A primary goal of university instruction is the students' demonstration of improved, highly developed critical thinking (CT) skills. However, how do faculty encourage CT and its potential concomitant increase in student workload without negatively impacting student perceptions of the course? In this investigation, an advanced biology course is…

Students need to reflect on the practice of science to fully understand the nature of science (NOS), which is an important component of scientific literacy. In this paper, the authors describe how to implement an explicit and reflective pedagogy in college science laboratories and share examples from their implementation in a multiple-section…

The kinetic parameters for the conversion of alpha-D-glucose to beta-D-glucose were measured using a blood glucometer. The reaction order, rate constant, and Arrhenius activation energy are reported for the noncatalyzed reaction and turnover number and Michaelis constant are reported for the reaction catalyzed by porcine kidney mutarotase. The…

The HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) publication, "External quality arrangements for Scotland's colleges, September 2008," specifies that HMIE will produce a number of subject aspect reports over the four years 2008-2012. These reports complement in a subject-specific context the generic evaluations of learning and teaching in HMIE's…

Academics who specialise in improving the teaching of "hard" sciences like chemistry, biology, maths and physics are increasing in number and influence at Australian universities. Those in academia who have channelled their energies into teaching are delighted with this development. It means that many committed tertiary teachers can now look…

This study explores through a naturalistic inquiry the tensions between a science professor's two enacted identities. More specifically, this study looks at how a biology professor's identity-in-practice shifts and evolves over time through collaborations with a science education professor. These shifts were marked by an emphasis on teaching,…

Discusses the characteristics of the Physics Activities Center established by the Kansas State University Department of Physics with the purpose of providing students the opportunities to "do their own thing". Included is a summary of its practical applications and a description of student reactions. (CC)

Describes a simple and inexpensive apparatus which can be easily constructed and which provides a highly visible example of an apparently reversible reaction for undergraduates. (DF)

Describes an introductory college science course for science majors and nonmajors. The course, team taught and interdisciplinary, stresses broad applications and topics of current interest. Presentations and instructors are changed regularly. The laboratory experiences include computer programming, are varied regularly, and allow student selection…

Presents the two positions of the geological debate, as presented in 1796, between the Wernerians (uniformitarians) and the Huttonians (catastrophic supporters). Presentations stress importance of earth heat, the origin of granite and basalt, and the cyclic theme of Hutton's earth. (RR)

Describes the inception, use, and evaluation of a demonstration laboratory designed to enable first-year university students to observe physical phenomena that they did not observe in the secondary school. (Author/SL)

A description of four rapid tests to determine the viability of stored seeds are given. Typical results are reported and some possible applications of the tests are discussed. (Author/EB)