Transforming attitudes and lives: Liberating African-American elementary and middle school students in out-of-school time STEM education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Charisse F.

Statistically, African-Americans, women, and the disabled are underrepresented in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Historically, these underrepresented students, are described as being unrecognized and underdeveloped in the American STEM circuit. Many experience deficient and inadequate educational resources, are not encouraged to pursue STEM education and careers, and are confronted with copious obstructions. In this quantitative study, the researcher collected pretest and posttest survey data from a group of 4th, 5th, and 6th-grade African-American students in Title I funded schools. The reseacher used quantitative analysis to determine any significant differences in the science related attitudes between and within groups who participated in Out of School-Time Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs and those who did not. Results revealed no significant differences in the science related attitudes between the groups of the students who participated in the Out of School Time-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs and those who did not. Results also revealed no significant differences in the science related attitudes within the groups of students who participated in the Out of School Time-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs and those who did not.

The integration of technology into the middle and high school science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbin, Jan Frederic

This study was to determine the level of technology implementation into the middle and high school science curriculum by beginning teachers. Research was conducted in two phases. The first phase was a survey that provided demographic data and determined the Level of Technology Implementation, Personal Computer Use, and Current Instructional Practice. Dr. Christopher Moersch developed the survey, Level of Technology Implementation (LoTi(c) ). The data provided insight into what technology teachers use, barriers associated with technology integration, teacher training and development, and technical support. Follow-up interviews were conducted to gather additional qualitative data and information. Analysis of the data found beginning teachers have not received enough technology training to integrate technology seamlessly into the science curriculum. Conclusions cite the need for more technology courses during preservice education, more time during the day for beginning teachers to learn to use the technology available at their schools, consolidation of inservice staff development offerings, and more technical support staff readily available. Recommendations were made to expand the study group to all science teachers, assess the technology capacity of all schools, and conduct needs assessment of inservice staff development.

Practical Activities for Out-of-School Science and Technology Education. Science and Technology Education Document Series No. 17.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Venkatasamy, D.; And Others

A pilot project was undertaken in 1984 at the Mauritius Institute of Education for the purpose of developing and preparing teaching/learning materials for out-of-school Science and Technology Education programs. This volume is one in a series of UNESCO programs which encourage an international exchange of ideas and information on science and…

The Science-Mathematics Connection: Using Technology in an Interdisciplinary Module.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flournoy, Bonita E.; Cook-Bax, Janice E.; Harris, Lillian

2001-01-01

Points out the importance of mathematics and science connections in the curriculum and introduces the Science Teachers Open Support System (STOSS) program which aims to assist African American middle school and high school teachers in designing and implementing technology-based interdisciplinary science and mathematics modules for culturally…

A Financial Technology Entrepreneurship Program for Computer Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawler, James P.; Joseph, Anthony

2011-01-01

Education in entrepreneurship is becoming a critical area of curricula for computer science students. Few schools of computer science have a concentration in entrepreneurship in the computing curricula. The paper presents Technology Entrepreneurship in the curricula at a leading school of computer science and information systems, in which students…

Technology-Based Inquiry for Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christmann, Edwin

2006-01-01

Activities featured in this new compendium--a collection of 26 articles published in Science Scope, NSTA's member journal for middle school teachers--will show how. Technology-Based Inquiry offers fresh approaches that teachers and students can use to explore physical science, Earth and space science, life science, and more. It covers the…

Incorporating spectroscopy and measurement technology into the high school chemistry laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harbert, Emily Ann

Science and technology are becoming increasingly important in maintaining a healthy economy at home and a competitive edge on the world stage, though that is just one facet affected by inadequate science education in the United States. Engaging students in the pursuit of knowledge and giving them the skills to think critically are paramount. One small way to assist in achieving these goals is to increase the quality and variety of technology-rich activities conducted in high school classrooms. Incorporating more laboratory measurement technology into high schools may incite more student interest in the processes and practices of science and may allow students to learn to think more critically about their data and what it represents. The first objective of the work described herein was to determine what measurement technology is being used in schools and to what extent, as well as to determine other teacher needs and preferences. Second, the objective was to develop a new program to provide incoming freshmen (or rising seniors) with measurement technology training they did not receive in high school, and expose them to new research and career opportunities in science. The final objective was to create a technology-rich classroom laboratory activity for use in high schools.

The Transformative Potential of Engaging in Science Inquiry-Based Challenges: The ATSE Wonder of Science Challenge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomas, Louisa; Jackson, Cliff; Carlisle, Karen

2014-01-01

In 2012, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) piloted the "Wonder of Science Challenge" with a view to enhance school students' interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Students in 15 schools across northern Queensland were provided with an inquiry-based research problem and…

Australian Enrolment Trends in Technology and Engineering: Putting the T and E Back into School STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, JohnPaul; Quinn, Frances; Lyons, Terry

2018-01-01

There has been much political and educational focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Australian schools in recent years and while there has been significant research examining science and mathematics enrolments in senior high school, little is known about the corresponding trends in Technologies and engineering.…

Effects of South Korean High School Students' Motivation to Learn Science and Technology on Their Concern Related to Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Eunsang

2017-01-01

This study investigated the gender difference among South Korean high school students in science learning motivation, technology learning motivation, and concern related engineering, as well as the correlation between these factors. It also verified effects of the sub-factors of science learning motivation and technology learning motivation on…

Marine Technology for Teachers and Students: A Multi-modal Approach to Integrate Technology and Ocean Sciences Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gingras, A.; Knowlton, C. W.; Scowcroft, G. A.; Babb, I.; Coleman, D.; Morin, H.

2016-02-01

The Marine Technology for Teachers and Students (MaTTS) Project implements a year-long continuum of activities beginning with educators reading and reporting on peer-reviewed publications, followed by face-to-face, hands-on weekend workshops and virtual professional development activities. Teams of teacher and student leaders then participate in an intensive, residential Summer Institute (SI) that emphasizes hands-on building of marine related technologies and exposure to career pathways through direct interactions with ocean scientists and engineers. During the school year, teachers integrate ocean science technology and data into their classrooms and participate, along with colleagues and students from their schools, in science cafes and webinars. Student leaders transfer knowledge gained by engaging their district's middle school students in ocean science activities and technologies by serving as hosts for live broadcasts that connect classrooms with ocean scientists and engineers though the Inner Space Center, a national ocean science telecommunications hub. Communication technologies bridge formal and informal learning environments, allowing MaTTS participants to interact with their fellow cohort members, scientists, and engineers both during and outside of school. Evaluation results indicate that for teachers both the weekend workshops and SI were most effective in preparing them to integrate ocean science and technology in STEM curricula and increase their ocean science content knowledge and leadership characteristics. For students the SI and the middle school interactions supported gains in knowledge, awareness, leadership skills and interest in ocean sciences and technologies, and related STEM careers. In particular, the connections made by working directly with scientists have positively impacted both student and teacher leaders. This presentation will provide an overview of the MaTTS model and early evaluation results.

High School Science Technology Additions, Midland Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Design Cost Data, 2001

2001-01-01

Discusses design goals, space requirements, and need for mobile furniture and "imagination stations" at Michigan's Midland Public High School science technology addition. Describes the architectural design, costs, and specifications. Includes floor plans, general description, photos and a list of consultants, manufacturers, and suppliers…

How Does a Community of Principals Develop Leadership for Technology-Enhanced Science?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerard, Libby F.; Bowyer, Jane B.; Linn, Marcia C.

2010-01-01

Active principal leadership can help sustain and scale science curriculum reform. This study illustrates how principal leadership developed in a professional learning community to support a technology-enhanced science curriculum reform funded by the National Science Foundation. Seven middle school and high school principals in one urban-fringe…

Improving the Teaching of Science and Technology in Primary Schools--A Cluster Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Paul

2017-01-01

The position of science and technology in Scottish primary schools is broadly similar to most other primary schools throughout Great Britain. There are certain schools and individuals that perform at a very high level but many schools are hampered by a lack of resources, a lack of confidence in teaching the topics and some significant gaps in the…

Denver School of Science and Technology: A High School that Works

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colorado Children's Campaign, 2006

2006-01-01

When one sees the new Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST), the first thing one will likely to notice is the building's impressive design. The school looks more like a Silicon Valley biotech firm than a typical new Colorado high school. Indeed, the innovative structure, modeled on a similar facility in San Diego, has already garnered…

Career and Technology Center Guides Students in Real-Life Careers | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Carolynne Keenan, Contributing Writer Frederick County Public School students have a unique opportunity—a chance to get a real-world, hands-on experience in biomedical science and biotechnology before they even graduate from high school, thanks to the Frederick County Career and Technology Center (CTC). Several years ago, the CTC established its biomedical sciences program with a curriculum from Project Lead the Way (PLTW), a nonprofit, nationwide developer of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in elementary, middle, and high schools.

Teachers Participate in Scientific Work to Prepare for School Year

Science.gov Websites

improve the quality of science, mathematics and technology education in Colorado schools, the U.S critical agents of change in working to improve science, mathematics and technology education in our Science and Technology Education Irene Hays. "This is NREL's way of helping the quality of teaching

A phenomenological study on middle-school science teachers' perspectives on utilization of technology in the science classroom and its effect on their pedagogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajbanshi, Roshani

With access to technology and expectation by the mainstream, the use of technology in the classroom has become essential these days. However, the problem in science education is that with classrooms filled with technological equipment, the teaching style is didactic, and teachers employ traditional teacher-centered methods in the classroom. In addition, results of international assessments indicate that students' science learning needs to be improved. The purpose of this study is to analyze and document the lived experience of middle-school science teachers and their use of technology in personal, professional lives as well as in their classroom and to describe the phenomenon of middle-school science teachers' technological beliefs for integration of digital devices or technology as an instructional delivery tool, knowledge construction tool and learning tool. For this study, technology is defined as digital devices such as computer, laptops, digital camera, iPad that are used in the science classroom as an instructional delivery tool, as a learning tool, and as a knowledge construction tool. Constructivism is the lens, the theoretical framework that guides this qualitative phenomenological research. Observation, interview, personal journal, photo elicitation, and journal reflection are used as methods of data collection. Data was analyzed based on a constructivist theoretical framework to construct knowledge and draw conclusion. MAXQDA, a qualitative analysis software, was also used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that middle-school science teachers use technology in various ways to engage and motivate students in science learning; however, there are multiple factors that influence teachers' technology use in the class. In conclusion, teacher, students, and technology are the three sides of the triangle where technology acts as the third side or the bridge to connect teachers' content knowledge to students through the tool with which students are familiar. Keywords: Teachers' belief, science and technology, knowledge construction.

