Many school staff and their client communities are concerned about pupil achievement, skills, and attitudes related to science. To respond to these concerns, staff need to determine how they can improve their science programs by modifying the content and skills emphasized in the curriculum, changing and supplementing instructional materials,…

Many school staff and their client communities are concerned about student achievement, skills, and attitudes related to science. To respond to these concerns, staff need to determine how they can improve their science programs by modifying the content and skills emphasized in the curriculum, changing and supplementing instructional materials,…

This digest identifies selected sources of materials for science education. Included are: the Educational Resources Information Center; the American Association for the Advancement of Science; the National Science Resources Center; the National Science Teachers Association; and publications produced by the California State Department of Education.…

Safety hazards that are frequently found in science classrooms are addressed in this digest which updates and supplements the 1980 ERIC/SMEAC information bulletin "Safety in the Science Classroom." Information obtained from journal articles and safety guides is presented in the categories of: (1) risks involved in science activities; (2)…

The first science education digest for 1985 focused on data obtained by use of meta-analysis techniques on research studies of science instruction. Instruction seldom takes place without instructional materials, so this second digest is a companion one containing a discussion of science education research on instructional materials. Data are shown…

Presented is a compilation of papers focusing on new questions and new directions for research in science education. Papers are grouped into one of three related fields of research: (1) analysis of curriculum materials, especially science textbooks; (2) investigations of science understandings of students and experts; and (3) investigations of the…

As the nation pursues the goal of becoming first in the world in science achievement among students, many are advocating an instructional approach that emphasizes activities and learning by doing. Instructional approaches in science education that involve activity and direct experience have become collectively known as hands-on science. This…

It has been reported that very little time is spent in the classroom on environmental education subjects unless the teacher has a special interest in the specific topic of study. This lack of time for environmental education coupled with the lack of adequate time allotted for mathematics and science instruction suggests that integrating the…

This book presents answers to frequently asked questions about hands-on approaches to science teaching and learning. The questions were formulated by speaking with teachers and teacher educators. Variations of the questions are frequently asked by both experienced and novice teachers. A wide range of answers are presented in a triangulated…

Skills in science (observing, inferring, measuring, communicating, classifying, predicting, controlling variables, interpreting data, and developing models) are not just essential for careers in science, but they are important for almost any career, as well as in daily life. This digest presents information on how parents can help develop their…

There are ways in which elementary teachers in general and rural elementary teachers in particular can overcome inadequate science preparation and can upgrade the science program resources of their small schools. Parents and children should be involved in obtaining free and inexpensive science-related materials throughout the year. These can be…