This digest reviews information in the science education literature on teaching about societal issues in science classes. Reasons for including a discussion of social issues in science classrooms are given, and instructional approaches for teaching about science and society are presented. Several Internet resources related to teaching about…

Discusses the building of a scientific theory on the basis of its characteristics including inflexible and comprehensive nature and related degree of trueness.'' Indicates that detailed phenomenon explanation, clarification of the theory scope, and presentation of competing theories are worthy objectives to pursue in teaching science to…

An approach is suggested for teaching science history through inquiry training. A series of investigations are given for illustrating to students the manner in which organisms are grouped taxonomically. (SA)

Reflects on the idea of a person being constructed through his actions, and the role of the teacher in enabling such actions. Argues that the way a teacher shapes the classroom is, in effect, a lens through which children can be viewed and visions of the educational process both shape and are shaped by the teacher. (Author/WRM)

Explores an approach to autobiographical research based on a notion of "outlaw genre" autobiography, referred to as "biomythography". Describes the use of photo essays to learn about prospective elementary teachers' stories of science and science education. Calls for an examination of hegemonies extending from students' personal histories as…

This paper attempts to establish a conceptual basis on which beginning teachers may be introduced to investigative science teaching in a way that accommodates the teacher voice. It draws mainly on preliminary theory from the shared reflections of 20 science teachers, augmented by a more general interview-based study of the experience of early…

While many states are facing challenges to the teaching of evolution in their science classrooms, the University of California Museum of Paleontology, working with the National Center for Science Education, has developed a useful web-based resource for science teachers of all grade- and experience-levels. Understanding Evolution (UE) was developed…

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of three science teachers attempting to transform their practice by conducting action research on feminist science teaching. The teachers engaged in systematic, self-critical inquiry of their own practice and joined 8 other science teachers to engage in collaborative conversations about the…

This paper discusses the basic concepts of reflection and its related concepts in optics. It aims at providing examples on how to apply the principle of reflection in geometry. Explorations of the concepts involved via dynamic geometry software are also included.

This paper reports a conversation about what constitutes the nature of science (NOS) and what are the best ways to prepare teachers to teach their pupils to understand what it is. The study explores the effects of the explicit teaching of the nature of science in a science education course with a pedagogy component on preservice teachers'…

Elementary teachers must make thousands of decisions about their teaching practices every day. From whom should they first seek a response? Who should be asked the next question? Will the students be in groups for this activity or do it alone? While many science educators have clear visions of strategies they should employ in science classrooms,…

Describes a method for students to evaluate and experience a repetition of important physics concepts during regular lecture sessions. The major goal was to train students to focus attention on course materials. (SK)

Explains the use of a cropping systems project to teach agronomic principles and crop management techniques, and to enhance communication skills. Provides a sample progress report instructions sheet which was used for the project. (Author/RT)

Notes that energy is a difficult concept to learn and provides problems for many students. Stresses that if the science education community were to develop a standard nomenclature of energy-related terms, it would be possible to eliminate some of the difficulties without reducing depth of treatment. (Author/MVL)

Discusses the orbit, motion, and phases of the moon. Describes three activities on the moon: "How Soon Can You See a Crescent Moon?"; "When is the Moon Visible?"; and "Lunar Eclipses." (YP)