Over the course of six years, a diverse group of school districts and charter management organizations in California ran a substantial experiment in implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in elementary and middle grades. WestEd led an extensive evaluation of that effort, the California K-8 NGSS Early Implementers Initiative,…

NGSS Early Implementers is a six-year initiative created to help eight California school districts and two charter management organizations, supported by WestEd's K-12 Alliance, implement the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Administrators need learning opportunities if they are to adequately understand the substantial shifts of the Next…

With environmental awareness on the rise in the late 1980's and increasing into the 1990's, higher education is presented with a number of opportunities for environmental education. This paper addresses three ways in which institutions of higher education in Appalachia and elsewhere can respond to the continuing need and present calls for…

Described is a chemistry program for high school students in rural Pennsylvania administered by Juniata College. Support, programing, equipment, and management of this van-based program are discussed. The positive effects on the students, teachers, and the college community are stressed. (CW)

The purpose for conducting this evaluation was to gather and report information on the degree to which the K-6 Science program for San Diego (California) City School children was meeting the needs for which it was designed. The goals of the evaluation include the following: (1) to describe the K-6 science program as it currently exists in…

In 1975, the Columbus Council of the Navy League of the United States provided a grant to The Ohio State University in support of a state survey to determine the level of understanding of marine information among the public school children of Ohio. In addition, it supported a summer workshop in the Humanities of the Seas conducted for teachers in…

Describes an innovative freshman chemistry program in which course sequences have been designed to accommodate students with strong or weak chemistry backgrounds or with no previous chemistry at all. Includes information on courses offered, instructional strategies, and laboratory examinations. (JN)

An undergraduate research program in natural product synthesis was established at a small liberal arts college. Discusses program goals (including the total synthesis of maytansine), objectives, and accomplishments to date. Guidelines for establishing such programs are offered. (JN)

Presented are the accreditation standards for engineering schools as developed by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Discussed are various challenges presented by the standards and the need to improve engineering education. Items considered are developing a definition of a "good" engineering education, topics…

This newsletter reports on the status of biology education in the United States. It states that biology has entered its "golden age" because of the emergence of biotechnology, ecology, agricultural productivity, and human biology as major societal issues. This report discusses the status of the informal national curriculum of biology, involving…

The University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry, has begun the process of evaluating a strategic plan through the design of a performance evaluation system. Renovation of the predoctoral curriculum focused on decompressing the curriculum, adding flexibility, and improving basic science instruction and the clinical experience. (MLW)

A computer assisted technology training program is described. Technological literacy is defined. A course list for the program and a programing model are provided. (CW)

There are numerous examples of highly trained, capable individuals that face layoffs because of technological or economic changes that have eliminated the need for their services. This project was designed to provide a one-step opportunity for people such as these to identify opportunities in emerging technologies, to plan a retraining program, to…

This report is based on an almost 5-year continual study of selected collaboratives engaged in education reform and improvement with a focus on science, math, and technology in schools serving K-12 students in rural America. This version of the final report of the study is primarily intended for use by educators, decision makers, and others who…

Described is the Western Massachusetts Five College/Public School Partnership which sponsors a range of activities for teachers in the sciences and humanities. The development of this program is discussed. A list of five components of a successful collaboration program is included. (CW)