After using the "Physics: A Human Endeavor" curriculum for a period of time students and teachers in the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, in general, suggested that there was a need for a curriculum change. This paper reports on ways to effectively change the curriculum. Topics included are: (1) need for change in the…

Outlines the stages of a research-development cycle based on experiences with a Dutch physics curriculum development project (PLON). Discusses two topics: the legitimation of specific contents of the curricula and the attention to lay ideas on scientific concepts. (Author/YP)

Overviews the "Nuffield Coordinated Sciences" program. Discusses the aim, coordination of content, presentation, and the writing timetable. (YP)

The background of teaching science in secondary schools in Papua New Guinea is described in order to familiarize readers with the situation at Goroka Teachers' College (GTC) in the early 1980s where it was necessary to attempt to increase educational standards in science. Goroka Teachers' College was the main source of science teachers for…

Describes an interdisciplinary project from the University of Costa Rica conducted to contribute to the improvement of science teaching in primary schools by adopting the Science Curriculum Improvement Study. Changes included the use of woods, rocks, shells, and rain water in science class and integration of science with other subjects. Student…

The national curriculum in Japan is termed the Course of Study, the revised version of which was implemented in 2000 for kindergarten, or nursery schools, and since 2002 for elementary or primary schools. The Course of Study for Science specifies content only in broad terms, placing the greatest emphasis on process, learning to learn and…

Primary science in Scotland has got the wind in its sails. The Scottish science education initiative, "Improving Science Education" (ISE) 5-14, has invested millions in professional development (CPD) materials and experiences for science teachers, harnessing and developing their enthusiasm for effective learning and teaching in science.…

Lessons from a pilot introduction of environmental education into a teacher education programme designed to address pupil disengagement from school science, are discussed in this paper. Pre-service teachers discovered that environmental education can be a potent context for creativity and continuity in curriculum planning. Interpretation of the…

Gives an overview of Science-Technology-Society (STS) education, which views scientific and technological progress as social processes. An STS course called Social Organic Chemistry is described as a replacement for Application of Organic Chemistry in a teachers' college. The course addresses the application of the principles and fundamentals of…

This article briefly describes a curriculum study that had two main purposes. The first purpose was to develop and reflect upon a new energy technology curriculum at the lower secondary school level using an action research method. The second purpose was to determine the effect of collaborative activities, with the families of the pupils enrolled…

To address the critical problem of inadequate physician supply in rural British Columbia, The University of British Columbia (UBC) launched an innovative, expanded and distributed medical program in 2004-2005. Medical students engage in a common curriculum at three geographically distinct sites across B.C.: in Vancouver, Prince George and…

The Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) of Malaysia became an operating agency in January 1973 and became a division of the Malaysia Ministry of Education in May 1974. Its establishment was the culmination of over a decade of curriculum development efforts by the Ministry of Education. The CDC was an outgrowth of both the First and Second Malaysia…

Evaluated attainment of Nigerian Primary Education Improvement Program's objectives in terms of students' ability to practice process skills, their interest, active participation in and understanding of science lessons, and the availability of materials and ease of preparing and teaching the lessons for teachers. (Author/SK)

The "virtual mobility" project was created as part of a joint Canadian and European Commission funded project to explore cross-cultural clinical curricular developments in the radiation sciences. The aim of the project was to facilitate student learning of the cross-cultural differences in the delivery of healthcare within the…

Since the inception in 1987 of European funding programmes the number of students and the range of countries annually involved in international exchange have increased dramatically. In order to comply with this international development, the European Project Semester (EPS) was started in 1995. Since then, more and more students, also from…