9:00 Introduction

9:05 PAST TO PRESENT: 50 YEARS OF THE GULF COAST RESEARCH LABORATORY

Joanne Strayham* and Joyce M. Shaw, Cooperative Intern Program Between Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College--Jackson County Campus Honors Biology Students, Gautier, MS 39553, and Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Ocean Springs, MS 39566-7000

Archival materials are an important special collection at the Gunter Library of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL). These materials include: newspaper and magazine articles about GCRL, photographs, scrapbooks, quarterly and annual reports, brochures, maps, correspondence, and reprints of scientific and popular works written by GCRL staff. The purpose of this project was to organize archival materials to make them more accessible for public use. Archival materials were sorted, organized and copied, if necessary, to preserve the original document. Staff publications were sorted, organized and used to create a bibliographic database. A display highlighting GCRL's 50th anniversary was created.

9:20 DEVELOPING A VISUAL EDUCATIONAL AID

Melissa Clark*, Cory Steeves*, Edna Waller, and Julie Wade, Cooperative Internship Program between Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College--Jackson County Campus, Gautier, MS 39553, and J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Biloxi, MS 39530

A good way to help develop an understanding of the various fields of science and mathematics by elementary school students is through the use of a visual aid. A mural of each field of math and science being studied would provide a beneficial and decorative learning aid. In this project, each mural is displayed on a sixteen inch by thirty-two inch panel painted on the classroom wall. the panels are located near the top of the wall as a border. First, it was necessary to make sketches of the different topics. The topics are as follows: biology, botany, marine science, chemistry, physical science, mathematics, algebra, and geometry. The second step was to transfer the sketches to the wall using carbon paper. The final step was to paint the murals. A pretest and posttest were given to assess the students' knowledge of the fields of mathematics and science before and after the project. The students demonstrated a better understanding of the differences among the various scientific fields.

9:35 CREATING AN INTERACTIVE WEATHER DISPLAY

Geoffrey Burnette* and Martha A. Sager, Cooperative Internship Program between Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College--Jackson County Campus, Gautier, MS 39553, and J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Biloxi, MS 39530

The purpose of this project is to create an interactive display for the J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium in Biloxi. The display will highlight to the paths of past hurricanes that have affected the Gulf Coast. The display will incorporate simple electronics, wiring, lights, and other related display items. Facts on general marine meteorological information and information on past hurricanes will also be included.

9:50 CREATING AN INTERACTIVE EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT

Leigh Hanna* and Kimberly Damon-Randall, Cooperative Internship Program between Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College--Jackson County Campus, Gautier, MS 39553, and J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Biloxi, MS 39530

As 1998 is the International Year of the Ocean, the J. L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium is developing an interactive display which will present issues concerning the marine environment and its various habitats. This exhibit will present these critical issues combined with select positive success stories regarding our wildlife. The exhibit will relate this information to actions people can take to preserve and protect the Gulf of Mexico and its inhabitants. Three issues that will be addressed in this display are the endangerment of brown pelicans, the conservation of wetlands, and the placement of drilling rigs south of the barrier islands. The fourth side of the display will be devoted to the International Year of the Ocean and will allow people to voice their opinions to their legislators on various topics pertaining to the marine environment. Construction of this display will be completed by the end of this year. Feedback will be solicited to determine how well the exhibit conveys its environmental message to the general public.

10:05 Break

10:15 DEVELOPING AN EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT: 1998--YEAR OF THE OCEAN

Olivia M. Quinn* and Jeannie Flint, Cooperative Intern Program between the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College--Jackson County Campus Honors Biology Students and the J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Biloxi, MS 39530

The primary objective of this effort was to develop an exhibit that would provide the visitors to the aquarium insight into the importance of the uniqueness and diversity among marine and aquatic habitats. The project required the construction of displays of various interesting oceanic habitats. The display surrounds the main tank of the J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and highlights a celebration, 1998-Year of the Ocean. Research was required to construct accurate depictions including light intensity, terrain, and examples of plant and animal aquatic life in their natural communities. Verbiage includes brief descriptions and explanations of different species of the plants and animals, and their "spaces," as well as why these creatures live in these particular habitats.

10:30 ANATOMY TEACHING AID

Brandon Ross*, James Baggett, and Doug Mansfield, Cooperative Internship Program between Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College--Jackson County Campus, Gautier, MS 39553, and J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Biloxi, MS 39530

A video which focuses on the fine details of complex body organs will be beneficial to students studying human anatomy. Using various sources such as books and videos, the purpose of this project is to create an introductory video on human anatomy. This will be accomplished through several steps, including research, script composition, filming, editing, narrative, and story board. The finished project will be used in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Science Department for anatomy students.

