Describes a program for sixth grade students developed by the Methacton School District (Norristown, PA) Planetarium staff. Provides brief outlines of eight teaching units designed to provide students with hands-on activities in astronomy. Includes a reproducible worksheet for an activity which involves students in creating and decoding…

Addresses several concerns regarding the identity of the field of engineering technology. Discusses engineering technology from the standpoint of its designation as a discipline, its body of knowledge, its professional status, its academic faculty, and the structure and policies that will allow it the most options for the future. (TW)

Provides a partially annotated bibliography pertaining to the teaching of geology at the elementary school level. Included are general reference books, field guides, children's books, audio-visual materials, booklets, kits, maps, posters, computer courseware, and an index of geology-related articles appearing in past issues of "Ranger Rick"…

Reviews the initiatives taken by six states in promoting precollege Science, Technology, Society (STS) education. Discusses the exemplary efforts undertaken in Florida, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Washington, and Wisconsin. (ML)

Indicates the inadequacies and limitations of traditionally written elementary science textbooks. Offers suggestions and provides examples for teaching more accurately and experientially the nature and process of science. Identifies several sources for enrichment of the textbook. (ML)

Differentiates between the cultural environments of graduating engineering students in Nigeria and North America. Describes the existing curriculum of a bachelor of engineering student in Nigeria. Introduces a proposed curriculum for engineering education in Nigeria which would include a fifth year internship program. (TW)

Discusses the concept of "science for all" as it has applied to curriculum reform movements in Great Britain. Enumerates areas in science education that are in need of improvement and outlines important aspects of a coherent science curriculum. Suggested are several implications for the learning and teaching of science. (CW)

Presents a brief description of the Dutch school system's structure. Describes the most important issues that have contributed to the development of physics education resulting from changes with respect to the physics curriculum, the final physics examination, and stimulation by a Dutch curriculum development project. (RT)

Discusses the development of a student's ability to control experiments as an important aim of modern science curriculum materials. Argues that most curriculum developers offer only a simplistic method of controlling variables. Suggests ways to enhance the development of variable control within the framework of student experiments. (TW)

Describes the history and structure of physics education in secondary schools in China. Discusses the selection of course content. Cites the historical failure of the cultural revolution for the present bias of theoretical over practical physics. Discusses the China-U.S. physics examination and application project. (CW)

Discusses a study which examined the interpretive process used by high school chemistry teachers in translating curriculum materials into classroom practice. Results indicate that differences exist among teachers but that commonalities are greater. Explains the functional paradigm concept and its value for the interpretation of curriculum…

Provides an overview of the educational program of the Seychelles and focuses on an evaluation of the final phase (P7-P9) of the nine-year school program. Reports how findings from content analyses of materials, teacher and student interviews, and student test results were used to develop the new Seychelles Integrated Science program. (ML)

Reviews and analyzes science education research completed in 1982. Areas considered include: student and teacher characteristics and behavior; instructional strategies and environment; instructional materials and technology; curricula and programs; teacher education; research and evaluation practices; and science education policy and practice. (JN)

Shows how the integration of interpretive programs with school science curricula can strengthen the power and relevance of science education, while increasing the scientific depth of environmental programs. Curriculum resources, need for interpretive resources, role of interpreters, and evaluation/development strategies are addressed. (JN)

Describes a course taught at Auburn University (AL) for middle school students. Includes rationale for the course, instructional strategies used, comments on skill building, and descriptions of individual activity stations. Possible spin-offs from such a class which can improve science teaching in the public school classroom are also considered.…