Describes and analyzes five years of an attempt to introduce the public understanding of science as a subject in its own right to be taught in The Netherlands. Concludes that in spite of its status as a separate subject, the current vision of the course does not yet have a clear identity that distinguishes it from traditional school science…

Presents an overview of current reform efforts in elementary and secondary science education. Discusses teaching strategies that promote scientific literacy, providing science-learning opportunities for all students, new assessment techniques, important aspects of science-teacher education, systemic reform programs sponsored by the National…

Summarizes research findings and policy implications obtained over a 5-year period from the implementation of an In-Depth Expanded Applications of Science (IDEAS) model with average, above average, and at-risk students in grades 2-5. The IDEAS model replaced the time allocated to traditional reading/language arts instruction with a 2-hour time…

An Alberta high school principal describes the process of transforming a small vocational training school into an innovative school of science and technology. While preparing school plans, this principal learned the importance of open discussion. Community participants identified seven topics for further study that were later incorporated into a…

Posner's theory of conceptual change forms the background for this study which focuses upon conceptual ecology, specifically upon the heuristics children appear to employ in sense-making. The study focuses upon two children who demonstrate remarkably different sense-making heuristics; a recognizably scientific one and one that involves the…

Reports on a study of parent-child interactions in a children's museum demonstrating that parents shape and support children's scientific thinking in everyday, nonobligatory activity. Finds that when children engaged an exhibit with their parents, their exploration of evidence was observed to be longer, broader, and more focused on relevant…

After attending an astronomy camp at Tarleton State University (TSU) for teachers and secondary students in Summer 2002, the author, a kindergarten teacher, was disappointed to discover that the university offered no science camps for elementary students. She returned to her preK-K campus, whining to her principal. What a shame no one would take…

This publication reports on a project designed to increase the awareness and appreciation of educators, and through them the awareness of middle and high school students, of the advantages of preparing for careers in technology and science. These are fields in which Boston high school students generally, and minority students particularly, have…

A phenomenological approach was used to investigate the longitudinal recollections of participants of an out-of-school science program. The experience was a field trip to the Shenandoah National Park (USA) conducted in the fall of 2004. The science topic was geologic history and features related to the Shenandoah Valley. Two major themes relating…

Although weather, including its role in the water cycle, is included in most elementary science programs, any further examination of raindrops and snowflakes is rare. Together rain and snow make up most of the precipitation that replenishes Earth's life-sustaining fresh water supply. When viewed individually, raindrops and snowflakes are quite…

This booklet describes PACE (Promoting Academic Excellence in Mathematics, Science & Technology for Workers of the 21st Century), an Eisenhower Math and Science Education project, and presents an evaluation of the program. PACE seeks to improve learning opportunities and achievement in mathematics and science for students in target schools…

Over the past 10 years high performance computers and communications have had a profound impact on the way science is done at research universities. This impact has extended into the undergraduate curriculum and has also been felt at the secondary school level through programs such as the SuperQuest program. This paper describes the background and…

The Asia and the Pacific Programme of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID) has a primary goal of contributing to the building of national capacities for undertaking educational innovations linked to the problems of national development, thereby improving the quality of life of the people in the member states. One of the major interests…

One of the challenges issued by the National Science Education Standards is for students to learn the content and process of modern scientific inquiry by engaging in research and entering science competitions. The Rockefeller University Precollege Science Education Outreach Programs (Science Outreach) provide access for about 70 students from…

The goal of this report is to provide a summary of the evaluation of Project Symbiosis which focused on enhancing the teaching of science principles in high school agriculture courses. The project initially involved 15 teams of science and agriculture teachers and was characterized by an extensive evaluation component consisting of six formal…