10:45 DEVELOPING A VIDEOTAPE DATA BASE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM

Dewey Bass* and Allen Tubbs, Cooperative Internship Program between Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College--Jackson County Campus, Gautier, MS 39553, and J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Biloxi, MS 39530

The J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium has a variety of outstanding scientific videos, but has no practical method of organizing them for easy access. The purpose of this project is to develop a quick and easy method of organizing the videos by subject, length, and year with multiple cross-referencing. This will be accomplished by creating a computer data base and a readily accessible physical storage unit.

11:00 SCIENCE IN THE BOTANICAL ART OF WALTER INGLIS ANDERSON

Hema M. Denham*, John D. Caldwell, and Cynthia A. Moncreiff, Cooperative Intern Program Between Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College--Jackson County Campus Honors Biology Students, Gautier, MS 39553, and Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Ocean Springs, MS 39566-7000

A survey of the plants depicted in the murals painted by Walter Inglis Anderson on the walls of the Ocean Springs Community Center and "The Little Room" was conducted. The study was performed to see if the plants were depicted seasonally and in appropriate settings. Habitat associations were examined to determine if the artist truly portrayed nature with respect to community structure. Plant representations were analyzed for accuracy of morphological characteristics and scale. Seasonal and geographic consistencies were determined for individual panels within the murals studied. Published local floras and unpublished plant lists for local habitats likely to have been visited by Anderson were compared to species lists generated from the murals. Photographs of the murals and of local flora were compared to support the taxonomic identifications of the individual plant species. Conformity in the phytosociological communities in light of the whimsy of the artist is evident throughout his work, whether illustrating a bog, marsh, field or island. Elements that are out of place, season or time are highlighted, as are panels of paintings that represent more than one ecosystem or are large enough to encompass multiple habitats. Repetitions or the insertion of certain plants for symbolic reasons are discussed.

11:15 SHARKS ALIVE! -- A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF CAPTIVE SHARK BIOLOGY

Christopher David Fain* and Kimberly Damon-Randall, Cooperative Internship Program between Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College--Jackson County Campus, Gautier, MS 39553, and J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Biloxi, MS 39530

Throughout history mankind has been fascinated with sharks. These "lions of the deep" have sparked both vivid dreams and nightmares. Many attempts have been made to alter the misconceptions surrounding sharks and their impact on mankind. These efforts have ranged from shark-hunting to attempting to keep them alive in captivity. Healthy captive sharks provide an invaluable resource to educators. An estuarine display tank with juvenile bonnethead sharks has been constructed at the J. L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium. This tank has provided a backdrop for the new educational rotation, Sharks Alive! Recommendations on maintaining healthy sharks in captivity and various behaviors associated with captive sharks will be discussed.

1:30 PHYSICAL SCIENCE ADD-ON ENDORSEMENT WORKSHOPS: AN EVALUATION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR WORKSHOP PLANNING

J. Emory Howell*, Brian S. Knippers, and Carla M. Jung, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5043, Peeples Middle School, Jackson, MS 39205, and Bradley University, Peoria, IL 61606

A study was conducted in order to determine what in-service teachers learned in a workshop setting that modeled hands-on learning-centered physical science instruction and the use of performance-based assessment techiques. Licensed high school science teachers were offered the opportunity to acquire the physical science endorsement through participation in workshops conducted at three Mississippi sites during the summers of 1996 and 1997. Techniques used to evaluate the workshop included observation, analysis of performance based assessment results, analysis of multiple choice test results, identification of persistent misconceptions about physical phenomena, participant interviews, participant journals, and written evaluation by participants. Significant differences were observed between the understanding measured by conventional paper-and-pencil testing and that measured by performance-based methods. The activities were well received by participants and follow-up interviews indicated that many of the activities were implemented into the physical science course. However, only a small number of the participants implemented alternative forms of assessement into their teaching. Assessment conducted during the workshop indicated the persistance of common misconceptions. The study indicates that the traditional in-service workshop design of covering a broad range of topics and providing a extensive resource material is not sufficient to overcome deep-seated misconceptions or to change established patterns of assessment.

