long program…

MemphiSTEP is a five-year STEM Talent Expansion Program at the U. of Memphis sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The project focuses on retention and persistence to graduation to increase the number of STEM majors and graduates. The project includes a summer Mathematics Bridge Bootcamp; research experiences for undergraduates;…

The Geosciences Institute for Research and Education at the University of Michigan-Dearborn has been an example of a successful and effective model in increasing the participation of underrepresented groups in the geosciences. The program emphasizes involving middle school and at-risk high school students from the Detroit area public schools,…

Describes the advantage of what the author calls an individualized-inquiry approach to the teaching of science over the typical approach used by teachers. (Editor)

Designed to help students develop interest in careers in the mathematical, physical, medical, biological, social, or engineering sciences, this directory lists programs which are intended to contribute to precollege students' academic development. These science training programs serve to provide talented high school students with educational…

Describes a summer research experience program for disabled undergraduates. Discussed are some results of the program. (YP)

Programs should emphasize application, stress useful work, encourage student participation in planning, cross discipline barriers, and relate to real, human, and social problems. They should accommodate differences in student interests and abilities, teacher preference, and local conditions. (DF)

Explains the nature of the Advanced Astronomy Camp (AAC), which is held at an observatory at the University of Arizona. For one week, students are immersed in doing science and engineering, using modern astronomical equipment under the guidance of scientists and graduate students. (DDR)

Despite decades of precollege science education programs, African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans remain critically underrepresented in science and health professions. This report describes college and career outcomes among graduates of the Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP), a 5-week summer residential program for low-income…

Describes an elective biology program offered at Lawrence High School (Kansas) that emphasizes basic field biology, ecology, conservation, camping, first aid, mountaineering, and map reading. Groups of students spend two weeks in the Rocky Mountains developing knowledge and skills in these areas. (JR)

THE OUTCOMES OF THE 1960 NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION-SPONSORED SUMMER SCIENCE TRAINING PROGRAMS (SSTP) FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE EXAMINED THROUGH A DETERMINATION OF PARTICIPANTS' CHARACTERISTICS BEFORE, AND THEIR ACTIVITIES AFTER, PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAMS. THIS ANALYSIS PROVIDED A MEANS OF COMPARING PROGRAMS IN TERMS OF THE TYPES OF…

Reviews the effects of the first stage of the Better Elementary Science Teaching Project to overcome teacher isolation and help staff development. Describes the participants and features of the project. Reports the results of using telecommunication and academic achievements. Discusses implications for the project. (YP)

This pilot study focuses on the potential of Evidence-based Dialogue Mapping as a participatory action research tool to investigate young teenagers' scientific argumentation. Evidence-based Dialogue Mapping is a technique for representing graphically an argumentative dialogue through Questions, Ideas, Pros, Cons and Data. Our research objective is…

With support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Siemens Foundation, and the Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI), National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology (NCSSSMST) hosted its third summer science program in June 2006 at Aurora (IL) University's Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, campus. This program…