This is a comparative study of a school utilizing a mini-course science elective curriculum and one using a conventional textbook program in order to investigate the effectiveness of mini-course programs with respect to students' achievement and attitudes toward science. Two suburban junior high schools were selected, and different instructional…

A minicourse is any educational experience that involves a detailed and indepth study of a specific unit or subject, jointly planned by student and teacher, and for which less than a semester of time is used. Minicourses at Los Alamos High School, Los Alamos, New Mexico, are a part of their total packet of educational innovations, including open…