In June 2010, the National Governor's Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers published "Common Core State Standards" (CCSS) for K-12 mathematics. Forty-eight states collaborated in the development of CCSS and, to date, 34 states have officially adopted CCSS to replace existing state standards. CCSS presents an opportunity for…

This study was designed to analyze the process of curriculum development adopted by developers in language arts, biology, and geography, in a centralized educational system. Specific objectives were to identify naturalistic models of curriculum development used in curriculum projects in Israel; point out relationships between contextual factors…

The purpose of this study was to document the iterative development of a design-based science curriculum called Learning Science by Designing Artifacts (LSDA). The study refers to the enactment of the Safer Cell Phones curriculum in a high school located in the Midwest. The curriculum was a 5- or 9-week unit in an 18-week science elective course.…

Factors influencing the implementation of physics curriculum projects are examined. Large scale implementation of curriculum projects is discussed in terms of involving representatives of many groups, including the government, the educational system, technical colleges, industry, professional associations, examining boards, parents, and society.…

The Foundational Approaches in Science Teaching (FAST) is an interdisciplinary science program that began as a curriculum reform effort in the mid-1960s. This historical study provides insights into the FAST project and contributes to an understanding of the dynamics of survival of curricular and instructional innovations. Data collection methods…

This report traces the development of science education, particularly the elementary science curriculum, in Trinidad and Tobago. Problem areas are identified that have influenced science instruction and/or the lack of it. A model is presented for teacher involvement in elementary science curriculum development. Through this approach, approximately…

This report describes development of the "Prepare Them for the Future" project, a K-3 activity-oriented science curriculum. The program, funded through two grants, was driven by the need to boost the distressed labor-based economy in rural western Pennsylvania. Data showed a drop of 1,100 coal-mining jobs between 1980 and 1986 in Indiana…

A longitudinal study was conducted which focused on the concerns of elementary school teachers who were involved in implementing the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) curriculum. Two major questions were addressed: (1) Do stages of concern exist? (2) If so, are they developmental? The sample consisted of teachers attending summer…

This is a report on a two-day conference, held at the University of Maryland in August of 1974, to examine the impact of the National Science Foundation (NSF) on science curriculum development in the United States. The conference covered the improvement of science teaching materials and instruction development as well as the overall…

In 1987, the Cheshire Public Schools initiated a science curriculum review. Teachers, parents, and students recognized that the existing textbook-based elementary science program was a dismal portrayal of such a dynamic discipline. There was community consensus that reading about science and acquiring scientific vocabulary words were not the same…

The National Science Foundation's (NSF's) institute programs and curriculum development activities are briefly reviewed as well as the current activities of the Information Dissemination for Science program. Included are goals of the program and a discussion of the nature of projects funded by the program. (DS)

One hundred eighty studies of science inservice projects reported in the literature from 1973-1980 were reviewed. Sixteen of these studies contained sufficient data for meta-analysis (technique by which treatment effects can be quantified, standardized, and compared using a "size effect" statistic). The magnitude of the effect of the…

Teams of teachers from four middle/junior high schools, in collaboration with faculty from the University of New Hampshire and consultants from the New Hampshire State Department of Education, implemented systemic changes in the teaching of mathematics and science. The curriculum goal was to design, adapt, implement, and evaluate hands-on,…

Recent criticisms of science education in the United States led to a unique experience in the Conroe Independent School District in Texas. An evaluation committee of local professional and eminent scientists was established by the local superintendent to review and evaluate the adequacy of (1) the scope and sequence of science courses; (2)…