Discusses ergonomic design considerations for library media centers. Specific design variables, including temperature and humidity, noise, illumination, color, and windows are discussed; and computer workstation design requirements are presented that address furniture and keyboard design, monitor and display features, software issues, and…

Presents a course outline for the study of biotechnology at the high school or college level. The outline includes definitions, a history, and the vocabulary of biotechnology. Presents a science experiment to analyze the effects of restriction enzymes on DNA. (MDH)

Information from the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores of high school seniors and their intended majors specified on the Student Descriptive Questionnaire (SDQ) suggests that there are growing numbers of students earning high math scores but relatively few plan to major in mathematics or science. (Author/MLW)

Describes the following seven approaches to integrating technology with science education: (1) instructional technology, (2) technology as a method of inquiry, (3) technology as cultural knowledge, (4) technology as vocational training, (5) technological literacy as process and manipulative skill, (6) science-technology-society, and (7) design and…

Presents an annotated bibliography listed under the following categories: (1) Animals; (2) Archaeology, Anthropology, and Paleontology; (3) Biography; (4) Environment and Conservation; (5) Nature and Life; (6) Physics, Technology, and Engineering; and (7) Underwater and Outer Space. Selection criteria are given. (MDH)

Describes a speech course conducted recently with a group of Chinese graduate students who have minimal experience with spoken English. The students were highly competent in their field of study--engineering--but displayed low oral proficiency in English. The course encourages repetition of utterances and focuses on voice quality and reduced forms…

A study examined, through extensive interviews, the academic, social, and racial experiences of high-achieving black students in a merit-based scholarship program for minority students in math, science, and engineering. Interviews focused on academic experiences in and outside the classroom, social interactions and relationships with…

Some colleges and universities claim they can't find "eligible" African-American undergraduates to recruit into science and engineering graduate programs. Those that find and enroll students sometimes fail to graduate them. Experts who are succeeding say it is primarily a matter of will. Statistical and anecdotal information are used in…

A study of science and engineering graduate students found that at time of entry, women and U.S. minority graduate students had academic credentials and expectations similar to those of their Anglo male peers. Student perceptions of academic preparedness, status-related disadvantages, and expectations about student-faculty interactions were more…

Discusses the use of assessment to stimulate creativity and communication skills in engineering students. Describes full-scale studies for students in engineering, physics, computer science, and mathematics at two universities in Sweden. New examination methods include continuous assessment, seminars, mini-conferences, oral presentations, written…

Notes that women in the United States are underrepresented in science, mathematics, and engineering educational programs and careers. Uses longitudinal survey responses of 320 students to assess the ways in which their social relationships and experiences affect their involvement in science and technology. Frames issues in terms of identity…

Hungarian higher education is in transition from the stage of elite training to that of mass education. At the same time, according to monitoring surveys, the output efficiency level of secondary school students has decreased. These aspects, combined with the narrowing resource base due to the worsening demographic conditions, call for the renewal…

In this article, the authors describe the Georgetown University Consortium Project (GCP), a three-year assessment study designed to document the learning abroad of students from Georgetown University, The University of Minnesota, Rice University, and Dickinson College. Funded by two Department of Education Title VI grants, this ongoing three-year…

Workshops are currently one of the most popular ways for instructors in STEM fields to learn more about teaching and learning. Yet research shows we often do not know what participants gain from attending. This article suggests ways of measuring impact of instructional improvement workshops that will help not only workshop providers with designing…

Online learning has become a well-respected alternative to traditional bricks and mortar. Almost every institution of higher education in the United States, and many secondary educational institutions, feature opportunities for students to take courses, if not earn an entire degree, online. Community colleges have been at the forefront of this…