Mapping Our City is a two-year project in which middle school teachers and students in Boston explore the uses of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in project-based science, environmental education, and geography. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation and is being field tested in three Boston middle school science classrooms.…

Many current efforts to develop large-scale science assessments involve hands-on tasks because of their presumed power to elicit and measure scientific reasoning skills. An analysis of the processes in which students engage while responding to such assessment is needed in order to discover the specific forms of reasoning that tasks elicit. This…

The distinction between the participant and spectator functions of language are used to describe the teaching skills of a fourth grade teacher during a unit of instruction. This study documented the science instruction of a teacher who 20 years ago majored in teaching reading. In recent years she has taken steps to develop skill and knowledge in…

The Core Course Proficiency initiative in the State of New Jersey is an outgrowth of the recommendations from two study panels convened to review and revise high school graduation requirements and to consider the need for and impact of establishing a common core of knowledge and skills in specified high school courses. This document presents the…

As the nation pursues the goal of becoming first in the world in science achievement among students, many are advocating an instructional approach that emphasizes activities and learning by doing. Instructional approaches in science education that involve activity and direct experience have become collectively known as hands-on science. This…

Sooner Elementary Engineering and Science Clubs (SeeS) began less than four years ago at a single elementary school as an effort to bring more science education into our local elementary schools without increasing the burden on the school's teachers. Due to popular demand, the program expanded slowly at first, but is doubling to include eight…

This paper uses inquiry-based learning to introduce primary students to the concepts and terminology found in four introductory engineering courses: Differential Equations, Circuit Analysis, Thermodynamics, and Dynamics. Simple electronic sensors coupled with everyday objects, such as a troll doll, demonstrate and reinforce the physical principles…

This 57-minute videotape covers the "Florida Educators Using Information Technology" session of the "Eco-Informa '96" conference. Two speakers presented examples of environmental educators using information technology. The first speaker, Brenda Maxwell, is the Director and Developer of the Florida Science Institute based at…

This report is the second in a series of monographs in which the results of Australian student performance in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) are presented. The main purpose of these reports is to describe the schools, teachers, and students who participated in TIMSS and to present student achievement results.…

In 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) included a Trial State Assessment (TSA); for the first time in the NAEP's history, voluntary state-by-state assessments were made. The sample was designed to represent the 8th grade public school population in a state or territory. In 1996, 44 states, the District of Columbia, Guam,…

In 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) included a Trial State Assessment (TSA); for the first time in the NAEP's history, voluntary state-by-state assessments were made. The sample was designed to represent the 8th grade public school population in a state or territory. In 1996, 44 states, the District of Columbia, Guam,…

This newsletter theme issue includes six articles on improving math and science education, particularly for poor, Limited-English-Proficient (LEP), and female students. "Effective Math and Science Instruction--The Project Approach for LEP Students" (Joseph Vigil) describes how hands-on science projects can increase student motivation,…

This document contains a set of model competency-based education (CBE) assessments that provide three types of assessment for students in grades 1-8 in science. Types of assessment include: traditional: multiple choice, short-answer, and open-ended items; performance-like: more authentic forms that involve students outside of the classroom; and…

This study evaluated a science professional development initiative developed by the Delaware State Department of Education, examining the nature of professional development activities, their effect on science classrooms, and their impact on teachers, students, and schools. The Science Van Project integrated technology and inquiry into Delaware's…

Describes the Mathematical and Scientific Foundations of Engineering curriculum which emphasizes the mathematical and scientific concepts common to all engineering fields. Scientists and engineers together devised topics and experiments that emphasize the relevance of theory to real-world applications. Presents material efficiently while building…