A quasi-longitudinal case study was used to determine the effects on secondary students of participation in a program of enrichment and extracurricular science activities in terms of their interest and enjoyment in being involved in science activities, their motivation to continue to participate in science, and their perceptions about scientists…

The accomplishments of Mexican American students have been limited by the level of education completed and by concentration in particular occupations. As part of a larger research project concerning this problem, 259 eighth grade students from Tucson were compared on the basis of sex and ethnicity, with a focus on attitudes toward science. No…

This paper contends that the climate or culture of academic science has been chilly to women, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities. The paper reviews research findings in three areas: (1) numbers of women participating in science education and careers; (2) evidence of precollege patterns for girls and women in science and math; and (3)…

Females are underrepresented in courses in mathematics, science, and computer and other high technology applications. Research in the last decade has identified a variety of factors that contribute to females' lack of participation in math, science, and technology. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following: stereotypic images…

This brochure, one in a series of four, is designed to assist school, community, and university personnel as they develop and refine programs to encourage girls in mathematics, science, and engineering. The information is divided into seven sections. The first section discusses four reasons why programs that encourage girls to enroll in…

Psychological factors that may underlie the consistent gender and ethnic group differences found in science achievement were studied in a sample of 557 college students (297 male and 260 female) taking the first semester of a 2-semester sequence in organic chemistry. About 70 percent were Caucasian, with 23 percent Asian and 37 percent African…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the essential components of the current science education experience as constructed by female high school physics and advanced chemistry students. The participants identified five major factors as salient components of the science education experience: (a) mathematics, (b)…

This master's project seeks to determine the impact which parent-child interaction has on children's literacy, math, and science development before the onset of formal education and during the elementary school years. The project also looks at the role teachers play in supporting parent involvement at home and at school. Research suggests that…

Hearing-impaired students (32) and staff (25) of a 4-week summer program were interviewed. Among the conclusions are that teachers of hearing-impaired students should expect heterogeneity in terms of their preferred mode of communication, reading ability, lip reading ability, interest in science, etc. Effective instructional techniques include…

A total of 162 students from a suburban Denver middle school were surveyed to determine the following: their career aspirations, whether they perceive differences in society's acceptance of certain career choices for women versus men, the relationship between their perceptions of their abilities and their desire for certain jobs, and possible…

This report documents the development, implementation, and evaluation of an inservice program designed to facilitate a non-sexist approach to the teaching of science in primary schools. Ten matched pairs of teachers were selected on the basis of a survey questionnaire to participate in the study. Teachers were given help in the teaching of…

The findings and conclusions of a study of curriculum and instruction in two-year college social science, science, and science-related technology programs are summarized in three sections. The first selects from 1977-1978 curriculum data which were gathered from catalogs and class schedules of a representative national sample of 175 two-year…

A practicum project designed a preschool science curriculum and requisite environment to improve students' enjoyment and interest in science. Based on teacher- and parent-questionnaire results, it was determined that student science attitudes were not positive; that students seldom had opportunities to explore, discover, and solve problems; and…

The purpose of this document is to provide background to the text and recommended actions of the Australian School Science Education National Action Plan, 2007-2012. The first part presents a synthesis of the national and international research used to identify gaps and overlaps amongst activities related to school science education in …

This study investigated the use of tools and design features as employed in a problem-based learning (PBL) environment and their effectiveness on seventh grade students' learning of science concepts. Specifically, the study examined: (1) the effect of the computer-supported PBL environment on the achievement of middle school students; (2) the…