Through teaching, training, research and service to the community, Canada's universities and colleges are essential to creating a more democratic and just society, driving the economy, and preparing for the future. Canadians need a strong commitment from their federal government to protect and preserve the public post-secondary education system.…

The past half-century has witnessed a dramatic increase in the scale and complexity of scientific research. The growing scale of science has been accompanied by a shift toward collaborative research, referred to as "team science." Scientific research is increasingly conducted by small teams and larger groups rather than individual…

Whether the goal is to identify and describe trends and variation in populations, create new measures of key phenomena, or describe samples in studies aimed at identifying causal effects, description plays a critical role in the scientific process in general and education research in particular. Descriptive analysis identifies patterns in data to…

In 1887, Congress passed the Hatch Act, which formally established and provided a funding mechanism for agricultural experiment stations in each state and territory in the United States. The main purpose of agricultural experiment stations is to conduct agricultural research to meet the needs of the citizens of the United States. The objective of…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and its reports are a key measure in informing the nation on how well the goal of scientific literacy for all students is being met. The "Science Framework for the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress" sets forth the design of the NAEP Science Assessment. The 2011 NAEP…

This monograph looks first at opportunities provided by research in the adult literacy field and then identifies challenges to scientific research and suggests ways to address these challenges so that better evidence can be generated in the future. It has two goals that support the building of a stronger research base for the adult literacy…

Criticism of the public schools has been unrelenting since "A Nation at Risk" was published in 1983. From that pivotal moment to the present the business community has played a crucial role in setting the parameters of the critique of the schools and shaping the reform agendas that have been proposed and implemented. However, this author has found…

Discusses whether universities should do research for the Department of Defense. Principle arguments against universities doing defense research, benefits of grants, and problems that universities face in dealing with federal agencies are addressed. (BC)

This document sets forth recommendations for the design of a new science assessment. The assessment resulting from this framework will start a new NAEP science trend (i.e., measure of student progress in science) beginning in 2009. This framework represents a unique opportunity to build on previous NAEP science work as well as key developments in…

Discusses the role and resources of planetary astronomy in planetary exploration. Identifies the categories of support made available by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and reviews the impacts of these findings on planetary researches. Analyzes the publishing habits of American astronomers. (ML)

Discusses issues and the public's concerns related to using laboratory animals for research purposes. Indicates that several perceptions (such as recognizing that the public's attitudes toward respect for animal life are no more irrational than many broader attitudes toward the sacredness of life) characterize the most responsible of recent…

Discusses issues related to the access of and training of university researchers in using supercomputers, considering National Science Foundation's (NSF) role in this area, microcomputers on campuses, and the limited use of existing telecommunication networks. Includes examples of potential scientific projects (by subject area) utilizing…

This article focuses on five quantitative indicators for patents and scientific literature. These indicators characterize Japan as a technological powerhouse and in an expanding but far less powerful scientific position. Several tables and graphs are provided. (YP)

Presents a historical overview of developments in ionospheric physics and examines relationships between federal funding and knowledge growth in this field. Summarizes the views of ionsphere researchers on funding, the role of funding program managers, and the nature of funding agencies. Reviews advancements related to entrepreneurs and resources…

Examines the extent to which issues related to animal experimentation are in conflict and proposes choices that might least comprise them. These issues include animal well-being, human well-being, self-interest of science, scientific validity and responsibility, progress in biomedical and behavioral science, and the future quality of medical care.…