Describes a case study of Finnish elementary school students that investigated their sociocognitive processes in a multimedia-based science learning task. Discusses students' strategic activity and social interaction while using a multimedia CD-ROM science encyclopedia and suggests that more attention should be paid to instructional design and…

A week-long camp for rural Alaska Native seventh- and eighth-grade students uses science teachers, Native elders, and Native college students to conduct project-based classes that link Western science and math with traditional Native applications of practical skills. Pre- and post-interviews with students indicate a positive impact on classroom…

Elementary and middle school teachers in urban schools in India provided responses to the science efficacy instrument (STEBI-A). These responses were evaluated using Rasch analysis and parametric tests. Rasch fit statistics and person-item maps were evaluated. It was found that the instrument worked well for the two groups of teachers, but the…

This multiple case study examined the coauthorship process in research laboratories of different university departments. The study focused on two cases comprising five writing teams, one in biochemistry and microbiology and four in earth and ocean sciences. The role of the research supervisor, the role of the student (graduate and postgraduate),…

As part of a larger project aimed at promoting science and literacy for culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students, this study has two objectives: (a) to describe teachers' initial beliefs and practices about inquiry-based science and (b) to examine the impact of the professional development intervention (primarily through…

Learning using primary literature may be a way of developing a capacity for scientific ways of thinking among students. Since reading research articles is a difficult task for novices, we examined the possible benefits of learning using primary literature versus secondary literature, particularly with respect to their influence on the creation and…

Like so many other states, Iowa faces the acute challenge of improving teacher quality. To address this problem, the state has been conducting and procuring a system over the last two years that will move Iowa into compliance with No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requirements in the areas of teacher quality and the core subjects of reading,…

Neuroscience is a subject that can motivate, excite, and stimulate the curiosity of everyone However, the study of the brain is made difficult by an abundance of new vocabulary words and abstract concepts. Although neuroscience has the potential to inspire students, many teachers find it difficult to include a study of the brain in their…

Moving toward state and national standards-based instruction is a priority in many classrooms today. As teachers and school leaders continue to implement standards-based instruction, they will need a way to evaluate the current status of science instruction to determine what changes and improvements are necessary. Teachers and school leaders will…

While teaching science in an alternative arts high school, the author continuously addresses the challenge of welcoming creative, right-brained students into the world of systematic inquiry. Busily mixing paint colors, choreographing futuristic dances, performing comedic theater, and practicing the banjo, the students rarely initiate authentic…

Studying "Caenorhabditis elegans" ("C. elegans") live cultures provides excellent opportunities for authentic inquiry in a high school anatomy and physiology or other biology lab course. Using a digital dissection microscope, a student can photograph the organism during various stages of development and study and analyze the images. In this…

The study of "zonation", the distribution of plants and animals into distinct spatial areas, is a great way to introduce students to basic ecological concepts. Students can conduct methodical, quantifying surveys of zones in areas as diverse as mudflats, beaches, forests, wetlands, and fields. Students collect data from these areas with field…

Variation and polymorphism are concepts that are central to genetics and genomics, primary biological disciplines in which high school students and undergraduates require a solid foundation. From 1998 through 2002, a web-based genetics education program was developed for high school teachers and students. The program included an exercise on using…

Because today's students have grown up steeped in video games and the Internet, most of them expect feedback, and usually gratification, very soon after they expend effort on a task. Teachers can get quick feedback to students by showing them videotapes of their learning performances. The author, a 3rd grade teacher describes how the seemingly…

A professional school and university collaboration enables elementary students and their teachers to explore hydrology concepts and realize the beneficial functions of wetlands. Hands-on experiences involve young students in determining water quality at field sites after laying the groundwork with activities related to the hydrologic cycle,…