Sigma Xi / A*DEC Town Meeting on Reform in Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology

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Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, in partnership with the A*DEC Distance Learning Consortium, proposed to organize and conduct a "Town Meeting" videoconference of individuals and institutions to promote further development of the comprehensive and self-sustaining reform in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology recommended in a recent report to the NSF Directorate in Education and Human Resources. The major objectives of the project are: 1) to bring the central thrust of the NSF report to the attention of a broad segment of research and comprehensive universities, community colleges, governmental and industrial laboratories, and the varied constituencies of all these institutions; 2) to generate an informed discussion of the report's analysis and recommendations by knowledgeable individuals at these institutions, legislators, and members of governing boards; 3) to illustrate by a few selected case studies opportunities for educational reform in these promising directions. The format of the Town Meeting will be adapted from Town Meeting videoconferences sponsored by the Sigma Xi/A*DEC partnership in 1995 and 1996. The program will originate in the television studio on the campus of North Carolina State University in late March or early April 1997 and will be uplinked to 2 redundant satellites for downlink to 100 sites across North America. Interaction between the program participants at the Raleigh location and the downlink participants will be facilitated through 800-telecommunications links (phone and fax) and by e-mail. It is projected that the program and discussion will involve more than 2000 faculty, students, administrators, and members of the general public. Following the 1.5 hour discussion program, participants will be asked to evaluate the format of the program and discussion using an evaluation form that will be provided at each site and may be accessed on the Sigma Xi Web site, as well. A follow-up summary and an alysis of the evaluations will be conducted and made available to interested parties. A 30-minute edited videotape will be made available for distribution and later use by individuals and groups to promote continued discussion of the report.