School communities in both urban and rural settings need trauma-informed (TI) supports; however, the adversities experienced and access to student supports may be unique to rural school communities. In addition, the contextual challenges experienced by rural schools and communities, as well as the strengths that can be drawn from them, will…

This paper addresses how and why the musical intelligence can be used to aid students in the learning process. It explores the brain research, several short vignettes and an informal case study. Conceptually, the author suggests that music can and should be used to help students learn and retain curricular content, may be matched to tasks in…

Prize-winning scientist and bestselling author James Trefil explains why every U.S. citizen needs to be "scientifically literate" and, therefore, why schools must teach the fundamental principles of scientific literacy to every student. He lays out those principles straightforwardly, so that educators--and everyone who is interested in…

Assails schools for rushing into the thinking skills approach without examining advances in cognitive science, artificial intelligence, neuropsychology, and other brain-related disciplines. Blames the classroom situation itself for forcing teachers into counterproductive, direct teaching methods that don't work. Asserts the need for…

Presents and defends the thesis that either teaching or research alone is not of much value without its counterpart. The argument is not that of teaching versus research but rather how to strengthen the link between teaching and research in higher education. (PR)

Provides insights for college-level teachers beginning their tasks of directing student research. (PR)

Describes an approach taken in a general education geology course that incorporates a series of research papers from the geologic literature. Reviews criteria for selecting the papers and provides examples of reading assignments. (ML)

Describes a program at Drew University, in which retired scientists receive offices, research space, and equipment in exchange for directing the research of advanced undergraduates. (PR)

Asserts that science instruction should have students behaving as real scientists. Discusses benefits of high school science research programs for precocious youths. (PR)

Discusses the orbit, motion, and phases of the moon. Describes three activities on the moon: "How Soon Can You See a Crescent Moon?"; "When is the Moon Visible?"; and "Lunar Eclipses." (YP)

While a variety of alternative careers has emerged for Ph.D. life scientists in industry, business, law, and education in the past two decades, the structure of doctoral training programs in many cases does not provide the flexibility necessary to pursue career experiences not directly related to a research emphasis. Here I describe my efforts to…

Describes two curriculum approaches used at a college as an alternative to traditional introductory science-survey courses. The first course is entitled "Nature of Science" and the second is "Current Research." (PR)

Explains that the use of data on CD-ROMs gives undergraduate students an economical way to work with real data on potentially publishable projects. Describes a student project using the data on the World WeatherDisc to find evidence of Indian Summer in Spokane, WA. (PR)

The purpose of this experiment was to compare an inquiry-oriented Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) style laboratory approach with a more directive traditional approach on student outcomes in the cognitive and affective domains of learning at two private, midwestern liberal arts colleges. Intact laboratory sections of students enrolled…

Follows an experimental program where 30 trained high school science teachers used 6 to 10 students each to produce an original experimental environmental research project. Offers suggestions to improve science in high schools. Lists methodology of several of the projects and describes others. (ML)