The "Report on the Condition of Education" is a congressionally mandated annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Using the most recent data available (at the time this report was written) from NCES and other sources, the report contains key indicators on the condition of education in the United States at…

This study examines the limited literature on zoomobile programs and suggests that remarkable uniformity exists between such variables as types and lengths of programs offered, animals used, staffing, area served, and funding. It notes a common set of problems, from practical ones such as animal stress and liability insurance, through…

Biotechnology is the latest in a series of technological innovations that have revolutionized the fields of agriculture and the health sciences; however, there are concerns with this technology. This document is designed to help foster dialogue with emphasis on education and the development of a public understanding of the principals involved in…

This newsletter is for educators interested in developing lessons related to global climate change. The newsletter contains sample lessons, news items involving global climate change on an international scale, and background information on issues related to global climate change. (CW)

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a nationally based, non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging women to pursue careers in the field of engineering. The specific objectives include informing young women of the achievements, qualifications and opportunities open to them; assisting women engineers in returning to active employment after…

Some researchers have argued that students often learn to operate in two domains, the domain of the science context in school, and the domain of everyday life outside of school. Outside of school, students are exposed to many media from which to learn science concepts. This document is one of a series on research seminars at the Western Australian…

Discusses what is currently known about acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), including routes for the transmission of the AIDS virus, the prevention of AIDS, and some of the non-issues regarding the disease. Urges community leaders and teachers to become more involved in AIDS education. (TW)

The competence of interpreters, so called "docents," influences visitors' learning in museums. The study reported in this paper investigated 16 interpreters' perceptions about: the educational goals of the science museum in Taiwan, the function of the interpreter in the science museum, the requirements for a competent interpreter, and…

Reports on a reading-discussion program of the Vermont Reading Project. Describes the origins, development, and operation of the program. Includes titles of literature works used in the project. (CFR)

Reports on a study that questions whether private enterprise can maintain quality while reducing costs of providing social welfare services. Reviews three aspects of privatization: (1) competitive markets; (2) rationality; and (3) cost reduction. Concludes by questioning a central claim of economic theory: that free markets and private firms are…

Contends that, when laypeople read history, they prefer to read biographies--stories about leaders and people--rather than about social forces and ideas. Argues that the most effective way of writing biography is to write chronologically, not to use flashbacks or flash forward writing. (CFR)

To describe those behaviors leading to productive appraisal interviews of sales representatives, questionnaires were administered to 27 branch sales managers who supervised 160 sales representatives. Eleven managers received a preliminary questionnaire asking them to cite behaviors of the sales representatives that caused productive or…

The relationship between higher education and the world of work is examined in terms of the changing structures of higher education institutions and the effect of the relationship on curricula. An international perspective is provided on the changing nature of employment and the labor market; the increasing diversification of higher education…

Examines the views of six former U.S. Presidents (Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Grant, and Eisenhower) about their presidential role, federalism, and issues of their time that are still relevant today. Includes a paragraph for each President that provides a social and historical context. (CFR)

Proposes methods for the optimal popularization of science and technology to shape and influence public opinion about the utility of associated policies and goals. Emphasizes that such popularization should concentrate on enabling laypeople to acquire an adequate level of scientific and technological literacy, applicable to their everyday lives.…