SCIENCE AND SPECIAL-EDUCATION - A SCIENCE-EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE

THIS PAPER IS ORGANIZED INTO TWO MAJOR PARTS: A REVIEW OF CURRENT ACTI VITIES IN SCIENCE EDUCATION, AND A REVIEW OF THE ARTICLES WITHIN THIS SPECIAL ISSUE. PROJECT 2061 (AAAS) AND THE SCOPE, SEQUENCE, AND COORDI NATION PROJECT (NSTA) ARE ONGOING EFFORTS TO DEVELOP NEW APPROACHES FO R SCHOOL SCIENCE PROGRAMS. OTHER REPORTS AND JOURNALS IN THE SCIENCE E DUCATION FIELD ARE DESCRIBED BRIEFLY. ''CONSTRUCTIVISM'' AND ''ALTERNA TIVE ASSESSMENT'' ARE TWO OF THE IDEAS SCIENCE EDUCATORS ARE CURRENTLY EXPLORING AS WAYS TO IMPROVE SCIENCE TEACHING AND LEARNING. THE LAST SECTION INCLUDES BRIEF REVIEWS OF EACH OF THE OTHER PAPERS IN THIS ISS UE WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE SCIENCE EDUCATION DIMENSION. THERE IS MUC H WE CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.