Spring is the season when thousands of creased cardboard pests can be found lodged under the armpits of students and teachers as they observe the educational rite of spring known as the school science fair. A recent visit to a local school's gymnasium to witness one of these events reminded the authors of why they so dislike science fairs. In this…

Discusses 10 myths of science including science finds answers to questions, science states causes, sample size is irrelevant to science, evidence can definitively confirm a hypothesis, scientists are always open to new ideas, peer acceptance of results is unimportant, science operates independently of society, science precedes technology, and…

Presented to the faculty of the Fashion Institute of Technology (New York City) after the acceptance by the New York Board of Regents of the school's plan to offer master's degree programs, these remarks focus on the problems presented by rapid developments in communications technology and the responsibility of the faculty to participate in the…

Selected are three pioneers who invented the history of technology: Abbott P. Usher, Lewis Mumford, and Sigfried Giedion. Their careers, publications, and contributions to the history of technology are described. (YP)

Suggests the integration of science, technology, and society themes into existing elementary social studies curricula. Surveys works representing the philosophical basis for science, technology, and society. Includes suggestions for use of technology and society themes at each grade level of elementary school. (DK)

Discussed are applications of robotics in the chemistry laboratory. Highlighted are issues of precision, accuracy, and system integration. Emphasized are the potential benefits of the use of robots to automate laboratory procedures. (CW)

Argues that universities are failing to prepare students for responsible citizenship in a world being rapidly changed by biotechnology. Calls for bringing together biology and the social sciences in more core courses. (TW)

Presents a framework for the study of Science-Technology-Society (STS) interactions and some uses of the framework. States six tenets of the STS interaction. (YP)

The traditional focus of environmental education (EE) in science and technology classes is criticized. EE instruction in the subjects of literature, art, music, home economics, textile design, career guidance, sports, history, political science, social studies, economics, philosophy, and religious instruction is proposed. (CW)

Discusses some issues that have long been claimed as the exclusive province of the humanities, such as brotherhood and belonging, the sense of beauty, and the meaning of human. Suggests how a knowledge of science can contribute to understanding. (YP)

Many claims that the standard Science, Technology, and Society (STS) movement has generally neglected one aspect of scientific and quantitative literacy: the evaluation of expert disagreements on technical matters. Described are the limitations of the standard approach, elements of an alternative approach, and examples of the alternative approach.…

Discussed is the value of integrating the study of technology and society. Topics include political theory of spontaneous social orders, paradoxical nature of the theory in historical and in contemporary contexts, uses of spontaneous order theory with feedback technologies, and the comparison of feedback technology with two different spontaneous…

Asks the question: how does society assist citizens to stop deluding themselves with ESP, UFOs, astrology, polygraphy, water dowsing, channeling, and all manner of New Age gimcrackery? Supplies an answer: educators should emphasize instruction in probability models and scientific inference, while imparting an appropriate, scientific skepticism to…

Discusses the recent influx of highly talented immigrant engineers and engineering students into the United States. Identifies some of the opportunities available and benefits to the U.S. economy, along with some of the perceived and real problems posed by this trend. (TW)

The gradual decline of anthropocentrism from 50,000 BC to the present is traced in relation to the controversy over the teaching of evolution and creationism. The discussion focuses on the battle over people's minds as waged in the public schools by fundamentalist religious groups and others. (CW)