1:45 MONITORING SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT IN MISSISSIPPI

Tasha Tucker¹*, Daphne Williams¹*, Joe Anderson¹*, J. Reid Jones¹, and Johnny Hughes², ¹Delta State University, Cleveland, MS 38733, and ²Eastside High School, Cleveland, MS 38732

Finding reasonable means of monitoring science achievement in Mississippi has been very difficult. Older data are available from the Stanford Achievement Tests (SAT), but these tests ended with eighth graders, before students begin the college core curriculum in sciences. When the SAT was dropped, there were no achievement test results until the past year (1996-1997) when the state administered a biology achievement test. Preliminary results from that test demonstrated similarities to the SAT patterns of science achievement test scores. The results of a survey of science teachers attending the Mississippi Science Teachers Association were presented, including an informal needs assessment and recommendations concerning the best ways of monitoring science achievement.

2:00 MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT IN MISSISSIPPI: TRENDS OVER TEN YEARS

Polynese Kimber¹*, Asakie Dorsey¹*, Linda Williams¹*, Baxish Balam¹, and Theodore Roach², ¹Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, MS 38941, and ²West Tallahatchie Public Schools, MS 39355

Variables affecting mathematics achievement test scores in Mississippi are reviewed, based on trends over the past decade. During that period, a relatively stable picture emerges with mathematics achievement most often predictable from economic and demographic variables. Data from both the Stanford Achievement Tests and their replacement, the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills demonstrate these trends. The impact of several federally funded projects appeared to be positive. A profile of characteristics was presented for those districts which outperform regression predictions.

2:15 Divisional Poster Sessopm

RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES EVALUATION TO DETERMINE ATTRACTORS TO AUGMENT MULTICULTURAL DIVERSITY AMONG STUDENTS

Donna Mobley*, Fina G. Hence, Carolyn E. Beck, and Mary F. Lux, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406

It is important for health care practitioners to understand the cultural beliefs related to wellness and illness held by various groups found in the patient population of this country. Ideally, practitioners from many cultures would be available to serve diverse populations. Across the nation and in Mississippi educators have studied recruitment and retention issues to reach the goal of a multicultural practitioner population. In these longitudinal studies of entering medical laboratory science students (n = 117), survey instruments were developed to determine the effectiveness/ineffectiveness of various recruitment strategies used to increase student enrollment and attract subpopulation groups. Students were surveyed concerning positive factors (attractors) that contributed to their choice of medical laboratory science as a career, their choice of our program, and their suggestions regarding future recruitment efforts. Results showed that the college catalogue and personal contacts were important sources of information not only about our program but also about the profession in general. Differences among students were found in the importance of specific attractors depending upon gender, age, and ethnicity. Such differences are important if professions seek to attract target populations. Students believe that recruitment should be more extensive at the high school level. Results of this evaluation showed two of the major recruitment methods utilized in the past had a limited influence on students entering our program.

FEAR OF DISEASE: A FACTOR AFFECTING STUDENTS CAREER CHOICE IN CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENTISTS

Fina G. Hence¹*, Carolyn E. Beck¹, Mary F. Lux¹, and Ronald Smith², ¹University of Southem Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, and ²North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, NC 27804

In an effort to enhance recruitment and increase enrollment in the clinical laboratory science program at the University of Southern Mississippi, 117 students entering the program were surveyed and asked to identify positive and negative factors related to laboratory medicine. Fear of disease ranked number one among the negative factors. The purpose of this study was to determine which diseases were most feared and if differences in these fears existed among subgroups of the students based on age, ethnicity, and gender. A specific survey was developed and utilized with 80 additional students to determine their perceptions of specific diseases and possible modes of transmission. Data from this study demonstrated students feared contracting AIDS, tuberculosis, and hepatitis through both patient contact and specimen handling, especially handling of blood specimens. Statistically significant differences were found between gender and ethnic groups. Females had a greater fear of handling specimens and Caucasians showed greater concern than African Americans for handling sputum specimens. Data suggested that the students have a greater fear of handling specimens than of needle sticks. Information from the CDC has indicated that needle sticks are the most common mode of transmission for job-related contraction of HIV. These results indicated that lack of knowledge about diseases and transmission have lead to misconceptions among students considering a career in laboratory medicine.

