The National Science Education Standards emphasize a goal that students should achieve scientific literacy, which is defined as the knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts needed in daily living. Scientific literacy enables people to not only use scientific principles and processes in making personal decisions but also to participate in…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Science, Technology, and Society (STS) learning increases student concept mastery, general science achievement, use of concepts in new situations, and attitudes toward science in middle school classrooms. The study involved two teachers and fifty-two students in grades 6 through 8. Two sections of…

This paper reviews the efforts to put science education into contexts that are considered more meaningful and useful than the classical approach. It focuses on S/T/S (science/technology/society) projects funded by the National Science Foundation, and especially on a project at the University of Iowa. Some of the features of S/T/S programs are…

The major advantage of STS is the kind of teaching it allows and demands. Twelve middle school teachers who were enthused with STS teaching selected two sections for a research study. One section was the experimental STS section; the other followed the course syllabus and textbook closely. The major findings indicate the advantages for STS as a…

Discusses the postcard survey by "Science and Children" that attempts to identify elementary, middle, and junior high schools that have successful, sustained science programs and another similar search for exemplary programs conducted by the National Science Teachers Association and the Council of State Science Supervisors. (DC)

The Iowa-Scope, Sequence, and Coordination (SS&C) Program assists schools with reform of their entire middle school programs, grades 6-8, and features the science, technology, and society (STS) instructional approach. This reform translates to the creation of new frameworks for the school program and aims to produce "constructivist"…

Compares aspects of creativity in science between students enrolled in concept-oriented classes and those enrolled in issue-oriented classes. Focuses on student outcomes and creativity. Shows that science teachers were convinced of the necessity for middle school science teachers to be portrayed as supporting students' exploration, explanation,…

Examined learning in science concepts, process, application, creativity, attitude, and world view of students participating in the Iowa-Scope, Sequence, and Coordination (SS&C) project, part of the national reform effort using the Science-Technology-Society approach and Constructivist teaching practices. Found significant differences in…

Nine years after the National Science Education Standards' release, just how well do science teachers in grades 5 to 8 actually use them to plan content, define improved teaching, and assess real learning? Find out the answers to these key questions in this groundbreaking collection of 15 essays by teachers, researchers, and professors whose…