Abductive Science Inquiry Using Mobile Devices in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Sohaib; Parsons, David

2013-01-01

Recent advancements in digital technology have attracted the interest of educators and researchers to develop technology-assisted inquiry-based learning environments in the domain of school science education. Traditionally, school science education has followed deductive and inductive forms of inquiry investigation, while the abductive form of…

STEMMING the Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahler, Jim; Valentine, Nancy

2011-01-01

America has a gap when it comes to youth pursuing science and technology careers. In an effort to improve the knowledge and application of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), after-school programs can work in conjunction with formal in-school curriculum to improve science education. One organization that actively addresses this…

Examining Thai high school students' developing STEM projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teenoi, Kultida; Siripun, Kulpatsorn; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

Like others, Thailand education strongly focused on STEM education. This paper aimed to examine existing Thai high school students' integrated knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in their developing science project. The participants included 49 high school students were studying the subject of individual study (IS) in Khon Kaen wittayayon school, Khon Kaen, Thailand. The IS was provided to gradually enhance students to know how to do science project starting from getting start to do science projects, They enrolled to study the individual study of science project for three year in roll. Methodology was qualitative research. Views of students' integrated knowledge about STEM were interpreted through participant observation, interview, and students' science projects. The first author as participant observation has taught this group of students for 3 years. It found that 16 science projects were developed. Views of students' integrated knowledge about STEM could be categorized into three categories. These included (1) completely indicated integration of knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, (2) partial indicated integration of knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and (3) no integration. The findings revealed that majority of science projects could be categorized as completely indicated integration of knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The paper suggested some ideas of enhancing students to applying STEM for developing science projects.

Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program for Middle School-Aged Female Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hanna

2016-01-01

This study investigates the effects of an intensive 1-week Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program (InSTEP) designed for middle school-aged female students. InSTEP uses a guided/open inquiry approach that is deepened and redefined as eight sciences and engineering practices in the Next Generation Science Standards, which aimed at…

Middle School Science and Items of High School Entrance Examination: Examining the Gap in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cepni, Salih; Kara, Yilmaz; Cil, Emine

2012-01-01

This study presents findings from an analysis of the Turkish Science and Technology Curriculum Guidelines and their alignment to the university entrance examination. The analysis of the Science and Technology Curriculum focused on various related aspects: content areas and learning outcomes in terms of scientific process skills, science technology…

A New Approach to A Science Magnet School - Classroom and Museum Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franklin, Samuel

2009-03-01

The Pittsburgh Science & Technology Academy is a place where any student with an interest in science, technology, engineering or math can develop skills for a career in life sciences, environmental sciences, computing, or engineering. The Academy isn't just a new school. It's a new way to think about school. The curriculum is tailored to students who have a passion for science, technology, engineering or math. The environment is one of extraordinary support for students, parents, and faculty. And the Academy exists to provide opportunities, every day, for students to Dream. Discover. Design. That is, Academy students set goals and generate ideas, research and discover answers, and design real solutions for the kinds of real-world problems that they'll face after graduation. The Academy prepares students for their future, whether they go on to higher education or immediate employment. This talk will explain the unique features of the Pittsburgh Science & Technology Academy, lessons learned from its two-year design process, and the role that the Carnegie Museums have played and will continue to play as the school grows.

Towards an Analysis of Visual Images in School Science Textbooks and Press Articles about Science and Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dimopoulos, Kostas; Koulaidis, Vasilis; Sklaveniti, Spyridoula

2003-01-01

Analyzes the pedagogic functions of visual images included in school science textbooks and daily press articles about science and technology. Indicates that the science textbooks (a) use 10 times more images, (b) use more images so as to familiarize their readers with the specialized techno-scientific content and codes, and (c) tend to create a…

The Clubbers' Guide: "Be Inspired, Inspire Others"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Liz

2012-01-01

"Be inspired, inspire others" is this author's school motto and also something she aims to achieve by running the Science Club at The Warwick School in Redhill, Surrey, UK, an 11-16 specialist technology comprehensive. The Science Club is part of an extensive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programme that has…

Technology Enhanced Elementary and Middle School Science (TEEMSS). What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2012

2012-01-01

"Technology Enhanced Elementary and Middle School Science" ("TEEMSS") is a physical science curriculum for grades 3-8 that utilizes computers, sensors, and interactive models to support investigations of real-world phenomena. Through 15 inquiry-based instructional units, students interact with computers, gather and analyze…

A Curriculum Innovation Framework for Science, Technology and Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tytler, Russell; Symington, David; Smith, Craig

2011-01-01

There is growing concern about falling levels of student engagement with school science, as evidenced by studies of student attitudes, and decreasing participation at the post compulsory level. One major response to this, the Australian School Innovation in Science, Technology and Mathematics (ASISTM) initiative, involves partnerships between…

Learning with Web Tools, Simulations, and Other Technologies in Science Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Todd; Wang, Shaing Kwei; Hsu, Hui-Yin; Duffy, Aaron M.; Wolf, Paul G.

2010-10-01

This position paper proposes the enhancement of teacher and student learning in science classrooms by tapping the enormous potential of information communication and technologies (ICTs) as cognitive tools for engaging students in scientific inquiry. This paper serves to challenge teacher-held assumptions about students learning science `from technology' with a framework and examples of students learning science `with technology'. Whereas a high percentage of students are finding their way in using ICTs outside of school, for the most part they currently are not doing so inside of school in ways that they find meaningful and relevant to their lives. Instead, the pedagogical approaches that are most often experienced are out-of-step with how students use ICTs outside of schools and are not supportive of learning framed by constructivism. Here we describe a theoretical and pedagogical foundation for better connecting the two worlds of students' lives: life in school and life outside of school. This position paper is in response to the changing landscape of students' lives. The position is transformative in nature because it proposes the use of cyber-enabled resources for cultivating and leveraging students new literacy skills by learning `with technology' to enhance science learning.

One-to-one iPad technology in the middle school mathematics and science classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bixler, Sharon G.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has become an emphasized component of PreK-12 education in the United States. The US is struggling to produce enough science, mathematics, and technology experts to meet its national and global needs, and the mean scores of science and mathematics students are not meeting the expected levels desired by our leaders (Hossain & Robinson, 2011). In an effort to improve achievement scores in mathematics and science, school districts must consider many components that can contribute to the development of a classroom where students are engaged and growing academically. Computer technology (CT) for student use is a popular avenue for school districts to pursue in their goal to attain higher achievement. The purpose of this study is to examine the use of iPads in a one-to-one setting, where every student has his own device 24/7, to determine the effects, if any, on academic achievement in the areas of mathematics and science. This comparison study used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to examine three middle schools in a private school district. Two of the schools have implemented a one-to-one iPad program with their sixth through eighth grades and the third school uses computers on limited occasions in the classroom and in a computer lab setting. The questions addressed were what effect, if any, do the implementation of a one-to-one iPad program and a teacher's perception of his use of constructivist teaching strategies have on student academic achievement in the mathematics and science middle school classrooms. The research showed that although the program helped promote the use of constructivist activities through the use of technology, the one-to-one iPad initiative had no effect on academic achievement in the middle school mathematics and science classrooms.

Re/Thinking the Nature of Technology in Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Mijung; Roth, Wolff-Michael

2016-01-01

With increasing technological changes and needs in society, technology and engineering education has received much attention in school science. Yet, technology traditionally has been subordinated to science or simply taken as the application of science. This position has resulted in a limited understanding of teaching technological and engineering…

Implications for School Leaders of the Impact of Math, Science, and Technology Magnet Programs on Middle School Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinojosa, Lupita

2012-01-01

Although many national studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of magnet programs, there is limited research involving math, science, and technology magnet schools and their influence on student academic performance, especially at the middle school level. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a statistical difference existed…

Ideas for Integrating the Microcomputer with High School Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Podany, Zita

This report discusses how computers are being used in high school science classrooms. For this report, four high school science teachers were interviewed. The approach to science instruction described in these four interviews deals with the areas of scientific and technological literacy, making science learning fun and attractive, and stimulating…

A Science-Technology-Society Paradigm and Cross River State Secondary School Students' Scientific Literacy: Problem Solving and Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Umoren, Grace

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Science-Technology-Society (STS) curriculum on students' scientific literacy, problem solving and decision making. Four hundred and eighty (480) Senior Secondary two science and non-science students were randomly selected from intact classes in six secondary schools in Calabar Municipality of…

Technology Integration in a Science Classroom: Preservice Teachers' Perceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehmat, Abeera P.; Bailey, Janelle M.

2014-12-01

The challenge of preparing students for the information age has prompted administrators to increase technology in the public schools. Yet despite the increased availability of technology in schools, few teachers are integrating technology for instructional purposes. Preservice teachers must be equipped with adequate content knowledge of technology to create an advantageous learning experience in science classrooms. To understand preservice teachers' conceptions of technology integration, this research study explored 15 elementary science methods students' definitions of technology and their attitudes toward incorporating technology into their teaching. The phenomenological study took place in a science methods course that was based on a constructivist approach to teaching and learning science through science activities and class discussions, with an emphasis on a teacher beliefs framework. Data were collected throughout the semester, including an open-ended pre/post-technology integration survey, lesson plans, and reflections on activities conducted throughout the course. Through a qualitative analysis, we identified improvements in students' technology definitions, increased technology incorporation into science lesson plans, and favorable attitudes toward technology integration in science teaching after instruction. This research project demonstrates that positive changes in beliefs and behaviors relating to technology integration in science instruction among preservice teachers are possible through explicit instruction.

A rural math, science, and technology elementary school tangled up in global networks of practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlone, Heidi B.; Kimmel, Sue; Tschida, Christina

2010-06-01

This is an ethnographic study of a newly created math, science, and technology elementary magnet school in a rural community fiercely committed to cultural preservation while facing unprecedented economic instability brought on by massive loss of manufacturing jobs. Our goal was to understand global- and community-level contexts that influenced the school's science curriculum, the ways the school promoted itself to the community, and the implicit meanings of science held by school staff, parents and community members. Main sources of data were the county's newspaper articles from 2003 to 2006, the school's, town's, and business leaders' promotional materials, and interviews with school staff, parents, and community members. A key finding was the school's dual promotion of science education and character education. We make sense of this "science with character" curriculum by unpacking the school and community's entanglements with historical (cultural preservation), political (conservative politics, concerns for youth depravity), and economic (globalization) networks. We describe the ways those entanglements enabled certain reproductive meanings of school science (as add-on, suspect, and elitist) and other novel meanings of science (empathetic, nurturing, place-based). This study highlights the school as a site of struggle, entangled in multiple networks of practice that influence in positive, negative, and unpredictable ways, the enacted science curriculum.

