In late 2006, the New Zealand Government embarked on a series of initiatives to explore how the resources and expertise of eight, small, state-owned science research institutes could be combined efficiently to support science teaching in schools. Programmes were developed to enable students and teachers to access and become involved in local…

Visual instruction--the use of interesting or clarifying objective illustrations such as specimens, maps, pictures, and the like--are as old as formal instruction or what is now thought of as organized education. In recent years, however, new visual mediums or aids have been introduced into instructional practices, many of which have a special…