This article presents a qualitative study, descriptive-interpretive in profile, of the effectiveness in learning about the nature of science (NOS) of an activity relating to the historical controversy between Pasteur and Liebig on fermentation. The activity was implemented during a course for pre-service secondary science teachers (PSSTs)…

Research globally has shown that many children lose interest in science towards the end of primary school and throughout the post-primary phase. This article explores children's experience and views in Irish schools that have adopted innovative practices that aim to empower, excite and inspire children in science. One of these focuses on explicit…

As student-teacher-scientist partnerships become more widespread, there is a need for research to understand the roles assumed by scientists and teachers as they interact with students in general and in inquiry learning environments in particular. Although teacher roles during inquiry learning have been studied, there is a paucity of research…

Research shows that women are entering the field of physics at a faster rate than the field of chemistry through bachelor's and doctoral degrees. However, STEM studies primarily compare women to men or examine them as a single entity. Therefore, a paucity of research exists that examines what may differentiate women in certain critical and…

Science educators often suggest that students should learn science in ways and settings that bear family resemblance with "the real thing." Internship in science laboratories constitutes one such way in which students may learn science and learn about science. However, very little is known about "how" participants experience a…

This study aimed to elucidate college freshmen science students, secondary science teachers, and scientists' perceptions of "scientific" argument; to compare participants' perceptions with Stephen Toulmin's analytical framework of argument; and to characterize the criteria that participants deployed when assessing the "quality"…

Every aspect of teaching, including the instructional method, the course content, and the types of assessments, is influenced by teachers' attitudes and beliefs. Teacher education programs play an important role in the development of beliefs regarding teaching and learning. The purpose of the study was to document pre-service teachers' views on…

The publication in 1906 of Alexander Smith's "Introduction to general inorganic chemistry" inaugurated a decisive change in chemical pedagogy in the US, the effects of which are still evident. The nature and extent of Smith's innovations are described through a comparison of his text to its source material and contemporaries. His…

To test whether epistemically unproblematic ways of thinking and talking about science could be transformed during preservice teacher training, we designed a system of learning activities based on a set of "heuristics for progressive disciplinary discourse" (HPDD). The HPDD outline six design principles of learning environments where the aim is to…

To promote the use of scientific inquiry methods in K-12 classrooms, departments of teacher education must provide science teachers with experiences using such methods. To comply with state and national mandates, an apprenticeship course was designed to afford preservice secondary science teachers opportunities to engage in an authentic, extended,…

Discusses the history of American science and science education, with particular emphasis on the development of scientific inquiry and experimentation. Focuses primarily on the activities of individuals in the 1800's, and the introduction of science into secondary schools and higher education institutions in the early 1900's. (TW)

The characteristics and major events of early American science are discussed in this paper. The philosophical influences and scientific practices of prominent scientists in early American time periods are examined and referenced in terms of their orientation to inquiry-oriented methods. Specific descriptions of the scientific accomplishments of…

The results of the Second International Science Study and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessments are cited and future job openings in natural sciences and engineering areas are projected. Technology is ever increasing in complexity, yet ninth-grade U.S. students scored second from the bottom on international…

Presents the viewpoints of scientists and philosophers who have contemplated the issue of what science is all about. Indicates that there is a dual nature of science consisting of both public and private aspects. (RT)

This document is based upon the premise that with the help of professional scientists on university campuses, in industrial settings, and in private practice, school systems can meet head-on the unprecedented criticism currently being directed at public education and can develop exemplary science programs. This paper is a case study of a program…