Science education in an Amish Mennonite community and school: An examination of perception and application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crockett, Denise King

The purpose of the study is to show how science is defined and technology is selected in an Amish Mennonite (fundamentalist Christian) community and its school. Additionally, by examining this community, information is collected on how a fundamentalist school's treatment of and experience with science and technology compare to what has occurred over time in public schools in the United States. An ethnographic approach was used to recreate the shared beliefs, practices, artifacts, folk knowledge, and behaviors of this community. The ethnographic methodology allowed analytical descriptions and reconstructions of whole cultural scenes and groups of the community. Analysis of data followed an analytic induction method. The data collected included participant observation, documentation, photographs, formal interviews, informal interviews, audiotaping, journal entries, and artifacts. Findings indicate that science is wholly subsumed by Amish Mennonite religion. Using the transmission model, the Amish Mennonites teach science as a list of facts from the King James version of the Holy Bible. This method of teaching promotes community values and beliefs. The encouragement stands in sharp contrast to the Amish Mennonite school. Technology is seen as a tool for making the community prosper. For this community to sustain itself, economic stability must be maintained. Their economic stability is dependent on the outside community purchasing their goods and services; producing these goods and services requires use of appropriate technologies. In the United States public schools, science is encouraged to be taught a way of knowing that implies a critical view about how the world works. In addition, public schools promote new and innovative technologies. Thus, they become fertile soil for developing new concepts about implementing scientific ideas and using technology. For the Amish Mennonites, rigorous standards, such as the scientific method, as addressed in the public school do not exist. In contrast, critical analysis of any new technology is always used in this community.

Predominant Teaching Strategies in Schools: Implications for Curriculum Implementation in Mathematics, Science and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Achuonye, Keziah Akuoma

2015-01-01

This descriptive survey is hinged on predominant teaching strategies in schools, implications for curriculum implementation in Mathematics, Science and Technology. Target population consisted of teachers in primary, secondary and tertiary schools. However, purposive sample of 900 respondents was drawn from the six BRACED states namely Bayelsa,…

Explore: An Action to Bring Science and Technology Closer to Secondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torras-Melenchon, Nuria; Grau, M. Dolors; Font-Soldevila, Josep; Freixas, Josep

2015-01-01

This paper presents the experience of an initiative, the EXPLORE courses, designed to bring science and technology closer to secondary school. The EXPLORE courses, organised by "EXPLORATORI: Natural Resources" project, are particularly addressed to secondary school teachers and are conducted at Catalonia (North East of Spain). The main…

Fueling Interest in Science: An After-School Program Model that Works

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koenig, Kathleen; Hanson, Margaret

2008-01-01

As our society becomes more technologically advanced and jobs require additional related skills, it is important that all girls, not just those interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (commonly referred to as the STEM disciplines), take advanced levels of science and math in high school. Evidence suggests that intervention…

Science, Technology and Society--An Authentic Exploration of IR Thermometers Application in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tse, Isaac Pak Hoi; Leung, Winston Kwok Kuen; Chan, Shing Yi

2004-01-01

"Science, Technology and Society" was identified an essential strand in the new Science Education curriculum guide. Shortly after the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) threat to Hong Kong technical dealers introduced Infrared non-contact thermometers as a solution for schools to measure body temperature for a large number of…

Using Inquiry-Based Interventions to Improve Secondary Students' Interest in Science and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potvin, Patrice; Hasni, Abdelkrim; Sy, Ousmane

2017-01-01

Nine secondary school teachers participated in a five day training program where they developed inquiry-based pedagogical interventions for their science classes. Student interest and self-concept in school science and technology were measured before and after the interventions. Increases in interest and self-concept were compared with the results…

Navigating Schools Past the Technology On-Ramp.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasser, Judith Davidson

1996-01-01

Discussion of how to support schools in the use of technology focuses on the Hanau Model Schools Partnership in Germany, supported by TERC and the National Science Foundation, that was developed to create broad technological access in schools and to support teachers in developing connections between the technology and the curriculum. (LRW)

Opportunities to Learn in School and at Home: How can they predict students' understanding of basic science concepts and principles?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Su; Liu, Xiufeng; Zhao, Yandong

2012-09-01

As the breadth and depth of economic reforms increase in China, growing attention is being paid to equalities in opportunities to learn science by students of various backgrounds. In early 2009, the Chinese Ministry of Education and Ministry of Science and Technology jointly sponsored a national survey of urban eighth-grade students' science literacy along with their family and school backgrounds. The present study focused on students' understanding of basic science concepts and principles (BSCP), a subset of science literacy. The sample analyzed included 3,031 students from 109 randomly selected classes/schools. Correlation analysis, one-way analysis of variance, and two-level linear regression were conducted. The results showed that having a refrigerator, internet, more books, parents purchasing books and magazines related to school work, higher father's education level, and parents' higher expectation of the education level of their child significantly predicted higher BSCP scores; having siblings at home, owning an apartment, and frequently contacting teachers about the child significantly predicted lower BSCP scores. At the school level, the results showed that being in the first-tier or key schools, having school libraries, science popularization galleries, computer labs, adequate equipment for teaching, special budget for teacher training, special budget for science equipment, and mutual trust between teachers and students significantly predicated higher BSCP scores; and having science and technology rooms, offering science and technology interest clubs, special budget for science curriculum development, and special budget for science social practice activities significantly predicted lower BSCP scores. The implications of the above findings are discussed.

Why Astronomy Should BE Part of the School Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Percy, John

Why is astronomy useful? Why should it be supported by taxpayers? Why should it be part of the school curriculum? In this paper I will list 20 reasons. They include: cultural historical and philosophical reasons; practical technological and scientific reasons; environmental aesthetic and emotional reasons; and pedagogical reasons. Astronomy can attract young people to science and technology. It can promote public awareness understanding and appreciation of science. It can be done as an inexpensive hobby; ""the stars belong to everyone"". Finally: I will connect the 20 reasons to the expectations of the modern school curriculum: knowledge skills applications and attitudes. In the context of the science curriculum this includes science technology society and environment.

Differences between the Sexes among Protestant Christian Middle School Students and Their Attitudes toward Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michael, Kurt Y.; Alsup, Philip R.

2016-01-01

Research focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education among conservative Protestant Christian school students is scarce. Crenshaw's intersectionality theory is examined as it pertains to religion as a group identifier. The STEM Semantic Survey was completed by 157 middle school students attending six different private…

An Investigation of Experienced and Inexperienced Primary School Teachers' Teaching Process in Science and Technology Classes in Terms of Metacognitive Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doganay, Ahmet; Ozturk, Ayse

2011-01-01

This comparative case study aimed to investigate whether experienced elementary school teachers' science and technology teaching processes differed from inexperienced teachers' teaching processes in terms of using metacognitive strategies. 14 elementary school teachers, including 7 experienced and 7 inexperienced, participated in the study. The…

Impact of the Science and Technology for Children Curriculum in the Oshkosh Area School District.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lattery, Mark Joseph; Lemberger, John; Herzog, Barbara

2002-01-01

Examines the instructional impact of National Science Resources Center's Science and Technology for Children curriculum in the Oshkosh Area School District. Results suggest that the adoption of this curriculum among experienced teachers in the district will provide little or no immediate gains on student achievement and potentially a slight…

Computer Science (CS) in the Compulsory Education Curriculum: Implications for Future Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Passey, Don

2017-01-01

The subject of computer science (CS) and computer science education (CSE) has relatively recently arisen as a subject for inclusion within the compulsory school curriculum. Up to this present time, a major focus of technologies in the school curriculum has in many countries been on applications of existing technologies into subject practice (both…

Science and Technology Educators' Enacted Curriculum: Areas of Possible Collaboration for an Integrative STEM Approach in Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Josh; Brown, Ryan; Merrill, Chris

2012-01-01

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) teachers teach multiple concepts that lend themselves to possible collaboration on a daily basis. Much like Metz's (2009) insightful discussion about the importance of science educators creating partnerships in the community "outside the school walls," integrative STEM teaching also requires…

Subject Specialization and Science Teachers' Perception of Information and Communication Technology for Instruction in Kwara State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fakomogbon, Michael Ayodele; Adebayo, Rachael Funmi; Adegbija, Mosiforeba Victoria; Shittu, Ahmed Tajudeen; Oyelekan, Oloyede Solomon

2014-01-01

This study examined Kwara State secondary school science teachers' perception of [information and communications technology] ICT for instruction based on their area of specialization. Participants were 630 science teachers of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics from both public and private senior secondary schools in 12 Local Government…

The Next Generation Laboratory Interface for Students with Blindness or Low Vision in the Science Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Supalo, Cary A.

2012-01-01

Entry into science education for students with blindness or low vision can present economic and technological barriers to access. This manuscript discusses funding hands-on student experiences in middle school, high school, and post-secondary education. Further, the use of access technologies recently developed for science education is also…

Excellence in Elementary School Science (EESS): Teachers' Perceptions & Technology Integration from a Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Helen; Garimella, Uma

2017-01-01

This proceeding paper will report about a study that investigated how a group of elementary school teachers responded to a professional development training on Science and Technology as demonstrated in their perceived preparedness and comfort with teaching science, and their subsequent implementation with K-4 students. The results from the study…

How to Change Students' Images of Science and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scherz, Zahava; Oren, Miri

2006-01-01

This paper examines the images middle school students have of science and technology, the workplaces, and the relevant professions. It also describes the effect on these images caused by an instructional initiative, "Investigation into Science and Technology" (IST), designed to introduce students to science and technology in the "real life."…

Impact of virtual learning environment (VLE): A technological approach to genetics teaching on high school students' content knowledge, self-efficacy and career goal aspirations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kandi, Kamala M.

