Investigates preservice science teachers' views of the nature of science and describes changes in those views during a teacher education program. Findings indicate that initially there were an equal number of traditional, mixed, and contemporary views but after the program, the number of contemporary views doubled and the number of mixed views…

Showed that Piagetian measures of formal reasoning ability are significantly related to achievement, aptitude, and knowledge of the processes of science in a sample of college freshman and sophomore elementary education majors. (MLH)

Determined (in separate studies conducted during 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81) what changes in teachers' anxiety about teaching science occurred as preservice elementary teachers completed science courses designed to meet their professional needs. Significant findings from these studies (which used the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) are…

Comments that a previously published educational research article did not include sufficient background information about previous research. (MLH)

Examines alternative evaluation models to expand the concept of process-product research in teaching training program evaluation. Figures represent these models discussed in the text: an education process-product research model, a conventional process-product teaching training program assessment model, and an expansion of that model. (CS)

This summative evaluation of Teacher Corps' training programs assesses the overall effectiveness of the training in terms of changes in intern teaching behavior. Five behaviors changed in frequency significantly and support is provided for the use of modeling, feedback, practice and reinforcement to influence teacher behavior. (BT)

Determined the validity of using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y) with preservice elementary teachers (N=103). Factor analysis results, along with high-interval consistency levels, support use of the instrument (previously used with Air Force recruits) with preservice elementary teachers. (JN)

Determines that attitudes toward science teaching is related to both gender and previous exposure to science education as a discipline. Gender favoring males was found to be a variable associated with a higher degree of positiveness of attitudes of preservice Nigerian undergraduate science teachers (N=120). (CS)

Involves 321 preservice elementary teacher education students in a study designed to investigate their intuitive scientific ideas and understandings. Results reveal that the majority of subjects, with the exception of a high proportion of those who has a successful high school background in physics and chemistry, have misunderstandings regarding…

Data on understanding of selected biological principles and processes, critical thinking ability, and social aspects of science were collected and analyzed to compare two approaches to the teaching of a biological science laboratory. (GS)

Assesses the predictive validity and reliability of the Subject Preference Inventory (SPI) as a measure of science preference. Concludes that the SPI is a valid and reliable science preference measure with preservice Elementary teachers. (Author/GA)

Assessed the effectiveness of conducting an elementary science methods course based on the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) on the concerns and attitudes of 85 preservice elementary teachers. Results indicate that neither traditional nor CBAM methods courses proved superior in affecting concerns or attitudes of the preservice teachers.…

Investigated preservice physics teachers' ability to make judgments of observed teaching during one of two courses. Students in an inductive course (N=24) engaged in peer teaching before receiving instruction in theory. Students in a deductive course (N=26) received instruction in theory before peer teaching. (JN)

Two response formats and request for reason-for-choice on a traditional cognitive preference test (CPT) and an open-ended CPT were used to test for consistency across methods of observation at individual/population levels. Results indicate that validation of CPT constructs has not reached state of unequivocality necessary for their application in…