This report presents the set of evaluation guidelines and instruments prepared for the evaluation of the Comprehensive Program for Science Teacher Education at the University of South Dakota. The participants in the study were inservice secondary science teachers enrolled in the Comprehensive Program. The participants were pre- and post-tested in:…

This report presents data collected for the evaluation of the Comprehensive Program for Science Teacher Education at the University of South Dakota and conclusions derived from these data. The participants in the study were inservice secondary science teachers enrolled in the Comprehensive Program. The participants were pre- and post-tested in:…

Designed to refine and extend the procedures and analyses of prior science teacher competency research, this study focused on the competencies perceived as important to effective science teaching. Included are explanations of the research approach, instrument development, sampling populations, and educational implications. (ML)

Reviews the movement to raise state university entrance requirements and presents opinions on the changes from educators in secondary and higher education. Suggests that higher standards will exacerbate shortages of mathematics and science teachers in the near future and will raise enrollments and hence costs for high school science courses. (RW)

Describes one mechanism by which prospective science teachers are socialized into the teaching profession prior to their student teaching experience. A Discrepant Events Share-a-thon is conducted by prospective middle school and high school teachers at the Georgia Science Teachers Association annual meeting. (LZ)

Results from an ethnographic study of 19 secondary school science and social studies student teachers suggest that application of the concepts of initiation and rites of passage has the potential to improve teacher education. Student teaching, as traditionally organized, has not served a transformational function in participant lives. (SLD)

Data from a national sample of 456 science teachers in 93 secondary schools indicate that, relative to nonrural teachers, rural teachers were less experienced, less likely to have majored in a science, and less likely to have a graduate degree. Some differences were related to state certification policies. (SV)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the beliefs of six experienced high school science teachers about (1) what is successful science learning; (2) what are the purposes of laboratory in science teaching; and (3) how inquiry is implemented in the classroom. An interpretive multiple case study with an ethnographic orientation was used. The…

This article explores the beliefs and practices of a high school biology teacher through three interrelated theoretical frameworks: common knowledge, collaborative learning, and communities of practice. The data were obtained from an in-depth case study of Maria, a biology teacher from a Mexican public high school that was participating in a…

In this article we analyse the interaction between a high school chemistry teacher and her students from two different classes, emphasizing how emotions, affects and feelings contributed to, or obstructed, the dynamic of interactions. The data come from an ethnographic research approach and include videotapes of the lessons, interviews and field…

This article describes changes in the practice of two teachers, observed over an 18-month period, who were participating in a study intended to support teachers in developing their use of assessment in support of learning. The design of the intervention allowed each teacher to choose for themselves which aspects of their practice to develop.…

Educational reform is and has been an ongoing process throughout the history of science education. However, with the notion of reform comes constraints or barriers to these proposed changes. Without addressing these constraints reform cannot be full realized. This study was conducted to identify the most significant constraints inhibiting a…

An ethnographic study examined the personal and professional life experiences that contributed to a science teacher's beliefs about science and science teaching, and how these experiences interacted to affect the teacher's decisions about content literacy strategies. The teacher in question was a veteran of 16 years of teaching chemistry and…

Any effort to reform science education in the schools must include input from the nation's science teachers concerning what they need to do in order to improve instruction and student performance. Science teachers in rural schools have many needs that differ from those in more urbanized areas. A survey of science teachers in Arkansas, Illinois,…

A science laboratory skills performance assessment for elementary and secondary school science teachers in California, using a multi-methods approach, is described. Seven domains of teacher performance identified included: pedagogy, content, materials and equipment, management, knowledge of students, climate, and communication. Within each domain,…