This "Ambassador" guide is a product of the Partners for the Advancement of Chemical Technology (PACT) Ambassador program that began in 1995. The purpose of this program is to bring industrial scientists and technicians into high school and two-year college classrooms to expose students and teachers to issues faced in the industrial workplace and…

This document provides a summative evaluation of an ongoing collaborative professional development project that focuses on a course in experimental science learning. Project goals include: (1) providing elementary school teachers with a professional development program for science education that is grounded in the National Science Education…

This study focuses on the results of an open-ended questionnaire on positive and negative science experiences and the preliminary findings for the development of a survey instrument based on those results. The primary objective of the study was to determine if there are detectable differences in prior science experiences between those who become…

This study seeks to observe and record the impact of the Internet as an educational tool on fifth grade students' (N=95) attitudes towards and behavior while interacting with this technology. The students attend a rural elementary school that is part of a study to implement a community-based, technology-enhanced, integrated curriculum. Working in…

This report presents the results of a mail survey conducted to ascertain Texas elementary teachers' opinions of their level of preparedness to implement the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) science curriculum. Most of the teachers (89%) had read the TEKS science curriculum requirements, and many (55.9%) did not think the requirements…

Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education (CASE) is an innovative teaching approach born out of research into cognitive development based largely on the work of Piaget, and also incorporating fundamental tenets of Vygotsky's theories of learning. The program aims to improve children's thinking processes by accelerating progress towards…

This study investigates the ideas and beliefs of a small group of high school science teachers about student observations in the science classroom. Student views on science classroom observations have been previously reported on, but teachers and their students' ideas about observation is a very little researched area in science education. There…

This digest discusses block scheduling and it relates to teaching standards, staff development standards, and assessment standards. The standards are examined in terms of how they can be achieved through the use of block scheduling, and conclusions stress the necessity of scheduling for maximum student learning. (DDR)

Considers the development of science curricula from World War II and how the emphasis has changed to conceptualization of science knowledge in order to encourage intellectual activity. As well, this change has led to an improved climate for curriculum innovation. (Author/RK)

Rationale, objectives, and instructional strategies for a directed study course on spectrophotometry are provided. Descriptions of three experiments and four student research projects are also provided. Objectives, laboratory procedures, advantages, and disadvantages for the experiments and projects are included. (JN)

Describes characteristics of and instructional strategies related to an applied physics course offered by the New South Wales Institute of Technology in Sydney. The course has a number of unique features which enable its students to be of immediate use to industry upon graduation. (JN)

A course was developed to teach physics concepts and to help students understand mathematics, the nature and role of engineers and engineering in society, and to distinguish between science/technology from pseudo-science. Includes course goals/content, mechanics, start-up, and long-term projects. (JN)

Describes field course which emphasizes mapping techniques and preparation of a field report. Includes course methods/procedures, course schedule (broken down by weeks), grading practices/methods, student response to and performance in the course, nature of field area studied, and comments to those who may want to adapt such a course. (JN)

Explains cognitive basis for change in science paradigms using Watson-Crick DNA model to illustrate concepts of "normal" versus "revolutionary" science. Examines these concepts in light of teacher preception of science, and discusses implications for the practice of science education. (JM)

Summarizes results of the meta-analysis of 105 research studies dealing with effects of new science curricula on student performance. Twenty-seven different new science curricula involving one or more measures of student performance were included in the analysis. Positive performance patterns were found in all new curricula examined. (JN)