This study examines the effect of a technology-based instructional tool 'Geniverse' on the content knowledge gains, Science Self-Efficacy, Technology Self-Efficacy, and Career Goal Aspirations among 283 high school learners. The study was conducted in four urban high schools, two of which have achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and two have not. Students in both types of schools were taught genetics either through Geniverse, a virtual learning environment or Dragon genetics, a paper-pencil activity embedded in traditional instructional method. Results indicated that students in all schools increased their knowledge of genetics using either type of instructional approach. Students who were taught using Geniverse demonstrated an advantage for genetics knowledge although the effect was small. These increases were more pronounced in the schools that had been meeting the AYP goal. The other significant effect for Geniverse was that students in the technology-enhanced classrooms increased in science Self-Efficacy while students in the non-technology enhanced classrooms decreased. In addition, students from Non-AYP schools showed an improvement in Science and Technology Self-Efficacy; however the effects were small. The implications of these results for the future use of technology-enriched classrooms were discussed. Keywords: Technology-based instruction, Self-Efficacy, career goals and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

In Brief: Funding authorized for U.S. science and technology education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Mohi

2007-08-01

The ``America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act,'' a bill that authorizes $33.6 billion for science, technology, engineering, and math education, was signed into law by U.S President George W. Bush on 9 August. The bill, sponsored by the U.S. House Science and Technology Committee, will distribute these funds to programs supported by the federal government over the next three fiscal years. Aimed at strengthening teacher preparedness in primary and secondary schools, equipping high school students for technologically oriented jobs, and enhancing higher-level academic research programs, the bill sets the budgets at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy on a path toward doubling within the next decade. For more information, see http://science.house.gov/legislation/leg_highlights_detail.aspx?NewsID=1938.

Astrobiology: A pathway to adult science literacy?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliver, C. A.; Fergusson, J.

2007-10-01

Adult science illiteracy is widespread. This is concerning for astrobiology, or indeed any other area of science in the communication of science to public audiences. Where and how does this scientific illiteracy arise in the journey to adulthood? Two astrobiology education projects have hinted that science illiteracy may begin in high school. This relationship between high school science education and the public understanding of science is poorly understood. Do adults forget their science education, or did they never grasp it in the first place? A 2003 science education project raised these questions when 24 16-year-olds from 10 Sydney high schools were brought into contact with real science. The unexpected results suggested that even good high school science students have a poor understanding of how science is really undertaken in the field and in the laboratory. This concept is being further tested in a new high school science education project, aimed at the same age group, using authentic astrobiology cutting-edge data, NASA Learning Technologies tools, a purpose-built research Information and Communication Technology-aided learning facility and a collaboration that spans three continents. In addition, a first year university class will be tested for evidence of science illiteracy immediately after high school among non-science oriented but well-educated students.

Sustainable Schools Program and Practice: Partnership Building with the Tempe Union High School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koster, Auriane; Denker, Brendan

2012-01-01

Arizona State University's (ASU) Global Institute of Sustainability (GIOS) was awarded a five-year National Science Foundation (NSF) GK-12 grant in 2009 entitled "Sustainability Science for Sustainable Schools." The general focus of the grant is on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in K-12 schools. The…

The effect of technology on student science achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilton, June Kraft

2003-10-01

Prior research indicates that technology has had little effect on raising student achievement. Little empirical research exists, however, studying the effects of technology as a tool to improve student achievement through development of higher order thinking skills. Also, prior studies have not focused on the manner in which technology is being used in the classroom and at home to enhance teaching and learning. Empirical data from a secondary school representative of those in California were analyzed to determine the effects of technology on student science achievement. The quantitative analysis methods for the school data study included a multiple linear path analysis, using final course grade as the ultimate exogenous variable. In addition, empirical data from a nationwide survey on how Americans use the Internet were disaggregated by age and analyzed to determine the relationships between computer and Internet experience and (a) Internet use at home for school assignments and (b) more general computer use at home for school assignments for school age children. Analysis of data collected from the a "A Nation Online" Survey conducted by the United States Census Bureau assessed these relationships via correlations and cross-tabulations. Finally, results from these data analyses were assessed in conjunction with systemic reform efforts from 12 states designed to address improvements in science and mathematics education in light of the Third International Mathematics and Science Survey (TIMSS). Examination of the technology efforts in those states provided a more nuanced understanding of the impact technology has on student achievement. Key findings included evidence that technology training for teachers increased their use of the computer for instruction but students' final science course grade did not improve; school age children across the country did not use the computer at home for such higher-order cognitive activities as graphics and design or spreadsheets/databases; and states whose systemic reform initiatives included a mix of capacity building and alignment to state standards realized improved student achievement on the 2000 NAEP Science Assessment.

School Library Media Specialists Inform Technology Preparation of Library Science Students: An Evidence-Based Discussion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Donna L.; Miller, Andrea L.

2009-01-01

What is the relative importance of current and emerging technologies in school library media programs? In order to answer this question, in Fall 2007 the authors administered a survey to 1,053 school library media specialists (SLMSs) throughout the state of Pennsylvania. As a part of the MSLS degree with Library Science K-12 certification, Clarion…

Factors Related to under Achievement in Science, Technology and Mathematics Education (STME) in Secondary Schools in Rivers State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obomanu, B. J.; Adaramola, M. O.

2011-01-01

We report a research into factors related to underachievement in science, technology and mathematics (STM) education in schools in Rivers State, Nigeria. The study investigated 240 Nigerian secondary school students, 100 parents, 140 STM teachers and 20 government officials from Port Harcourt Metropolis. Five (5) research questions and one…

An Investigation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Focused High Schools in the U.S.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Catherine

2012-01-01

This study examined the characteristics of 10 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) focused high schools that were selected from various regions across the United States. In an effort to better prepare students for careers in STEM fields, many schools have been designed and are currently operational, while even more are in the…

Effectiveness of 1:1 technology in the science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Courtney Tara

The purposes of this study were: (a) to determine if using e-text technology in a middle school resource science classroom increases student academic performance, (b) to determine if using e-text technology in a middle school science resource classroom increases student engagement/on-task behavior, and (c) to evaluate student comfort and satisfaction in using an electronic textbook or print textbook in a middle school resource science classroom. Ten middle school students, four in grade 7 and six in grade 8 participated in the study using the Discovery Education Science Techbook and the AGS General Science series. A single subject design with ABABA phases was used with the printed textbook from AGS as the baseline and the e-text as the intervention. During the baseline and intervention, students completed vocabulary and guided notes on science content. Their performance was evaluated through homework completion, quiz and test scores. Their on task behaviors were observed and recorded in five-minute time intervals daily. Results showed that even though the students preferred the e-text over the printed textbook, their academic scores and engagement were lower when using the e-text.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI). Final Report. NCEE 2012-4008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Denis; Finney, Pamela B.; Bell, Steve; Turner, Herb; Jaciw, Andrew P.; Zacamy, Jenna L.; Gould, Laura Feagans

2012-01-01

This report presents the results of an experiment conducted in Alabama beginning in the 2006/07 school year, to determine the effectiveness of the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI), which aims to improve mathematics and science achievement in the state's K-12 schools. This study is the first randomized controlled trial…

Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: Issues, Reflections, and Ways Forward. Teaching and Learning in Science Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rennie, Leonie, Ed.; Venville, Grady, Ed.; Wallace, John, Ed.

2012-01-01

How can curriculum integration of school science with the related disciplines of technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) enhance students' skills and their ability to link what they learn in school with the world outside the classroom? Featuring actual case studies of teachers' attempts to integrate their curriculum, their reasons for doing…

The Implementation of Integrated Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Instruction Using Robotics in the Middle School Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ntemngwa, Celestin; Oliver, J. Steve

2018-01-01

The research study reported here was conducted to investigate the implementation of integrated STEM lessons within courses that have a single subject science focus. The purpose also included development of a pedagogical theory. This technology-based teaching was conceptualized by school administrators and teachers in order to provide middle school…

The National Ocean Sciences Bowl: Extending the Reach of a High School Academic Competition to College, Careers, and a Lifelong Commitment to Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, Kristina; Walters, Howard

2007-01-01

Researchers have begun tracking a group of high ability high school students from high school into college study. These students indicated an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) content areas, and specifically ocean sciences, through participation in a regional or national academic competition in high school--The…

Procedural apprenticeship in school science: Constructivist enabling of connoisseurship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bencze, J. Lawrence

2000-11-01

In many parts of the world, school science, especially at the secondary school level, is a sort of selection and training camp for future scientists and engineers. For most students, their general lack of cultural capital (Apple, 1990) minimizes their opportunities to survive the rapid coverage of large volumes of abstract, decontextualized laws, theories, and inventions so typical of school science. Most graduates and drop-outs become relatively scientifically and technologically illiterate. They either have forgotten or have confused conceptions of scientific and technological knowledge; often view science and technology as relatively certain, unbiased, and benign with respect to effects on society and the environment; and lack resources necessary to effectively judge products and processes of science and technology or, crucially, to create their own explanations for and changes to phenomena. Citizens with illiteracy to this extent may have little control over their own thoughts and actions and be prey to whims of those who control knowledge, its production and dissemination. Curriculum frameworks are required that enable all students to achieve their maximum potential literacy and, as well, to create their own knowledge, to develop in directions unique to their needs, interests, abilities, and perspectives; that is, to become self-actualized. This latter goal can, in part, be achieved through apprenticeship education in schools, such that students acquire a measure of scientific and technological connoisseurship - expertise enabling them to conduct open-ended scientific investigations and invention projects of their design. In collaboration with five teachers of secondary school science, such a framework was, indeed, developed, and field-tested. Through a spiraling, cyclical process involving synchronous reconstruction of conceptual and procedural understandings, evidence suggests students were able to carry out experiments, studies, and tests of their inventions with minimal teacher involvement. Furthermore, they appeared to accommodate more realistic conceptions of scientific and technological work. Moreover, many seemed to have made progress toward intellectual independence; able to judge knowledge claims independent of authorities. It is hoped that with more schools, systems, and teachers enabling development of such connoisseurship, all students will be better served by school science and, as well, the larger society will be more diverse, adaptable, and free.

78 FR 32375 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-30

..., Dartmouth, School for Marine Science and Technology. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, School for Marine Science and Technology... study and examining the influence of temperature. To facilitate compensation fishing in support of this...