FLOWERS OF MISSISSIPPI AND THEIR CLASSIFICATION

Anil K Sharma* and John D Batty, Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, MS 38941

At least 250,000 species of flowering plants are known. All of them descend from primitive ancestors that no longer exist. There are various kinds of flowering plants in Mississippi, their beauty, behavior, function and classification were very interesting to research. Both wild and domestic flowers ranging from annuals, biennuals, and perennials were investigated. This includes flowers that praise Mississippi with their beauty, such as the magnolia, and the cotton flower that transcends to serve the world. This quest for flowers was taken far and beyond the habitat. Photographs were gathered from gardens, greenhouses, roadsides, abandoned fields, and the yards of approving citizens.

A MULTIMEDIA MERGING OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES

Charles Werneth*, Cindy Sitzman*, Thanh-Thao Doan*, and Jason Pugh, Cooperative Internship Program between Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College--Jackson County Campus, Gautier, MS 39553, J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Biloxi, MS 39530, and Walter Anderson Museum of Art, Ocean Springs, MS 39564

An interactive multimedia learning device will be designed to effectively merge the arts and sciences. The community college honors physics students in collaboration with the Walter Anderson Museum of Art will focus on an island that has had considerable artistic and scientific study. Horn Island is a remote island located approximately ten miles off the coast of Mississippi. Walter Anderson spent many hours surveying the island and studying its habitat. He devoted much of his art to the beauty of the island. NASA has also spent a considerable amount of time inspecting the island using remotely sensed data. This project will teach the science of remote sensing and the art of Walter Anderson through an exciting interactive environment that seeks to merge the two disciplines. When completed, the program will be available at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, The Walter Anderson Museum of Art, and the Stennis Space Center. The Smithsonian Natural History Museum is coordinating the collaboration.

ELEMENTARY LEVEL SCIENCE INTRODUCTION

Cory Steeves*, Melissa Clark*, Edna Waller, and Julie Wade, Cooperative Internship Program between Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College--Jackson County Campus, Gautier, MS 39553, and J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Biloxi, MS 39530

Intern project consists of developing habitat-related learning centers and tracing learning patterns, traits, and interests of elementary level students. Centers were constructed based on student interest in assorted phyla. A detailed record was kept indicating usage of constructed learning kits and the impact of these kits on student interest and performance in science.

Divisional Talks Resume

2:45 THE IMPACT OF AN OUTDOOR WILDERNESS PROGRAM ON PARTICIPANTS' SENSE OF CONNECTEDNESS TO THE NATURAL WORLD

Susan Jennings Nodurft, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406

The primary objective of the study is to determine the impact of an innovative, outdoor program on participants' sense of connectedness with the natural world. Ancillary objectives look at the impact of epistemological and pedagogical program elements, participants' people/place backgrounds, and worldviews on this connectedness sense. The program, based on deep ecology, draws upon Native American wisdom tradition and employs a pedagogy of myth, modeling and experiential learning. The researcher and fourteen participants took part in the study. Snyder's (1988) four themes of connectedness and a heuristic qualitative design described by Moustakas (1990) are employed. Data collection methods include pre- and post-questionnaires, audio and video tapes of the weekend, field notes, journals, and follow-up interviews. Upon completion of data gathering, three co-researchers were selected for focus study. Results of analysis are described in profiles of the three co-researchers' experiences containing verbatim narration and common themes explicated from those profiles. Findings reveal that (1) the coresearchers experienced a deep and transforming sense of connectedness, (2) a number of key program elements could be identified that facilitated connectedness, (3) childhood experiences played a significant role, and (4) pre-existing biocentric worldviews deepened as a result of the wilderness experience. The strongest implication of the study is that transformative programs such as this one, virtually nonexistent in mainstream environmental education, need to be taken seriously and incorporated in public school curricula.

3:00 USING ACIDITY-BASICITY TO TEACH SUBSTITUENT EFFECTS ON AROMATIC COMPOUNDS

R.A. Berry, Millsaps College, Jackson, MS 39210

The electron-withdrawing and electron-donating effects of substituents on aromatic compounds are traditionally taught in most organic text books using electrophilic substitution. Combing the mechanistic theory of these two phenomena, electrophilic substitution and substituent effects, results in a complexity that confuses most students. The author has found that a better sequence is to first introduce aromatic compounds without teaching electrophilic substitution; then introduce acidity-basicity. Generally, the manner in which substituents increase or decrease acidity (or basicity) via their electron-withdrawing or electron-donating effects is more easily understood by students. When electrophilic substitution is then taught following the teaching of acidity and basicity, students accept the electron-withdrawing and electron-donating effects of substituents as a matter of course.

