Describes efforts aimed at reforming physics courses for first-year engineering and science students at Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey. Discusses the establishment and working of the Physics Learning Center (PLC) and its impact on the retention and performance of students. (JRH)

Discusses the need for integration of the learner's culture into the academic and social context of the science classroom to aid and support academic learning. Presents a typology of cultural inclusion that enables science teachers to determine the extent that currently used instructional strategies, curriculum, textbooks and other resources,…

Describes the Science Enrichment Program (SEP), a multicultural summer program that aims at helping participants identify their special aptitudes and develop their particular interests through a multitude of hands-on experiences so that they can identify with an area of science. (JRH)

Discusses the implications of Wallis Suchting's comprehensive search for a definition of the nature of scientific thought for helping students develop scientific thinking skills and an adequate understanding of the nature of science. Discusses implications that relate specifically to the science education community's current conceptions of science…

Describes a Principles of Technology course as an innovative approach to teaching physics that does away will the hype and stigma that frightens off many potential students. (PR)

Presents the five goals and supporting outcomes that represent students' knowledge and habits of mind resulting from participation in a pre-K through grade-13 science education programs in Ohio. The five goals are in the following areas: (1) the nature of science, (2) the physical setting, (3) the living environment, (4) societal perspectives, and…

Discusses four topics: (1) provides some background to the science-technology society (STS) movement; (2) suggests an expanded STS curriculum model for topics related to energy education; (3) applies the expanded model to one example of curriculum development; and (4) draws implications from the model for developing curriculum and instruction on…

Examines what can be done to reintroduce content and process instruction from the earth sciences into the world's science curricula, especially at the secondary level. The earth system provides a conceptual theme as opposed to a disciplinary theme for organizing such integrated curricula, absent from prior efforts. (LZ)

Discusses important features of the National Science Education Standards. Argues that the burden of implementing the standards must not be placed solely on teachers' shoulders. (10 references) (JRH)

Describes evaluation activities after a seven-week unit on botany and natural communities in a fifth-grade class. The six tasks designed for multiple learning styles include writing a topical essay, drawing and labeling plant parts, clinical interviews, group discussion, concept mapping, and evaluating questions. (PR)

This article describes characteristics of students with disabilities with respect to four major domains of school functioning; identifies two major approaches to science education (content-oriented and activities-oriented); and analyzes the interaction of the characteristics of students with disabilities and the curricular approaches with respect…

Describes a college course that provides a challenging learning experience in science based upon famous experiments and observations dating from the time of Aristotle to the present day. Presents information concerning (1) the course organization, structure, laboratory development, and expectations; (2) course content by quarter; (3) evaluation of…

Describes the author's methods to establish what students enrolled in an introductory biology course for nonmajors know about biology prior to instruction. The project also compared preinstructional knowledge to postinstructional knowledge. Beginning students knew the least about plant transport/chemical control and cellular metabolism. Students…

Describes a college course that integrates science and literature. The primary focus is on the role of metaphor in scientific and literary thinking. Discusses literary works used and how they are related to science instruction. Describes the class format and rules for conducting the class. Student reaction to this course was strongly positive. (PR)

Discussed is the development of the science-technology-society (STS) rationale for curriculum and instruction. Presented is an effort to strengthen the rationale behind STS education by applying to it parallel theory and research taken for the wider curriculum field. (KR)