Reports results of an 18-item questionnaire mailed to all 730 school board presidents in the state of Ohio. Among the findings are that 52.8% of the presidents thought that "creation science" and 67.3% thought that evolution should be favorably taught in public schools. Only 13.7% thought that creation science was currently taught in…

Argues the urgency associated with school reform must be tempered by the fact that much reform is being guided by the rhetoric of a conservative ideology. Urges science educators to resist conservative ideological rhetoric that seeks to sway the masses. Science education must move beyond the positivistic, ahistorical, and depoliticized orientation…

Examined is the program and professional development process that has characterized past and current science curriculum reform efforts. Illustrated are fundamental educational reform problems. Discussed is the importance of teacher involvement in educational decision making. (KR)

Assesses the United States' experience with physics curriculum development and teacher education from 1955-90. Although there were substantial improvements in the development of hands-on elementary and secondary school curricula, their effectiveness was largely negated by logistical problems in implementation and deficiencies in teacher…

A learning cycle lesson consists of three phases: concept exploration, concept introduction, and concept application. Describes the application of the learning cycle model to the design of inservice and preservice teacher education curriculum. (MDH)

Compared the laboratory method versus lecture method for Nigerian grade eight students (n=210). High achievers in both groups had identical achievement, but the low achievers in the laboratory sections performed better than students receiving the lectures. Females receiving lectures performed better than the males receiving lectures. (PR)

Describes an activity that shows how understanding a modern coral reef environment helps predict the location of old subsurface reefs that may contain oil. (PR)

Explores the use of the vignette as a research tool in determining preservice elementary teachers', African American high school students', and Young Scholars' perceptions of transportation, communication, and various labor saving devices. (DDR)

Describes a senior-level capstone experience that integrates various communication and research skills to prepare chemistry majors for entry into graduate school and professional life. Contains 12 references. (WRM)

Describes a federally funded Javits project that involved two rural elementary schools with a primarily Hispanic population. The project was designed to develop an alternative community-based assessment procedure for identifying gifted minority students. Identified students were taught using a developed science curriculum that focused on problem…

Identifies the problems associated with the use of dry laboratories in science education, presents design considerations for the use of such practicals in science education, and presents examples of innovative nontraditional practicals. Contains 23 references. (DDR)

We present 4 key arguments: (1) knowledge translation requires tacit and explicit knowledge that must be introduced into the organization as well as simply acquired by individuals; (2) educating for knowledge translation must go beyond conveying facts and developing capability; (3) a constructivist and collaborative approach to education can…

This study explores the roles that regional partners play in helping to support implementation of the GLOBE program, an international earth science and education initiative. Researchers at SRI International conducted case studies of two GLOBE partners' practices in an effort to identify the factors that contribute to effective implementation of…

Using the US national sample from the 1995 Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), this study examined students' competence levels in understanding the matter concept at grades 3, 4, 7, 8 and high school graduation, and compared them to the expectations in the US national science education standards. It was found that…

The article discusses selected findings of a narrative review, funded by the Institute of Physics, in response to the continuing decline in the number of girls studying physics post-16 in England; 177 selected sources, of national and international research literature about girls' participation in physics, were reviewed. In the article, we argue…