This paper focuses on the refinement and articulation of the invitational education concept to science teaching in the classroom, an approach consistent with the underlying philosophy of SCIS. The first section of the paper outlines the nature of invitations and disinvitations and describes the ability of teachers to send formal or informal…

This report presents the results of an investigation of the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) program and the effects of the Materials Objects unit on first-grade students and teachers. The contents of the report include purposes and limitations of the study, discussion of the instruments, observers, reliability of the Q sort, the…

Described and assessed was the teacher's role in three elementary school science programs which included hands-on learning experiences for the students. Results indicated that this role varied with the manner in which hands-on materials were used in the program. (CW)

A study of 221 teachers in 50 exemplary science programs shows that teachers in these programs are unlike science teachers in general. This report offers a general profile of exemplary science teachers and summarizes data about their goals, expectations, strategies, and the results they obtain with students. (IW)

A quantitative synthesis of research findings on the effects of three major activity-based elementary science programs developed with National Science Foundation support was conducted. Controlled evaluation studies of the Elementary Science Study (ESS), Science-A Process Approach (SAPA), or The Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) were used…

Summarizes findings of seven studies dealing with how teacher behavior affects student performance in activity-centered science classrooms at the elementary and junior high school levels. Concludes that activity-centered classrooms encourage student creativity in problem solving, student independence, and help low ability students overcome initial…

The simultaneous effects of two instructional variables of degree of teacher direction (student- versus teacher-directed) and time allowed for study and the student variable of general ability are described for student achievement (N=912) in three life-science instructional modules. (Author)