The relationship between students' use of PeerWise, an online tool that facilitates peer learning through student-generated content in the form of multiple-choice questions (MCQs), and achievement, as measured by their performance in the end-of-module examinations, was investigated in 5 large early-years science modules (in physics, chemistry and…

Reported is an evaluation study of elementary school children's achievement of Science A Process Approach (SAPA) in grade four. A group test consisting of several tasks, providing immediate feedback on overall class performance was undertaken. The tasks focused on behaviors and provided for assessment of transfer of learning and ability to…

Integrated quantitatively the collective research dealing with the effects of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) on student performance and attitude. The weighted mean effect size was 0.09, indicating that the performance of ISCS students was 0.09 standard deviations about the performance of students in traditional science courses.…

Reports on the District of Columbia school system's competency-based curriculum plan for education accountability. (BB)

In 1981 a meta-analysis of research in science education was completed by a team of researchers under the direction of Ronald Anderson at the University of Colorado. Individual teams synthesized the extant research using meta-analysis procedures. One of the syntheses showed that the post-Sputnik or "new" science programs on the whole…

Reports a study to determine if pre-knowledge of behavioral objectives affected students' achievement in the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study course (ISCS). Results indicated students of low science ability showed significant gain while students of high science ability did not. (EB)

Student achievement and attitude changes resulting from two different approaches to teaching of physical science were studied among 94 non-science freshmen enrolled at Valley City State College during the 1970-71 winter quarter. Thirty-four students were taught the laboratory-oriented Physical Science for Nonscience Students (PSNS) Project course…

Suggests that a possible explanation of why student achievement in science is higher than nationwide statistics rests in the combined systemwide philosophy of education combined with the implementation of science curricula K-8 which was compatible with the district philosphy. Data tables are presented. (EB)

This study investigates the interaction between student values and values relevant for certain courses. The objective is to show how disparities between the value systems of students successfully completing three high school courses and those perceived by students electing the courses are related to course selection and academic success. The three…

Analyzed was the effectiveness of audio tapes used as a supplement to reading the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) first level materials. The instruments used on a pretest and posttest basis to compare the growth as a result of using audio tapes were: (1) Prouse Subject Preference Survey, (2) Test on Understanding Science, Form W, (3)…

Reports results supporting the theoretical rationale that there are certain cognitive skills, including data interpretation, identification of assumptions and hypotheses, and controlling of variables, that appear to be necessary for successful understanding of the heterotroph hypothesis, as presented in the BSCS Blue Version. Implications for…

This study compared the achievement and attitudes of twelfth-grade PSSC physics students when they were given lists of behavioral objectives as compared to when they were not given these lists prior to instruction. Five classes of students were involved, one class remaining a control group throughout the 20-week experiment. Students were…

This study was designed to determine experimentally the relationship between achievement and grade level for 64 tenth-grade students, 48 eleventh-grade students, and 95 twelfth-grade physics students. All students were enrolled in the Project Physics course in their respective schools. The Physics Achievement Test (PAT) and the algebra I and II…

This study investigated the effects of the addition of a supplemental science program to existing curricula in selected elementary schools. A supplemental science program, the Elementary Science Study (ESS), was introduced to the treatment group (four of eight classes randomly selected, with a total population of 189 sixth-grade students) and a…