There is increasing interest in collaborative arrangements between schools and community scientists to enhance student engagement with learning. We describe research in which we identify a wide range of such collaborations in Australia, and investigate through interviews with community participants their perspectives on the purposes of…

Discusses a two-year assessment undertaken to evaluate the Nuffield A-Level chemistry course. Secondary teachers selected chemistry experiments for assessment purposes and assessed their students in manipulative skills, observational skills, interpretation skills, creative skills, and attitudes. (MLH)

A battery of tests was administered to three groups of high school students who studied the Israel Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) Adaptation Program for several years. Compared with non-BSCS students, the progress of the BSCS students in biological knowledge, inquiry skills, and understanding of science demonstrates the feasibility of…

Studied the intellectual differences between third and fourth grade Filipino children who had studied Science--A Process Approach (SAPA) and others who had studied a traditional curriculum. The SAPA children performed significantly better than the control group on a test of observing, comparing, and classifying simple geometric objects. (MLH)

Reported is a study on the problem-solving skills of sixth-grade students. Three curricula were utilized in the study: Science - A Process Approach (SAPA), the Laidlaw textbook series, and the Environmental Studies (ES) Project materials. Twenty-seven teachers in eight schools participated. Each of the teachers taught one of the three curricula.…

Compares effects of the Human Sciences Program (BSCS) and conventional programs on attitudes of eighth-grade students. Variables include course, gender and school (including teacher). Evaluation of results from responses on a semantic differential questionnaire indicate very positive response to the Human Sciences Program. (CS)

Discusses measurement techniques developed in the Nuffield A level physical science assessment and statistical results obtained in 1968 and 1971. Concludes that individual projects are contributors of positive and valuable educational experiences to the course. (CC)

Described is the Center for Educational Research and Evaluation, established to provide focus for new initiatives in science education research and to strengthen the commitment of the Biological Science Curriculum Study to curriculum development, evaluation, and research. Research efforts include problem solving and status of middle school science…

This report summarizes an investigation to determine whether the outcome of examinations can be used as an aid to a continuous process of curriculum development, using the Nuffield A-level Chemistry Course and its system of assessment as a sample system. A description of the course and examination is followed by an explanation of how the data were…

A comparison of CHEM Study and traditional chemistry classes showed no difference in student achievement in chemistry. The curricula did not have a differential effect on high vs. low ability groups. However, a difference in student attitude toward CHEM study and the traditional text, "Modern Chemistry," was observed. The students found…

Detailed descriptions about Project Physics are presented in this report covering the period from July 1, 1964 - August 15, 1970. The objectives of designing a humanistically-oriented course, attracting more senior-high students, and contributing to the advancement of knowledge of the factors influencing physics learning are discussed with a…

Describes some of the conceptual, measurement, and methodological problems associated with evaluating science curricula in terms of their impact on students' content-free cognitive outcomes. A study of the effects of including ASEP (Australian Science Education Project) materials into a seventh-grade program revealed several significant…

This curriculum evaluation study involved a group of 989 twelfth-grade students who participated in a given curriculum for four years. Effects of interaction between curriculum and such variables as teachers' bias, type of school, sex of student, and specific subject matter taught as related to achievement were sought. Schools included city…

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)

This codebook for a machine-readable data file contains the frequencies for the values of variables for cases that are the individual activities in the Surroundings module of the BSCS Human Sciences Program. Students rated each activity on a six-item, Likert-type scale and responded to open-ended questions about the activity. Surroundings was one…