This study seeks to identify the reasons for the decline in science fair participation, ascertain educators' views on the value of science fair as a curriculum tool to teach state science standards and assess the importance and relevance of science fair in today's science curriculum. The Ohio Academy of Science (OAS) provided state data showing…

For more than half a century, the annual science fair has been a fixture in many a school's academic life, both for science teachers, who guide classes through the hands-on experience of researching topics of interest, and for students, who often hectically put the finishing touches on their work the night before it is exhibited in the school gym…

Surveys about science projects and science fairs of (n=191) high school science department chairpersons found strong support for preservice training in structuring independent science research projects, belief that doing science research projects taught lessons that could not be duplicated by classroom instruction, and a slight majority agreement…

Discusses the results of research designed to determine if student science projects in Ohio meet the goals for science education as recommended by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), and the Ohio Department of Education. Contains 16 references. (DDR)