This is the fourth report to the Congress of this committee; formerly known as the Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Technology. This report summarizes work accomplished since the April, 1986 report. The report contains recommendations for action to ensure the continued and expanded participation of women, minorities and the…

This monograph includes eight papers which were presented at a joint conference of the Conservation Education Association and The North American Association for Environmental Education in 1989 at Estes Park, Colorado and a summary paper. The first three papers are on preservice teacher education; five discuss inservice teacher education. Papers…

Science may be the subject area in which elementary teachers are the least confident and prepared to teach. The purpose of this project was to develop an effective model to better prepare teachers by enhancing their content background, and helping them teach inquiry-oriented science. Three departments, Biology, Chemistry, and Education, combined…

The number of college graduates majoring in science, engineering, or mathematics is widely perceived as vital to the future international competitiveness of the United States. This report examines the major fields of study of a representative sample of high school seniors from the 1980 High School and Beyond senior cohort survey who had graduated…

This document is the transcript of a Congressional hearing focusing on the status of the training of scientists and engineers in the United States and the role of the federal government in the improvement of this situation. Included are opening statements from Senators Albert Gore, Jr. (Tennessee), Robert W. Kasten, Jr. (Wisconsin), and Larry…

A major concern of science educators is the lack of talented females selecting science careers. In spite of attempts during the past few decades to create equality in all facets of life in the United States, many sexual stereotypes persist. The research presented here is designed to examine the relationship of sex to the relevant factors…

Drawing parallels with critical thinking and creative thinking, this document describes some ways that scientific thinking is utilized. Cognitive approaches to scientific thinking are discussed, and it is argued that all science involves an attempt to construct a testable mental model of some aspect of reality. The role of mental models is…

Intellectual mastery of nature was the stated goal of the German physicists of the nineteenth century. In this first of two volumes, an attempt is made to bridge social, institutional, and intellectual history. Separate sections of the book deal with: (1) establishing physics at the universities; (2) German physicists before 1830; (3) promoting…

This study was designed to determine the relationship between the black college student's attitude toward science, science self-concept, and other variables of occupational choice and the selection of an academic major. The combined effect of the variables of occupational choice on the selection of an academic major was also examined. Science and…

Extended field trips have the potential to provide students with direct experience in learning about the natural world, as well as opportunities for the development of group cohesiveness. This document describes a program developed by a community college in which general biology students spend 3 days in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The…

The 35th Annual Report of the National Science Foundation (NSF) describes recent achievements of NSF sponsored research in viral structure, semiconductors, genetic engineering, Mayan culture, astronomy, physiology, paleontology, robotics, physics, material science and pollution. Major 1985 initiatives included: (1) establishing six university…

Designed to address major conceptual problems associated with heat and temperature, this module can be used with high school students or college nonscience majors including those in elementary education. The materials offer guidance to teachers in diagnosing student deficiencies, in creating dissatisfaction with misconceptions, and in providing…

An analysis of the current condition and trends in United States undergraduate education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering is provided in this report. It contains suggestions for actions to be undertaken by academic institutions, the States, federal agencies, the private sector, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) and reflects…

Issues and recommendations concerning a national policy for undergraduate science education are examined from the perspectives of the National Science Foundation (NSF), the corporate sector, and the National Higher Education Associations' Task Force. In "The Federal Role in Undergraduate Science and Engineering Education," NSF Director…

The novelty of deaf student teachers teaching normal ninth grade biology classes may increase motivation to learn subject matter if sign language lessons are oriented toward specific kinds of knowledge. Since Gallaudet University (Washington, D.C.) places deaf undergraduate student teachers in schools with normal hearing students, the effects of…