Excursions to museums and science centres generally are great fun for students and teachers. The potential educational benefits beyond enjoyment, however, are rarely realised or analysed for their efficacy. The purpose of this paper is to describe four educational enrichment programs delivered at the Gravity Discovery Centre (GDC), near Gingin,…

The validity of statements by various "national curriculum projects" concerning the availability of research evidence to support their claims for the attainment of their objectives is questioned. Evaluation procedures employed by these various curriculum development groups are criticized for lack of empirical data. Obtaining such data is…

Continues the work done by Mackay (1971) and Gardner (1973) in which attitudes of students enrolled in PSSC physics were assessed. (PEB)

Provides a refinement to the Harvard Project Physics Course handbook exercise "Stepwise Approximation to an Orbit." (CP)

Compares curriculum project adoption figures derived from examination entries with figures derived from questionnaires in an attempt to place the questionnaire returns in perspective and give an indication of the confidence which may be placed in them. (GS)

Lists changes which have been made in second edition and explains the philosophy upon which the alterations were based. (CP)

Ropes and their uses for the sailor are the focus of this unit. Students begin the study by taking apart a section of rope and putting it back together, testing strength at various stages. They also practice tying different knots and learn about the uses of ropes in sailing. After investigating the mechanics of a block and tackle, students…

Reports data which provide a partial replication of an earlier study of changes in attitudes of Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) physics students. Data from the present research failed to support earlier findings. Several reasons for the discrepancies are advanced. (JR)

Discusses the existing design of some undergraduate physics courses, and outlines the general aims which will give the development of a physics curriculum a definite direction and approach. (GA)

The study was conducted in Victoria on grade 11 pupils taking the first year of a two-year course based on Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) materials. The magnitudes of the teacher behavior and pupil personality effects were much larger than the effects associated with different curricula. (Author/MLH)

Presented are 29 activity cards designed for use with the Elementary Science Study (ESS) program. Each card describes an experiment on one aspect of water flow such as siphoning, methods of removing water from a container, aspirators, floats, and water behavior in various tubing linkups. Activities are intended for individual or small group study;…

This document is an evaluation instrument developed as a part of Harvard Project Physics (HPP). It consists of a 36-item, multiple choice (five options) Physics Achievement Test (PAT) designed to measure general knowledge of physics as well as the material emphasized in HPP. (PEB)

In this study an experimental test was constructed requiring high school students in introductory physics to use graphic rather than verbal skills in identifying relational concepts of physics. The effectiveness of the test was examined using both traditional and contemporary-PSSC (Physical Science Study Committee) physics. Two hundred twenty-six…