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The present situation of biology teaching in Australian secondary schools is described in Part 1 of the proceedings of the 1970 conference on "Biological Education in Australian Secondary Schools." The six papers discuss the relationship of biology to other science and non-science subjects, enrollment trends, teacher qualifications, and assessment practices used in each state. Part 2 contains three papers which suggest some aims of biological education for Australian conditions, and a summary of the discussion of these proposed aims. Papers evaluating the Australian adaptation of the BSCS programs, the biology component of the New South Wales "Science" courses, the Queensland "Zoology" course, and the pilot course in "Human Biology" offered in Western Australia, are contained in Part 3. Three background review papers, on discussion as a teaching technique, on the value of laboratory work, and on research on "inquiry" teaching, are included, together with reports of working groups that discussed evaluation techniques, teaching techniques, and the appropriate content of future courses. The report concludes with a list of eight recommendations to the conference sponsors, the Australian Academy of Science. (AL)

These proceedings of a conference sponsored by the International Biological Programme committee of the Australian Academy of Science contain the six major papers presented to the conference. An overview of the perspectives and responsibilities resulting from environmental change is followed by an outline of a strategy for curriculum development and implementation in environmental education at elementary and secondary levels. Three other papers are concerned with biological education; one an analysis of curricula and textbooks used in Australian schools from the point of view of relevance to environmental issues; one an account of a biologically based environmental education course for non-biologists at university level; and one the discussion of teaching biology to infants. A paper on the responsibilities of the mass media for producing an groups on "Environmental Education in the Schools,""Environmental Education in the Community,""Environmental Education at the Tertiary Level" and "The Education of Environmental Scientists" conclude the report. A list of conference participants is appended. (AL)