Improving Science Education Through Local AlliancesCollaborations between public schools and national and corporate laboratories, universities, museums, and other institutions may be a significant force in upgrading science education at the elementary and secondary levels. This report focuses on the new, inter-institutional approaches to the improvement of science education and attempts to assess the importance of the collaboration activities based on case studies of approximately 30 programs. Chapters are: (1) "Improving Science Education, Collaboratively"; (2) "The Corporate World"; (3) "Universities"; (4) "Museums"; (5) "'Third-Party' Agencies: Brokers for Change"; (6) "When a School District Takes the Lead"; (7) "Problem 1: Will the Alliances Last?"; (8) "Problem 2: What Science Should Be Taught?"; (9) "What Works: Practices and Policies That Promote Science Education Partnerships"; and (10) "Postscript: Are the Times Different for Educational Change?" The report concludes that educational partnerships could become a more significant force in modernizing science education but their replication and expansion are currently hampered by the lack of a guiding vision of good science teaching and by their marginal impact on the mainstream science curriculum. The report warns that without a substantial commitment to sustained funding by the large national foundations, states, and the Federal Government, the local alliance movement could fall well short of its potential. (YP) |
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ALCOA American Association California Carnegie Carnegie Corporation cent classroom collaborative activities collaborative programs College Colorado Alliance conducted cooperation corporate curriculum develop Director educa efforts elementary and secondary established Exploratorium faculty Fairmount focus Ford Foundation Francisco Education Fund Franklin Institute Georgia Tech grades Hall of Science Hewlett-Packard high school Hispanic identify important improve science education industry initiatives inter-institutional interest involved LAEP leadership learning magnet school major mathematics ment MESA National Science National Science Foundation organizations participants Philadelphia Pittsburgh Public Schools professional professors projects Public Education Fund public schools responsibility riboflavin role San Francisco Education school administrators school districts science centers science program science teachers science-rich scientific scientists SECME secondary education secondary schools staff summer institutes Teacher Institute teachers and school third-party agencies tion University visited Westchester High School Woodrow Wilson workshops Yale