Recommends introducing students to biology using a topical focus that can offer intriguing perspectives on the discipline. Describes a biology course that uses trees as a topical focus. Presents a list of literary resources and reviews student interactions. Contains 50 references. (DDR)

Argues that, to revitalize undergraduate education in astronomy, courses must be restructured, particularly at the introductory level. Suggests that the culture of higher education does not often support change. (DDR)

This syllabus describes the course objective, examinations and grading, term papers and class presentation, and references. Provides a table of assignments and schedule describing topics and contents. (YP)

More than half of the high school students in the United States are in general and vocational programs. Students who complete vocational programs, however, score significantly lower on science achievement tests than do students in the academic curriculum nationwide. As work in business and industry becomes more technologically based, the…

Described is a course designed to demonstrate the interactions of science, technology, and society and present effective ways to integrate science/technology/societal issues into the curriculum. Included are the course development, goals, content, selection criteria, project impact, course evaluation, and conclusion. (KR)

Discussed is the idea that scientific illiteracy among scientists lies at the heart of the problems with undergraduate science education. Included is a description of a science literacy course for nonmajors and a proposed list of the most important ideas underlying science. (KR)

Reports on part of a survey into the teaching and learning of radiation and radioactivity that focuses on the relationships between students' feelings about and liking for the topics. Suggests that the nature of the content does affect the learning of some students. (DDR)

Provides details of writing assignments used in science and technology classes. Students select a technology, research its historical development, and then comment on the use of the technology. A list of concepts that are distributed to students is included. (DDR)

Described is a two-year course for non-college-bound high school students called Principles of Technology. The goals, design, and units of the course are discussed. Criticism of the course is reviewed. (CW)

This syllabus describes the course background, central themes and issues, texts, resources, and recommended readings. Main topics are the sociology of information technology, computers and social change, telecommunications, computers and human interactions, applications in working, and social issues and political implications. (YP)

Described is a course that attempts to demonstrate the relationships that exist between science and business. Emphasized are the roles that scientific analysis and scientific knowledge and technology play as vital tools in management decision making in business. (KR)

A nonmajors course entitled Ideas and Concepts in Physics that surveys the conception and development of ideas in classical and modern physics is described. Details of the syllabus and suggestions for incorporating an historical approach into the physics curriculum on both the precollege and college levels are provided. A bibliography of materials…

Discusses the importance of implementing new approaches in science teaching which will elevate citizen concerns to science-related issues confronting society. Outlines a biology application course designed to counteract current problems in this area. (RT)

Described is a unit of study on nuclear weapons from a course on nuclear technology. Provided are the elements of first strike attack designed for invoking students' interest and an explanation of each. (YP)

The Science/Technology/Society (STS) theme describes a contemporary trend in education which focuses on the teaching of issues such as air quality, nuclear power, land use, and water resources but justification for including STS in the high school core curriculum has a precedence based on historical connections among science, technology, and…