Science competitions have continuing relevance for schools. The aim of the German youth science fair "Jugend forscht" is to encourage scientific thinking and inquiry methods such as experimentation. Three concrete examples of participating projects are given. We summarise the current state of research related to science competitions,…

Background: Science Olympiads and science fairs are effective instruments to foster interested and talented students. However, at most schools competitions are not systematically integrated into the school mission statement so that students are unaware of these opportunities. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness…

This descriptive study explores three aspects of teacher behavior related to student participation in science fair competitions: teacher attitudes, teacher preference for different student-learning modes, and teacher motives for required student participation. Teacher motives for required student participation may stem from curriculum and…

In this article, the authors reflect on whether the competitiveness of science fairs does anything to enhance the learning environment of schools. The authors narrate how a visit to a local school's gymnasium to witness one of these gala events reminded them of why they so dislike science fairs. The authors mention that they applaud any sincere…

Proposes the organization of noncompetitive science fairs to create a more positive learning experience for children in the elementary grades. Describes methods of organizing and judging the fair, and provides a list of suggested resources for science fair projects. (MDH)

This study was designed to answer the following questions relative to social science fair projects: (1) To what extent were instructional media techniques utilized in the project display? (2) To what extent did teachers assist students with topic selection for the projects? (3) To what extent were the teachers and media specialists involved with…