Discusses how the use of organizing themes can help to convey to students a sense of internal continuity within the discipline of biology and at the same time emphasize to them that viewing the study of biology as merely applied chemistry and physics is inaccurate and overly simplistic. (ZWH)

Some of the underlying values associated with particular beliefs a teacher held about the teaching (and learning) of reading are delineated. Also delineated is how those beliefs changed when the teacher personalized and constructed new visions of her role as teacher through critical reflection. (KR)

Describes how the geology department of Bucknell University integrated its Senior Program with Bucknell's writing program. The program stresses the importance of the following: (1) teaching appropriate writing skills and style; (2) providing clearly articulated writing assignments; (3) writing multiple drafts; (4) using the peer-review method; and…

Discusses a variety of writing assignments emphasizing critical-thinking skills for a geology curriculum. The assignments include question and answer assignments, reaction papers, short papers, and position papers. The authors contend that several short writing assignments are better than a single term paper because students improve their writing…

Contrasts the instrumental character of traditional curriculum plans with the retextured curricular landscape inhabited by a hypothetical fifth-grade teacher struggling to help individual students learn. The idea is to teach science as a humanity, so that a privileged technoscientific mindset can be demystified and the multiplicity of human…

Describes the articles in a special issue of Teacher Education prepared in collaboration with the National Center for Science Teaching and Learning. The issue articulates important visions of science curriculum teaching which incorporate both the sociological critique of scientific knowledge and the constructivist view of learning. (SM)

Presented is an asymptotic approach to "authentic" science. Discussed are the following aspects of science: personal science, private science, public science, historical science, societal science, technological science, and the aims of science. (KR)

Describes the Iowa science-technology-society (STS) models and goals. Characterizes and gives examples of using the STS approach in classrooms. Reports the results of four studies that have assessed the outcomes of learning with STS instruction. Identifies some problems concerning the future use of STS in schools. (PR)

Discusses three recent attempts to establish national science-education standards: "Project 2061: Science for All Americans"; the National Research Council's national standards for curriculum, teaching, and assessment; and the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. Suggests that such reform movements could provide useful direction to local…

Argues that reform efforts should not be directed to redefining the content of nonmajors' course to make it more "interesting " to students. Although courses should be interesting, the focus should be on scientific literacy. Focus should be placed on four or five key concepts, and the dichotomy between majors and nonmajors at the introductory…

The Old Order Amish have definite values from the Bible which determine objectives for instruction. Reading, writing, and arithmetic receive major emphasis in the school curriculum. However, there are objectives that the Amish emphasize in science, and science receives much emphasis in farm-related work. (Author/JAK)

Investigates what two teachers learn from each other as they engage in the three-month coteaching of an engineering curriculum to Grades four and five. Provides direct and indirect evidence of teachers' knowledgability. Contains 34 references. (DDR)

Investigates Grade 12 students' understandings of the nature of chemical bonds and the energetics elicited across five familiar chemical reactions following a course of instruction. Discusses the many ways in which students can misconstruct concepts and principles. Contains 63 references. (DDR)

Examines situations in which science impinges on everyday life and in which school science education is of little use. Argues that relevancy goes beyond acquiring knowledge of conceptual understanding. Contains 33 references. (DDR)

Describes courses designed to complement mainstream technical graphics courses in architectural and mechanical graphics. Vocational track students and precollege students mainly benefit from these courses. Contains 23 references. (DDR)