This work is an attempt to see how physics undergraduates view the basic ideas of general relativity when they are exposed to the topic in a standard introductory course. Since the subject is conceptually and technically difficult, we adopted a "case studies" approach, focusing in depth on about six students who had just finished a one semester…

The impact of biotechnologies on peoples' everyday lives continuously increases. Measuring young peoples' attitudes toward biotechnologies is therefore very important and its results are useful not only for science curriculum developers and policy makers, but also for producers and distributors of genetically modified products. Despite of…

This technical report and user's guide is designed to provide researchers with an overview of the design and implementation of the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), as well as with information on how to access the PISA 2009 data. This information is meant to supplement that presented in Organization for Economic Cooperation…

To support and promote secondary analyses, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) is making the SITES 2006 international database and accompanying User Guide available to researchers, analysts, and public users. The database comprises national contexts and school- and teacher-level data from 23 education…

The purpose of this study was to determine the concerns of Texas science teachers about the 40 percent laboratory time rule just prior to enforcement and at the end of its first year of implementation. The methodology, results of the first and second years, conclusions, and implications for teaching science are discussed. (KR)

Reports on students' attitudes toward reading science during an experimental study that investigated ways to increase comprehension of technical material. Describes the procedure, results, conclusions, applications, and implication. (RT)

Presents the STS (science/technology/society) outlook profiles of 546 eleventh graders from Israeli high schools within the existing science, nonscience, and technological tracks in terms of cognition, behavior, and literacy. Findings indicate significant differences between the profiles for students regarding behavior and literacy but not for…

Reported are some data on both knowledge and perception of science and technology from a sample of adults in Perth, Western Australia. The results are compared to those of the United Kingdom. Included are the sampling and survey procedure, sample questions, results, and the discussion. (KR)

The effectiveness and use of the Science and Technology in Society (SATIS) materials in United Kingdom schools are summarized. Questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations were used to collect data from both students and teachers. (KR)

Mandates for improvement in the quality of instruction at the precollege level require that improved continuing educational opportunities by made available to the teachers of all science subjects. Physical science courses, along with biology, make up the general science requirement used by most high school students to meet graduation requirements.…

The theory of reasoned action is a social psychological model that was first considered by science educators in the early 1980s to investigate attitude-behavior relationships. The theory has encouraged intense investigations in the prediction of behavior, development of instruments, and creation of belief-based interventions. This investigation…

Described is the extent and operational nature of the link between schools and industry. A questionnaire was used to collect data from chemistry, physics, and biology teachers. Included are a description of the survey, results, and a discussion. (KR)

Investigated were the determinants of intentions to enroll in a high school science course by middle school earth science students. The impact on intentions of students' attitudes, social pressures, and specific external variables are discussed. (KR)

This research sought to identify reasons why the study of science was being rejected by girls and Polynesian students. From eight schools chosen to give a representative coverage of ethnic grouping (Maori, European, Pacific Island) and type (single sex, coed, rural, urban, primary, intermediate, secondary), 20 Form 1 to 4 classes were administered…

This study reviews literature on science anxiety related to such variables as sex, intellectual capacity, achievement, and attitudes. To measure science anxiety, a questionnaire (included in an appendix) was developed, pilot-tested on students in grades 5 and 7 in the Bowling Green (Ohio) School District, and administered in final form to 532…