Effect of Engineering Education by Science Classroom for High School, Junior High School and Elementary School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yukita, Kazuto; Goto, Tokimasa; Mizuno, Katsunori; Nakano, Hiroyuki; Ichiyanagi, Katsuhiro; Goto, Yasuyuki; Mori, Tsuyoshi

Recently the importance of Monozukuri (manufacturing) has been watched with keen interest as a social; problem, which has a relation with schoolchildren's decline of their academic standards, pointed out by the reports of PISA of OECD and TIMSS, etc., and their “losing interest in science” and “dislike of science”, some people worry about, which will lead to the decline of technology in the home industry, the top-class personnel shortage, and the decrease of economical power in this country in the future. In order to solve such a problem, science pavilions, universities, and academic societies of science and engineering etc. in various places hold “Monozukuiri Classrooms” or “Science Classrooms”. We can say that various activities which try to hold off “losing interest in science” and “dislike of science.” in the whole society. Under such a situation, Aichi Institute of Technology (AIT) to which we belong, also tries to contribute to the activity of solving the problem, and holds various engineering education lectures which intend for elementary, junior high school and senior high school students. AIT has held “The Whole Experience World” which tries to bring up a talented person who has a dream and hope towards science and technology, grows his/her originality, intellectual curiosity and spirit of inquiry, and supports the nation based on science and technology in the summer vacation since 2001. This paper reports the result of a questionnaire about what kind of the long-term learning effect on the children who participated in “The Whole Experience World” and “Boys and Girls Robot Lectures”. As the conclusion of the study, we can say that the lectures could give the participants who were interested in science and technology more interest. And we could give them the idea of what the study of science and technology is. As a result, we could contribute to the participants' decision of the courses' selection in life.

Scientists, Engineers and the Society of Free Choice: Enrollment as Policy and Practice in Swedish Science and Technology Education 1960-1990

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lövheim, Daniel

2014-09-01

This article portrays the formation of a new problem area within Swedish educational policy in the 1960s, namely the need of scientific manpower and the demands to entice more individuals into studies in science and technology. As a consequence school science was given the mission to be interesting, fun and to change young people's attitudes towards these subjects. In the 1970s and 1980s many initiatives were taken to increase the numbers of applicants at high school and university levels, both within curricular frames and out-of-school activities such as science clubs. Through an approach inspired by governmentality studies, I describe the strategies deployed to remedy the problem as rationalities of liberal governmentality. The actions taken were executed in a way to make school children choose science or technology out of their free will. It was an exercise of power that was not meant to restrain but instead to enable action.

An Assessment of Factors Relating to High School Students' Science Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Jakeisha Jamice

2017-01-01

This mixed-methods case study examined two out-of-school (OST) Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs at a science-oriented high school on students' Self-Efficacy. Because STEM is a key for future innovation and economic growth, Americans have been developing a variety of approaches to increase student interest in science within…

The Implementation of a Geospatial Information Technology (GIT)-Supported Land Use Change Curriculum with Urban Middle School Learners to Promote Spatial Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodzin, Alec M.

2011-01-01

This study investigated whether a geospatial information technology (GIT)-supported science curriculum helped students in an urban middle school understand land use change (LUC) concepts and enhanced their spatial thinking. Five 8th grade earth and space science classes in an urban middle school consisting of three different ability level tracks…

The Role of School District Science Coordinators in the District-Wide Appropriation of an Online Resource Discovery and Sharing Tool for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Victor R.; Leary, Heather M.; Sellers, Linda; Recker, Mimi

2014-01-01

When introducing and implementing a new technology for science teachers within a school district, we must consider not only the end users but also the roles and influence district personnel have on the eventual appropriation of that technology. School districts are, by their nature, complex systems with multiple individuals at different levels in…

Physical Science Teachers' Attitudes to and Factors Affecting Their Integration of Technology Education in Science Teaching in Benin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelani, Raphael R.; Gado, Issaou

2018-01-01

Following the calls of international conferences related to the teaching of science and technology, technology education (TE) was integrated as a component of physical sciences programmes in Benin, West Africa. This study investigates physical science teachers' attitudes towards the integration of TE topics in secondary school science curricula in…

Report on the International PhD School ''Science and Technology with the E-ELT''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bono, G.; Hook, I.; Ramsay, S.

2015-12-01

This international PhD school in the F. Lucchin cycle was the first to bring together Masters and PhD students with an interest in all aspects of the science and technology of the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). It was fitting that this school was held within a year of the project formally entering the construction phase. An overview of the topics covered during the school is presented.

Materials Science and Technology. A Preview of an Exemplary High School Course Where Students Explore New Frontiers of Scientific and Vocational Education Know-How.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories, Richland, WA.

A materials science and technology (MST) program was developed at Richland High School (Washington) and pilot tested at seven sites in Washington and Oregon. The program created partnerships between science and vocational education teachers at Richland High and Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories, and then was expanded to include other high…

West Virginia University's Health Sciences and Technology Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chester, Ann; Dooley, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

This article describes the Health Sciences and Technology Academy, an outreach and engagement program by West Virginia University to encourage higher education faculty members and administrators, public school teachers, and community leaders to assume the responsibility of mentoring high school students. The primary goal is to increase the college…

Defining the Growth/No-Growth Boundary for Listeria monocytogenes in Shelf Stable Pocket Sandwiches

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

Contractor: THE CENTER FOR ADVANCED FOOD TECHNOLOGY The School of Enviromental and Biological Science Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey...University of New Jersey The Center for Advanced Food Technology School of Enviromental and Biological Sciences New Brunswick, NJ 08903 FTR 209

The Empire Strikes Back--Putting the "E" into STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loughran, Melissa

2017-01-01

The challenge schools face when creating a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program is how to incorporate the "E" into the curriculum. The author's school was meeting the National (U. K.) Curriculum Science, Technology and Maths learning objectives, so how could they justify adding another subject into the mix…

Spanish Secondary-School Science Teachers' Beliefs about Science-Technology-Society (STS) Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vazquez-Alonso, Angel; Garcia-Carmona, Antonio; Manassero-Mas, Maria Antonia; Bennassar-Roig, Antoni

2013-01-01

This study analyzes the beliefs about science-technology-society, and other Nature of Science (NOS) themes, of a large sample (613) of Spanish pre- and in-service secondary education teachers through their responses to 30 items of the Questionnaire of Opinions on Science, Technology and Society. The data were processed by means of a multiple…

Organizing High School Biology Experiences around Contemporary Bioethical Issues: An STS Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dass, Pradeep Maxwell

1997-01-01

The need for a citizenry capable of comprehending and tackling contemporary issues related to science and technology demands science education experiences that are fundamentally different from traditional experiences in school science. Argues that high school biology experiences organized around contemporary bioethical issues can meet this need.…

2007 Youth Policy Summit Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Ellen; Fussell, Annemarie; Templin, Elizabeth

2007-01-01

The NCSSSMST (National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology) and Keystone Science School co-sponsored two Youth Policy Summits during the summer of 2007. Forty students represented 10 high schools from across the country at each Summit, meeting for a week in June and August at Keystone Science School…

Development of activities to promote the interest in science and technology in elementary and middle school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sicardi-Segade, A.; Campos-Mejía, A.; Solano, C.

2016-09-01

Innovation through science and technology will be essential to solve important challenges humanity will have to face in the years to come, regarding clean energies, food quality, medicine, communications, etc. To deal with these important issues, it is necessary to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education in children. In this work, we present the results of the strategies that we have implemented to increase the elementary and middle school students interest in science and technology by means of activities that allow them to use and develop their creativity, team work, critical thinking, and the use of the scientific method and the engineering design process.

In Brief: Revitalizing Earth science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2008-12-01

A 5-year, $3.9-million U.S. National Science Foundation Math Science Partnership grant to Michigan Technological University (MTU), in Houghton, aims to improve instruction in middle-school Earth and space science courses. The program will enable geoscience and education researchers to work with middle-school science teachers to test strategies designed to reform science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. Project lead researcher Bill Rose said the project could be a template for improvement in STEM throughout the United States. Rose, one of seven MTU faculty members involved with the Michigan Institute for Teaching Excellence Program (MITEP), said the project is ``trying to do something constructive to attract more talented young people to advanced science, math, and technology.'' The project includes data collection and analysis overseen by an evaluation team from the Colorado School of Mines. Also participating in the project are scientists from Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Mich.; the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Area Pre-College Engineering Program; the American Geological Institute; and the U.S. National Park Service.

Science, Technology & Requirements Forum

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

Science, Technology & Requirements Forum COL Barry K. Williams Assistant Commandant US Army Engineer School Engineer Warriors leading to...2012 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Science, Technology & Requirements Forum 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S...unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES Presented at the 2012 Science, Technology & Requirements Forum held 17-18 October in Fort Leonard Wood, MO. 14

The Relationships among High School STEM Learning Experiences, Expectations, and Mathematics and Science Efficacy and the Likelihood of Majoring in STEM in College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Alpaslan; Ekmekci, Adem; Waxman, Hersh C.

2017-01-01

This study examines college students' science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) choices as they relate to high school experiences, parent, teacher, and self-expectations, and mathematics and science efficacy. Participants were 2246 graduates of a STEM-focused public Harmony Public Schools in Texas, Harmony Public Schools (HPS).…

In-Depth Science Research Experiences for Teens: The AMNH-ITEST High School Science Research Program. Summative Evaluation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Anita

2008-01-01

In January 2005, the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) was awarded a three-year ITEST grant (Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers) through the National Science Foundation (award #04-23417). This "AMNH-ITEST High School Science Research Program" aimed to target 120 urban high school youth, grades 10-12, from…

Linkages between Youth Diversity and Organizational and Program Characteristics of Out-of-School-Time Science Programs: A Mixed-Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiry, Heather; Archie, Timothy; Arreola-Pena, Melissa; Laursen, Sandra

2017-01-01

Science opportunities in out-of-school time (OST) programs hold potential for expanding access to science, engineering, and technology (SET) pathways for populations that have not participated in these fields at equitable rates (Coalition for Science After School, 2014). This mixed-methods study examines the relationship between the diversity of…

Considerations and Recommendations for Implementing a Dual-Enrollment Program: Bridging the Gap between High School and College Level Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukes, Laura A.

2014-01-01

Dual-enrollment (DE) science courses offer a way to strengthen the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics pipeline between high school and college. These courses offer high school students the opportunity to experience college science in a more supported environment, allowing them to adjust to the different academic and social demands…

Expanding your Horizons: a Program for Engaging Middle School Girls in Science and Mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jahnke, Tamera S.; Level, Allison V.

