The object of this study was to assess the value of teaching online searching techniques to undergraduate students for the completion of a specific assignment in a human biology course, both as a research tool and as a means of supplementing the limited holdings of primary medical literature in a small college library. Students were divided into…

Two instructors at Bunker Hill Community College in Massachusetts have developed a unit of study designed to teach biology as a process, improve students' critical thinking and reasoning skills, and provide students with the opportunity to express these skills in writing. The instructional strategies employed in the unit are superimposed on a…

This instructional guide contains 15 activities and exercises designed to help teachers familiarize their students with prairie and open habitat resources of Illinois. Each activity or exercise is ready to be copied and given to students. Activities include: (1) making a marsh hawk model; (2) building a prairie ecosystem; (3) investigating food…

Several case studies of research into the biological needs of communities in developing countries were conducted and two strategies for relating biological education (in both formal and nonformal contexts) to community development were identified. Four of these case studies are presented. They are: (1) "From Biological Knowledge to Community…

"Man and the Gulf of Mexico" (MGM) is a marine science curriculum series developed to meet the needs of 10th through 12th grade students in Mississippi and Alabama schools. This MGM unit on the diversity of marine plants is divided into 12 sections. The first section introduces the unit by providing objectives and activities on why…

This study compared the process skill achievement of students (N=107) completing traditional laboratory exercises with students (N=127) not only completing the same exercises but also receiving instruction in such integrated process skills as identifying variables and stating hypotheses. The relationships among process skill achievement, cognitive…

The goal of this project was to devise new methods of producing tactile facsimiles of microscopic images for the blind and visually impaired biology students at the secondary and college level. The numerous raised-line images that were produced were assembled along with brailled and large print student instructions, audio cassette tapes describing…

An integral part of the curriculum in introductory biology courses is the study of Mendelian genetics. Results from genetics learning studies and needs assessments demonstrated the need for additional intensive research in biology education and genetics learning. There exists a lack of detailed information describing reasoning patterns and…

A hearing was held for the purpose of receiving testimony about alternative reproductive technologies and their implications for children, families, and society. Testimony provided: (1) a comparison of in vitro fertilization and gamete intrafallopian transfer, and trends in in vitro fertilization; (2) a summary of definitions, statistics, and the…

This newsletter reports on the status of biology education in the United States. It states that biology has entered its "golden age" because of the emergence of biotechnology, ecology, agricultural productivity, and human biology as major societal issues. This report discusses the status of the informal national curriculum of biology, involving…

The relationship between classroom work and student understanding of genetics content is examined in this descriptive study of an introductory high school biology class. Classroom observations and examnations of student assignments related to a genetics unit were made. Factors affecting the teacher's management of the work system and the apparent…

A unified science approach is incorporated in this K-6 curriculum mode. The program is organized into six major cycles. These include: (1) science, math, and technology cycle; (2) universe cycle; (3) life cycle; (4) water cycle; (5) plate tectonics cycle; and (6) rock cycle. An overview is provided of each cycle's major concepts. The topic…

This document is a guide to sources of information on endangered species distribution in Michigan. It was prepared for CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) students who will collect the documents. The guide is divided into three major sections. The first section includes an introduction (briefly discussing endangered, rare, threatened…

A list of materials needed and methodology for "gyotaku" (fish rubbing) are provided. Originally developed in Japan and China during the early 1800's, the technique of fish printing has become popular in the United States during the last 10 years. Because good printing results depend on an understanding of fish anatomy, a chart is…

A number of documents were written in 1983 by groups seeking to improve American education. This digest was developed to review and examine some of the common themes (as they pertain to science education) from these documents. They are: (1) "A Nation at Risk"; (2) "Educating Our Citizens: The Search for Excellence"; (3)…