Black girls represent a unique subpopulation of science learners. Black girls are unique because they consistently outperform Black boys in science. Despite this trend, Black girls often face dual marginalization in STEM classrooms and professions. Racial and gender marginalization can inhibit the success of Black girls in science if researchers,…

The present study investigates the effects of multimedia and schema induced analogical reasoning on science learning. It involves 89 fourth grade elementary students in the north-east of the United States. Participants are randomly assigned into four conditions: (a) multimedia with analogy; (b) multimedia without analogy; (c) analogy without…

Presented are the results of a pilot study used to validate an instrument designed to measure attitudes of young children toward women scientists. It was found that the instrument was reliable and was able to discriminate between groups on three dimensions of attitude. (CW)

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.…

Determined if the number of operational questions asked by fifth- and sixth-grade students (N=72) increased by teacher modeling or by practice at writing such questions. One finding is that students experiencing two types of teacher modeling asked more operational questions than students in a control group. (JN)

While the use of ethnographic and qualitative research methods has spread across many fields of educational inquiry, until recently this has had little impact on research in science education. However, there is currently a methodological shift taking place in this area, prompted by the rise of a sociocultural perspective on cognition, which sees…

Teachers (N=146) using Science Curriculum Improvement Study were surveyed for their views on teaching disabled students in regular science programs. Results show that teachers feel positively about teaching disabled students (but also feel inadequate with this responsibility). Advantages and disadvantages of mainstreaming in elementary science are…

Discusses development and use of an aquatic studies conceptual scheme which has been used in the Project COAST (Coastal, Oceanic and Aquatic Studies) at the University of Delaware. Sample concepts and results from field testing of the curriculum are included. (DH)

Investigated effects of varied wait-time durations and cognitive questioning levels on student achievement. Analyses of achievement results (using 30 preservice elementary teachers and 129 students) indicated significant differences attributable to teacher wait-time and cognitive questioning level. (JN)

This study describes strategies fifth- and sixth-grade children used to solve the problem of determining how to control a "vehicle" they "drove" by pressing particular keys on a computer. The problem involves identifying or discovering a set of cause-effect relationships. (Author/JN)

This study determined the quantitative and qualitative portrayal of females and minorities in the illustrations of seven contemporary elementary science textbook series. An evaluation instrument was devised to determine the current status of the targeted groups. Illustrations were evaluated on the basis of minority versus nonminority and male…

A 31-item survey was sent to New England teacher education institutions (certified to prepare elementary teachers) to compare the elementary science education resources available in their libraries. Discussed are implications of such findings as significant differences between graduate and nongraduate institutions' journal holdings for science…

Explored Morine and Morine's ("Discovery: A Challenge to Teachers") assumptions regarding age and cognitive development of students (N=174) successfully utilizing structured inductive and semi-deductive inquiry strategies. One finding noted is that age has made a significant difference on achievement for both strategies. Implications for…

Although the development of process skills has been accepted as being an important part of elementary school curricula in science and in other subjects, few valid and reliable tests exist for their assessment. Therefore, a test is currently being developed to assess these skills. It is designed to meet seven criteria (such as testing process…

Determined whether males, females, minorities, and nonminorities are quantitatively and qualitatively represented in the illustrations of seven contemporary elementary science textbooks (grades 1-6) in a manner that is reflective of society as it was, is, and should be. Results (based on examination of over 5,900 illustrations) are reported and…