Most accounts of affect and motivation in the science education literature have discussed them as relevant to, but distinct from, disciplinary pursuits. These include Pintrich's seminal work on affective and motivational factors in learning science (P. R. Pintrich, 1999, 2003; P. R. Pintrich & E. De Groot, 1990; P. R. Pintrich, R. W. Marx,…

The concept of partnerships between schools and practicing scientists came to prominence in the United States in the mid 1980s. The call by government for greater private sector involvement in education to raise standards in science achievement saw a variety of programmes developed, ranging from short-term sponsorships through to longer-term,…

In recent years, science educators have struggled with the dual challenge of equity and excellence, of providing all students access to a quality science education, and ensuring each student achieves an understanding of scientific concepts and processes. The Program for Complex Instruction, a model of group work, addresses this dual challenge by…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest and most ambitious international study of mathematics and science achievement ever undertaken with more than 500,000 students in 41 countries being tested in mathematics and science at three different year levels. South Africa is the first country in Africa to have…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest and most ambitious international study of mathematics and science achievement ever undertaken with more than 500,000 students in 41 countries being tested in mathematics and science at three different year levels. South Africa is the first country in Africa to have…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest and most ambitious international study of mathematics and science achievement ever undertaken with more than 500,000 students in 41 countries being tested in mathematics and science at three different year levels. South Africa is the first country in Africa to have…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest and most ambitious international study of mathematics and science achievement ever undertaken with more than 500,000 students in 41 countries being tested in mathematics and science at three different year levels. South Africa is the first country in Africa to have…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest and most ambitious international study of mathematics and science achievement ever undertaken with more than 500,000 students in 41 countries being tested in mathematics and science at three different year levels. South Africa is the first country in Africa to have…

The relations of motivational variables to self-reported cheating behavior and beliefs in science were studied with 285 middle school students. Students who reported cheating in science perceived that their classrooms were extrinsically focused. The use of deep cognitive strategies was related negatively to cheating. (SLD)

Based on the tenets of Leon Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance, five preconditions for dissonance arousal were operationalized in a counterattitudinal essay writing task. The five preconditions were: perceived choice, irrevocable commitment, minimum incentive, perceived responsibility for consequences, and foreseeability of negative…

Students' beliefs about science and their perceptions of its purpose and usage in everyday life affect their science world view which forms the framework they use to interpret their experiences and may influence their learning of science and their choice of science related careers. The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to investigate…

A study examined the effect of three different prereading vocabulary development strategies on sixth grade science test results. Subjects, 81 sixth-grade students from a suburban, middle-class school in Union County, New Jersey, were divided into four heterogeneous science classes and given a pretest of 40 vocabulary words taken from the science…

Finds surface-level metacognitive knowledge across three metacognitive domains--declarative, procedural, and conditional. Finds that average middle school students' (grades four through eight) metacognitive knowledge of science reading, science text, and science reading strategies is similar to that of younger and poorer readers of narrative text.…

This literature review pays particular attention to research that: (1) focuses on gender differences in mathematics and science achievement; and (2) offers implications for middle school educators addressing young adolescents' gender-specific needs. The review offers a list of recommendations for middle school educators based on the research. (EV)

This report describes a program designed to increase students' knowledge in the science content area utilizing reading comprehension strategies. The targeted population consisted of grade 6 middle school students in a growing urban community in eastern Iowa. The students demonstrated poor comprehension of their science textbook. Data also revealed…