The science education budget of many secondary schools has decreased, while shortages and environmental concerns linked to conventional Science Education Equipment and Materials (SEEMs) have emerged. Thus, in some schools, resourceful educators produce low-cost equipment from basic materials and use these so-called improvised SEEMs in practical…

Presents answers to a survey (n=257) on the state of science education for 11- to 16-year olds in the United Kingdom. Survey topics include class size, per pupil expenditure, extent of laboratory technician support, textbook provision, condition of laboratory facilities, reprographics costs, and technology use. (WRM)

Analytical methods for determining important components of fission and natural radioactivity found in water are reported. The discussion of each method includes conditions for application of the method, a summary of the method, interferences, required apparatus, procedures, calculations and estimation of precision. Isotopes considered are…

Reviews literature dealing with novel developments or important trends in electrochemistry. Areas examined include mass transfer, electrode kinetics, surface effects, chemically modified electrodes, coulostatic/galvanostatic methods, bioelectrochemistry, spectroelectrochemistry, and electrode instrumentation. Books, textbooks, and literature…

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of graphing technology for the teaching of mathematics. This interest has been, in part, sparked by the recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards and "Everybody Counts: A Report to the Nation on the Future of Mathematics Education."…

This article focuses on discoveries in astronomy during the past 20 years using a wide range of observing techniques. The future is seen as a time when astronomers will learn more about the distribution of mass in the universe, the physics of energetic sources, and the intricate interconnections of astrophysical processes. (Author/SA)

This article describes the history of the molecular revolution in biology and emphasizes its dependence on the emergence of bacterial genetics, the fusion of genetics and biochemistry, and the development of new techniques for studying macromolecules. (Author/SA)

This article describes recent progress in chemical synthesis which depends on comparable advances in other areas of chemistry. Analysis and theories of chemical structure and reactions are determinants in progress in chemical synthesis and are described also. (Author/SA)

This ERIC Digest presents a brief description of some applications and findings of the microcomputer in science classrooms. It is suggested that microcomputer simulations are at least as effective as hands-on experiences for some cognitive outcomes and may in fact enhance these outcomes when the simulations are sequenced to follow hands-on…