Assessed is the effectiveness of a science methods program for inservice elementary teachers at a small rural college in terms of participants' concerns and attitudes toward science. (YP)

Defies the assumption that laboratory teaching skills are gained by preservice secondary science education majors through their undergraduate science programs, and presents expertise areas which every teacher should possess. Outlines activities for each skill which can become part of a methods course under the direction of science educators. (DH)

Analyzes demographic data about secondary science methods faculty regarding the faculty member's professional preparation, content of the methods course, secondary teaching experience, and information about the individual. Some implications for teacher education are included. (YP)

Reports on one rigorous evaluation and search for desired components of a science methods course at a large state university. Student evaluations of assignments are used to rate them for effectiveness. Provides a model for other instructors interested in course evaluation. (LZ)

The questions for this research were: (1) what did preservice teachers know about the nature of science; (2) what were their religious beliefs that had implications for how they viewed science; and (3) what effect did instruction on the nature of science have in changing their knowledge level? A 25-item questionnaire was given to secondary science…

Reports on a study of teacher education programs for science teachers in New England. Focuses on data regarding the amount and types of science content and secondary science methods courses, program emphasis in science content, science processes and methods, science teaching techniques, and effectiveness of science preparation. (TW)

Explores one possible explanation for why student teaching of elementary science diverges from principles emphasized in methods courses. The explanation explored states that a student teacher in the classroom is influenced mainly by immediate situational analysis, rather than principles emphasized in coursework. (LZ)

This study explored the impact of cooperative learning in a college level laboratory science course by comparing classes taught by a conventional lab-lecture technique. Students in a basic science skills course for preservice elementary teachers participated over a 14-week period. Instruments used were the Science Attitude Survey, Test of Logical…

Science may be the subject area in which elementary teachers are the least confident and prepared to teach. The purpose of this project was to develop an effective model to better prepare teachers by enhancing their content background, and helping them teach inquiry-oriented science. Three departments, Biology, Chemistry, and Education, combined…

Reports on the development and implementation of the "Introductory Science Teacher Education" (ISTE) package as a pilot program for preservice science teachers. Demonstrates the significant effect of the ISTE program over traditional methods was that teachers developed a better understanding of the nature of science and acquired more…

The teacher is one of the most important variables for maintaining or developing excellence in education. According to many surveys many teachers of high school physics earned their degrees in other fields. This paper deals with preservice and inservice high school physics teacher education. Topics include: (1) what physics teachers are expected…

Many believe that whether teachers teach students to "do" science, teach about science, or teach about technology instead, science teachers should be as culturally literate about science as possible. Also, it is believed that a philosophy of science course which uses history of science, some normative epistemologies, practical examples, and…

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the field experience component of an undergraduate science methods course for preservice elementary school teachers was effective in: (1) shifting student concerns about science teaching from concerns about themselves to concerns about the impact of inquiry-oriented science programs on pupils;…

This study, conducted in Singapore, was designed to determine pre-service primary teachers' (n=34) behavior in asking operational questions in science. In training the pre-service teachers in asking operational questions, the meaning of operational questions was first illustrated and clarified to them through the use of some examples during group…