Physics is perceived by many students to be a difficult subject, and misconceptions about it are quite common not only among school students but also among undergraduates and pre-service postgraduate science teachers. In teaching the topic of gas pressure to primary student teachers studying in the Bachelor of Education programme at my institute,…

Tiered instruction is grouping students for instruction based on their prior background knowledge in a given subject area. In this study, students were either in a control secondary science classroom or a classroom in which instruction was tiered. The tiered instruction was designed to match high, middle, or low levels of background knowledge on…

A case based workshop on science ethics for high school students participating in summer research apprenticeships is developed and tested. It is found that this case-based approach is useful in facilitating faculty-student discussions of research ethics with their proteges.

The purpose of this study was to compare and contrast significant features of the multiple layers of policy statements and objectives comprising the intended curriculum of a chemistry class. Levels of this curriculum include state, district, and local school science curriculum policies as well as those of curriculum developers and teacher. An…

The impact of curriculum change on student career preference was examined; specifically, the influence of the courses students take in geology or earth science in middle school or junior high on their career preferences was investigated. A sample of 545 high school students (average age = 16.74 years) was surveyed. A survey instrument with…

This bilingual glossary of the biological/life sciences is one in a series developed to help high school students who are literate in their native Vietnamese, but not in English, to meet graduation requirements. Major biological science concepts and definitions of important and commonly used terms are provided, first in Vietnamese and then in…

First in a series of reports of an investigation designed to determine whether a continuous process of change is possible in science curricula using outcomes of examinations as one source of information. Describes necessary conditions for such a process together with findings relating to various dimensions of the Nuffield examination. (GS)

Describes the implementation of an experimental course designed to provide compensatory opportunities for disadvantaged Israeli students in a culturally heterogeneous group of students. Performance on achievement tests and an attitude inventory revealed significant improvements after the experimental program in comprehension, higher intellectual…

The Syracuse Environmental Awareness Tests were administered to high school seniors. Scores were correlated with school data including grade point average and courses selected, as well as with socio-economic data. It was concluded that attitudes toward the environment were not greatly influenced by the classroom. (SD)

Examines the gravitational effects and the way that local conditions interact with these effects to produce the tides characteristic of the British seas. Presents some effects of tides including the possibility of harnessing tidal energy and the effect of tidal friction on the use of the earth as a clock. (GS)

This research concerns secondary pupils' interest in school science and their reasons for finding it difficult. (Editor)

Discusses the biological value of proteins in the diet and sources of protein that are better utilized by the body for growth and the replacement of endogenous losses. (BR)