Describes and evaluates the Appalachian Rural Systemic Initiative, a six-state consortium for academic improvement supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), that focuses on low-income rural schools. The 1-day, one-school site visits that constitute program reviews in this initiative are unlikely to enhance achievement in either science…

This rebuttal provides a more complete description of the Appalachian Rural Systemic Initiative than the previous article, describes the Program Improvement Review process in more detail and outlines its role in the overall project, and provides data that supports the program's overall effectiveness. (Author/SLD)

Problem-based learning was used as an enrichment activity in 2% of an urban middle school's curriculum. Assessment showed that it improved behavior and science achievement of low-income minority students. (SK)

Examines the science achievement outcomes for different subgroups of students using different assessment formats designed to measure the level of achievement of the National Science Education Standards. Assessments included a multiple-choice test, a written open-ended test, a hands-on lab skills test, and a hands-on full investigation. (Author/SAH)

In recent years, US curriculum policy has emphasized standards-based conceptions of curricula in mathematics and science. This paper explores the data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) to argue that the presence of content standards is not sufficient to guarantee curricula that lead to high-quality instruction and…

Past research has indicated an association between parents' beliefs and adolescent children's self-perceptions of ability and has shown the importance of accounting for parents' gender-stereotyped beliefs when examining boys' and girls' self-perceptions of math-science ability. The current study extends these findings by examining the longitudinal…

This study investigated student perceptions of the 7th and 8th grade Adventist science education program and their relationship to achievement in science as defined by performance on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Findings revealed that students held generally poor perceptions of science education. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed 8…

In this study, the authors introduced a multivariate multilevel model to estimate the consistency among students and schools in the rates of growth between mathematics and science achievement during the entire middle and high school years with data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY). There was no evident consistency in the rates…

Examined the effectiveness of concept mapping on the science achievement of African American middle grades science students distributed into eight different classes by ability level. Results of this quasi, non-randomized, control-treatment group, pretest-posttest study found no significant overall effects of treatment on science achievement. There…

A problem solving strategy, Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving (TAPPS), developed by Arthur Whimbey to help students monitor and understand their own thought process is presented. The TAPPS strategy encouraged the students interact verbally with each other to solve chemistry problems and improve the achievements in chemistry.

The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of three different approaches to professional development in Earth science education: preparing teachers to "adopt" expert-"design" curricula; preparing teachers to use a principled approach to design curricula; and preparing teachers to use a principled approach to "adapt" curricula. The claims…

Reform efforts in response to the inclusion of students with disabilities into general education classrooms have become necessary to shift students' placements into the science classroom. An investigation into the effects of co-teaching in high school biology classrooms was conducted to explore the impact of two models of co-teaching on biology…

This document sets forth recommendations for the design of a new science assessment. The assessment resulting from this framework will start a new NAEP science trend (i.e., measure of student progress in science) beginning in 2009. This framework represents a unique opportunity to build on previous NAEP science work as well as key developments in…

This book builds on the social nature of learning to provide useful suggestions for reaching reluctant learners. It is based on the assumption that instruction that focuses on students' interests and builds on collaborative and differentiated learning will allow students to move from believing they "can't do mathematics or science" to a feeling of…

In this paper, two nationwide assessments for elementary and secondary students' educational achievement in Korea were reviewed for their assessment frameworks and the overall results; the Diagnostic Test for Basic Skills (DTBS) of Grade 3 elementary students and the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) for Grade 6, 9 and 10…