3:15 GLOBAL ACTIVITIES FOSTER INTERDISCIPLINARY INSTRUCTION FOR SECONDARY SCIENCE PRESERVICE TEACHERS

Burnette W. Hamil, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762

Secondary science preservice teachers at Mississippi State University are being certified as GLOBE teachers in preparation for registration of their school as a GLOBE site as soon as they are employed by a school district. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) is an international environmental education program that advances K-12 students as researchers involved with day-to-day data collection activities. GLOBE protocols require measurements in the following areas: atmosphere/climatology, hydrology, soil, land cover/biology, and location (use of the Global Positioning System receiver). Meeting many of the Mississippi Science Framework competencies, the GLOBE protocols will be readily available to the newly certified science teachers to foster inquisitive student attitudes toward the applicability of research on a daily basis. While GLOBE held its first training sessions in March of 1995, The Mississippi Research Consortium officially agreed to a franchise partnership on December 17, 1996. Consortium representatives have been trained at one or more of the following "Train the Trainers" workshops: The Tri- State Learning Center in Iuka, MS; The University of New Hampshire; and Middle Tennessee State University. Training sessions are also available to classroom teachers interested in becoming GLOBE teachers. Mississippi State is presently conducting training and implementation that will combine preservice secondary science teachers with classroom teachers in a pilot project with Oktibbeha County Schools in Starkville, Mississippi. The project is being funded through a Public School Partnership Grant.

3:30 THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CONSTRUCTIVIST PEDAGOGY IN A GENERAL BIOLOGY LABORATORY COURSE: A PILOT RUN

Sherry S. Herron*, Raymond W. Scheetz, Gabriele Meyer*, and Thomas Woodward*, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406

The general biology laboratory courses at USM are in the process of implementing constructivist teaching and learning methodologies. Our laboratory courses will facilitate the acquisition of process and communication skills in our students by encouraging student participation, creativity, responsibility, and interaction with each other. The reconstruction of two selected activities from their present format to a constructivist format will be demonstrated: a typical short-term biodiversity laboratory and a long-term investigative plant growth experiment. In a typical biodiversity laboratory, the instructor delivers a short lecture on the topic and students work independently on confirmatory, carefully prescribed activities. Students now work in groups on a series of activities that follow the constructivist learning cycle: engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation. Typically, students participate in a class plant growth experiment in which hypotheses have been suggested, the procedure is prescribed, and the outcome is fairly easy to predict. Students now develop their own hypothesis, research design, and timetable for the experiment as a group. They execute the experiment and analyze the data as a group. Each student then writes a scientific laboratory report. The successes and concerns resulting from the pilot run conducted fall semester of 1997 will be discussed.

3:45 THE DEVELOPMENT AND PILOT RUN OF AN ISSUES-BASED HUMAN BIOLOGY LABORATORY COURSE

Sherry S. Herron* and Travis Harrington*, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406

An exciting and compelling new course is now being offered as a second core laboratory science course for non-science majors at the University of Southern Mississippi. The fully integrated lecture and laboratory are both taught using constructivist pedagogy. The curriculum addresses basic biological concepts in a manner which stresses relevance to the human population by focusing on current issues. Curriculum materials consisting of the text, Human Biology: An Issues Approach by Minkoff and Baker, and a compilation of instructional modules including those produced by BSCS for the Human Genome Project, The Science of HIV produced by NSTA, and Outbreak! Fingerprinting virus DNA which employs gel electrophoresis from Carolina Biological Supply, will be described. Classroom and laboratory pedagogy based on constructivist teaching and learning theories will be described. Examples of individual and group assignments, exam questions, projects, and the grading rubrics employed will be shared. Quantitative and qualitative data from student surveys given throughout the semester will be shared.

4:00 MILLSAPS COLLEGE'S NEW SCIENCE TEACHERS' INSTITUTE

Johnnie-Marie Whitfield, Millsaps College, Jackson, MS 39210

Beginning in the summer of 1997, Millsaps formally expanded its precollege science outreach program to reach K-8 teachers. Initially working with a core of sixteen teachers from various Jackson Public Schools over three weeks in the summer, the program has expanded to reach teachers in the Jackson metropolitan area via on campus workshops as well as teachers from around the state at four workshops at the Mississippi Science Teachers Association Meeting in Biloxi, October 23-24, 1997. Incorporated with the program is the establishment of a Training and Networking for Teacher Design Center [TNTD Center] at Millsaps. Located in Olin Hall of Science, this laboratory room is suitable for workshop use as well as individual work with the collection of science teaching resources that involve hands-on learning. The Millsaps Education Department and the Chemistry Department have worked together in designing a program that incorporates the interface of K-8 in-service teachers with Millsaps' elementary pre-service education students. The program has been designed to address various goals of AMERICA 2000 as well as professional development standards of The National Science Education Standards. Financial support from an Eisenhower Grant from Mississippi's Institutions of Higher Learning and Millsaps College is gratefully acknowledged.
 
