Science education is undergoing an upheaval more fundamental than the one that occurred in the aftermath of Sputnik. Research during the past 40 years has led to a radical change in the way we view children's learning of science. The National Science Education Standards (NSES) suggest a new model for teaching science based upon these research findings. Societal changes, particularly changes in business, have put pressure on schools to alter the emphasis of curricula from rote memory and individual competition to problem solving using a variety of technological skills and teamwork/team competition. This timely book addresses all these issues by describing projects that K-12 teachers can use to achieve the goals set forth by both NSES and business. It also provides scientists with examples of how they and their coworkers might better interact with K-12 science education to encourage a more scientifically literate society. Finally, it includes suggestions for future research in science education.

This book provides descriptions of a number of programs that encourage students in grades K-12 (and interested others) to interact with scientists in a manner that enhances students' understanding of the process of inquiry through Student-Scientist Partnerships (SSPs). The projects include the GLOBE program, Feeder Watch, Sun Photometer Atmospheric Network (SPAN), the Aquanaut Program, Earth Watch, Mars Exploration, and Image Processing. For each of these programs, examples of how teachers have used these opportunities to expand their students' and their own understanding of open-ended inquiry are described. The appendix includes a list of contact persons for each of these programs, as well as many others including the Desert and Desertification Project; GREEN; Journey North; the Natural Resources, Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Program; the Student Research Apprenticeship Program; and many others. Some of the critical aspects of all these projects are that students are engaged in authentic problem solving, that is, true inquiry (not simply completing labs with preset answers); they use technology appropriately (these research projects could not be done more efficiently in any other way); they use technology as an integral part of learning scientific concepts (not just glorified workbook pages or fancy thermometers); and they interact with others interested in the same problems, including scientists and other groups of peers.

The descriptions of the projects do not neglect other important issues such as accuracy of data collection and data verification, types of needed hardware and software, and the critical nature of technical support. Data accuracy is not only important for students, but is also critical to the usefulness of the data to scientists and the broader research community. The types of data verification in SSPs vary from peer monitoring (Project North), to scientist monitoring with subsequent discarding of implausible data (Feeder Watch), to statistical analysis of data using an Error Matrix (GLOBE). Mims, Kreuger et al., Morse and Sabelli, and Pea (Chapters 4, 9, 10, and 11, respectively) provide excellent descriptions of types of hardware and software needed for conducting research using SSPs. The project of Pea et. al. is one of the more ambitious with respect to the kinds of computer hardware and software necessary. The Mims project uses less sophisticated computer applications but still attends to the basic requirements for successful research involving SSPs. The underpinning philosophy of the book, however, is that technology should not be used for technology's sake. Rather, it should be used as necessary for productive inquiry. This idea was recently highlighted both by the educational technology community at the Ernest L. Boyer Technology Summits (which included representatives from all 50 states and Puerto Rico) and by NCATE (National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education) in their the recent recommendations for changes in certification guidelines.

The projects also include a broad definition of scientist-not only university research scientists, but also such diverse individuals as architects, engineers, forest conservationists, amateur scientists, undergraduate and graduate students, precollege students, and science teachers. This broader definition provides for a greater variety of potential and relevant partnerships appropriate to almost any science teaching-learning environment such as K-12 schools, alternative schools, and museums.

Through the project descriptions, the book also provides teacher educators with examples of how technology is being used in elementary, middle, and high schools to enhance students' understanding of science concepts. This is especially critical given upcoming changes in NCATE accreditation standards requiring preservice teachers to have experience integrating technology with conceptual learning.

Finally, the example programs described suggest to the science community means by which they might engage in broad-scale research previously not feasible. The pressure to publish, to complete a report to superiors or the voting public, or to produce a sellable product often limits projects to those that can produce results in a short period of time. Limited funding further inhibits the breadth of studies by limiting the number of data collection sites. By enlisting the assistance of public school students and the general public, scientists can engage in projects as broad as migration patterns of various animal species (e.g., Feeder Watch and Project North), interactions between weather patterns and the biosphere (e.g., the GLOBE Project) and even determine factors that affect marine environments (e.g. the Aquanaut Program). Scientists can also better utilize data being sent back from space (e.g., Mars Exploration).

This is an excellent resource for preservice and inservice teachers interested in finding out about opportunities for themselves and their students to engage in true inquiry, for scientists interested in becoming more involved with K-12 science education, and for teacher educators wanting a concise reference for current SSP programs.