Examines how and why the American academy has employed the social construct of gender in defining the writing center as a site where caring education is promoted according to a cultural ideal of "women's work." Draws on the author's encounters with feminist philosophy, academic professionalism, psycho-sociolinguistics, and child development…

Discusses four objectives that guided the design of the teaching and learning areas of the Language Learning and Resource Center of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. These objectives are classrooms contiguous to the language lab, accommodation of small-group work, a flexible facility, and access to the outside world. (CK)

Discussion of explanations and knowledge representation within knowledge-based systems focuses on the development of an expert system for purification of proteins in a Swedish laboratory. Topics include domain conceptualization; a multiple-explanation construction model; a study of laboratory staff that investigated construed explanations; and…

Describes the Packard's Falling Body Apparatus, invented by John C. Packard, which is essentially an inclined plane combined with a simple and elegant method of measuring the relative time of descent of a steel ball. (JRH)

Discusses the perceived importance of practical components in natural science undergraduate programs in distance and residential universities in the Netherlands. Surveys of faculty responsible for undergraduate practicals rated general and specific learning objectives. (Contains 26 references.) (SLW)

Discussion of distance education activities at the University of the South Pacific focuses on chemistry courses that were developed for distance teaching. Problems with arranging a practical work component, including laboratory facilities, are addressed; the need for adequate tutorial assistance is discussed; and problems with slow turn-around…

Describes a performance assessment protocol that rates six goals: (1) methodology of research, (2) use of equipment, (3) accuracy in measurement, (4) application of concepts and formulas, (5) use of mathematics, and (6) completeness and clarity. Provides an example performance task evaluation sheet. (MVL)

Discusses the way that the Open University of the Netherlands has been developing a practical natural sciences degree program, gives examples of alternatives for traditional practical work, and presents advantages and disadvantages of traditional practical work. (17 references) (Author/MKR)

Describes the use of a Macintosh computer and HyperCard software to create an introduction to cell culture techniques that closely approximates a hands-on laboratory experiment. Highlights include data acquisition, data analysis, the generation of growth curves, and electronic modeling. (LRW)

Describes an exploratory study to identify determinants of elementary student's intentions to perform laboratory and nonlaboratory science activities. Fishbein and Ajzen's theory of reasoned action was used as the basis for the study. (PR)

Authors describe a set of controlled ecosystems that can be used to demonstrate the effects of herbivory on the health and growth of a plant population and of predation on the growth of a primary consumer population. The system also shows the effectiveness of biological pest control measures in a dramatic way. The construction of the ecosystems is…

Includes "Planning Laboratory Design" (Storm); "Perkins Money for Automotive Programs" (Cash); "Stretching a Budget" (Warren); "Video Teleconferencing--Powerful Communication for Occupational Educators" (Major); "Danger: Hazardous Materials" (Brown); and "Keeping Facilities Safe--Electrical…

Presents excerpts from the journal of a writing laboratory teacher about her work over one semester with a student who produced wonderful images and insights, yet struggled to write and struggled to succeed in college. (SR)

Discusses the idea that hands-on science education should give credit to the scientists who originally conducted the experiments now repeated in classrooms. Plant experiments originally done by Stephen Hales are described and given as examples. (KR)