Much social science research proceeds as though ethnic self-identification (the ethnic category to which persons assign themselves) is a stable characteristic, as true at one time of measurement as another. The purpose of this study was to test this assumption using longitudinal data acquired from the provincial Ministry of Education for every…

This volume will be a valuable resource to instructors who teach in the fields of teacher education, social studies, educational leadership, social work, social, cultural and philosophical foundations of education, sociology, political science, and global studies as well as their students. Due to the volume's international focus, the authors also…

The article studies the differences in knowledge production between academic researchers. In this perspective, it attempts at first to answer the following question: what factors explain differences in knowledge production between Canadian researchers in natural sciences and engineering? After a presentation of some of the empirical evidence…

Canada is one of nearly 40 countries involved in the Second International Science Study (SISS). The Ontario Ministry of Education used the data generated in the study as a vehicle for assessing science education in the province, and comparing the province to the rest of Canada. Each chapter of this report contains a non-technical summary of…

The "Habitat" learning system was designed by TVOntario's Children's Programming department for junior-level students. It consists of 20 programs (each 15 minutes long), a teacher's guide, and a magazine for students. Three major objectives of the series were to (1) instruct children in scientific principles relating to habitats; (2)…

Reports on the results of case studies of science teaching at the elementary level. Two teachers from two elementary schools were studied. Addresses issues in elementary science teaching ranging from the importance at the elementary level to gender differences in science instruction. (TW)

The Atlantic Science Curriculum Project was launched in 1976 at the Atlantic Institute of Education in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, as a regional initiative. This account of the project provides its aims, its experience, and its lessons for others similarly engaged in the task of improving curriculum and instruction. This paper was written at a…

Recommendations from British Columbia teachers in elementary (N=1322) and junior secondary schools (N=309) indicate strong support for emphasis on practical aspects of preservice teacher education. Practice in science teaching, techniques of science teaching, and lesson planning were rated highest. Laboratory safety, reading, and writing should…

Examined trends in teachers' recommendations for changing elementary and junior high school science programs between 1978 and 1982. Results discussed are based on responses of British Columbia teachers- 3,040 teachers in 1978 and 1,631 in 1982, with return rates ranging from 77.5 percent to 85 percent. (JN)

This article describes a four-year project undertaken to develop a set of performance tasks that could be used for assessing hands-on science in Irish primary schools. It begins by considering some of the literature on performance assessment and concludes with a discussion on the potential of the tasks to support teaching and learning in science.…

Reports on the analysis of science curricula carried out across Canada within the framework of the Second International Science Study by: (1) describing the background to the study and the research methodology employed; (2) showing how data were organized; and (3) discussing meanings derived from the data analysis. (JN)

This paper discusses the results of a field study that attempted to answer questions related to science curriculum renewal in the province of Saskatchewan. The purposes of the field study were to obtain educators' reactions to proposals for change in the science curriculum, assess teachers' needs for science teaching, and determine the nature and…

Reports on an analysis of secondary school physics teaching with respect to three aspects of curriculum. Indicates that limited but significant relationships exist among intentions, translations, and achievement in the teaching of physics in Canadian secondary schools. (TW)

This study explored the usefulness of an approach to science instruction which specifically considered children's spontaneous conceptions about natural phenomena. The aim of the instruction was the development of conceptual understanding. The instructional approach involved diagnosing children's spontaneous conceptions, making them aware of their…

Thirty teachers and 718 students in grades 4, 5, and 6 in Edmonton, Alberta participated in a study to determine the value of simultaneous one-way television and group telephone conferencing (compared to conventional instruction) for teaching LANDSAT imagery. Results indicate that: (1) a 5-hour instruction period is sufficient to train elementary…