Quantitative reasoning is a key intellectual skill, applicable across disciplines and best taught in the context of authentic, relevant problems. Here, I describe and assess a laboratory exercise that has students calculate their "carbon footprint" and evaluate the impacts of various behavior choices on that footprint. Students gather…

Describes a semistructured approach to the laboratory situation in organic chemistry. (Author/PEB)

Describes a chemistry curriculum for college freshmen that uses laboratory study of the chemical composition of meals eaten by students as the central activity from which theoretical and practical learning are derived. Presents a meal analysis flow diagram and a table of concepts included in the program. (GS)

Described is the Creative Thinking in Science Project (CTSP) to illustrate methods and activities designed to promote creativity within a science education context. (PEB)

Describes a semester-long field trip in which 26 students of the University of Colorado studied the geology of the western United States. Only four of the participating students were geology majors. (JR)

We applied the concept of learning communities, whereby students develop their own ideas in cohort-based settings, to undergraduate research training. This creates powerful research communities where students practice science from observation to experimental design to interpretation of data. We describe a biology program, but the approach suits…

Reviewed are six programs at different colleges and universities which provide research opportunities for undergraduate students in physics, astronomy, marine biology, meteorology, and anthropology. Background, features, and accomplishments of the programs are discussed. (CW)

Described is an application of educational technology that serves 700 students enrolled in 7 biology courses. Audiovisual and computer-assisted instruction are included. The integration of interactive audio with computer software is highlighted. (CW)

Described is a program for two-week, tuition-free courses offered twice a year dealing radiation and radioactivity. Laboratory exercises, tours, schedules, enrollment and accreditation, and staffing are discussed. (CW)