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)

This ERIC Digest discusses the many ways that science and mathematics teachers can lead and help develop leadership in their schools and departments. The digest provides many suggestions about how teachers can lead along with ideas concerning the development of leadership roles. Resources for cultivating leadership are also provided. (Contains 14…

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,…

School holding power, science enrollment patterns, teacher preparation, results of several assessments and testing programs for science, and variables influencing achievement are each discussed. (MNS)

Schools across the United States are striving to improve student performance in science by adjusting curricula and teaching practices to meet national and state standards. This ERIC Digest describes the current status of proficiency testing in science, including the topics of high stakes testing and its outcomes. It also discusses the future of…

Summarizes 3 documents and 12 journal articles that discuss programs and classroom efforts in which older students tutor younger children. The programs address literacy and academic subjects including reading, writing, science, and math. (BC)

This digest discusses types of computer applications used in science assessment; underlying assumptions that guide their roles in assessment; and issues which relate to validity, gender equity, instructional delivery, mode of user interface, and responsibility to the public. Assessment applications for computers can be broadly classified into two…

The systems approach provides a framework for integrating different scientific disciplines. This approach is used often in Earth Systems Education. This ERIC Digest describes the systems theory and its influence on science education. (Contains 16 references.) (YDS)

This ERIC Digest discusses science notebooks and how they can be used as a tool for increasing achievement not only in science but across the curriculum. The use of science notebooks allows students to become actively involved in their own learning and affords them the opportunity to investigate content in which they are naturally interested and…

This digest presents instructional strategies to accommodate visually impaired students in science classrooms and provides classroom examples for physical science, chemistry, and biology courses. The article concludes that prospective science teachers must become skilled in using resource materials and adaptive technologies that facilitate the…

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)

Educators are constantly seeking new ways to capture the attention of students and create active learning environments where minds are engaged and students are nurtured. The full potential of the Internet as a tool for learning is still being explored. This digest offers some examples of ways in which the Internet can be used as a tool for…

The "ERIC Review" is published three times a year and announces research results, publications, and new programs relevant to each issue's theme topic. This issue explores computer networking in elementary and secondary schools via two principal articles: "Plugging into the 'Net'" (Michael B. Eisenberg and Donald P. Ely); and…

Although science and math are increasingly important in the workplace, many students, especially females, avoid these subjects. One route to the achievement of National Education Goal 3--increasing student competence in challenging subject matter--is through integration of vocational education with science and math, enabling students to apply…

During the past century, one distinctive effort to improve science and mathematics education is an approach that recognizes the commonalities between science and mathematics and seeks to appropriately and effectively integrate these two disciplines in teaching and learning. Philosophically and theoretically, there is strong support for the…