This article examines how the MAT [Master of Arts in Teaching] program in Earth Science at the American Museum of Natural History was conceptualized and enacted within its institutional context. We argue that the program was completely consistent with the museum's public and democratic institutional logic, as reflected in funding, staffing,…

A collaboration between geoscience professors and pedagogic and technical support experts at Universidad de los Andes led to a teaching innovation, as part of a project entitled GEOC-SENSE. GEOC-SENSE was based on the use of active pedagogy techniques aided by information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve motivation and acquisition…

The Professional Standards Project (PSP) is a nationally coordinated professional learning program for languages teachers, to improve the quality of languages teaching and, thereby, improve student learning. It is based on the use of the "Professional standards for accomplished teaching of languages and cultures" (hereafter, "the…

This article describes River Summer, an interdisciplinary, field project on the Hudson River. Using cognitive data, the team aimed to design an experience that fostered an environment implementing strategies that improve learning. The participants, 40 faculty members from 24 institutions who acted as teachers, students, or both, boarded the…

This document supports the use of instructional television particularly as an alternative to the large lecture hall classes. The geology program at the University of Arizona consisting of television presentations from 1962 to 1970 is reviewed, including the history of the program, course description, attendance, course organization, TV facilities,…

Describes a course in which students analyze man-made materials utilizing mineralogical facts and techniques. Discusses course content, teaching methods, and course evaluation. (MA)

This article describes a design partnership that investigated how to integrate Google Earth, remotely sensed satellite and aerial imagery, with other instructional resources to investigate ground cover and land use in diverse middle school classrooms. Data analysis from the implementation study revealed that students acquired skills for…

This study aims to examine the design of approaches for inquiry learning with multimedia resources in primary classrooms. The study describes the development of a multimedia learning unit that helps learners understand the natural phenomenon of the movement of the Earth. An analysis of the use of the multimedia learning unit by a teacher in two…

Reports on an undergraduate earth science course for non-science majors structured around five-week minicourses. Evaluates student and teacher response to the program. (CP)

Discussed is a geology education program which includes hikes, lectures, naturalist training sessions, workshops, writing, collecting, upgrading park facilities, and producing exhibits in state parks in the Lake Michigan District of Wisconsin. The importance of public education and sources of public information are stressed. (CW)

Discussed are procedures for increasing understanding and appreciation of geology among undergraduates. Included are using student-centered approaches, deemphasizing the use of conventional textbooks, increasing the use of nonspecialized field programs, and increasing the experimental dimensions of geology programs. (CW)

The focus of this curriculum report is on the earth sciences in the K-12 curriculum. High technologies have combined to produce telecommunications, the newest aid and impetus to earth sciences education. Listed in this report are educational service organizations and individual schools that have this service. Included are the names, addresses, and…

Described is a project designed to give students an understanding of the environmental implications of current energy practices and a chance to participate in a project that may have a measurable impact on environmental quality. Suggestions for the integration of this project into high school science classes are provided. (CW)

The 1982 Search for Excellence in Science Education project has identified 50 exemplary programs in physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science. Descriptions of four of these programs and the criteria used in their selection are presented. The first section reviews the direction established by Project Synthesis in searching for exemplary…