Examines some of the assumptions associated with attempts to define the "engineering method." Critiques a previously stated definition of this method, and offers an alternative definition that attempts to include the ideas put forth in the previous definition. Discusses the use of engineering heuristics in both definitions. (TW)

Describes a classroom experiment designed to teach students the fundamentals underlying the normal coordinate analysis procedure of a polyatomic molecule. Uses a reverse procedure from traditional experiments of this type by providing the values for the force field and working backwards. (TW)

Reports on a study designed to determine the importance of images to experienced chemists and the nature of images among learners, with particular attention to correlations with level of learning. Suggests that instructional methods should consider the student's ability to develop specific images appropriate to the chemical concepts. (TW)

Announces the establishment of two research centers by the National Science Foundation under its new Minority Research Centers of Excellence (MRCE) program. Describes the goals of these centers at Meharry Medical College (Nashville, TN) and at Howard University (Washington, DC). (TW)

Addresses the call for university undergraduate physics programs in Great Britain to be more concerned with the relationship between physics and the outside world, particularly with business and industry. Describes some of the constraints on this movement, as well as some of the strategies currently being used to overcome the obstacles. (TW)

Reports on a study in which two spatial tests were given to science and engineering majors and to students in nursing and agriculture at Purdue University (Indiana). Scores from the tests consistently contributed a small but significant amount of success on measures of performance in chemistry. (TW)

Discusses some of the ways the role of agronomists in agriculture is changing. Cites a recent study which indicates that there will be fewer graduates going directly into farming and ranching in the near future, and those that do will need to be more highly trained. (TW)

Reports on a survey conducted to study attitudes toward agronomy graduate students conducting thesis research in developing countries. Compares perceptions of executive officers of international program offices and departments of agronomy, and major professors. (TW)

Describes the City University of New York's steps toward improving credit transferability, including the compilation of comprehensive information on the transfer of courses to the system's 10 senior institutions and the formation of faculty-based articulation task forces to address problems in specific liberal arts and sciences disciplines. (DMM)

Reports on the status of environmental studies programs, as determined at a workshop held in conjunction with the 1986 annual conference of the North American Association for Environmental Education. Focuses on environmental studies program development since 1976. (TW)

Discusses the use of a bank of about 9,000 test items in a computer-assisted instructional program at Adelaide University (South Australia). Describes the program and outlines the steps in producing an instructional program. (TW)

Presents three specific examples of chemical engineering problems which can be interactively solved on personal computers with commercially available software. Illustrates the potential impact of interactive problem solving on chemical engineering. Discusses how this has been accomplished at Ben Gurion University (Israel) and the University of…

Describes an experiment involving data acquisition by a computer, digital signal transmission from the computer to a digital logic circuit and signal interpretation by this circuit. The system is being used at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Discusses the fundamental concepts involved. Demonstrates the alarm experiment as it is used in…

Presents data which leads to the construction of a response to the question of how different phases of the learning cycle influence physics students' content achievement and attitudes. Discusses the importance of the learning cycle in science instruction and the strength of using contrasting techniques (qualitative and quantitative) in research.…

Discusses the loss of precision that normally results in solving equilibrium problems, particularly as presented through the use of quadratic formulas in most introductory college chemistry textbooks. Provides examples of demonstrations. (TW)