ABSTRACT
Educational reform is under way, everywhere. No one seems satisfied with the schools, anywhere. At the moment, science, mathematics and technology education, in particular, are the subjects of special attention, partly because there are apparent connections between these fields and economic productivity, partly because they seem essential for survival in what appears to be an increasingly complex, technological, puzzling, and risky world. And so every country in our group of 13 is allocating scarce public resources to make things better. All around the world researchers and educators are setting out new content for students which they hope will be more closely connected to their lives. Strategies for educational change are being devised that, it is hoped, will bring about the needed improvements. This book has presented stories of current reform-in terms of content and of strategies-in these subjects from our 23 case studies. We have included descriptions of how some teachers are working with students in new ways. And we have seen several ventures in which teachers have themselves played a central role in crafting the reforms. The stories have also illuminated some of the general and practical theories on which these innovations are based. Finally, we have seen that our 23 innovations are similar in important ways, yet each is unique.
