Building on R. Snow's two pathways to achievement outcomes (1989), examined how cognitive and motivational factors associated with the performance and commitment pathways respectively contributed to prediction of outcomes in science for 491 high school students. Results are consistent with Snow's conjecture that factors related to both pathways…

A book examining alleged American/Japanese test score divergences on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) suffers from "naive anthropology" and "adult- centric" thinking. Thicker U.S. textbooks may be the real problem. School performance is probably not linked to a nation's economic failures or…

The objective of this research was to examine the comparability of constructs assessed by English and French versions of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The differences in constructs observed in our analyses indicate serious limitations of using TIMSS results for making comparisons that use overall performance in…

As a mature trainee about to embark on a postgraduate certificate of education (PGCE) course as an early-years specialist, the author has been thinking about how she will approach her science teaching, and how it will fit with her beliefs about the importance of education for sustainable development (ESD). In researching how she could go about…

Increasingly, coordinators are undertaking a scrutiny of work in order to check standards in their subjects. This is done frequently for English and mathematics, where annual targets for attainment in year 6 have to be set, but less so for science. Carrying out a scrutiny of work can be a daunting and time-consuming process. Faced with a pile of…

Today's world is challenged by complex issues and citizens need ever-increasing scientific literacy to understand the impact of issues such as global warming, alternative energy, and genetic engineering, on their daily lives and to make informed decisions. Students need to be prepared to tackle issues such as these by being exposed to learning…

Background: This study based on Sternberg's theory of mental self-government (1997). Purpose: attempts to find out the preferred functions of thinking and scope of thinking among secondary school students and its impact on achievement in physics. Setting: secondary school students in Kerala state of India. Study Sample: A representative sample of…

Research shows that scientific knowledge develops through a process of decision-making as well as discovery, and that argumentation is a genre of discourse crucial to the practice of science. Students should therefore be supported in understanding the scientific practices of dialectical and rhetorical argumentation as part of learning about…

Preinstruction SAT scores and normalized gains (G) on the force concept inventory (FCI) were examined for individual students in interactive engagement (IE) courses in introductory mechanics at one high school (N=335) and one university (N=292), and strong, positive correlations were found for both populations (r=0.57 and r=0.46, respectively).…

Through a century-long process, there has been a resolute effort to shape science teaching in elementary classrooms. A close look at science teaching and student learning may provide a better understanding of what really happens in elementary classrooms. This study examines relationships between science teaching pedagogy, teachers' science…

A blended learning approach to the teaching of a level 2 inorganic chemistry module is presented. Lectures were replaced by study packs, which were supported by formative on-line assessment delivered via Blackboard and a programme of 20 workshops. Learning activities written using the Lockwood format were included in the study pack to facilitate…

This study focuses on the effect of using a computer-based competitive learning system called LearnStar, as supplementary instruction in introductory chemistry courses. The outcomes evaluated were of student performance on classroom exams, the cumulative final, overall course grade, overall DFW rate (the percentage of student receiving a D, F, or…

Assessing student-led, open-ended scientific inquiry holds a unique problem for classroom teachers because of the diverse skills and content that emerge from student work. This article provides tangible strategies for teachers to assess divergent student-generated inquiry in a manner that is manageable for teachers, informative for students, and…

This study is part of a 5-year professional development intervention aimed at improving science and literacy achievement of English language learners (or ELL students) in urban elementary schools within an environment increasingly driven by high-stakes testing and accountability. Specifically, the study examined science achievement at the end of…

Because of the educational importance of mathematics and science, IEA's (International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement) Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, widely known as TIMSS, is dedicated to providing countries with information to improve teaching and learning in these curriculum areas. Conducted…