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This article deals with trends in postsecondary science in the US. Analysis of the literature indicates that science is undergoing a subtle but steady metamorphosis in higher education as follows: a shift in the research paradigm, the rising tide of commercialism, more stringent human subject research regulations, teaching for a scientific workforce, the instructional technology invasion, pressure to participate in teacher education, ethnic & gender inequalities, a proliferation of research disciplines, & fading public influence. It is time that the university science community comes to the realization that science in higher education, like any other human enterprise, is as good as the people who learn, teach, research, & work in it; &, most important, that the future of science depends on how it is used for the welfare of all mankind. 32 References. [Copyright 2003 Sage Publications, Inc.]

This article deals with trends in postsecondary science in the United States. Analysis of the literature indicates that science is undergoing a subtle but steady metamorphosis in higher education as follows: a shift in the research paradigm, the rising tide of commercialism, more stringent human subject research regulations, teaching for a scientific workforce, the instructional technology invasion, pressure to participate in teacher education, ethnic and gender inequalities, a proliferation of research disciplines, and fading public influence. It is time that the university science community comes to the realization that science in higher education, like any other human enterprise, is as good as the people who learn, teach, research, and work in it and, most important, that the future of science depends on how it is used for the welfare of all mankind.

This article explores avenues for fostering collaborations between the United States and Canada in science and technology in the context of the Science, Technology, and Society (STS) movement. STS deals with real-world applications and issues of science and technology, and by taking a real-world approach to science in schools and colleges in the United States and Canada, both nations would benefit. Benefits significantly outnumber drawbacks by solving problems stemming from a common border. The United States and Canada are better served by joining forces in regard to a multitude of science and technology concerns that cannot be solved singularly by either country. STS is not a panacea but a platform for fostering long-term collaborations between the United States and Canada in science and technology via secondary and postsecondary institutions.

AbstractThis article introduces Science Education Policy: A Symposium. The symposium examines trends and issues from the vantage points of individuals from a variety of backgrounds who are concerned with science education in the US. Although optimistic, most of the contributors to this symposium agree that considerable research and evaluation is still needed before we can make informed policy decisions that would have a lasting impact on science education. The expected outcome of the symposium is to stimulate discussions among educators and policymakers.

AbstractThis article argues for policies regarding the implementation of evaluation as an integral part of science education reform. Approaches to evaluation should be made comprehensive enough to include multiple methods and, through their use, to gain in‐depth information on large‐scale science education programs and projects. There must be a sustained commitment from stakeholders such as the National Science Foundation to support the training of specialists in the evaluation of science education. Specialists who are able to arrive at independent conclusions that are meaningful and beneficial for science teaching and learning are needed. Evaluation recommendations posited by the authors should be put through careful analysis and feasibility testing before moving to widespread adoption.

Discusses policy changes that would improve science and technology education in the US, covering curricula, teacher training, funding and other support, and evaluation of programs; 7 articles. Contents: Science education policy: a symposium, by David D. Kumar and James W. Altshuld; The quest for a coherent school science curriculum: the need for an organizing principle, by William H. Schmidt; Science teacher education: from a fractured system to a seamless continuum, by Jane Butler Kahle and Marie Kronebusch; The need for comprehensive evaluation in science education, by David D. Kumar and James W. Altschuld; Systemic reform: good educational practice with positive impacts and unresolved problems and issues, by Bernice Taylor Anderson, Costello L. Brown, and Julio Lopez-Ferrao; A veteran's view of science education today, by J. Stanley Marshall; US science education: the veiw from a practicing scientist, by Ruth A. Altschuld.

A reanalysis of selected national and state-level STS implementation data is reported in this article. The results indicate that teacher education, suitable curriculum materials, and insufficient class time are major issues affecting STS implementation in the United States. Only three states have addressed 50% or more of the STS implementation criteria in their science curriculum frameworks as recommended by the National Science Education Standards. A closer look at one state (Florida) revealed that approximately half of the school districts had STS in science, nearly a third had it in social studies, and the majority of STS instruction occurred at the middle and secondary levels. Additionally, STS is often taught via environmental concerns, and as such, it may be skewed toward activist positions rather than analyzing all (positive and we negative) aspects of the impact of science and technology on society. Using the data as a base, implications are drawn for teacher education, the development of materials, and general policy concerns regarding STS.