In building a program to advance school leadership in science, a mechanism for prioritizing science education at a school was developed for schools and then carried out by school staff. The development process (including focus groups and interviews) and literature review yielded a difference in thought between teachers and administrators about…

The objective of our program is to foster and facilitate authentic research experiences in middle and high school science courses. We do so by providing students with a complete experience in scientific experimentation and communication. The centerpiece is a set of experiment modules in which students investigate the effects of toxic chemicals on…

Modern science education reform recommends that teachers provide K-12 science students a more complete picture of the scientific enterprise, one that lies beyond content knowledge and centers more on the processes and culture of scientists. In the case of Research Experience for Teachers (RET) programs, the "teacher" becomes "researcher" and it is…

The Texas statewide assessment of academic skills in 1997 indicated that >55 % of the student population failed to master the mathematics objectives set by the test criteria and 42 % of the mathematics teachers at the secondary level in the East Texas region were categorized as underqualified to teach mathematics at that level. The issue of…

Factors related to the success of implementing elementary school science program changes are discussed. Decisions must be based on continuing teacher needs assessments, strengths and weaknesses of the maintenance system, community awareness, and observations of consequent student behavior. (BT)

Describes the Bridges program which aims at forming bridges between teachers and students within districts and extending those bridges across district boundaries in the Los Angeles area while enhancing science instruction in the classroom. Discusses the planning, implementation, evaluation, and summary of the program. (JRH)

Believing that science could be used as a vehicle for increasing student achievement across the curriculum, seven science resource teachers in the South Carolina Lowcountry designed a professional development program funded through a Local Systemic Change grant from the National Science Foundation called Project Inquiry. Science notebooks, used in…

Describes a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project in which hands-on science became the predominant mode of instruction in a school district. Explores the effectiveness of the program and its implications for the future and the science supervisor. (KHR)

This book focuses on the professional development of teachers and discusses issues related to science education reform. The content of the book is divided into two parts. Part 1, Professional Development: Implications for Science Leadership, chapters include: (1) "The Role of the Science Leader in Implementing Standards-Based Science Programs"…

Compares eight states on their inservice teacher training programs, changes in the science curricula (including instruction requirements, skill lists, and/or syllabi development), curriculum evaluation, budget-program/personnel commitments, and resources for assistance. These states include Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Oregon,…

This summary outlines the National Science Education Standards, the guidelines which define the science content that all students should know and be able to do and which also provide guidelines for assessment of student understanding of the content. This document contains a definition of the National Science Education Standards, a rationale for…

This paper explores questions about the ways in which students, teachers, administrators, and parents negotiate new sets of roles and expectations for schooling in the innovative climate of a new middle school. A new school in an Australian city has implemented a coordinated package of approaches including integrated curriculum, portfolio…

In an era when the U.S. educational enterprise, particularly in mathematics, physical sciences, and engineering, has been found to be seriously flawed and has come under criticism from many different sectors, it is essential for science and mathematics educators from the nation's predominantly undergraduate institutions to take the lead in…

In this study, we seek a better understanding of how individuals and their daily interactions shape and reshape social structures that constitute a classroom community. Moreover, we provide insight into how discourse and classroom interactions shape the nature of a learning community, as well as which aspects of the classroom culture may be…