Since their release in 1996, the National Science Education Standards have provided the vision for science education reform. But has that reform actually taken hold in elementary school? "Yes!," reports Robert Yager, editor of Exemplary Science in Grades PreK-4: Standards-Based Success Stories. "Probably the Standards have done more to change…

This document presents best practice recommendations for important elements of environmental education including content, program development and implementation, assessment and evaluation, and professional development. Written for providers of environmental education, the guide is designed to help environmental education providers develop and…

This multi-participant case study used a phenomenological lens to understand the ways that science teachers make sense of implementing instructional innovations following their participation in a year-long biotechnology professional development program. Sources of data included a series in-depth interviews used to collect teachers' stories of…

The primary purpose of this study was to identify those factors that most accurately predict a student's intention to complete a degree in a college of agriculture. Specific research objectives were to identify similarities and differences of college of agriculture freshmen from predominately urban backgrounds, as compared to those in an…

This booklet contains information and activities on the life cycle of stars. Materials can be adapted for grade 9 through grade 12 classrooms. Background information about star birth and life, black dwarfs, supernovae, white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes, and the electromagnetic spectrum is included. The seven activities focus on star mass,…

The high expectations for scientific literacy for all students demands a certain quality of science education in lower secondary education. This program focuses on supporting teachers in implementing this new curriculum. There are three interconnecting components of the program: (1) curriculum resources; (2) professional development; and (3)…

This social studies curriculum with a science component contains two sections. The first section targets elementary schools and includes six lessons. The second section is intended for middle schools and high schools and contains four units. These two sections overlap with each other and can be used by teachers from any grade level. The content of…

I have been a part of a program in Western Samoa that involves inservicing Western Samoan secondary teachers in all subjects. My part in the program has been to inservice the science teachers in the delivery of the environmental science curriculum to students in the junior secondary schools. Quite a number of the secondary teachers are upgraded…

This document contains a program evaluation of science education in grades K-12 in the Des Moines Independent School District in Iowa. Sections include: (1) an abstract of the evaluation; (2) a preface containing mission statements; (3) the context evaluation referring to curriculum, goals, and demographics; (4) input evaluation with budgetary…

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) project involves gaining access to data on student learning from the National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (NCEES) that schools and programs do not normally have. This document contains an executive summary in addition to the full length report on the accomplishments of the project. The…

The goal of this research was to determine if standardized science test scores in Tennessee show evidence of continuous improvement in student achievement. The data examined as part of this study display evidence of a performance dip in Grade 4 but show an overall increase in scores across grade levels. A discussion of Tennessee's value added…

The High-Energy Astrophysics (HEA) Learning Center gives students, teachers, and the general public a window into the world of high-energy astrophysics. The universe is revealed through x-rays and gamma rays where matter exists under extreme conditions. Information is available on astrophysics at a variety of reading levels, and is illustrated…

This paper was originally developed for the workshop, the Secondary Science Education for Development, and examines the factors shaping educational policy in developing nations. Four sections include: (1) a discussion of two different approaches to the formation of science education policy; (2) an elaboration of the dimensions of the policy…

This document presents a report from the Mathematics and Science Task Force. The Task Force held its initial meeting on January 27, 1999 to develop essential competencies in content knowledge and pedagogy in four areas: (1) elementary mathematics; (2) secondary mathematics; (3) elementary science; and (4) secondary science. Initially Task Force…

This document is the first in the Secondary Education Series and is a product of the cooperation between the Human Development Network Education Team and the Human Development Sector Unit of the Latin American and Caribbean Region. The purpose of this book is to demonstrate the present valuable information found in developing nations and the…