Describes the use of "contracting" as a method to remind students of the importance of independent investigations. The contract is an agreement for learning between the student and professor. (PR)

Discusses research into problem-solving skills that have caused the theoretical methods of teaching and learning problem solving to evolve rapidly. Presents issues and questions that still need to be explored. (PR)

Describes a mentoring program conducted by the Association for Women in Science. The purpose of the project is to counteract the many factors that discourage students and decrease their retention in science. (PR)

Examines several variables that may interact to affect the success of writing in science courses and provides some student views on these assignments. (PR)

Presents a program at a two-year college designed to meet the needs of its students by improving student preparedness and furthering student achievement. (PR)

The new president of the Society for College Science Teachers describes the new goals of the organization. (PR)

Presents the results of a survey on evolution given to 392 university students in western Pennsylvania. Concludes that, although nearly three-quarters of the students say they believe in the theory of evolution, most do not understand the mechanism behind it. (PR)

Describes an experiment where the gram-equivalent mass of an unknown metal is determined by reacting the metal with dilute hydrochloric acid and collecting the evolved gas over water. This simple, reliable experiment routinely gives results within 1% of the accepted value. (PR)

Describes types of meteors and micrometeorites that enter the Earth's atmosphere. Presents an activity where students collect micrometeorites with a strip of tape in an undisturbed outdoor area. After 24 hours, they examine the tape by sandwiching it between 2 glass slides and view through a microscope at 100X. (PR)

Describes the use and benefits of prosection--a dissection performed in advance and used by "nondissecting" students for detailed observation and study--in undergraduate laboratories. (PR)

Describes a program at Drew University, in which retired scientists receive offices, research space, and equipment in exchange for directing the research of advanced undergraduates. (PR)

Explains that the use of data on CD-ROMs gives undergraduate students an economical way to work with real data on potentially publishable projects. Describes a student project using the data on the World WeatherDisc to find evidence of Indian Summer in Spokane, WA. (PR)

Describes the history, chemistry, and uses of sulfuric acid. Presents demonstrations with this the cheapest bulk acid that is available in every country of the world. (PR)

Reported are highlights of a workshop related to the geosciences sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Discussions include recommendations for the NSF's undergraduate education programs including support for individual students, laboratory activities, faculty enhancement, curriculum, courses, and underrepresented groups. Precollege…

Reviewed is the use of computer-assisted instruction in college science laboratories. Examples of computer interfacing are discussed. (CW)