This study investigates whether elementary science teachers participating in a four-week professional development workshop develop new understandings about classroom discourse and whether they are able to implement strategies toward teaching science as student-to-student discourse. Perspectives and the extent of teacher use of discourse strategies…

Despite agreement among teacher educators, scholars, and policymakers on the importance of teachers' subject matter knowledge (SMK), existing models provide limited information about the nature of this foundational component of teacher knowledge. The common assumption is that teachers need to know more about the science subject matter than their…

Science is a dynamic discipline, representative of the nature of science. Yet, young science students continue to think everything is already discovered. In this study, we examine why students are not actively doing science. From professional development to student engagement, how are classrooms and students changing as we increase teachers'…

Teacher Professional Continuum (TPC) brings to mind a messy collection of terms: induction, intern, mentoring, mid-career, renewal, preparation, professional development, recruitment, retention, veteran teachers. Currently, no coherent structure or model defines, differentiates, or identifies the most important concepts, processes, and…

Describes the experiences of six science teachers and a facilitator involved in an action research group in science, technology, and society (STS) education. Explores the genesis of an issues-based model and highlights applications of this model in a classroom context. Examines action research as a potential tool for professional development in…

Reports that young children in the pedestrian accident prone age range of four-eight years hold a variety of naive conceptions regarding speed. Proposes a primary science unit using a conceptual change approach. (MVL)

Proposes a mechanistic model for development and evaluation of national elementary and secondary school science curricula. (JM)

The article discusses observing and quantifying as basic skills, presents a model for dealing with problems, and suggests seven activities which range from kindergarten to twelfth-grade level. (MK)

Outlines the use of computer programs in modeling and simulation to provide a link between science and mathematics education. (GS)

Proposed is a plan for changing elementary school teachers' attitudes toward science. Persuading teachers, a mandate to teach science, and rewards for teachers involved in science curriculum development, the three steps in the model, are presented in some detail. Implementing the model is also discussed. (MNS)

Presents a practical model for planning and implementing a field trip as an integral part of the science curriculum. Reviews the literature related to the role of field trips in the learning process; describes the model; and provides an example implementing the learning cycle method. (Contains 17 references.) (MDH)

Raises questions regarding what students are perceiving when concrete models are used to represent abstract scientific concepts. Discussion of several exploratory investigations on the role of models in science teaching is presented in three areas: (1) interactions with students; (2) effectiveness of models; and (3) spatial ability and models.…

The purpose of this paper is to describe the model of a mathematics and science staff development cooperative and focus on the evaluation of the mathematics component. The Mathematics and Science Education Cooperative (MSEC) was a comprehensive, long-range staff development program to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics and science at…

Describes a criterion-referenced format to nurture and assess secondary mathematics student teachers. The format intertwines areas of knowledge (mathematics, school mathematics, and teaching pedagogy) with the participants in the teacher education process (student teachers, supervising teachers, and university coordinators). Provides examples of…