Estimates that about 30,000 universities, colleges, and high schools produce a total of 4000 metric tons of hazardous waste annually. Discusses the difficulties that academic institutions have in disposing of small amounts of waste. Lists college courses with the potentially hazardous wastes usually produced. (MVL)

Presents a practical and attractive alternative to the sand bath used in the microscale procedures developed by Mayo, Pike, and Butcher. Urges the organic chemistry teaching community to continue towards complete conversion to microscale techniques. Presents the use of aluminum devices in the microlaboratory. (MVL)

Explains a method for keeping track of chemicals, supplies, and equipment by using a computer. Describes stockroom personnel, department needs, the physical plant, restocking procedures, file setup, and effectiveness of the program. Examples of sample inventory forms are included. (RT)

Tests in each science area were developed around six laboratory tasks. Students had to plan an investigation, collect and organize data, and formulate conclusions based on calculations and graphs. Over 1,000 students from 32 Ohio schools formed the sample for this study. Data are presented by skill and by task. An analysis for gender and school…

Field tests of the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI) with (n=5,447) high school and college students in six countries furnished evidence that science laboratory classes are dominated by closed-ended activities and that females held generally more favorable perceptions than males. Describes the development and validation of SLEI.…

Describes an approach to introductory geology that requires students to go into the field to make observations, collect and analyze data, synthesize those data, and hypothesize about inferred geologic relationships. The product of these laboratories is a paper that requires students to test their hypothesis using specific examples from the data.…

Describes a science program called "Environmental Science on the Three Rivers" which coordinates hands-on water-ecology experiments for local schools on a modified Navy training vessel. The vessel holds 35 students and stops at three major sampling stations during a four-and-a-half-hour class. The program is conducted by people with…

Science educators are often among the first to use emerging technologies in the classroom and laboratory. For the technologically savvy science teacher, the handheld computer is a terrific tool. A handheld computer is a portable electronic device that helps organize (via calendars, contact lists, to-do lists) and integrate electronic data…

Today's biology teachers are confronted with many challenges as they endeavour to maintain or improve the quality of their courses. Increasing enrollments, decreasing budgets, environmental considerations, student concerns, and curriculum changes often necessitate change. Providing a quality laboratory experience under such constraints is…

This instructor's guide is a tool to help instructors promote the concepts of safe mercury and chemical management in schools. It contains three types of materials: (1) Guidance for the instructor/facilitator on conducting the training course (Section I); (2) A copy of all presentations with talking points as appropriate (Section II); and (3)…

On the premise that many laboratory instructors lack knowledge about chemical toxicity, this study investigated three areas: (1) chemicals used in the academic laboratory which pose a health hazard; (2) ways of reducing toxicity in the laboratory (with attention to the apparent lack of teacher training which contributes to the cause of the problem…

Results of a study conducted to develop and validate an instrument for objective and continuous assessment of student performance in the physics laboratory are reported. Two modes of teacher assessment of student performance were compared: (1) video-tape recording of two students performing experiments; and (2) an instrument for continuous,…

Most of this conference report is made up of papers presented on miscellaneous campus safety topics: two papers titled "Handicapped on Campus," by Charles Wingstrom and by Joseph F. Kuchta, Sal Mazzata, and Charles A. Cofield; "Radiation Hazards and Control" by Howard Browne; "Safety in the 70's" by Harold E. O'Shell;…

Twelve PLATO lessons are reproduced in this document to show the status of computer guided experimentation (CGE) instructional programs. The lesson topics include a description of the CGE-PLATO instructional laboratory, an introduction to CGE-PLATO tests and special software routines, router lesson for two electrical engineering courses, and an…

Design factors in the planning of research laboratories are described which include--(1) location, (2) future expansion, (3) internal flexibility, (4) provision of services, (5) laboratory furnishing, (6) internal traffic, (7) space requirements, and (8) building costs. A second part discusses air-conditioning and conditioned rooms--(1)…