Gender equity in science, mathematics, and technology is an issue that has generated the creation of a number of programs. Young women need to be aware that there are a variety of careers in science, mathematics, and technology that they can actively pursue. This article highlights one example of a successful middle school science program in Southwest Missouri. Expanding Your Horizons in Science, Mathematics, and Technology (EYH) integrates keynote speakers, role model mentoring sessions, and small group experiments into a hands-on learning environment. Initial survey results of parents and teachers show support for the conference and indicate that the program helps motivate students to consider careers in science, mathematics, and technology. In addition to the goal of increasing awareness for these young people, there is a need for increased scientific literacy of the general public and an increased application of science to "real world" circumstances. This program addresses these issues.

Primary School Students' Views about Science, Technology and Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pekmez, Esin

2018-01-01

Some of the main goals of science education are to increase students' knowledge about the technology and engineering design process, and to train students as scientifically and technologically literate individuals. The main purpose of this study is to find out primary students' views about science, technology and engineering. For this aim and in…

Strategic Alliance to Advanced Technological Education through Enhanced Mathematics, Science, Technology, and English Education at the Secondary Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarborough, Jule Dee

2004-01-01

This document (book) reports on the Strategic Alliance to Advance Technological Education through Enhanced Mathematics, Science, Technology, and English Education at the Secondary Level, funded by National Science Foundation. It was a collaborative partnership involving the Rockford Public Schools, Rock Valley College, and Northern Illinois…

Technology to Advance High School and Undergraduate Students with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leddy, Mark H.

2010-01-01

Americans with disabilities are underemployed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at higher rates than their nondisabled peers. This article provides an overview of the National science Foundation's Research in Disabilities Education (RDE) program, of technology use by students with disabilities (SWD) in STEM, and of…

Essential Concepts of Nanoscale Science and Technology for High School Students Based on a Delphi Study by the Expert Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakhnini, Sohair; Blonder, Ron

2015-01-01

Nanoscale science and technology (NST) is an important new field in modern science. In the current study, we seek to answer the question: "What are the essential concepts of NST that should be taught in high school"? A 3-round Delphi study methodology was applied based on 2 communities of experts in nanotechnology research and science…

76 FR 65181 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-20

... economic viability of using electric rod and reel gear to target pollock in the Western Gulf of Maine... would be conducted by the School for Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The School for Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts...

Bioinformatics Education in High School: Implications for Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kovarik, Dina N.; Patterson, Davis G.; Cohen, Carolyn; Sanders, Elizabeth A.; Peterson, Karen A.; Porter, Sandra G.; Chowning, Jeanne Ting

2013-01-01

We investigated the effects of our Bio-ITEST teacher professional development model and bioinformatics curricula on cognitive traits (awareness, engagement, self-efficacy, and relevance) in high school teachers and students that are known to accompany a developing interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. The…

Exploring the TPACK of Taiwanese Secondary School Science Teachers Using a New Contextualized TPACK Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jang, Syh-Jong; Tsai, Meng-Fang

2013-01-01

Technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) has been one of the steering theoretical concepts widely employed by researchers in order to examine and develop teachers' knowledge of integrating technology into teaching. Existing research on TPACK shows little about in-service secondary school science teachers' TPACK through a…

The Australian Science and Mathematics School, Flinders University, South Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

PEB Exchange, 2002

2002-01-01

Describes the design of the secondary school named in the title, including the educational context and design goals. In conjunction with the science faculty of Flinders University, the school will offer adult learning approaches and develop curriculum based on new sciences such as nano- technology. Describes the design innovations that incorporate…

High School Physics: An Interactive Instructional Approach That Meets the Next Generation Science Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Shaobo; Mejia, Joel Alejandro; Becker, Kurt; Neilson, Drew

2015-01-01

Improving high school physics teaching and learning is important to the long-term success of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Efforts are currently in place to develop an understanding of science among high school students through formal and informal educational experiences in engineering design activities…

Materials Science and Technology Teachers Handbook

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wieda, Karen J.; Schweiger, Michael J.; Bliss, Mary

The Materials Science and Technology (MST) Handbook was developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in Richland, Washington, under support from the U.S. Department of Energy. Many individuals have been involved in writing and reviewing materials for this project since it began at Richland High School in 1986, including contributions from educators at the Northwest Regional Education Laboratory, Central Washington University, the University of Washington, teachers from Northwest Schools, and science and education personnel at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Support for its development was also provided by the U.S. Department of Education. This introductory course combines the academic disciplines of chemistry,more » physics, and engineering to create a materials science and technology curriculum. The course covers the fundamentals of ceramics, glass, metals, polymers and composites. Designed to appeal to a broad range of students, the course combines hands-on activities, demonstrations and long term student project descriptions. The basic philosophy of the course is for students to observe, experiment, record, question, seek additional information, and, through creative and insightful thinking, solve problems related to materials science and technology. The MST Teacher Handbook contains a course description, philosophy, student learning objectives, and instructional approach and processes. Science and technology teachers can collaborate to build the course from their own interests, strengths, and experience while incorporating existing school and community resources. The course is intended to meet local educational requirements for technology, vocational and science education.« less

Science and Technology Facilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moonen, Jean-Marie; Buono, Nicolas; Handfield, Suzanne

2004-01-01

These four articles relate to science and technology infrastructure for secondary and tertiary institutions. The first article presents a view on approaches to teaching science in school and illustrates ideal science facilities for secondary education. The second piece reports on work underway to improve the Science Complex at the "Universite…

Schools in the Age of Technology: Ideas for Instructional Innovation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGraw, James H., IV; Frank, Charlotte K.

This document profiles five schools that were selected as winners of the "Fifth Annual Business Week Awards for Instructional Innovation: Schools in the Age of Technology": Bailey's Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences (Falls Church, Virginia); Hunterdon Central Regional High School (Flemington, New Jersey); John Muir Elementary School…

Using conventional and in situ transmission electron microscopy techniques to understand nanoscale crystallography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudak, Bethany M.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has become an emphasized component of PreK-12 education in the United States. The US is struggling to produce enough science, mathematics, and technology experts to meet its national and global needs, and the mean scores of science and mathematics students are not meeting the expected levels desired by our leaders (Hossain & Robinson, 2011). In an effort to improve achievement scores in mathematics and science, school districts must consider many components that can contribute to the development of a classroom where students are engaged and growing academically. Computer technology (CT) for student use is a popular avenue for school districts to pursue in their goal to attain higher achievement. The purpose of this study is to examine the use of iPads in a one-to-one setting, where every student has his own device 24/7, to determine the effects, if any, on academic achievement in the areas of mathematics and science. This comparison study used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to examine three middle schools in a private school district. Two of the schools have implemented a one-to-one iPad program with their sixth through eighth grades and the third school uses computers on limited occasions in the classroom and in a computer lab setting. The questions addressed were what effect, if any, do the implementation of a one-to-one iPad program and a teacher's perception of his use of constructivist teaching strategies have on student academic achievement in the mathematics and science middle school classrooms. The research showed that although the program helped promote the use of constructivist activities through the use of technology, the one-to-one iPad initiative had no effect on academic achievement in the middle school mathematics and science classrooms.

The effect of science-technology-society issue instruction on the attitudes of female middle school students toward science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mullinnix, Debra Lynn

An assessment of the science education programs of the last thirty years reveals traditional science courses are producing student who have negative attitudes toward science, do not compete successfully in international science and mathematics competitions, are not scientifically literate, and are not interested in pursuing higher-level science courses. When the number of intellectually-capable females that fall into this group is considered, the picture is very disturbing. Berryman (1983) and Kahle (1985) have suggested the importance of attitude both, in terms of achievement in science and intention to pursue high-level science courses. Studies of attitudes toward science reveal that the decline in attitudes during grades four through eight was much more dramatic for females than for males. There exists a need, therefore, to explore alternative methods of teaching science, particularly in the middle school, that would increase scientific literacy, improve attitudes toward science, and encourage participation in higher-level science courses of female students. Yager (1996) has suggested that science-technology-society (STS) issue instruction does make significant changes in students' attitudes toward science, stimulates growth in science process skills, and increases concept mastery. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect STS issue instruction had on the attitudes of female middle school students toward science in comparison to female middle school students who experience traditional science instruction. Another purpose was to examine the effect science-technology-society issue instruction had on the attitudes of female middle school students in comparison to male middle school students. The pretests and the posttests were analyzed to examine differences in ten domains: enjoyment of science class; usefulness of information learned in science class; usefulness of science skills; feelings about science class in general; attitudes about what took place in the science classroom; overall response to science class; perception of encouragement to enroll in science electives; future plans to enroll in science electives; reasons for not enrolling in science electives; and perception of restraints in achieving future goals.

The Furniture of Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fickes, Michael

2001-01-01

Examines how the introduction of new technology has spawned the emergence of new types of furniture, furnishings, and classroom design to support high school science instruction. The challenges imposed by the Americans with Disabilities Act on school science labs are highlighted. (GR)

Technological Studies at Thomas Edison Middle School. Grades 6-7-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Patrick N.

This technology studies curriculum for grades 6-8 is a plan for each middle school student to experience technology education for approximately 60 days (1 trimester of a 180-day school year) in each grade. Section A provides definitions; structure or content for grade-level programs with science and technology unifiers (unifying curricular…

What Does it Mean to Be a STEM School: A Comparison of Science Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, Rebecca Matthews

Schools that focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have been created to address a perceived need to increase numbers of students in the United States choosing and persisting in STEM career pathways. This study compared science programs in STEM and non-STEM high schools to determine how implementing a STEM design impacts science, a cornerstone of STEM. The multiple case study examined STEM integration, science instruction, and extracurricular opportunities in four high schools, two that were designated as STEM by the state's department of instruction and two that were comparable but did not have a focus on STEM. Results from this study indicate that STEM and non-STEM science programs are not significantly different in the schools studied. The two major differences that were found, greater incorporation of engineering design and increased access to extracurricular STEM activities, did not have beneficial impact on students' attitudes or career choices. Technology and math integration were similar but STEM schools integrated engineering design whereas non-STEM schools did not. Science instruction was similar. The numbers of observed inquiry-based lessons were similar, however, STEM schools had more project-based lessons, a form of inquiry-based instruction in which students create a product. A higher number of science-based extracurricular opportunities was available to students in STEM than non- STEM schools. This study offers important insight into the implementation of STEM education within existing school contexts and constraints.

