Boosting Science Teaching: Two of the nation’s most prestigious scientific bodies have weighed in on behalf of science teaching, one with money, the other with advice. The National Science Foundation awarded Stanford University $2.7 million to develop a middle-grades curriculum in human biology that will focus on physical, social, and psychological development of adolescent students. The advice came from a 13member committee of the National Academy of Sciences’ National Research Council. The group argued in a report that lasting improvement in science teaching requires the creation of a permanent national organization of scientists and science educators to monitor and hone reform efforts. The report also says that any effort to improve the quality of science instruction must begin at the elementary level. Copies of the report, Fulfilling the Promise: Biology Education in the Nation’s Schools, are available for $14.95 each, plus shipping, from the National Academy Press, 2101 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20418.
Jeffrey Porro
