This research investigated the emergent discursive modes and their pedagogical functions found in model-based inquiry (MBI) science classrooms. A sample of four high school physics classrooms was video-recorded and analysed using a newly established discourse mode analysis framework. Qualitative methods were employed to identify the most salient…

Physics Education Research is a form of social science research in that it uses human subjects. As physicists we need to be aware of the ethical and legal ramifications of performing this research, taking into account the fundamental differences between working with substances and working with people. For several decades, the federal government…

Although the educational evaluation process is useful and valuable and is supported by the Higher Education Act, a strong research base for program evaluation of college entry-level science courses is still lacking. Studies in science disciplines such as, biology, chemistry, and physics have addressed various affective and demographic factors and…

The teaching laboratory in physics departments in colleges and universities is a source of great potential strength in undergraduate education. Recent surveys and conferences, have identified inadequate teaching equipment and laboratory development. This report reviews these problems and offers suggestions for an enhanced federal effort to solve…

The National Diffusion Network (NDN) is a federally funded system that makes exemplary educational programs available for use by schools, colleges, and other institutions. This publication contains information describing the science education programs currently in the NDN, along with procedural information on how to access these programs. The…

Highlights a review of the Institute of Theoretical Physics at Santa Barbara. Because of the positive review, the National Science Foundation will continue to sponsor the institute to 1989. Institute activities and staff are also highlighted. (JN)

Part I of this report consists of the American Association for the Advancement of Science overview of research and development (R&D) in the fiscal year (FY) 1985 budget and its associated policy issues, together with special analyses of several important topics, such as funding for basic research. A set of overview tables is included. Part II…

Reviews the federal government's role in support of physics within the context of four time periods: (1) about 1930-40; (2) 1940-45 (World War II); (3) 1945-present (post-World War II); and (4) the present time, as the administration in Washington strives for a balanced budget. (Author/SK)

Funds (1983) for National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) research programs include $1,092,200,000 (NSF), $5.5 billion (NASA), and $119 million (EPA). NSF's science education activities were raised to $30 million in spite of the Administration's plan to phase…

Four of the 1983 United States Nobel laureates in science provided the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology with their views about the current state of American science and U.S. government science policy as well as comments on one or more aspects which they believed should be brought to the committee's attention. These…

Three issues are discussed that relate to (1) the need for the United States to become more technologically competitive and more daring in ways to produce, nurture and encourage high quality research and (2) the state of the talent pool that must produce the scientists, mathematicians and engineers to do this research. The first issue concerns…

The authors conducted ethnographic research to provide deep understanding of the learning environment of a selection of computer science classrooms at a large, research university in the United States. Categories emerging from data analysis included (1) impersonal environment and guarded behavior; and (2) the creation and maintenance of informal…

This report assesses the adequacy of United States resources in support of mathematics. Section I (the introduction) considers the support of research, the scope of mathematics, and relationships of mathematics to computer science and education. Section II discusses strengths and opportunities in the mathematical sciences by considering…

This collection of articles focuses on such topics as the black-white higher education gap in large U.S. cities; online fundraising at historically black colleges; the white university that awards the most doctorates to blacks; the high ranking colleges and universities most forthcoming in disclosing racial statistics; the most highly cited black…