This study reports on the professional learning of two teachers of science who were learning to engage their grade four students in meaningful, hands-on learning. Teachers' learning took place in the context of a 10-month university-based action research program designed to help improve the practice of science, technology, engineering and…

There has been a call for effective professional learning to improve the quality of the science teaching of primary teachers in Australia. It seems from the literature that teaching science effectively is a challenging endeavour for primary teachers. Professional learning based on the instructional core framework is an emerging approach that has…

This paper is an examination of a teacher professional development program in northeast Louisiana, that provided 30 teachers and their students with the technology, skills, and content knowledge to collect data and explore weather trends. Data were collected from both continuous monitoring weather stations and simple school-based weather stations…

The 6th Annual Conference of the National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) and the 4th Biennial Threshold Concepts Conference was held at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, on June 27-29, 2012. The NAIRTL is a collaborative initiative between University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology, National…

Middle school science teachers were involved in a problem-solving experience presented and guided by research scientists. Data on the teachers' perspectives about this professional development and any impact it may have had on their teaching practices were collected through interviews, surveys, and classroom observations. The findings show that…

Describes a science teacher's personal experiences at an Earthwatch summer workshop in Costa Rica on caterpillars and their predators in the dry tropical forest. (YDS)

This professional development collaborative involved state agencies, local industry, an outdoor learning center, a university, and teams of teachers from rural schools. The program had three main goals: to introduce inquiry-based approaches to science teaching in the elementary classroom, to utilize field experiences to connect the program to…

This paper reports on an on-going action research study of the elementary school science education courses at the University of Victoria. The Department of Social and Natural Sciences requires that professors evaluate their teaching effectiveness annually using a variety of methods including student evaluations, peer observations, course outline…

Presents a conceptual framework for teaching science to students with disabilities. The framework suggests integration of explicit instruction in critical concepts, with cognitively-based approaches that emphasize problem-solving skills on real-world tasks. Implications for policy, professional development, and creation of learning environments…

Reports on a study designed to provide a profile of the learning styles of members of the American Chemical Society. Indicates that chemists tend to be more alike than different in their approach to learning. Suggests that chemists tend to be convergers preferring active experimentation more than reflective observation. (TW)

A survey of grade 7, 8 and 9 science teachers was conducted as part of a research program to determine the consequences for teaching and learning of the recent introduction of the SciencePlus program developed by the Atlantic Science Curriculum Project and the need for further curriculum and professional development. The survey explored some of…

A survey of grade 7, 8 and 9 science teachers was conducted as part of a research program to determine the consequences for teaching and learning of the recent introduction of the SciencePlus Program developed by the Atlantic Science Curriculum Project and the need for further curriculum and professional development. The survey explored some of…