School holding power, science enrollment patterns, teacher preparation, results of several assessments and testing programs for science, and variables influencing achievement are each discussed. (MNS)

Presented are abstracts for most of the papers presented at the 54th annual conference of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), held at Grossinger's in the Catskills, April 5-8, 1981. Papers relate to learning in museums, classroom behavior, cognitive development, male-female differences, diagnostic testing, research…

Assisting students in the development of their ability to think has long been a basic goal of education. Creative thinking and critical thinking have been defined jointly as higher-order thinking based on fact and logic, insight and empathy; they are seen as necessary for problem solving, invention, and achievement. Because the primary goal of…

Selected research studies that explore the assumption that college science students operate at a formal cognitive level are presented in this information digest. Studies are reviewed that relate to the areas of: (1) formal thought (examining the relationship between measured formal thought and that required to understand formal college physical…

A number of documents were written in 1983 by groups seeking to improve American education. This digest was developed to review and examine some of the common themes (as they pertain to science education) from these documents. They are: (1) "A Nation at Risk"; (2) "Educating Our Citizens: The Search for Excellence"; (3)…

This digest provides an overview of several meta-analysis studies which focused on various aspects of science instruction. These studies examined: productive factors in science learning for grades 6 through 12; quality and quantity of instruction; effects of various teaching strategies on science achievement; instructional systems in science…

This issue of Investigations in Science Education contains articles about attitude research in science education. It contains the critiques of nine articles about attitude research as well as three responses to critiques. One response relates to a critique published in an earlier issue while the other two responses are paired with the critiques…

Some science educators who are interested in conceptual development have considered the phenomenon of student misconceptions and alternative frameworks. Researchers have used a variety of terms to describe the situation in which students' ideas differ from those of a scientist about a particular concept. This digest was produced to briefly…

The two science education digests for 1985 contained reports of research related to science curriculum and instruction. This information bulletin has been designed to continue making suggestions for improving education, more specifically education in science classrooms. It focuses on: (1) findings from science education studies (including…

The 1982 Yearbook of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science (AETS) is the second in a series of three AETS yearbooks in which Ralph Tyler's 1949 curriculum rationale is used to analyze science curriculum. This publication is focused on the secondary school science curriculum (the 1981 yearbook was concerned with teaching science…

This bulletin focuses on cooperative learning with an emphasis on its use in science classrooms. A comprehensive review of the educational literature on cooperative learning is presented. Major sections of this document include the following: (1) why cooperative learning in science? (2) some characteristics of cooperative learning; (3) some…

A review of representative instructional strategies and programs which focus on Science-Technology-Society (STS) themes is presented in this digest. A rationale and specific recommendations for the inclusion of an STS component in the science curriculum are offered. The options which exist for instruction of STS themes are identified and examples…

Presented are abstracts and abstractors' analyses of 10 studies related, in some manner, to learning. These studies focus on: (1) problem-solving processes used by experts and novices as they worked five mechanics problems (J. H. Larkin and F. Reif); (2) formal reasoning patterns of Italian high school students (M. L. Aiello-Nicosia, et al.); (3)…

Problem solving has long been a concern of science educators, with many asserting that problem solving should be both the overriding method and valued outcome of science instruction in American schools. This information bulletin synthesizes studies that deal with the relationships between the teaching of problem solving and secondary school…

The theme of the eighth yearbook of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science (AETS) involves the improvement of instructional practices in science at the middle school level. An initial chapter provides an operational definition of the middle school. Five chapters follow which provide information on various sources of educational…