 

9:00 USES OF ON-LINE MULTIMEDIA COURSEWARE IN A METHODS AND STATISTICS COURSE

Carolee Larsen, Millsaps College, Jackson, MS 39210

This paper demonstrates how to design an Internet-based, multimedia course in methods and statistics, using interactive tutorials and quizzes, PowerPoint lecture presentations, and an online syllabus. While this course is designed for social sciences, the same techniques are applicable for instruction in methodology and statistics for other sciences. The pedagogical efficacy of the multimedia format was evaluated in a quasi-experimental design, and the findings strongly support the use of multimedia technology in the classroom. The mean improvement in test scores was 17.7 points over the previous year's class (the mean exam score for the quasi-experimental group was 82.2, compared with 64.5 for the previous group, where a substantively similar statistics exam was used but the instructional methods were "traditional"). Furthermore, survey results reveal a very high level of student satisfaction with, and perceived benefits from, the multimedia courseware (with responses to the majority of the survey questions averaging between 4.23 and 4.77 on a 5 point scale). In addition to demonstrating how to set up such a course, the paper addresses obstacles to course execution and provides suggestions for overcoming them.
 
 

9:15 CHEMICAL SAFETY LESSONS VIA MULTIPLE MEDIA

Johnnie-Marie Whitfield, Millsaps College, Jackson, MS 39210

Chemical Safety must be actively incorporated into any chemistry laboratory setting. At Millsaps College, formal instruction begins with the General Chemistry Laboratory I & II sequence. Through the use of professional American Chemical Society videos, personally produced multimedia programs and course webpages, necessary safety instruction is presented using a variety of approaches. The multimedia programs and course webpages allow for actual digital camera shots and video clips shot in the General Chemistry Lab suite with current students and laboratory assistants. Students thus have valuable safety training personalized for their actual course setting. Multimedia modules developed are also available for students who missed a given lab as well as students who wish to review material covered. This presentation will focus on safety instruction as it has evolved since 1989 at Millsaps as well as plans for the future. Multimedia support from the Keck Foundation and Millsaps College as well as the Associated Colleges of the South's Mellon Technology Grant is gratefully acknowledged.
 
 

9:30 THE INTERNET (WEB BROWSER) AS A TOOL IN TEACHING and TESTING THE STUDENTS IN UNDERGRADUATE CHEMISTRY

Mudlagiri B. Goli* and Valencia Reynolds, Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, MS 38941

It is general perception that science courses, namely chemistry, physics, and mathematics are hard for an average student. As chemistry professor here at Valley, I have used atom building kits, molecular model kits, tutorial softwares on computers and video tapes to motivate and enhance the interest of students. During the spring of 1997, an attempt was made to develop the web pages on internet for teaching organic chemistry and biochemistry. The word processor along with chemical structure drawing program such as ChemDraw with the help of Paint ShopPro (Psp) was used to create a text. The file was saved as a rich text file (rtf). HTML Assistant was used to convert it to a web page. These pages can be easily created and serves a useful purpose. The method is simple enough for anyone to follow. The students' response to this type of teaching has been a positive one and the authors feel that it had good impact on the students' study habits. In the future, more attempts will be made to fulfill the needs of students in all divisions of chemistry and make it a versatile tool the faculty can use to motivate the students.

9:45 USING MULTIMEDIA TO PRESENT INFRARED SPECTRAL ANALYSIS AS A LEARNING ACTIVITY FOR ORGANIC STUDENTS

C. Eugene Cain and Brian P. Hughes*, Millsaps College, Jackson, MS 39210

The presence of an IR tutorial on the local chemistry home page allows learning at the student's own pace and schedule. IR-Spec permits the organic chemistry student to call up an introduction to IR spectral analysis, review the basis for IR spectroscopy, and to interpret spectra, beginning with the alkanes and continuing through the major functional groups. During spectral analysis in the tutorial any misinterpretation of spectra is brought immediately to the student's attention. The student receives feedback on the mistake and has the opportunity to call up reference materials as an aid to understanding and the correct interpretation.

