Describes a longitudinal statewide study of Ohio fifth and ninth graders' knowledge about and attitude toward the oceans and Great Lakes. Results indicate a knowledge score increase except for humanities items. Among science items, earth science topics showed the greatest deficiencies, and oceanic attitudes declined over the period. (15…

Reviews research from the past 40 years on students' and teachers' conceptions of the nature of science, clarifies the basic assumptions and logic which have guided earlier research efforts, contrasts the results from qualitative and quantitative research, makes recommendations about research methods, and suggests avenues for future research about…

Presents the experience of a Canadian Science-Technology-Society (STS) curriculum project as an indication of the problems that likely follow from attempts to introduce a STS curriculum piecemeal. These problems include redundancy within school curriculum and reduced time for science concept and term acceptability of the STS proposals. (PR)

Outlines the use of concept maps as a tool for science curriculum development and discusses the changes that occur in the teacher's view of the curriculum with successive revisions of the maps. Describes and analyzes the maps created by sixth-grade teachers. (PR)

Reports a study (n=27) concerning the knowledge about image formation exhibited by students following instruction in geometrical optics in an activity-based college physics course for prospective elementary teachers. Student diagrams and verbal comments indicate their knowledge can be described as an intermediate state: a hybridization of…

Describes two basic types of software for beginning geology classes: general programs used to illustrate geologic phenomena (for example superposition) and programs written for specifically for geologic applications. (PR)

Three years after end of 2-year intervention program intended to promote formal operational thinking, achievement of students initially age 11 was tested by their results on British National examinations, taken at age 16 (experimental group n=88, control group n=103). In comparison with control classes, the effect size for science was 0.67,…

Describes the use of the computer in the laboratory for data acquisition and analysis--specifically a method to measure the respiration rate in aquatic organisms. Demonstrates the use of computer-interfaced pH measurement in the introductory biology laboratory. (PR)

Investigation found that instruction through the use of the sociocultural mode has a positive effect on students' attitudes toward learning science (n=600 Nigerian students). The findings also indicate that anthropomorphic and mechanistic views can be presented in such a way as to promote positive attitudes toward the study of science in…

Chronicles the leadership role that liberal arts colleges have taken in reforming science and mathematics instruction and curricula. This reform movement has been made possible by new federal funding strategies. Highlights a number of specific institutional curriculum development efforts. (MSE)

Describes how two teachers collaborated with a university-based researcher/teacher educator to design and implement more authentic science in a grade 7 classroom. Discusses the ways in which the teachers changed their views about science and science teaching, the anxieties they experienced, and the institutional constraints that impacted their…

The purpose of this study was to investigate how aware high school biology teachers are of societal issues (values, moral, ethic, and legal issues) while teaching genetics, genetics engineering, molecular genetics, human heredity, and evolution. The study includes a short historical review of World War II atrocities during the Holocaust when…

We report on an evaluation of the effectiveness of Project ARIES, an astronomy-based physical science curriculum for upper elementary and middle school children. ARIES students use innovative, simple, and affordable apparatus to carry out a wide range of indoor and outdoor hands-on, discovery-based activities. Student journals and comprehensive…

American officials lament U.S. students' mediocre skills in math and science, and warn that China, with its firm academic emphasis on those subjects and its enormous student population, stands to reap economic rewards from American complacency. They suggest reforming math and science education in the U.S. to more closely resemble the systems…

Based on the exploratory study of a 3D multiuser virtual environment (3D MUVE), known as Quest Atlantis (QA), in a series of Primary Four (10- to 11-year-olds) Science lessons at Orchard Primary School in Singapore, this paper examines the issues of learning engagement and describes the socio-cultural context of QA's implementation. The students…