Both teachers believe that the most important student outcome is factual knowledge, middle-grade students learn through repeated drill and practice, and these students require a great deal of direction. Their beliefs differ from the philosophy of an intended curriculum, thus hampering its successful implementation. (PR)

The purpose of this study was to describe attitudes of first and second grade teachers in Benin, toward school science and their instructional preferences (inquiry-based and traditional noninquiry-based instruction), and determine some factors that could explain these attitudes and preferences. Three hundred (N = 300) preparatory classroom…

When planning to teach science to students who are English language learners (ELLs), science teachers and some science educators look to sheltered instruction as a potential guide. The possibility of blending inquiry-based teaching with a sheltered instruction framework seems a promising method for providing high-quality science learning…

In 2001, the Australian Government released a report, commissioned by the then Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, entitled "The Status and Quality of Teaching and Learning of Science in Australian Schools" (Goodrum, Hackling, & Rennie, 2001). Its recommendations included actions to address raising community…

This study examined how middle science teachers perceive the textbooks they use and how their perceptions varied with their personal attributes and professional backgrounds. A questionnaire was sent to 79 middle school science teachers in Missouri, and 66 responded. The questionnaire was designed to determine the teachers' perceptions about the…

Abstractor's analyses of 15 science education research studies are presented in three sections. The nine analyses in the first section focus on studies dealing with preservice and inservice teacher education. Areas investigated in these studies include: effectiveness of some inservice practices; teachers' perceptions of the importance of some…

This paper discusses the results of a field study that attempted to answer questions related to science curriculum renewal in the province of Saskatchewan. The purposes of the field study were to obtain educators' reactions to proposals for change in the science curriculum, assess teachers' needs for science teaching, and determine the nature and…

Issues related to the improvement of science teaching are examined in this collection of proposals and papers from the 1985 National Forum for School Science. Generalized comments are offered on strategies for strengthening science teaching and on selected proposals concerned with the recruitment and retention of science teachers. Topic areas…

During the spring of 1982, over 80,000 students and nearly 2,000 teachers in British Columbia participated in the 1982 Science Assessment, contributing toward understanding of the status and progress of science education in the elementary and secondary schools of the province. The assessment was the second in science, the first occurring in 1978.…

This is a summary of a final report which was based on a survey of the literature on needs and practices in pre-college social science education for the period 1955 through 1975. The summary contains a brief introduction, a description of procedures followed in the study, and a summary of findings. The findings are presented as summary statements…

This is a status report based upon the review, analysis, and summarization of literature related to pre-college science instruction, science teacher education, and needs assessment efforts. The report identifies trends and patterns in the preparation of science teachers, teaching practices, curriculum materials, and needs assessments in science…

A science education game, called "Challenge," was developed and tested. In a course designed to review the concepts that are useful in teaching elementary school science, one group of black graduate students used the game while a control group used the conventional lecture-discussion format. The game was designed to allow the player an opportunity…

Reports on a study designed to compare student attitudes concerning their science teachers at the third, seventh, and eleventh grades where students participated in exemplary science programs. Results indicated significantly more positive attitudes of these students in a variety of ways. Included is the questionnaire used with the students. (TW)

Reviews the development and implementation of science education curriculum projects in Great Britain. Suggests that, among others, relevance of project materials and ideas to problems teachers face in schools and a positive attitude toward curriculum development are necessary to ensure uptake. (Author/SK)

Described is a graduate science education program, at the University of Northern Colorado, for elementary teachers and junior high school science teachers in which they can obtain an external degree at the Master's level. Faculty responsibilities, funding, and program evaluation are also discussed. (HM)