Describes policies and practices found in each of the participant countries in the Second International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement Science Study that could foster development of practical laboratory process skills. Topics include (1) science curriculum; (2) science teacher; (3) science facilities; and (4) learning by…

Presents a study to examine the effects of a verbal teaching strategy versus a strategy providing instruction using activities and manipulatives in four seventh grade earth science classes with students of varying cognitive abilities (n=83). Results indicate that students with more cognitive structures perform better and that using manipulatives…

Compares models of the classroom dynamics for a traditional laboratory setting and a problem-solving-centered environment, both at the eighth grade science level. Descriptive data indicate no differences in the models, whereas path analyses suggest that, in the problem-solving model, student behaviors significantly correlate to lesson structure,…

Eighth-grade teachers (n=23) and students (approximately 690) were interviewed for this evaluation of the History of Science and Technology Project, which used correlation theory of curriculum organization as framework for training teachers to link science and history instruction. Project goals, activities, accomplishments, and staff development…

Reports a sample of Houston's middle school science teachers (n=227) perceived level of need for and acceptance of (1) science-technology-society (STS) goal levels; (2) STS curricular materials, (3) inservice related to STS instructional methods; and (4) inservice focused on STS-related content. (23 references) (MDH)

Explains how a computer uses its vision to determine the area, edge length, width, height, and center of mass in two dimensions from photos of backlit sea shells. Includes HyperCard codes used to instruct the computer to make the calculations. (MDH)

The "Bookshelves in Biology" Project involved a summer institute, follow-up visits, and a resource of teacher-developed units on topics in biology. Describes the summer institute's activities and discusses changes in teaching practice evidenced as a result of participation in the project. (MDH)

New textbooks for teaching English for Special Purposes (ESP) are reviewed, including texts for science and technology, computing, engineering, and electronics as well as a guide to general classroom techniques and activities for ESP teachers. Criteria for evaluating and selecting instructional materials are also addressed briefly. (MSE)

First-year undergraduate science students experienced a writing program as an important part of their assessment in a biology subject. The writing program was designed to help them develop both their scientific understanding as well as their written scientific expression. Open-ended questionnaires investigating the quality of the experience of…

Today, teachers face more challenges than ever, and biology teachers face a special challenge. As technology continues to expand, biology teachers have a responsibility to keep students informed of technological and scientific advances. Biology teachers must also address ethical issues associated with these advances. In this paper, the authors…

To explore issue-specific barriers to teaching environmental issues, the authors investigated secondary science teachers' perceived current and preferred teaching levels for 23 environmental issues and perceived barriers to teaching the selected issues. Subjects in this graduate project were 41 secondary science teachers self-selected to answer a…

The science achievement of 226 5th graders from districts that have a kit-based inquiry science curriculum supported by intensive professional development (PD) is compared with data from a group of 173 5th graders from other districts that use nonkit science materials and do not have systematic science PD for teachers. Within the kit-based…

This study investigated whether there was a significant difference between multiple intelligence instruction (MII) and traditionally designed science instruction (TDSI) on fourth grade students' understanding of concepts associated with the "Diversity of Living Things" unit. Students' intelligence types were also examined. There were two…

This paper describes the outcomes of a two-day Higher Education focus group meeting at Blencathra Field Centre, Cumbria, in November 2003. A review of the current status of fieldwork in undergraduate courses was undertaken. The data available indicates that although the number of students enrolling in Biological Science courses has increased, in…

Since 2002, Project WHIRL (Wireless Handhelds In Reflection on Learning) has investigated potential uses of handheld computers in K-12 science classrooms using a teacher-involved process of software development and field trials. Te project is a three-year research and development grant from the National Science Foundation, and it is a partnership…