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Suggested Citation:"Contents." National Research Council. 1990. Fulfilling the Promise: Biology Education in the Nation's Schools. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1533.
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Suggested Citation:"Contents." National Research Council. 1990. Fulfilling the Promise: Biology Education in the Nation's Schools. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1533.
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Suggested Citation:"Contents." National Research Council. 1990. Fulfilling the Promise: Biology Education in the Nation's Schools. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1533.
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Suggested Citation:"Contents." National Research Council. 1990. Fulfilling the Promise: Biology Education in the Nation's Schools. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1533.
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Contents INTRODUCTION . WHERE ARE WE NOW? THE MOTIVATION FOR CHANGE Education in Science for the Twenty-First Century, 5 Biology in Elementary School, 6 Biology in the Middle Grades, 7 The Rationale for Middle Schools, 7; Early Adolescence Today, 8; Science Curricula in Today's Middle Grades, 8; Teacher and Student Perspectives on Life-Science Courses, 9; Textbooks for Life-Science Courses, 9; Conclusions, 9 Biology in High School, 10 The Importance and Teaching of Fundamental Concepts, 10; Textbooks, 11; Teachers, 11 Conclusions, 12 CURRICULAR GOALS FOR THE NEAR FUTURE 13 Elementary School, 13 Time for Science, 13; Natural History as One Focus, 14; The Need to Explore, 15; Achievement Tests, 15; Science Education of Elementary-School Science Teachers, 16; Conclusions, 17; Recommendations, 17 Middle School, 18 Human Biology as a Focus, 18; Course Structure, 19; Conclusions, 20; Recommendations, 20 High School, 20 Examples of What Is Needed, 21 Conclusions and Recommendations X1 : The Scope of Change, 25

. . X11 CONTENTS 4 IMPEDIMENTS TO IMPLEMENTING CURRICULAR CHANGE: TEXTS, TESTS, AND CLASSROOM PRACTICE 27 Textbooks, 27 The Present Situation, 27; Forces That Shape Textbooks, 30; How Can Things Change?, 32; Recommendations, 33 Laboratory Activity, 34 The Importance of Laboratory Activity, 34; Current Failures of Laboratory Instruction, 36; Conclusions, 37; Recommendations, 38 Tests and Testing, 40 Current Perceptions of Student Performance, 40; Standardized Tests, 41; Teacher-Made Tests, 43; The Educational Impact of Tests, 43; Conclusions, 45; Recommendations, 46 Other Factors That Hinder Effective Education, 49 Recommendations, 51 5 IMPEDIMENTS TO IMPLEMENTING CURRICULAR CHANGE: TRAINING AND SUPPORT OF TEACHERS Preservice Education: Teaching the Teachers, 53 Preservice Education of High-School Biology Teachers, 53; Preservice Education of Elementary-School, Middle-School, and Junior-High School Teachers, 54; The Process of Induction in the Education of Precollege Teachers, 55; Currents of Reform and Their Possible Impact, 55; Conclusions, 57; Recommendations, 57 Licensing and Certification of Teachers, 59 Licensing, 59; Certification, 62; Conclusions, 63; Recommendations, 63 Inservice Education: How Teachers Continue to Learn, 64 Background, 64; Reform Movements and Inservice Programs, 66; The Concept of Mentors, 67; Conclusions, 69; Recommendations, 69 6 RECRUITING SCIENTISTS, TEACHERS, TECHNICIANS, AND PHYSICIANS The Generality of Basic Educational Goals in Science, 72 An Important Role for Universities and University Scientists, 73 Recommendations, 75 The Need for a National Fellowship Program to Attract Outstanding Young People into Teaching, 76 Recommendations, 76 Sex, Demographics, and Recruitment, 77 Attracting Women and Minority-Group Members into Research Careers in Biology; 78; Attracting Women and Minority-Group Members into Teaching Careers in Biology, 79; Conclusions, 79; Recommendations, 79 . . .53 . 72 7 OTHER MODES AND CONTEXTS FOR TEACHING SCIENCE .... 81 Integrating Biology with Other Sciences, 81 Recommendations, 82 Advanced-Placement Biology, 83 The Present Advanced-Placement Program in Biology, 83; The Success of AP Biology, 84; Opinions of Teachers and Parents, 85; Conclusions, 86; Recommendations, 86

CONTENTS A Capstone High-School Course in Science, 88 Rationale: Integrating Science and Society, 88; Organization and Content, 88; Benefits and Costs, 89; Recommendations, 89 The Roles of Special Science Schools and Centers, 90 Older, Specialized Public High Schools, 90; Magnet Schools, 91; Residential Schools for Science and Mathematics, 92; Centers for Science and Technology, 93; Recommendations, 93 8 ACHIEVING NATIONAL GOALS: DILEMMA AND RESOLUTION........................................ What Have We Learned from Three Decades of Attempted Educational Reform?, 94 lithe Need for National Leadership and Federal Funding, 96 A Role for the Scientific Community Through the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council, 98 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REFERENCES . . . APPENDIXES . . . X111 ....94 102 .............. 115 123 COMMITTEE MEMBERS 145 INDEX ... 147

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Fulfilling the Promise: Biology Education in the Nation's Schools Get This Book
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Why are students today not learning biology, appreciating its importance in their lives, or pursuing it as a career? Experts believe dismal learning experiences in biology classes are causing the vast majority of students to miss information that could help them lead healthier lives and make more intelligent decisions as adults. How can we improve the teaching of biology throughout the school curriculum? Fulfilling the Promise offers a vision of what biology education in our schools could be—along with practical, hard-hitting recommendations on how to make that vision a reality. Noting that many of their recommended changes will be controversial, the authors explore in detail the major questions that must be answered to bring biology education to an acceptable standard: how elementary, middle, and high-school biology education arrived at its present state; what impediments stand in the way of improving biology education; how to properly prepare biology teachers and encourage their continuing good performance; and what type of leadership is needed to improve biology education.

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