Final Report of the Impacts of the National Math + Science Initiative's (NMSI's) College Readiness Program on High School Students' Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Dan; Li, Yibing; Darwin, Marlene; Taylor, Suzanne; Song, Mengli

2017-01-01

The National Math + Science Initiative's (NMSI's) College Readiness Program (CRP) is an established program whose goal is to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education in high schools to improve students' readiness for college. It provides teacher, student, and school supports to promote high school students' success in…

Science and Technology Education in the STES Context in Primary Schools: What Should It Take?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoller, Uri

2011-10-01

Striving for sustainability requires a paradigm shift in conceptualization, thinking, research and education, particularly concerning the science-technology-environment-society (STES) interfaces. Consequently, `STES literacy' requires the development of students' question asking, critical, evaluative system thinking, decision making and problem solving capabilities, in this context, via innovative implementable higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS)-promoting teaching, assessment and learning strategies. The corresponding paradigms shift in science and technology education, such as from algorithmic teaching to HOCS-promoting learning is unavoidable, since it reflects the social pressure, worldwide, towards more accountable socially- and environmentally-responsible sustainable development. Since most of the STES- and, recently STEM (science-technology-engineering-mathematics)-related research in science education has been focused on secondary and tertiary education, it is vital to demonstrate the relevance of this multifaceted research to the science and technology teaching in primary schools. Our longitudinal STES education-related research and curriculum development point to the very little contribution, if any, of the traditional science teaching to "know", to the development of students' HOCS capabilities. On the other hand, there appears to be a `general agreement', that the contemporary dominant lower-order cognitive skills (LOCS) teaching and assessment strategies applied in science and technology education are, in fact, restraining the natural curiosity and creativity of primary school (and younger?) pupils/children. Since creative thinking as well as evaluative system thinking, decision making, problem solving and … transfer constitute an integral part of the HOCS conceptual framework, the appropriateness of "HOCS promoting" teaching, and the relevance of science and technology, to elementary education in the STES context, is apparent. Therefore, our overriding guiding purpose was to provide any evidence-based research to the vital LOCS-to-HOCS paradigm shift in STES education. The findings of, and conclusions derived from our longitudinal research on HOCS development within STES-oriented and traditional education, suggest that both—science and technology education (STE) and STES education—are relevant to primary school education. Based on this, what it should take to insure success in this context, is thoroughly discussed.

Utilization of computer technology by science teachers in public high schools and the impact of standardized testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priest, Richard Harding

A significant percentage of high school science teachers are not using computers to teach their students or prepare them for standardized testing. A survey of high school science teachers was conducted to determine how they are having students use computers in the classroom, why science teachers are not using computers in the classroom, which variables were relevant to their not using computers, and what are the effects of standardized testing on the use of technology in the high school science classroom. A self-administered questionnaire was developed to measure these aspects of computer integration and demographic information. A follow-up telephone interview survey of a portion of the original sample was conducted in order to clarify questions, correct misunderstandings, and to draw out more holistic descriptions from the subjects. The primary method used to analyze the quantitative data was frequency distributions. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the relationships between the barriers and facilitators and the dimensions of instructional use, frequency, and importance of the use of computers. All high school science teachers in a large urban/suburban school district were sent surveys. A response rate of 58% resulted from two mailings of the survey. It was found that contributing factors to why science teachers do not use computers were not enough up-to-date computers in their classrooms and other educational commitments and duties do not leave them enough time to prepare lessons that include technology. While a high percentage of science teachers thought their school and district administrations were supportive of technology, they also believed more inservice technology training and follow-up activities to support that training are needed and more software needs to be created. The majority of the science teachers do not use the computer to help students prepare for standardized tests because they believe they can prepare students more efficiently without a computer. Nearly half of the teachers, however, gave lack of time to prepare instructional materials and lack of a means to project a computer image to the whole class as reasons they do not use computers. A significant percentage thought science standardized testing was having a negative effect on computer use.

The Status of Science and Technology Relative to Other School Subjects. Results of a Study Conducted on Primary and Secondary School Students in Quebec

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasni, Abdelkrim; Potvin, Patrice; Belletête, Vincent

2017-01-01

In recent decades, many studies have examined students' interest in science and technology (S&T) at school. However, few investigations have studied this interest in a manner that accounts for the status that students assign to this subject relative to other subjects in the curriculum. The main objective of this article is to conduct such an…

Students Who Choose to Enroll in STEM Electives and Those Who Do Not: An Ex Post Facto Study on Math Self-Efficacy at a High School in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Udoaka, Vicky L.

2017-01-01

School systems across the United States have launched the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math recruitment initiatives to interest students in related majors and careers. While an overall interest of high school students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math majors and careers has increased by over twenty-five percent in the past two…

STEM and Career Exploratory Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chase, Darrell

2010-01-01

Districts face increasing pressure to improve students' mastery of curriculum in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Yet the number of students enrolling in science and math courses drops dramatically in middle and high school. At Sylvester Middle School, Chinook Middle School and Cascade Middle School of the…

Influence of science and technology magnet middle schools on students' motivation and achievement in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, David

Some informal discussions among educators regarding motivation of students and academic performance have included the topic of magnet schools. The premise is that a focused theme, such as an aspect of science, positively affects student motivation and academic achievement. However, there is limited research involving magnet schools and their influence on student motivation and academic performance. This study provides empirical data for the discussion about magnet schools influence on motivation and academic ability. This study utilized path analysis in a structural equation modeling framework to simultaneously investigate the relationships between demographic exogenous independent variables, the independent variable of attending a science or technology magnet middle school, and the dependent variables of motivation to learn science and academic achievement in science. Due to the categorical nature of the variables, Bayesian statistical analysis was used to calculate the path coefficients and the standardized effects for each relationship in the model. The coefficients of determination were calculated to determine the amount of variance each path explained. Only five of 21 paths had statistical significance. Only one of the five statistically significant paths (Attended Magnet School to Motivation to Learn Science) explained a noteworthy amount (45.8%) of the variance.

Is it design or is it inquiry? Exploring technology research in a Filipino school setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yazon, Jessamyn Marie Olivares

My case study explored Filipino secondary students' and teachers' experiences with technology research, project-based pedagogy. The study was conducted to examine the nature of a Technology Research (TR) Curriculum, and how it mediates non-Western students' learning, and interest in technology-based careers. The context for my study is Philippine Science High School's (PSHS) TR program wherein students outline a proposal, design an experiment or a device, and implement their design to address a real world problem. My data sources included semi-structured interviews of 27 students and 2 teachers; participant observations of classroom and group activities, teacher-student consultations, and Science-Technology Fair presentations; TR curriculum documents; and researcher journal logs. My examination of curriculum documents revealed that since the 1960s, the Philippine government has implemented specialized educational programs, such as the PSHS Science/Technology Streaming and TR programs, to support Filipino youth interested in science and technology courses and careers. Data analyses showed that the TR program provided a rich, practical learning environment where 'doing technology design' blended with 'doing science inquiry'. The TR activities enhanced student understanding of science and technology; helped them integrate and apply knowledge and skills learned from other school subjects; encouraged them to be creative, problem-solvers; and helped develop their lifelong learning skills. Students recognized that TR teachers adopted alternative instructional strategies that prompted students to adopt more active roles in their learning. Research findings revealed that student interest in pursuing technology-related careers was supported by their participation in the streaming and the TR programs. Data also showed that Filipino cultural practices mediated student learning, and career decision-making. My research findings suggest that present notions of scientific inquiry, and technological design need to be re-examined; that integrated science-technology school programs must be implemented to enhance students' academic and vocational knowledge and skills; and that career direction interventions should address personal and socio-cultural factors other than student interest and aptitude. My study provides strong evidence that technology research pedagogy can change teaching-learning approaches in a Filipino classroom. This study showed that academic-vocational, technology-enriched science curriculum could be effectively designed to help equip students to become critical thinkers and leaders in the 21st century.

Bioinformatics in high school biology curricula: a study of state science standards.

PubMed

Wefer, Stephen H; Sheppard, Keith

2008-01-01

The proliferation of bioinformatics in modern biology marks a modern revolution in science that promises to influence science education at all levels. This study analyzed secondary school science standards of 49 U.S. states (Iowa has no science framework) and the District of Columbia for content related to bioinformatics. The bioinformatics content of each state's biology standards was analyzed and categorized into nine areas: Human Genome Project/genomics, forensics, evolution, classification, nucleotide variations, medicine, computer use, agriculture/food technology, and science technology and society/socioscientific issues. Findings indicated a generally low representation of bioinformatics-related content, which varied substantially across the different areas, with Human Genome Project/genomics and computer use being the lowest (8%), and evolution being the highest (64%) among states' science frameworks. This essay concludes with recommendations for reworking/rewording existing standards to facilitate the goal of promoting science literacy among secondary school students.

Bioinformatics in High School Biology Curricula: A Study of State Science Standards

PubMed Central

Sheppard, Keith

2008-01-01

The proliferation of bioinformatics in modern biology marks a modern revolution in science that promises to influence science education at all levels. This study analyzed secondary school science standards of 49 U.S. states (Iowa has no science framework) and the District of Columbia for content related to bioinformatics. The bioinformatics content of each state's biology standards was analyzed and categorized into nine areas: Human Genome Project/genomics, forensics, evolution, classification, nucleotide variations, medicine, computer use, agriculture/food technology, and science technology and society/socioscientific issues. Findings indicated a generally low representation of bioinformatics-related content, which varied substantially across the different areas, with Human Genome Project/genomics and computer use being the lowest (8%), and evolution being the highest (64%) among states' science frameworks. This essay concludes with recommendations for reworking/rewording existing standards to facilitate the goal of promoting science literacy among secondary school students. PMID:18316818

A Fossil-Based Enquiry Day Stimulates Children to Think Scientifically

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balmer, Denise

2015-01-01

SATRO (Science And Technology Regional Organisation), a charity based in Surrey that seeks to inspire young people about their future careers, received a call from a local junior school just before Easter last year from a science coordinator who was in tears. Her school had just been made a "failing school" and science was a disaster; no…

Teachers' and Students' Perceptions on the Problems of Effective Teaching and Learning of Science and Technology in Junior Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gimba, R. W.; Hassan, A. M.; Yaki, A. A; Chado, A. M.

