The case of Germany is taken as an example of cyclical variation in higher education enrolment in the sciences. This article looks at the causes of this "oscillation," focusing on the cycle of the 1990s and argues that the mechanism underpinning these fluctuations is the cobweb model. This model establishes a recursive loop between…

In the course of the transformation of Russian society that started in the early 1990s, when the adoption of market mechanisms of management led to a drastic stratification of the population's income levels, the position of scientists worsened, inasmuch as an ineffective system of providing incentive to work in science was kept in place. In this…

Research shows that girls tend to lose interest in science and math as they move through the education pipeline--a retreat that often begins during middle school. Summer science camps can be part of reversing that trend, some say. Academic camps are on the rise across the country, including ones to get adolescent girls excited about the…

Fewer U.S. college students are choosing to study math, science, and engineering and half of those who do eventually switch to non-science majors. In this book scholars and policy analysts from a variety of disciplines describe the present demographic situation, analyze the effectiveness of current programs for recruitment and retention, and…

This report evaluates the 1996 Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program (CPEP) Summer Science Camp, a 5-week educational program for upper middle school students that emphasizes processes of thinking and development of personal and social attitudes that are appropriate for academic success, especially in the areas of mathematics and science.…

This teacher/counselor guide presents a science career development program especially designed for students with deafness in residential schools, day schools, or mainstream settings. The program consists of three sections: "Why Consider a Career in Science?"; "What Do People in Science Do?"; and "How Do You Find Out If Science Is a Career for…

This research study investigated student perception of the social learning environment in biology, chemistry and physics courses. A stratified random sample of secondary schools from three regions was selected. The principal of each sampled school randomly selected a biology, chemistry or physics teacher who, in turn, randomly selected one of his…

In the Skylab student project, high school students submitted proposals for experiments that could be performed on board Skylab by the astronauts. This book describes the experiments designed by the students and reports what happened to those experiments in the space laboratory. The student experiments included studies of the central nervous…

This study was conducted to determine whether sixth grade students can successfully engage in scientific investigation. The success of the students' investigation was measured by their proficiency in solving selected problems, interest in science, and growth in solving new problems. One class of 34 sixth grade students was selected. A battery of…

Describes activities which utilized a child's curiosity about his body to stimulate scientific interest. (SL)

Presents replies to questions about the role and importance of elementary science education. Covers 27 persons' answers from various fields, such as science, arts, government, or mass media. (YP)

Introduces a construction method for a bubble made of polyurethane plastic and its applications in an ecology classroom. Provides the materials list, directions for bubble construction, and classroom activities. (YP)

Determined if junior high school students prefer to study plants or animals and if their preferences are related to variables of grade level and/or sex. Findings show that, overall, students prefer animal study over plant study. Other findings (such as girls having a greater interest in biological topics than boys) are discussed. (JN)

Examines attitudes toward science classes and teachers; science as a career; and value of science among elementary, junior and senior high Hispanic students in participating National Assessment of Educational Progress schools over three years. Compares attitudes of White and Black students. Results show increase in positive attitudes of minority…

This study investigates the relationships among different types of resources in science and student science career interests. A survey method was used to collect data from over 600 middle school students in several states. Classrooms were classified into resources use types based on teacher responses to six questions indicating the regular use of…