This book offers an overview of the research carried out in didactics on the teaching and learning of science at university from the perspective of university pedagogy. The first part sheds light on the links between university pedagogy and didactics, by studying the nature and place of disciplinary pedagogical knowledge at university and the…

"Adapting to a Changing World" was commissioned by the National Science Foundation to examine the present status of undergraduate physics education, including the state of physics education research, and, most importantly, to develop a series of recommendations for improving physics education that draws from the knowledge we have about…

American universities today serve as economic engines, performing the scientific research that will create new industries, drive economic growth, and keep the United States globally competitive. But only a few decades ago, these same universities self-consciously held themselves apart from the world of commerce. "Creating the Market University" is…

The National Science Foundation funded a synthesis study on the status, contributions, and future direction of discipline-based education research (DBER) in physics, biological sciences, geosciences, and chemistry. DBER combines knowledge of teaching and learning with deep knowledge of discipline-specific science content. It describes the…

The educational challenges faced today are driving us toward a new step in the evolution of educational theory and practice. Educators are called to go beyond simply presenting alternatives, to integrating the best of mainstream and alternative approaches and taking them to the next level. "Integral Education" accomplishes this by…

While the great scientists of the past recognized a need for a multidisciplinary approach, today's schools often treat math and science as subjects separate from the rest. This not only creates a disinterest among students, but also a potential learning gap once students reach college and then graduate into the workforce. "Cases on…

This report examines the impact of the Soviet Academy of Sciences on the development of technology in the Soviet Union, finding that the future of Soviet technology depends significantly on the Academy and that severe problems stemming from its nature and its relationship with Soviet industry encumber the Academy's ability to serve Soviet…

Because of the changes occurring in the chemical sciences, a new survey of chemistry and its intellectual and economic impact was clearly needed. This report presents a current assessment of the status of chemistry and of the future opportunities in the field. This analysis contains: (1) an introductory chapter (establishing the need for the…

This review for 1975 has been issued to analyze and synthesize research related to the teaching and learning of science completed during the year. The review is intended to provide research information for development personnel, ideas for future research, and an indication of trends in research in science education. Research has been listed in…

This document presents the final report of a project to evaluate the effectiveness of using videotape television to present graduate level engineering courses to on-campus and off-campus students. Included are the statistical analyses, review of three experiments with on-campus classes, and results of an attitudinal interview with off-campus…

This document presents an overview of knowledge gained from the scientific explorations of the moon between 1969 and 1972 in the Apollo Program. Answers are given to questions regarding life on the moon, surface composition of rocks on the moon, the nature of the moon's interior, characteristics of lunar "soil," the age, history and…

This publication by the National Science Foundation (NSF) is a compilation of pertinent statistical information on the education and training of scientists and engineers in the United States primarily during the period of 1950-1960. This publication is divided into three parts: (1) human resources data; (2) data that deal with the institutional…

This volume is based on the papers and discussions at a 1973 symposium organized by the Smithsonian Institution and the National Academy of Sciences in celebration of the 500th anniversary of the birth of Copernicus. The three sections of the book document the major aspects of the anniversary celebration: the Festival, the Symposium, and the…

Doing science in the Shuttle and Spacelab is a different experience than having an instrument on a satellite; science becomes more "personal." Interaction between scientists on the ground and the onboard crew in conducting experiments adds a new dimension to a science mission. It transforms the mission from a focus on machines,…

This collection of papers explores the nature of contemporary science and attempts to further a view of science that is "different, better, feminist, and emancipating." Most of the papers were presented in their original form at a symposium, Feminist Perspectives on Science, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in April, 1985. Included are: (1)…