Helping students to make essential connections of science content is often difficult, yet necessary to ensure a true understanding of science. A teacher offers insights on how pyruvic acid can be used to help students make connections in chemistry and biology. (ZWH)

Discusses how the constructivist approach to learning can aid in helping students to experience more meaningful learning. Discusses cooperative group learning and the concept of constructivism; constructivist teaching formats; and whether the constructivist approach works. (ZWH)

Describes a case study on breast cancer and the access to adequate medical care to help demonstrate the use of the case study method in instruction. This is one of a series of articles written to stimulate interest in the use of the case study method in teaching undergraduate level science. (ZWH)

Describes the science program, Science Community Year, that focuses on the improvement of science learning of all students by creating a learning community within the college. Discusses program cost, effectiveness, design, and student perceptions. (ZWH)

Uses Dictyostelium discoideum to aid in introducing cell differentiation to students. Students engage in a laboratory exercise that allows them to investigate the means by which embryonic cells choose developmental pathways. (ZWH)

Describes a college reform effort that includes the development of a college science course for nonscience majors. The main goal of the course is to advocate the interdisciplinary nature of all sciences and to involve the students actively in the discovery process as a way of learning science. (ZWH)

Shares excellent quotes that can be used in the classroom to enliven or punctuate a topic of discussion. (ZWH)

Describes a demonstration that leads to the discrediting of the simple electron-dot concept of covalent bonding. (ZWH)

Provide guidelines for teachers to help students develop interpersonal skills. Asserts that an enhancement of these skills will in turn help students develop problem-solving skills. (ZWH)

One major concern of science education reformers is deciding what and how much science should be taught. Considers the curricular implications of teaching science to provide students a background for understanding science that has yet to be discovered. (ZWH)

Describes an instructor's experience using the constructivist approach to teach college science (ZWH)

Provides insights on the use of case studies as a method of instruction. The article partitions into the following sections: (1) Case studies as a teaching technique; (2) How to write a case; (3) How to teach a case; and (4) Pluses and minuses of the case method. (ZWH)

Discusses a pilot study conducted to determine whether cooperative learning had a beneficial effect on the academic performance of minority students and subsequent enrollments in the elective courses in biochemistry and molecular biology. Minority students average GPA increased from 2.13 (n=39) to 2.96 (n=17). Enrollment in aforementioned courses…

Students often complain that lectures requiring simultaneous writing and listening is a difficult task. An alternative method is provided to teachers to facilitate note taking by students. (ZWH)

Uses illustrations and text to discuss convenient ways to organize and present computer-based multimedia to students in lecture classes. Includes the following topics: (1) Effects of illustrations on learning; (2) Using computer-based illustrations in lecture; (3) MacPresents-Multimedia Presentation Software; (4) Advantages of computer-based…