This book represents the final report of the planning phase in the development of an instructional system to be implemented at Cubberley High School in the Palo Alto Unified School District. The purpose of this project is to develop a pilot science learning system in the earth/life sciences. The systems analysis approach was utilized in an attempt…

Rapid advances in microelectronics over the past few years have generally been beneficial, but they have also created some problems, and questions must be asked about the philosophy for including aspects of the new technology in the school curriculum. This statement, prepared by the Microelectronics and Science Education Subcommittee of the…

During the summer of 1986 a group of 15 racially diverse students entering 10th and 11th grades participated in an intensive 4-week course taught by members of an NSF-funded project. The project's goals were to develop science and mathematics curricula based on the principles of systems dynamics. The course was a test of materials intended to…

This project report outlines the specifications for the various aspects of the Cubberly-Lockheed Instructional System, a pilot secondary science learning system specifically for the earth/life sciences. Part I of the report presents a discussion of the general specifications for the Phase II System which emphasizes individualized instruction. Part…

Perceptions and attitudes have been identified as being influential components for the development of an effective precollege science education program. A carefully planned and implemented public relations program is advocated in this paper as a means of developing accurate perceptions and positive attitudes. The paper offers the process of…

The present research addresses the issues of whether there exist certain cognitive skills that facilitate transfer, and whether such skills are themselves transferable across domains. Of primary concern is the instructability of such skills. The Systems Thinking and Curriculum Innovation Project (STACI) is a two-year research project testing the…

The 12 lessons presented in this guide are structured so that they may be integrated into science lessons in 7th-, 8th-, or 9th-grades. Suggestions are made for extension of study. Lessons are approached through classroom role-playing of outer space visitors who seek to understand energy conversion principles used on Earth. Major emphasis is…

This is the second of two reports on the first year activities and results of the Systems Thinking and Curriculum Innovation Project (STACI), a two-year project which is examining the cognitive demands and consequences of using the STELLA (Structural Thinking Experimental Learning Laboratory with Animation) software to teach systems thinking,…

Describes the Systems Thinking and Curriculum Innovation (STACI) Project, which is examining the impact of a technology-based curriculum innovation on teaching and learning outcomes in high school science and social studies. Systems thinking is discussed, simulation-modeling software is described, and implications for technology in educational…

Presented is the fifth formative evaluation report on "Me and My Environment," a 3-year environmental sciences program developed for 13-to 16-year old educable mentally handicapped (EMH) children by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS). The first half of the document consists of samples of student performance on specific…