FOUNDATIONS is a monograph series intended for those working to better science, mathematics, and technology education in the United States. This volume examines opportunities and challenges for those on the front lines of science education in elementary and middle schools. Designed as a resource for teachers and administrators who have not yet…

Teachers interested in fostering science learning through inquiry or projects must play a complex role in discourse with students. They must scaffold student activities in the classroom without taking away students' active roles. This paper provides a framework for a specific form of scaffolding open-ended science inquiry based on the notion of…

The research question used for this study was Can elementary classroom teachers identify "familiar" science manipulatives as well as the availability of manipulatives and percentage of time they are used in their classroom? Questions were also asked to determine factors that influence manipulative use, science units that are appropriate…

The purpose of this study is to examine patterns of implementation of an inquiry-oriented science program for elementary school students. Project SEED (Science for Early Education Development) is a hands-on science education program for elementary school students in grades kindergarten through 5th. Teachers in 20 elementary schools in Pasadena…

This Digest discusses Problem-Based Learning (PBL), a method developed by H.S. Barrows (1986), and originally created to prepare medical students for real-world problems by letting them solve medical problems based on real cases. The Digest contends that PBL can situate language learning in the real world by posing problems like those found in…

The goal of this guide is to make a distinction between religious faith and scientific knowledge and to dispel the belief that evolution conflicts with religious principles. The seven chapters of the book are designed to help ensure that students receive an education in the sciences that reflects the distinction. Topics covered include the basic…

While examining the broader educational reform movement from a critical perspective, this essay focuses on the national political manifestation of that movement--America 2000. In contrast to more traditional critiques of America 2000, this analysis argues the basic conflict between this reform effort and an "emancipatory definition of substantive…

An ethnographic approach to teacher action research is presented in this paper. The paper argues that an ethnographic, rather than a qualitative approach, should be considered by teachers wishing to engage in interpretive inquiry (action) research because of the focus on classroom and larger cultural contexts on the teaching-learning situation.…

This paper compares the process and structure of institutional research with three ways of conceptualizing science. The first section examines the scientific method as a process of disciplined inquiry, then compares institutional research to that process. The second section compares the logical structure of institutional research with the logical…

A study compared the effectiveness of 2 approaches for teaching students exam-writing skills. One approach--the study tips/models approach typical of existing textbook materials and study guides--used written study tips, along with sample exam questions and responses, to give students knowledge about what to do, and provide a model they could…

The authors describe the development and implementation in British schools of their family history project. The student and his social setting, the childhood of his parents and grandparents, and the methods of the historian are combined for effective course content. (DE)

This article describes a study, undertaken by secondary school students, of a suburban housing development in their own municipality. The tasks of data gathering and the forming of hypothesis and conclusions are emphasized. (DE)

Describes an individualized multi-activity, lab-oriented science course designed for the junior high that remedies the problem of equipment and material shortage as well as providing maximum student and teacher involvement. (BR)

Inquiry learning is superior to traditional learning methods in that it requires students to actively participate in their courses by solving meaningful problems. Included here is a description of the six steps of the inquiry learning process and a complete lesson plan on mobility in nineteenth century American cities. (DC)