This article describes the story of the bridge. The story illustrates the essence of outdoor experiences for children from the perspective of the classroom teacher. The children's ideas, images, and words are extremely meaningful, demonstrating that children are very capable at even young ages when supported by adults. Teachers support the theory…

This article describes the use of contextualized and "blended" learning to teach biochemistry to dietetic students during the second year of their professional training in a 4-year undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics). Contextualized content was used to engage students and motivate them to learn biochemistry, which many…

The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate. With this set of lessons, middle school Earth systems science teachers can help their students build an understanding of how large bodies of water can serve as a heat source or sink at different times and how proximity to water moderates climate along the coast. The activity's combination of…

This study describes the application and evaluation of a novel didactic tool (thermodynamic device) developed for students in the area of biology who have conceptual deficiencies that render the learning of thermodynamic principles difficult. Systems of communicant vessels with equal and different compartments were constructed to correlate the…

In this paper, a simple MATLAB-based PC program that enables the computer to function as a replacement for the electronic scalar-counter system associated with a Geiger-Muller (GM) tube is described. The program utilizes the ability of MATLAB to acquire data directly from the computer sound card. The signal from the GM tube is applied to the…

The physics laboratory has long been a distinctive feature of physics education. It has been given a central role in the teaching and learning of physics at school and undergraduate levels in universities. The literature indicates that science educators have suggested that there are academically rich benefits in the learning and understanding of…

The activation of cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB)-dependent gene expression is thought to be critical for the formation of different types of long-term memory. To explore the consequences of chronic enhancement of CREB function on spatial memory in mammals, we examined spatial navigation in bitransgenic mice that express in a…

Recent emphasis on the science of food and cooking has been observed in our popular literature and media. As a result of this, a new non-science majors course, The Science of Food and Cooking, is being taught at our institution. We cover basic scientific concepts, which would normally be discussed in a typical introductory chemistry course, in the…

"Outlook" is the monthly newsletter for the Council for American Private Education (CAPE). Each issue contains information relating to private education such as: new legislation and regulations, the most recent research, court rulings, national trends, federal initiatives, private school news briefs, and more. This issue contains the following…

This article describes an "on-the-road" usability study and explains the study's methodological challenges, solutions, and recommendations. The study concerned a library-consortium website, which is a communication and educational tool for librarians who are physically dispersed throughout the state, and an intranet for remote users.…

The security and assurance of our computing infrastructure has become a national priority. To address this priority, higher education has gradually incorporated the principles of computer and information security into the mainstream undergraduate and graduate computer science curricula. To achieve effective education, learning security principles…

Laboratory sessions offer students an opportunity to develop creative problem-solving skills and to better understand the nature of the scientific process through hands-on learning. Unfortunately, traditional procedures are often written in such detail, they require students to do little more than follow step-by-step directions. Under those…

A simplified version of a volumetric apparatus for gas/liquid solubility measurements is proposed. The procedure familiarizes undergraduate students with the experimental study of the solubility of a gas in a liquid and contributes to the understanding of this important phase equilibrium concept. The experimental results report the determination…

Quantitative analysis of carbohydrates is a fundamental analytical tool used in many aspects of biology and chemistry. We have adapted a technique developed by Mathews et al. using an inexpensive scanner and open-source image analysis software to quantify amylase activity using both the breakdown of starch and the appearance of glucose. Breakdown…

The experiment described here for advanced inorganic chemistry undergraduate students includes a solvolysis reaction of [CoCl(NH[subscript 3])[subscript 5]][superscript 2+] in nonaqueous (H[subscript 3]PO[subscript 4]) medium, followed by an alternative way of using ion-exchange chromatography based on the capability of changing the charges of the…