This project is the result of 7 years of planning and work by members of the science and mathematics departments to produce a change in the science education of non-science-majors. Two years ago, the faculty of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences voted to modify the curriculum to increase the core science requirement to include a capstone course in science called Science and Technology Today. This multidisciplinary integrated science course has been designed to use current topics in science, multimedia computers, existing international collaborations, Internet, cooperative learning techniques, and laboratory exercises to provide a new science experience for students. The new course depends on in-class use, by students working in pairs, of multimedia computers and instructor-controlled laser disk textbooks with liquid crystal display monitors and overhead projection to student work areas. The pilot section of the course has been given with such encouraging results that the details have been written and submitted as a paper to the Journal of College Science Teaching. Through this project, the department has acquired the necessary multimedia equipment, computers, and laser disk players, to support the full implementation of this new course, which can be taken by 400 students per year.