10:00 Break

10:15 CONSIDERATIONS FOR CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENT IN PHYSICAL THERAPY BACCALAUAREATE ENTRY LEVEL PROGRAMS

Neva F. Greenwald¹*, Todd G. Nick¹, and Owen C. Elder, Jr.², ¹University of Mississippi Medical Center Jackson, MS 39216, and ²Troy State University, Troy, AL 36082

The purpose of this study was to identify through a consensus process the knowledge and skills that graduates of baccalaureate entry level programs in physical therapy should have over and above what is required for professional accreditation and credentialing, and prerequisite or cognate courses that may be utilized to develop them. Chairs of 36 baccalaureate programs in physical therapy in schools of the allied health professions which held membership in the Association of Schools of the Allied Health Professions were surveyed in late 1994, via a three-round adaptation of the Delphi method. A total of 24 chairs of 67% of the population completed the final round. Mean responses and frequency of responses to the final round were analyzed statistically, including one sample, upper sided mean Z test. There was statistically significant consensus among the 24 chairs that 22 items of knowledge and skills and 4 courses are most important for graduates. These knowledge items may be classified as human relations communication, critical and analytical thinking, adaptability and ethical judgment skills.

10:30 CONSORTIUM FOR OCEANOGRAPHIC ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS--COAST

Sharon Walker, J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Biloxi, MS 39564

The "Consortium for Oceanographic Activities for Students and Teachers" is a working collaborative designed to effectively deliver oceanographic and coastal processes education from kindergarten through post graduate level. Each of the COAST members offers expertise in different areas at specific educational levels and provides a depth of knowledge and resources in these areas. As a collaborative, the partners provide the broadest spectrum of means, methods and materials for ocean science education, as well as a nation-wide telecommunications infrastructure. The COAST partners include: OPERATION PATHFINDER, a national inservice program for elementary and middle school teachers of predominantly minority students and the development of curricular materials; the OCEAN VOYAGERS PROGRAM, a middle school teacher preservice/inservice training system featuring integrated experiences; and STARBORD, a high school level effort combining training with teacher-student research partnerships to leverage computational science tools for ocean science research. Each of these programs individually creates bridges between ongoing naval research and formal and informal learning environments through focused teacher education. Together, the COAST collaboration fuses the strengths of each partner to provide ocean science activities for educators ranging from hands-on experience aboard research vessels, through Web-based instruction, curriculum resources, and video-teleconferencing, to computational science and visualization of the highest quality.
 
 

10:45 THE NEW THREE R'S: REAPING REWARDS IN RESEARCH THROUGH THE MISSISSIPPI JUNIOR ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

Joan McCoy-Messer¹*, Burnette W. Hamil²*, and Steven T. Case³, ¹Jones Junior College, Ellisville, MS 39467, ²Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, and ³University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216

The Mississippi Academy of Sciences sponsors and supports the Mississippi Junior Academy of Sciences (MJAS). Each year, MJAS conducts a state-wide competition based on research papers submitted by high school students. Written papers are submitted in one of six divisions and a panel of scientists selects about 40 for oral presentation at the annual MJAS meeting. The best from each discipline compete against each other for two honors, the Overall and Clyde Sheely awards. These awards now include MJAS scholarships at 16 two/four year colleges/universities throughout the state and qualify winners for the American Junior Academy of Sciences national competition. This update session will provide an overview of the MJAS competition, "how-to" tips for high-school educators to begin and direct their students in research, and a summary of rewards that can be reaped through research.
 
 

11:00 Divisional Business Meeting

1:30 SHARKS IN CAPTIVITY

Kimberly Damon-Randall, J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Biloxi, MS 39564

Modern sharks have existed for over 140 million years, and therefore, are extremely well adapted to the environment in which they live. Historically, many misconceptions regarding sharks have existed. "The more we learn about these animals, the more aware we become of the great gulf between what we thought was true and what really is true." One manner in which the general public can be exposed to sharks and learn more about them is through public aquariums. Attempts at maintaining sharks in captivity have historically been unsuccessful. The difficulties in transporting and maintaining healthy sharks in captivity will be discussed and recommendations on successful maintenance will be offered.

