Describes a number of student-focused laboratory exercises that are inexpensive, yet show the scientific character of archaeology. Describes the environmental laboratory exercise which includes the following analysis topics: (1) pollen; (2) earth core; (3) microfaunal; and (4) microwear. Describes the ceramic laboratory which involves…

Discusses possibilities for improving undergraduate-level general-education biology courses, particularly through the development of interesting and focused laboratory presentations. Advocates problem-based learning and improving the communication skills of laboratory teaching assistants. (Author/WRM)

Describes two science activities concerning water density and shares an idea for combining these activities into a third, completely new activity. Demonstrates the joy of rekindling the spirit of scientific thinking in a typical classroom. (PVD)

Describes a partnership between Meadowgate School for students with special needs and Isle College in Wisbech, UK. Meadowgate School provides work experience placements for Isle College students, and the College provides classes for the school's special needs students. Outlines an initiative to provide science classes. (WRM)

Summarizes several articles on safety in the science laboratory, an article on the science and history of chocolate, and an article on teaching nuclear physics from an historical perspective. (WRM)

Current reform documents place a strong emphasis on students' understandings of the nature of science (NOS). Interestingly, the importance of this educational outcome is not new and has been agreed upon as important by most scientists and science educators for the past 100 years. Despite numerous attempts, including the major curricular reform…

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…

Involving students in inquiry-based exercises is much more difficult than simply providing activities for them to do in the classroom. While active learning suggests students are physically participating in the lesson, inquiry learning requires that they are also mentally participating in it. Academic theorists agree it is more the mental…

This contribution describes a new laboratory experience that improves medical students' learning of chronobiology by introducing them to basic chronobiology concepts as well as to methods and statistical analysis tools specific for circadian rhythms. We designed an autorhythmometry laboratory session where students simultaneously played the role…

The Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach enables the student to construct knowledge in his/her own way. Piaget, the founder of constructivism, saw the development of intelligence as a process involving the relationship between brain maturity and individual experience. The technology PBL (TPBL) approach confronts the student with a personal…

Educators question whether performing a laboratory experiment as an observer (non-hands-on), such as conducted in a distance education context, can be as effective a learning tool as personally performing the experiment in a laboratory environment. The present paper investigates this issue by comparing the performance of distance education…

The food science course developed in Missouri combines basic scientific and mathematics principles in a hands-on instructional format as a part of the family and consumer sciences education curriculum. Throughout the course, students conduct controlled experiments and use scientific laboratory techniques and information to explore the biological…

Many primary school teachers feel a lack of confidence in teaching science and technology. This paper aims to demonstrate useful and practical strategies for non-specialist science teachers to use in stimulating a positive scientific attitude among primary school students. It proposes that teachers should strive to develop children's natural…

A PATTERN OF PROBLEMS IN COMMUNICATION AMONG STUDENT COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND ITS FACULTY ADVISORS CONTRIBUTED TO A DECISION TO SUBSTITUTE A PROGRAM OF SENSITIVITY TRAINING FOR THE USUAL STUDENT COUNCIL ORIENTATION PROGRAM. IT WAS HOPED THAT SUCH A PROGRAM WOULD FACILITATE A FLOW OF EXPRESSION AND A REDUCTION OF INTERPERSONAL…

As part of an experiment, a three quarter sequence in organic chemistry was designed to be accompanied by laboratory experiments that reinforce the lecture material and encourage independent investigation by minimizing cookbook-style procedures. By having laboratory techniques explained in detail on video casettes, students were exposed to uniform…