"I can feel it making my brain bigger": from a Year 8 student at Pinjarra Senior High School (SHS) halfway through the two-year Thinking Science Program. Pinjarra was a pilot school for the program in 2009/10 and a growing number of schools in Western Australia (WA) are implementing this program in Years Seven to Nine as part of the…

In times of economic downturn, college enrollments often increase. Entering students may come from diverse educational backgrounds and bring variable skill sets. In this article, the authors describe a skills-focused course developed to ensure that transfer and nontraditional students returning to education are prepared to succeed in…

This paper presents the full results from a 2008/2009 research study examining the application of a "learning environment" paradigm to the school library setting. The preliminary results from the examination of the Fifth Grade science classes were presented at the IASL 2009 Research Forum. We now report the process of completing our…

Compares the A-level (advanced) science grades of pupils who took Schools Council Integrated Science Project (SCISP) examination at O-level (ordinary level) with pupils who took three separate science courses at O-level. Concludes that only in A-level chemistry is there any significant differences with the non-SCISP pupils doing slightly better.…

Observes the progressive change in the cognitive development of students (n=141) over the course of their secondary education in an Australian private school. Analyzes data to investigate children's cognitive development across years 8, 10, and 12. Examines the influence of the Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education (CASE) Thinking…

A meta-analysis of studies of the impact of new science curricula on the performance of students was initially conducted in 1983 as part of a coordinated program of meta-analysis of research on science education. This paper reports the results of a re-synthesis of the research dealing with student performance in the new science curriculum using…

Describes Project JUST (Join Underrepresented in Science and Technology), an initiative whose goal is to create an atmosphere of systemic change within an urban school district that results in minority students excelling in upper level math and science courses. Discusses leadership, governance, and management; a standards-based curriculum;…

Compared effectiveness of a Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS)-style laboratory program in a university general biology course against a popular traditionally oriented program. Although learning gains for both groups were significant, students using the BSCS-style investigations scored significantly higher on a posttest of laboratory…

The goals of the Stevens Technical Enrichment Program (STEP) are to seek out economically and educationally deprived high school students who show potential in science and mathematics, and to train and motivate these students to enter college. Students were selected from high schools in Hoboken and Newark, New Jersey, as well as from New York…

Student outcomes were assessed by quantitatively combining results of 57 reported evaluations of three major curriculum programs in elementary school science. Thirty-two percent of the comparisons were statistically significant, favoring activity-based programs; six percent favored control groups. (DH)

The review of science education research for 1982 includes analyses of 455 studies reported in dissertation abstracts, journal articles, research papers, and papers presented at conferences. The organization of the review is topical. Topic areas include: (1) student characteristics and behavior (cognitive development, conceptual understanding,…

Twenty-five years of research comparing student performance in NSF-funded science curricula to student performance in traditional courses was examined as part of a comprehensive synthesis of science education research. These curricula were found to be consistently more effective, suggesting that their philosophies/strategies/materials be…

A quantitative synthesis of research findings on the effects of three major activity-based elementary science programs developed with National Science Foundation support was conducted. Controlled evaluation studies of the Elementary Science Study (ESS), Science-A Process Approach (SAPA), or The Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) were used…

Investigated whether a self-paced, individualized instruction course in chemistry and physics would result in: (1) greater level of achievement of academically underprepared students (N=80); (2) more satisfaction with instruction; and (3) more positive attitudes when compared with conventional instruction. Results indicate individualized treatment…

This study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of the UNESCO Primary Science Project being piloted in Grade 5 in selected Malawi schools. Specific objectives included determining: (1) differences in performance and attitudes between students following the UNESCO program and students following the old primary science program and (2) problems…