Results from a series of surveys describe dimensions of middle and high school science teachers' preparation for and practices around climate science instruction in the classroom. Descriptions are drawn from 877 respondents to four surveys of US middle and high school science teachers from 2009-2011. Most respondents had engaged in self-directed…

Students in their first year of university face a number of transition issues that can make realising their academic potential difficult. In the sciences, first-year courses cover a large amount of material across broad subject areas, which can make them troublesome for students without background knowledge, and students need to adapt to typically…

Many plant biologists claim that there is a tremendous bias towards the study of animals in science curricula, however, there is even less attention given to topics on fungi. On average, Biology laboratory manuals will have only one fungi exercise, and most of the time, it is mainly descriptive. As we developed this exercise we realized how much…

Research makes it clear that the critical factor in whether a student succeeds in college is the "quality and intensity" of the curriculum he or she takes in high school. For many Latino students, access to a high-quality, rigorous K-12 curriculum is limited. In those states where there was an existing movement to align the local P-16…

Critical thinking programs should explore both practical and academic problems, including problems without "correct" answers. The year-long "Intelligence Applied" program avoids common critical thinking program pitfalls and covers intelligence theories, intellectual and experiential skills, techniques for everyday application,…

Reflects upon theoretical and applied challenges and needs in incorporating sexual orientation issues into communication studies. Argues that communication courses need to explicitly include material related to the life experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people; and that reducing homophobia and heterosexism among high school…

Discusses the attractions of teaching students about the Vietnam War. Provides a list of selected resources, including novels, personal narratives, films, drama, and poetry. Suggests general nonfiction and bibliographies for teachers as well. (MM)

Provides an overview of a new scholastic journalism distance education course offered by the University of South Carolina for high school teachers. Describes some of the topics, including Introduction to Scholastic Journalism, the Law of the Student Press, Background and History of High School Journalism, and Writing and News Values. Offers a…

The twentieth century has witnessed a burst of discovery in physics unparalleled in human history. Despite the fact that general relativity and quantum mechanics are well over half a century old, introductory physics classes in high schools, colleges, and universities essentially ignore them. These two seminal ideas, the phenomena of…

Discusses 10 fundamental ideas that are useful in teaching chemistry at the high school and college levels. Also provides background information, including the role of problem solving. (JN)

Originally taught by Georgetown law students, the Street Law curriculum currently is taught in most major cities in conjunction with 25 other law schools. Describes teaching the course to economically disadvantaged high school students in the District of Columbia and how being equipped with knowledge of the law is a way of reversing…

The course materials provided in this booklet are intended to create an awareness of the pervasiveness of sexism in American culture as reflected in the language. Information on the topic; assignments for field work, analysis, and discussion; and topics for compositions are given in four sections, each based on a separate linguistic principle. The…

Each year the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) seeks to create a mock trial that addresses serious matters facing young people today. In recent times, the actions and behaviors of student groups on high school and college campuses have become major stories in the national media. Incidents of hazing and peer pressure have raised questions…

A proposal is made to meet the requirements of a section of the Master of Science in Education degree plan with a special emphasis on alternative education. The requirements of the section of the degree plan can be met with recommended courses from the catalog of Western Oregon University. The proposed alternative education emphasis focuses on…