A survey of participants in a model teacher education program examined instructor and student attitudes toward modeling of recommended instructional approaches. The Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation (MCTP) has the goals of developing and implementing programs to prepare special middle grade level mathematics and science teachers at…

Research on teacher education has been shifting from the emphasis on changing teachers' behaviors to investigating how teachers' mental thinking influences their teaching behaviors. Teachers' beliefs and planning are two important components among teacher thinking research. The purposes of this study are to uncover preservice secondary science…

In this paper, the status and structure of science education in the United States are reviewed and summarized in six major sections. These include: (1) an introduction (placing science education in the context of the school system as a whole and noting the government's role, administration and funding, school types, external examination policies,…

Teaching has been described by a number of educational researchers as a complex cognitive activity. In an effort to contribute to the knowledge base for elementary science teacher effectiveness, this study was undertaken to build upon the procedures and findings of previous intensive instruction research by providing a framework for the…

This book contains the papers presented at an international seminar which examined the state of the art and the problems and issues related to the preservice and inservice education of science teachers. These papers, numbering above 60, are arranged in 9 chapters. The first chapter provides a general overview of problems and issues related to…

Reports on a study to determine the interaction effects of selected personality characteristics, science achievement, and two classroom climates, one which encouraged discovery learning and one that did not. Demonstrated that student achievement is influenced by dynamic interactions within classrooms. (TW)

In this study, prospective science teachers' (PSTs) views about their poster presentations were investigated. These posters were developed through PSTs' online and library research and scientific mini-symposiums in chemistry related topics in the framework of science, technology and society course (STS). During the first four weeks of STS course,…

This study examines a feedback portfolio developed by student teachers in their secondary science methods courses. The portfolio preparation requires students to reflect and select their best five learning experiences during the course and provide a short explanation regarding the value of those experiences. This study also involves emergency…

Describes the needs of elementary science teachers and presents a program model for preservice science teacher education. Discusses developing attitudes, skills, and knowledge. (PR)

Qualitatively studied the transfer of skills and perceptions developed in microteaching to the student teaching experience (n=17) and any changes in these skills and concerns throughout the duration of student teaching (n=6). Analysis of the data indicated 17 categories of subjects' perceptions, concerns, etc. (PR)

Used the lesson preparation method and interviews to investigate preservice physics teachers' pedagogical content knowledge, focusing on their knowledge of pupils' conceptual difficulties with temperature and heat. Results found a relationship between conceptual difficulties preservice teachers expected their pupils to have and conceptual…

Followed an elementary teacher during her transition from preservice to inservice teaching, examining influences on her science teaching efficacy beliefs. Data from teacher interviews, observations, and journal writings indicated that mastery experience and verbal and other forms of social persuasion were the major sources of influence for…

Although most students view science through a positive lens they often have difficulty connecting the science that they study in school with the practice of science in general, and their personal experience with science in their everyday lives. In an attempt to mediate "school science" with a more authentic view of science a contextual model is…

In this paper, the authors describe a model of professional development for early childhood science teachers based on their experiences over the past two years with Project ASTER: Active Science Teaching Encourages Reform. In this project, they have identified seven elements that constitute a quality professional development program. These…

This study aimed to describe preservice and experienced secondary biology teachers' global and specific subject matter structures (SMSs) and elucidate the relationship between these structures and teaching experience. Teachers' global and specific SMSs respectively designate their conceptions and/or organization of their disciplines and of…