Most states have a commission charged with modernizing statewide telecommunications. College trustees can be active in assuring that the educational potential of technology is tapped. Efforts in Maine, Iowa, Nebraska, and South Carolina to link universities with telephone systems and public television illustrate the opportunities and benefits.…

Discusses the narrative report, which is an alternative to the traditional report card for reporting children's development and progress to parents. Examples of entries in a narrative report are included. (BB)

Described are three science and mathematics educational reform programs--Project 2061; Scope, Sequence and Coordination; and NCTM Curriculum and Evaluation Standards. Discussed are the needs for educational reform and the steps that each program is taking. (KR)

Describes the Strategies for Teaching and Reinforcing Skills program at Bronx Community College as a solution to the mismatch between faculty expectations and the ability of poor inner-city students to perform. Discusses the writing across the curriculum program at suburban Richland College, focusing on administrative contributions to program…

Described is a wide variety of community and national organizations that have developed summer programs for students interested in a science career. A list of addresses for these organizations and programs is provided. (KR)

Describes the objectives and the impact of the Double Helix Science Club upon students, teachers, and the nonschool community. This club, which has become a major concern in Australia with a membership of over 16,000 and a magazine distribution approaching 30,000, provides an effective vehicle for many teachers and public servants looking to…

Use of energy-conservation technology and utility rebates can yield millions of dollars in savings and significant environmental benefits. The University of Rochester (New York) will halve its energy use within five years. Its experiences with consumption management, supply management, and student involvement may be useful to other colleges.…

The director of the three-year-old Stevens project, which addresses the implementation and use of computers for middle and secondary mathematics instruction, offers a progress report. Time for preparation, teacher training, and defining the changing role of the teacher are cited as key variables. Future activities are also previewed. (Author/JJK)

Planning for a computer use "help desk" at Kenyon College (Ohio) was constrained by very limited resources. However, careful and thorough planning resulted in a low-budget, homegrown, but highly effective facility. Staffing, training, staff communication, and marketing the service were essential elements in its success. (MSE)

Reports on findings from the first phase of an ongoing research project that is investigating English-language learners in middle school social studies classrooms. The article analyzes features of social studies academic language from text and classroom discourse and reviews cultural diversity as it is represented in popular textbooks. (Contains…

Mount Ida College (Massachusetts) has found the use of college administrators as mentors to students, complementing academic advising and faculty mentoring, to be an effective approach to strengthening the tie between first-year college students and their institutions. The impact has been noticeable in the campus culture as well as in student…

Use of peer mentoring to improve college instruction and the concept of mutual mentoring are discussed, drawing on four faculty mentoring projects in which mentor faculty were paired with other teachers to develop new, alternative teaching methods/materials or gain new knowledge. Cross-disciplinary mentoring and mutual faculty benefits are…

The University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University, and North Dakota State College of Science offer complete undergraduate and graduate degree programs on an interactive video network, sometimes broadcasting at off-campus sites, making higher education more accessible and causing faculty to shift their perspectives on teaching. (MSE)

A British master's program in management that is computer-based and emphasizes cooperative learning is described. Guiding principles include participant choice of learning content and direction; personal responsibility for learning; integration of professional experience with new knowledge; student professional development; and shared learning.…

Describes the after-school program Urban Pioneers, developed by an inner-city pastor, Jerry McNeely, to teach science and mathematics to urban elementary school students. Increased achievement, better student attitudes, and increased parent participation have been identified as benefits of the program. (SLD)