This digest provides an overview of several meta-analysis studies which focused on various aspects of science instruction. These studies examined: productive factors in science learning for grades 6 through 12; quality and quantity of instruction; effects of various teaching strategies on science achievement; instructional systems in science…

From a science perspective, inquiry-oriented instruction engages students in the investigative nature of science. Inquiry involves activity and skills, but the focus is on the active search for knowledge or understanding to satisfy a curiosity. This digest further describes the distinguishing features of inquiry-oriented science instruction and…

This digest was prepared to provide some information about activities aimed at improving the science curriculum, a task that is neither easy nor simple. Six identifiable emphases are identified including: inquiry teaching; science, technology, and society; conceptual change; thematic science teaching; The Scope, Sequence, and Coordination project…

Abstractor's analyses of 12 science education research studies focusing on science instruction are presented. These include: (1) use of Learning Environment Inventory in junior high school classrooms organized for individualized instruction; (2) microteaching and strategy analysis as used in a science methods course; (3) comparison of two…

Presented in this document are the results of the five focus groups involved in Project Synthesis, a research study designed to synthesize and interpret the information found in the three National Science Foundation-funded status studies (the literature review, the national survey, and the case studies "The Status of Pre-College Science,…