Developing student capacity for the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce requires not only better preparation in specific content and skills but also better preparation in understanding the goals that STEM fields can afford. In particular, stereotypic views that STEM fields lack communal opportunities to work with and help…

The Clark Fork Watershed Education Program (CFWEP) goals are: (a) increasing students' understanding of the nature of ecological impacts within their watershed as related to historic mining damage; and (b) increasing students' sense of stewardship of newly restored landscapes. Data from 2012 to 2016 were evaluated for student knowledge gains (46…

This study describes how student unit assessment data helped support ongoing curriculum revisions in the Baltimore City School District. This project is situated in the STEM Achievement in Baltimore Elementary Schools (SABES) project, which is a National Science Foundation funded multi-year Math Science Partnership between the Johns Hopkins…

The purpose of the study reported herein was to identify the important aspects of statistical knowledge that students in the middle school grades in United States are expected to learn as well as what the teachers are expected to teach. A systematic study of 49 states standards and one set of national standards was used to identify these important…

High-quality after-school programs devoted to science have the potential to enhance students' science knowledge and attitudes, which may impact their decisions about pursuing science-related careers. Because of the unique nature of these informal learning environments, an understanding of the relationships among aspects of students' content…

Although popular media often provides negative images of mathematicians, we contend that mathematics classroom practices can also contribute to students' images of mathematicians. In this study, we examined eight mathematics teachers' framings of mathematicians in their classrooms. Here, we analyze classroom observations to explore some of the…

Discusses the relationships between instructor and student goals, course design, and student strategies for learning physics in a traditional introductory undergraduate physics course for nonmajors. Results indicate that diverse goals and the structure of the course inhibited the understanding of physics and were conducive to students engaging in…

Identified are reasons for discrepancies between desired states and actual practice of problem solving and reflective thinking. Issues discussed include describing the development of problem solving, using problem solving methods in instruction, outcome of developing students' problem solving abilities, and reasonable expectations of attaining the…

Discusses the need for a science-technology-society (STS) approach in science classroom and describes the characteristics of exemplary STS programs. Lists five domains for STS goals and indicates assessment instruments for the domains. (YP)

Presents a study to assess scientific literacy of a group of students at a moderately sized midwestern university (n=90). Describes the methodology used to create a multiple-choice test field tested on 75 elementary preservice teachers. Outcomes indicate that achievement was not influenced by age, sex, high school size, or a possible future career…

Presents a study to evaluate the influence of a 1-week in-service workshop intended to promote science-technology-society instructional themes and alternative instructional strategies for 13 experienced science teachers. Results indicate that a significant shift in instructional goals orientation occurred and that teachers demonstrated higher…