The focus of this collection of essays is on new approaches to teaching in higher education. Selections are organized in five sections; the first section focuses on learning styles, while the remaining sections focus on applications in various academic disciplines. The chapters include: (1) "Capitalizing on College Students' Learning Styles:…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Talking 'bout Evolution: High School Science Teachers Share Strategies for Dealing with Controversy in the Classroom (Nancy Walser); (2) Standards-Based…

This paper describes performance-based assessment of beginning science teachers who are seeking provisional teaching certificates in Connecticut. The assessment is part of the Science Education Support and Assessment Program (SESAP). The project attempts to turn a summative licensing assessment into a formative instrument to improve science…

While African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians constitute 30 percent of the U.S. K-12 school population, only about 11 percent of science and mathematics teachers come from these groups. This feasibility study examines the Alliance for Minority Participation (AMP) program as a mechanism for increasing the number of minorities in the…

This study focuses on a beginning secondary science teacher and his efforts to establish a learning community in a large metropolitan school district. During the study, the teacher was enrolled in an alternative teacher-certification program for returned Peace Corps volunteers. After teaching full-time during the day, participants attend…

The Internet creates a unique opportunity for building virtual professional communities. The Lamda Community Project was created to use the Internet to support science and technology education as part of the Israeli national program to advance science and technology education in Israel. A virtual community was created as a meeting place and…

The literature on teaching thinking reflects a major controversy which results from two distinctive theoretical views about the nature of thinking. One focuses on content of thinking and the other emphasizes skills involved in thinking. However, an attempt to understand practitioners' perceptions of these theories is generally absent in the…

In response to a survey questionnaire, 278 elementary school teachers and secondary school mathematics, science, and social studies teachers in Texas expressed opinions that the teaching of problem solving is important and that it can be taught successfully. While most of the teachers reported that teaching of problem solving was not encouraged in…

The Teacher Education and Mentoring Program (TEAM) allows intern teachers who have not completed the required teacher education courses prior to employment as regular classroom teachers to have the support of master teachers, or mentors, while teaching with provisional certification. The internship is a closely supervised practicum with each…

The supply of traditional school of education graduates must be augmented to meet the demand for science and mathematics teachers. This report examines recent programmatic responses to breaking down institutional barriers. In most instances examined, special programs were designed to prepare mathematics and science teachers, and each program was…

The effect of limited faculty openings in high-ranked science departments on the self-esteem of graduates of prestigious research institutions was studied. Attention was also focused on the faculty productivity and participation in professional networks of these highly-qualified, new faculty who failed to secure an appointment in an elite…

This study of student teachers in high school mathematics and science classrooms compares their teaching behaviors and their scores from three pencil-and-paper tests. Data analysis indicates a relative independence between the ratings of teacher classroom behavior and scores on the pencil-and-paper tests. There was little consistent relationship…

To determine the impact of Summer Institutes on the professional activities and competence of the participants, a questionnaire was sent to 5,452 participants of 1970 Summer Institutes approximately 16 months after they had returned to their classrooms. Completed questionnaires were returned by 4,476 participants. Several demographic…

A study examined the relationship of writing method (cognitive strategies, tools, work scheduling, environment, and rituals) to productivity in 121 science and engineering faculty when writing technical documents such as journal articles. (MSE)

Through a wealth of creative write-to-learn strategies, this book offers inspiring techniques to coax out the reluctant scientists in the classroom. Newly updated and expanded, this NSTA best seller is a storehouse of practical ideas and examples for use with students at all ability levels. It provides classroom-tested writing activities that…