As a part of the interim unit materials in the series produced by the Australian Science Education Project, this teachers' guide is composed of five sections: an introduction to nature in the balance, tests, excursion activities, options, and research activities. Options are under the headings: The Changing Face, Australian Soils, Distribution of…

Considers the development of science curricula from World War II and how the emphasis has changed to conceptualization of science knowledge in order to encourage intellectual activity. As well, this change has led to an improved climate for curriculum innovation. (Author/RK)

A conceptual model, which provides insight into the individual concerns that teachers adopting a new program may express, was employed in a study of science teachers (N=139) adopting the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS). Results from a 35-item instrument (Stages of Concern Questionnaire), demographic data, and recommendations are…

The African Primary Science Programme (APSP) was one of the three major projects in Africa sponsored by Educational Services Incorporated (ESI), later the Educational Development Center (EDC), Newton, Massachusetts. The problems of introducing this programme in the anglophone African States and its implications for science education are discussed.…

The author surveys the era of science innovation initiated by a bonanza of National Science Foundation funding from 1956 to 1976. He looks at the methods and materials that were developed and considers the extent to which this unprecedented national effort met, or is still pursuing, its goals. (Editor/SJL)

Presents pattern of trends in science curriculum reform for elementary and secondary schools that blossomed in the middle of the 1960s. A brief review is also included to show how the society has affected the different stages of the curriculum movement. (HM)

Outlines the stages of a research-development cycle based on experiences with a Dutch physics curriculum development project (PLON). Discusses two topics: the legitimation of specific contents of the curricula and the attention to lay ideas on scientific concepts. (Author/YP)

Indiana University college teacher discusses undergraduate science education and effective teaching in introductory courses. The method recommended by educator Arnold Arons trades passive lecture for hands-on learning and Socratic dialogue. Indiana University began a successful research program which brought Arons' method to large-enrollment…

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 package includes compaction plans, enrichment opportunities designed to be substituted for the basic science curriculum already mastered, and extensive bibliographies of materials and books for gifted students in the Orono (Minnesota) school district. The project focused on training seven science teachers for cluster teaching of students…

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…

ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCIENCE COURSE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ARE REVIEWED. INFORMATION FOR THE REVIEWS WAS OBTAINED FROM PROJECT NEWSLETTERS, TEXT MATERIALS, ARTICLES ABOUT THE PROJECTS, AND CONVENTION REPORTS. PROJECT RESUMES INCLUDE A BRIEF SUMMARY OF DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES, MAJOR THEMES, OBJECTIVES, UNIQUE FEATURES, AND DESCRIPTIONS OF…

British science curriculum improvement projects on the elementary and secondary school levels are reviewed in this volume to indicate their implications for the development of second-generation programs in the United States. Included in the British second-generation program category are: the Scottish integrated courses, Nuffield combined science,…

Provides an overview of the evaluation studies conducted on the Australian Science Education Project (ASEP). Six evaluation foci are used: (1) Curriculum development process; (2) Philosophy; (3) Materials; (4) Learning Environment; (5) Student Outcomes and; (6) Dissemination. (HM)

Overviews the "Nuffield Coordinated Sciences" program. Discusses the aim, coordination of content, presentation, and the writing timetable. (YP)