Engineering offers new educational opportunities for students, yet also poses challenges about how to conceptualize the disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and science and engineering practices of the disciplinary fields of engineering. In this paper, we draw from empirical studies of engineering in professional and school settings to…

Considers teaching as an activity in which teachers deliberate in the practical domain to decide on actions and goals. Argues that because practical reasoning is similar to scientific reasoning, a model of practical conceptual change can be developed that is analogous to the conceptual change model. Examines two case studies of teachers using the…

Presents developments in the teaching of earth science in Venezuela, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, and Colombia. (GS)

This study examines programs for improving science teaching in the schools of Argentina, Brazil, Lebanon, the Philippines, and Turkey. Appearing in two parts, the first contains five case histories--descriptive and uninterpreted accounts of the events as they have unfolded over time in the programs. The second part of the study compares, analyzes,…

Discusses some of the problems faced by technical advisors implementing projects for the improvement of science education in Africa and reasons for these problems. Problem areas considered include underdevelopment, underestimating the process, finances, personality conflict and motivation, and opposition from key groups. (A list of major UNESCO…

Reviews current considerations in science education and some future dimensions of them'' that should lead to increased educational relevance of science education programs. (Author/AL)

This paper introduces the four research papers in this paper set, which all derive from a European research project, STTIS (Science Teacher Training in an Information Society). The central concern of the project was to study curriculum innovations in science, and to investigate ways in which teachers transform these innovations when putting them…

Described is how an elementary teacher established an environment conducive to learning in her classroom by implementing her own integrated science and mathematics curriculum. The implications for change on the county and state levels are discussed. (KR)

Presents a summary of science education research for 1983. The 422 reports reviewed were placed into one of seven clusters for analysis/discussion: learning and instruction; curriculum development and evaluation; cognitive development studies; test development; teacher education; science education research completed in foreign countries; and…

Reviews the state of the art in current science education in terms of curriculum development, instructional procedures, and teacher training programs. Indicates that science education researchers should stop tinkering with piecemeal studies and start delineating the dimensions of dependent and independent variables in new curricula and pupils'…

Examines the major characteristics of the proposed second generation of science curricula for secondary schools, outlines the qualities, competencies, and teaching strategies of the "curriculum-proof" teacher, and makes suggestions for future pre-service and in-service teacher training programs. (JR)

The author presents an analysis of alternative views about why students should learn science, shares some anecdotal impressions about the heuristic potential of the concept "curriculum emphases" in a practical setting, and examines some problems related to teaching science to early adolescents. (Author/PB)