Teachers are increasingly expected to incorporate Project-based learning (PBL) pedagogy to teach science. While teachers' definitions and challenges in the use of PBL are widely studied, very few studies focus on the development of a teacher's knowledge of the use of PBL over multiple projects. The current research is an in-depth case study aimed…

This study examines the personal and curricular resources available to Delaware's elementary teachers during a time of innovative curriculum change, i.e., their knowledge, goals and beliefs regarding elementary engineering curriculum and the pedagogical support to teach two Science and Engineering Practices provided by science teaching materials.…

Despite significant pressure to reform science teaching and learning in K12 schools, and a concurrent call to reform undergraduate courses, higher education science content courses have remained relatively static. Higher education science faculty have few opportunities to explore research on how people learn, examine state or national science…

The purpose of this study was to a) investigate prospective physics teachers' views on their knowledge about new physics concepts introduced in Turkish High School Physics Curricula; b) investigate the sources of their acquired knowledge about these new physics concepts; and c) explore if there were differences in views on knowledge about these…

South African schools have been confronted with educational reform since the mid-nineties and the process is still continuing. The concomitant changes put a very high demand on physical sciences teachers and also have an impact on teacher behaviour. The purpose of this study was to probe whether teachers could be considered equipped to teach the…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine agricultural science teacher comfort with a new high school Advanced Life Science: Animal course and determine their perceptions of student impact. The advanced science course is eligible for college credit. The teachers revealed they felt confident of their science background in preparation…

This study uses a sample of 454 teachers engaged in an inquiry science program to examine the effects of different characteristics of professional development on teachers' knowledge and their ability to implement the program. The authors analyzed results from a survey of teachers served by 28 professional development providers within a…

Investigates the five most common reasons teachers give for not involving students in hands-on classroom activities: too much work, too chaotic, lack of teacher science content knowledge, incompatibility with the curriculum, and lack of materials. Provides strategies for avoiding these excuses. (DDR)

An American Institute of Physics survey was modified to determine major physics topics emphasized in small Missouri high schools and teachers' perceived adequacy to teach them. Data tables show the emphasis that 103 Missouri teachers placed on 38 physics topics, compared to national counterparts, as well as teachers' perceptions of their knowledge…

Uses data from a survey of Perth lower secondary science teachers to reveal low levels of inquiry and determine the nature of the laboratory work undertaken by their students. Contains 29 references. (DDR)

This report presents the results of a mail survey conducted to ascertain Texas elementary teachers' opinions of their level of preparedness to implement the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) science curriculum. Most of the teachers (89%) had read the TEKS science curriculum requirements, and many (55.9%) did not think the requirements…

This study reports one investigation to better understand teachers' perspectives about teaching Science, Technology, and Society (STS). The study examined five teachers' perceptions of STS topics taught or not taught in their local schools. These teachers completed a summer workshop or an academic year class on STS. The curricula in the two STS…

Describes how two teachers collaborated with a university-based researcher/teacher educator to design and implement more authentic science in a grade 7 classroom. Discusses the ways in which the teachers changed their views about science and science teaching, the anxieties they experienced, and the institutional constraints that impacted their…

The 40 papers from this international conference addressed the major theme of facilitating science literacy for all teachers and students. Papers include the following: (1) "Confronting the Gender Gap in Science and Mathematics: The Sisters in Science Program" (P. Hammrich); (2) Teaching Instructional Materials for Science Educators with…

This proceedings of the 1997 Annual International Conference of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science (AETS) includes a copy of the conference program and 43 papers and presentation summaries from the meeting, placed in order by conference session. Among the topics of the papers include are: reading-to-learn and writing-to-learn…