Science popularisation festivals attract more and more people every year, showing that there is a need to satisfy public curiosity. Such events are good occasions to disseminate knowledge to a large audience. The results of scientific research bring advances for mankind. Since research mostly depends on public funds, it is important to gain…

This paper introduces a novel framework aimed at supporting non-education faculty and facilitators in creating inclusive educational programs and learning opportunities that address the needs, interests, and priorities of underrepresented individuals and communities in the field of STEM. The framework centers on the fundamental concept of…

Pre-service teachers need experiences in practical matters as a part of field trip preparations programmes. For 14 years, a private, non-profit university in Turkey has involved pre-service teachers in field trip planning, implementation and evaluation. A programme assessment was conducted through a case study to examine the long-term effects of…

Three college faculty taught large general biology classes using case studies and personal response systems (clickers). Each instructor taught the same eight cases in two different sections, except the questions within the cases differed. In one section the questions were lower order (LO) factual inquiries, and in the other they were largely…

This case study describes an information literacy lab for an undergraduate biology course that leads students through a range of resources to discover aspects of genetic information. The lab provides over 560 students per semester with the opportunity for hands-on exploration of resources in steps that simulate the pathways of higher-level…

The first stage of an evaluation and academic management project to be carried out at Bath University is presented. Included are the background to course evaluation, a proposed model, the development and testing of the model in the context of an innovative biology course at Queen's University, and the transferability of the model to other courses.…

The efforts of the biology department at William Paterson College, a state college in New Jersey, to use strategic planning at the department level are chronicled. Planning focused on establishing a direction for hiring faculty, developing curriculum, purchasing equipment, and training students. Results, unanticipated outcomes, and lessons learned…

A five-year project that used evidence from a variety of disciplines and cultures to develop a framework to help educational policymakers identify ways of achieving the full range of human potential in a given population is described. The project sponsor is an international non-profit institution dedicated to the cause of disadvantaged children…

The precollege program in the sciences at the University of Iowa is described, along with program developments during its history, aspects of interest to other institutions, and issues for institutions to consider in starting a similar program. (MSE)

A water quality monitoring programme for schools is described. The purpose of the programme is to introduce school children to the concept of reporting on the "state of the environment" by raising the awareness of water quality issues and providing skills to monitor water quality. The programme is assessed and its relevance in the…