Observation is an extremely important aspect of science investigations and is one of the process skills that is a focal point in science education. This ERIC Digest describes the importance of process skills, specifically observation, for student learning and discusses implications for teaching and research. (Contains 18 references.) (YDS)

Teaching through inquiry can take many forms with most descriptions of inquiry emphasizing investigations. Though inquiry-based teaching strategies typically engage students in investigations, it is not the physical activity that defines inquiry. Teaching through inquiry is distinguished by its emphasis on a questioning attitude, gathering data,…

Learning science through design offers students the opportunity to engage in real-life problems from an interdisciplinary perspective. This ERIC Digest explains the power of "design" as a teaching tool, what it brings to teaching, and what learning through design entails. (YDS)

This digest provides an overview of several meta-analysis studies which focused on various aspects of science instruction. These studies examined: productive factors in science learning for grades 6 through 12; quality and quantity of instruction; effects of various teaching strategies on science achievement; instructional systems in science…

From a science perspective, inquiry-oriented instruction engages students in the investigative nature of science. Inquiry involves activity and skills, but the focus is on the active search for knowledge or understanding to satisfy a curiosity. This digest further describes the distinguishing features of inquiry-oriented science instruction and…

New teaching methods and curricula that show promise in their ability to provide limited English proficient (LEP) students with a good education in both science and English are discussed and illustrated. Discriminatory practice has led to the clustering of LEP students into low ability tracks without consideration of their actual abilities and…