This article describes the methods and results of an assessment of students' scientific writing. The study was conducted in an introductory oceanography course in a large public university that used an interactive CD-ROM entitled, "Our Dynamic Planet." The CD provided students with geological data, which they used to build written arguments regarding plate tectonics. Twenty-four student papers from ... Full description.

The constructivist approach to science education is recognized as being valuable for building deep student understanding of scientific content and inquiry. This article describes a study in which researchers introduced a constructivist approach in two teacher-training courses and assessed their resulting content knowledge with examination-based assessments. Contrary to expectations, the change in ... Full description.

This article describes a study in which data on exam performances and attitudes toward the use of technology were collected from large enrollment, entry-level Geoscience courses over a span of seven semesters. The data were examined to determine if the use of computers as a presentation tool and the incorporation of the internet as a means to give students increased exposure to course content (notes) ... Full description.

This article discusses the establishment of Shippensburg University's Burd Run Interdisciplinary Watershed Research Laboratory and the advantages of linking disciplinary perspectives across courses in geology, geography, biology, and teacher education. The laboratory provides an easily adaptable conceptual model for improving environmental science education at teaching-oriented institutions nationwide. ... Full description.

This article describes the benefits of research partnerships to scientists, students, and teachers. There is growing awareness that the way science is experienced in the K-16 classroom deviates greatly from the experiences of practicing researchers. Whereas researchers are immersed in more open-ended observation and inquiry, many K-16 students find themselves cramming to memorize core scientific content ... Full description.

This article provides a brief overview of the GLOBE Program and describes its benefits to scientists, teachers, and students. The program itself is designed to use environmental research as a means to improve student achievement in basic science, mathematics, geography, and use of technology. Linking of students and scientists as collaborators is seen as a fundamental part of the process. GLOBE trains ... Full description.

This article describes the Nevada Science Teacher Enhancement Project (N-STEP), a three-year teacher enhancement program funded by the National Science Foundation. As part of the project, high school teachers worked closely with research scientists, education faculty, and high school students on authentic field-based research projects in geosciences, biological sciences or social sciences. Interviews ... Full description.

This is an overview of a field-based research experience in Earth Science teacher education program that was conducted for secondary science teachers from Prince George's County, Maryland. The goal of the program was to produce well-prepared, scientifically and technologically literate Earth Science teachers through a teaching- and research-oriented partnership between in-service teachers and a university ... Full description.

Educational research findings suggest that instructors can foster the growth of thinking skills and promote science literacy by incorporating active learning strategies into the classroom. This paper describes a variety of such strategies that may be adopted in introductory geology courses to encourage the development of higher-order thinking skills, and provides directions for implementing these ... Full description.

This article describes the potential benefits of Student-Scientist partnerships (SSPs) to both students and researchers. Scientists' concerns with the accuracy of data acquired by students are discussed. An overview is presented of a pilot SSP in which 4th-9th grade students perform research on Devonian marine fossil assemblages. Assessment results show that useable data can be obtained from SSPs, ... Full description.