1:45 LIMULUS POLYPHEMUS HORSESHOE CRAB

Willie R. Heard, J.L. Scott Marine Education Center, Biloxi MS 39564

An evolution of the horseshoe crab with an emphasis on the scientific uses of this marine animal in the world today. Information will be given on differences between the male and female horseshoe crab, their mating habits, and their predators.

2:00 IDENTIFICATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE SNAKES OF MISSISSIPPI

Alison Sharpe, J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Biloxi, MS 39564

Snakes have both fascinated and frightened people throughout the ages. The snakes of Mississippi are no different. A good rule of thumb would be "look but don't touch." Learn to correctly identify venomous and non-venomous species of snakes, visually and by name. Find out why snakes are important in our ecosystem and what you should do if you are bitten. Information sheets will be available.

2:15 THE 1998 OCEAN SCIENCES BOWL FROM PLANNING TO PRODUCTION

Martha A. Sager, J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Biloxi, MS 39564

1998 will see the inception of the first annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl. Sixteen sites nationwide will host regional competitions early in 1998, with the national finals in Washington, D.C. in April. This nationally recognized academic competition will serve to increase students' and teachers' knowledge base and understanding of the ocean sciences. According to Adm. James D. Watkins, U.S. Navy, Retired, the "National Ocean Sciences Bowl provides a unique opportunity to help promote literacy in science and mathematics through gaining a fundamental understanding of our greatest natural resource, the world's oceans. This educational project will also, for the first time, begin to forge a stronger link between the oceanographic research institutions and their neighboring communities of K-12 teachers and students." The J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium in Biloxi, MS will be hosting the Central Gulf Coast Regional Competition. Schools from Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana and Florida have been asked to participate. The process of planning and implementing a regional competition, as well as student and teacher reactions will be discussed. Highlights of the Central Gulf Coast Regional Competition will be showcased and regional winners announced.
 
 

2:45 BASE PAIR: DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE COURSE CONTENT

Helen Farrish-Aseeri* and R.W. Rockhold*, Murrah High School, Jackson, MS 39216, and University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216

The Base Pair partnership promotes science literacy. During an eight-week summer teacher activity, lesson plans were created to cover the Mississippi Science Framework competencies in Environmental Science through laboratories, lectures, discussions, and presentations. The in-service included an eight hour day in which the teacher (1) accumulated materials through the Rowland Medical Library and through Internet communication, (2) focused on creation of laboratory exercises, and (3) selected materials from the adopted textbook to enhance the competency-based lesson plans. The environmental science elective was focused on development of course content that could be used across the Jackson Public School District (JPSD) to improve/create higher levels of student achievement and to promote course content uniformity across the JPSD. The lesson plans specifically included the twelve state competencies for environmental science and a series of methods to implement those plans through hands-on activities, laboratories, group discussions, and presentations. A resource kit was developed containing all the activities, laboratories, case study discussions/lectures, Internet resource URL's, worksheets, chapter tests/unit tests and assessment methods necessary to implement the competency-based lesson plans. The objective was to enhance the attractiveness of environmental science as an advanced high school elective while improving environmental literacy and competency of specified laboratory skills for college preparation. (Supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

3:00 BASE PAIR: DEVELOPMENT OF A LESSON PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTING A HIGH SCHOOL MOLECULAR BIOLOGY COURSE

Jennifer Lipscomb¹*, S. Wellman¹, and R.W. Rockhold²*, ¹Murrah High School, Jackson, MS 39216, and ²University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216

Base pair offers teachers an opportunity to expand the science curriculum. During an eight-week summer session, teachers and researchers worked in a team approach to develop lesson plans for an accredited, but never before offered, one semester elective course in molecular biology. Activities included didactic learning sessions, intensive laboratory training, grant writing, oral presentations and computer training. A textbook suited for the high school reading level was located and a plan of study following the curriculum objectives of the State Board of Education was organized. Significant utilization of remotely-accessed World Wide Web-based science resources, including GenBank, was incorporated in the curriculum. Relatively inexpensive laboratory exercises matching the course of study and objectives were identified and tested. Molecular biology was chosen as a new course to offer highly motivated students an additional advanced science course to follow the Biomedical Research elective. The lesson plans emphasized hands-on laboratory experiences and inquiry-based research. The course will be offered for the first time during the spring semester of 1998 at Murrah High School. Molecular Biology stresses exposure to topical issues that are of interest to students preparing for university studies and equips students with marketable job skills in biomedical/biotechnology fields. (Supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute)