Despite the expressed need for high-quality science education, very little research has been conducted on what middle school science learning opportunities look like in practice. This study was conducted in support of "Strengthening Science Education in California", a research, policy, and communications initiative. Partners in this…

A series of interviews and classroom observations were conducted with a group of in-service science teachers, students, school principal, and computer lab supervisors, from a "Discovery" female school in Jordan to assess their utilization of information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching science. The study also intended to…

Much has been said about what science content students need to learn (e.g., "Benchmarks for Science Literacy, National Science Education Standards"). Less has been said about what science content teachers need to know to teach the content students are expected to learn. This study analyzed four standards documents and assessment frameworks to…

The purpose of this study was to explore a new learning environment instrument which could be used by teaching practitioners and other educators to measure the language learning environment in the secondary science classroom. The science teacher is central in creating science classrooms conductive to the language needs of students and should be…

Contains the abstracts and detailed schedule of the American Association of Physics Teachers summer meeting which was held in Columbus, Ohio, June 23-27, 1986. An author index is included. (ML)

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)

Describes a workshop designed to help prepare new teachers for their first day of school. (ZWH)

Describes the work taking place on the National Science Education Standards and its three working groups of curriculum, assessment, and teaching. Discusses the implications of the standards for biology teachers. (PR)

Reports results of a study which focused on the techniques used and the time devoted to teaching about human genetics and biosocial concerns by teachers who participated in National Science Foundation workshops at Ball State University. Participants incorporated human topics and used outside speakers more than the control group. (ML)

Written for teachers of "liberal arts physics," this article about logarithms outlines a way to review arithmetic skills in manipulating powers, discusses the attitude of physicists toward numbers, and gives an introduction to estimation. (MK)

Presents suggestions for demonstrating that a teacher cares about individual students in the class in a form that adolescents understand. Concludes that good physics teaching is more than only technical expertise and that teachers who successfully engage all their students have students who are convinced that the teacher cares about each as an…

Surveys of chemistry concepts taught in (n=51) schools identified 132 concepts and the relative importance placed on each concept in the science program. Contains survey results for each concept. (Author/MKR)

Reviews and assesses major crisis conditions in science education. Cites specific findings from key status studies and reports. Proposes that goals be reassessed and that successes in science teaching be measured in terms of such goals. (ML)

Proposes that teachers possess some awareness of the history and philosophy of science and epistemological understanding of the nature of the subject area. Offers perspectives on the role of observation; on hypotheses, theories, and laws; and on models in biological education. (ML)