Although most instructors would like to believe that their students fully understand every biological concept explained in class, this is often not the case. Gary Wisehart, chair and professor of biology at San Diego City College, knows this from firsthand experience. "Students get very good at telling you what you want to hear," he says, "so it…

Cites the public image problem of field biologists and systematists. Discusses systematics and natural history including species variation, ecology, management of organisms and appreciation of nature. Describes widespread fallacies which downplay the importance of field biology and suggests ways to improve its image. (CW)

Examines the Natural Reserve System two decades after its founding. Summarizes its role in California natural environment research and teaching. Discusses progress made, problems encountered, and the future of the project. Lists reserve locations and campus affiliations. Describes reserve use, acquisition of land and administrative organization.…

Described is a University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), doctoral degree program providing students with a broad field of training in numerous science areas relating to the environment to produce an environmental counseling specialists. The program includes a required internship. (SL)

Reports on a portable video color camera that is fully suited for seeing ultraviolet images and offers some expanded viewing possibilities. Discusses the basic technique, specialized viewing, and the instructional value of this system of viewing reflectance patterns of flowers and insects that are invisible to the unaided eye. (CW)