2018-01-01

It has been observed that students shy away from the study of Science and Technology even though Science and Technology occupies a central position in the development of the nation. This shows the negative attitude and poor performance of students in Science and Technology. This has prompted the research into teachers and students' perceptions of…

Pre-Engineering Program: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-29

educators in the Urbana-Champaign area. 15. SUBJECT TERMS STEM: science, technology , engineering, mathematics 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 19a. NAME...9132T-13-1-0002 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Pre-Engineering Program: Science, Technology , Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER N...project was focused on underserved children in grades 1-6 who need, but have limited access to, out-of-school time STEM (science, technology

The Effects of Integrated Science, Technology, and Engineering Education on Elementary Students' Knowledge and Identity Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoon, So Yoon; Dyehouse, Melissa; Lucietto, Anne M.; Diefes-Dux, Heidi A.; Capobianco, Brenda M.

2014-01-01

This study examines the effects of integrated science, technology, and engineering (STE) education on second-, third-, and fourth-grade students' STE content knowledge and aspirations concerning engineering after validation of the measures. During the 2009-2010 school year, 59 elementary school teachers, who attended a week-long engineering…

Techniques Use by Science, Technology and Mathematics (STM) Teachers for Controlling Undesirable Classroom Behaviours in Anambra State Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chinelo, Okigbo Ebele; Nwanneka, Okoli Josephine

2016-01-01

This study investigated the techniques used by secondary school Science Technology and Mathematics (STM) teachers in controlling undesirable behaviours in their classrooms. It adopted descriptive survey design in which 178 Anambra State teachers teaching STM subjects in senior secondary were involved in the research. Two sections of questionnaire…

Bridging High School and Introductory Undergraduate Courses in Geographic Information Science and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Geography, 2018

2018-01-01

This article presents the findings of a study to determine the degree of consistency in what is taught and learned in high school and college-level introductory courses in geographic information science and technology (GIS&T). A content analysis identified sixteen topics that are generally representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities…

Technology and Science in School and Society: Education, Training, Subsequent Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riis, Ulla

1986-01-01

This report on current research at Sweden's University of Linkoping on the dynamics of technical progress, social change, and continuous educational reform focuses on the four major sub-studies that, with a number of more limited surveys, make up the project on Technology and Science in School and Society: Education, Training, Subsequent Training.…

School Administrators' Perceptions of the Employability of Preservice Science, Technology, and Mathematics Teachers through Teaching Practice in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Awofala, Adeneye O. A.; Olabiyi, Oladiran S.; Ogunleye, Ayodele; Udeani, Uchenna N.; Fatade, Alfred O.

2017-01-01

Teaching practice is considered a professional development tool for boosting science, technology and mathematics graduate teachers' employability. This study examined Nigerian school administrators' perception of the skills central to the employability of preservice STM teachers in order to make them work-ready when they graduate and increase…

A Rural Math, Science, and Technology Elementary School Tangled up in Global Networks of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlone, Heidi B.; Kimmel, Sue; Tschida, Christina

2010-01-01

This is an ethnographic study of a newly created math, science, and technology elementary magnet school in a rural community fiercely committed to cultural preservation while facing unprecedented economic instability brought on by massive loss of manufacturing jobs. Our goal was to understand global- and community-level contexts that influenced…

Teachers' Involvement in Implementing the Basic Science and Technology Curriculum of the Nine-Year Basic Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odili, John Nwanibeze; Ebisine, Sele Sylvester; Ajuar, Helen Nwakaife

2011-01-01

The study investigated teachers' involvement in implementing the basic science and technology curriculum in primary schools in WSLGA (Warri South Local Government Area) of Delta State. It sought to identify the availability of the document in primary schools and teachers' knowledge of the objectives and activities specified in the curriculum.…

Are Computer Science and Information Technology Still Masculine Fields? High School Students' Perceptions and Career Choices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papastergiou, M.

2008-01-01

This study investigated Greek high school students' intentions and motivation towards and against pursuing academic studies in Computer Science (CS), the influence of the family and the scholastic environment on students' career choices, students' perceptions of CS and the Information Technology (IT) profession as well as students' attendance at…

Career and Technology Center Guides Students in Real-Life Careers | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Carolynne Keenan, Contributing Writer Frederick County Public School students have a unique opportunity—a chance to get a real-world, hands-on experience in biomedical science and biotechnology before they even graduate from high school, thanks to the Frederick County Career and Technology Center (CTC). Several years ago, the CTC established its biomedical sciences program

Digital Fabrication as an Instructional Technology for Supporting Upper Elementary and Middle School Science and Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tillman, Daniel

2012-01-01

The purpose of this three-paper manuscript dissertation was to study digital fabrication as an instructional technology for supporting elementary and middle school science and mathematics education. Article one analyzed the effects of digital fabrication activities that were designed to contextualize mathematics education at a summer mathematics…

Teachers, Technology, and Training. Perspectives on Education and School Reform: A Focus on the Technological Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donlevy, James G.; Donlevy, Tia Rice

1996-01-01

The language of school reform is rooted predominantly in the technological perspective. Reviews technological, psychological, ideological, and sociological (descriptive and prescriptive) perspectives and elaborates on the technological, highlighting the need for competitive education, especially in math and science; efficient programs (physical…

NASA Lewis' IITA K-12 Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center's Information Infrastructure Technology and Applications for Kindergarten to 12th Grade (IITA K-12) Program is designed to introduce into school systems computing and communications technology that benefits math and science studies. By incorporating this technology into K-12 curriculums, we hope to increase the proficiency and interest in math and science subjects by K-12 students so that they continue to study technical subjects after their high school careers are over.

Building Potemkin Schools: Science Curriculum Reform in a STEM School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teo, Tang Wee

2012-01-01

"Potemkin schools" is used as the phrase to capture what a US science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) public speciality high school becomes as a result of its institutional branding. By way of an examination of the efforts of one teacher drawn into school branding through his "inquiry-based reform" of an Advanced Chemistry course,…

Normal Science Education and Its Dangers: The Case of School Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Berkel, Berry; De Vos, Wobbe; Verdonk, Adri H.; Pilot, Albert

2000-01-01

Attempts to solve the problem of hidden structure in school chemistry. Argues that normal chemistry education is isolated from common sense, everyday life and society, the history and philosophy of science, technology, school physics, and chemical research. (Author/CCM)

Sciences--Secondaire Deuxieme Cycle: Guide d'enseignement (Teaching Guide for the Second Cycle of Secondary School Science).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton. Language Services Branch.

This teachers guide is the French translation of the second cycle for the secondary science curriculum. The document is presented in six sections. The first section provides a historic overview of the secondary school science program that emphasizes the Science, Technology, and Society approach. The second section discusses what the science class…

Student opinion in England about science and technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenkins, Edgar W.

2006-05-01

An earlier paper in this Journal (Jenkins & Nelson, 2005) drew upon the findings of the Relevance of Science Education Project (ROSE) to report the attitudes of students in England towards their secondary school science education. The present paper draws upon the same project to explore what the same students, almost all in their penultimate year of compulsory schooling, think about science and technology. It suggests that several basic research questions need to be addressed and answered if the present widespread decline in the industrialised world in the popularity of the physical sciences as subjects of advanced study is to be halted.

The use of geospatial technologies to increase students' spatial abilities and knowledge of certain atmospheric science content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hedley, Mikell Lynne

2008-10-01

The purpose of the study was to use geospatial technologies to improve the spatial abilities and specific atmospheric science content knowledge of students in high schools and junior highs in primarily high-needs schools. These technologies include remote sensing, geographic information systems, and global positioning systems. The program involved training the teachers in the use of the technologies at a five-day institute. Scientists who use the technologies in their research taught the basics of their use and scientific background. Standards-based activities were used to integrate the technologies in the classroom setting. Students were tested before any instruction in the technologies and then tested two other times. They used the technologies in field data collection and used that data in an inquiry-based project. Their projects were presented at a mini-science conference with scientists, teachers, parents, and other students in attendance. Significant differences were noted from pre-test to second post-test in the test in both the spatial abilities and science section. There was a gain in both spatial abilities and in specific atmospheric science content knowledge.

Teaching Science in Elementary and Middle School: A Cognitive and Cultural Approach. Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buxton, Cory A.; Provenzo, Eugene F., Jr.

2010-01-01

Featuring an increased emphasis on the way today's changing science and technology is shaping our culture, this Second Edition of "Teaching Science in Elementary and Middle School" provides pre- and in-service teachers with an introduction to basic science concepts and methods of science instruction, as well as practical strategies for the…

Science in Cinema. Teaching Science Fact through Science Fiction Films.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dubeck, Leroy W.; And Others

Many feel that secondary school graduates are not prepared to compete in a world of rapidly expanding technology. High school and college students in the United States often prefer fantasy to science. This book offers a strategy for overcoming student apathy toward the physical sciences by harnessing the power of the cinema. In it, ten popular…

A Possible Pathway for High School Science in a STEM World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sneider, Cary

2011-01-01

Today's high school science teachers find themselves in a period of transition. For the past decade there have been calls for replacing a narrow focus on science education--the traditional courses in physics, chemistry, biology, and Earth and space science--with a broader curriculum on STEM (that is, the four allied fields of science, technology,…

Injecting Computational Thinking into Computing Activities for Middle School Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Heidi Cornelia

2013-01-01

Advances in technology have caused high schools to update their computer science curricula; however there has been little analogous attention to technology-related education in middle schools. With respect to computer-related knowledge and skills, middle school students are at a critical phase in life, exploring individualized education options…

Science-Technology-Society (STS): A New Paradigm in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansour, Nasser

2009-01-01

Changes in the past two decades of goals for science education in schools have induced new orientations in science education worldwide. One of the emerging complementary approaches was the science-technology-society (STS) movement. STS has been called the current megatrend in science education. Others have called it a paradigm shift for the field…

High School Students' Reasons for Their Science Dispositions: Community-Based Innovative Technology-Embedded Environmental Research Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebenezer, Jazlin; Kaya, Osman Nafiz; Kasab, Dimma

2018-05-01

The purpose of this investigation was to qualitatively describe high school students' reasons for their science dispositions (attitude, perception, and self-confidence) based on their long-term experience with innovative technology-embedded environmental research projects. Students in small groups conducted research projects in and out of school with the help of their teachers and community experts (scientists and engineers). During the 3-year period of this nationally funded project, a total of 135 students from five schools in a mid-west State participated in research activities. Of the 135 students, 53 students were individually interviewed to explore reasons for their science dispositions. Students' reasons for each disposition were grouped into categories, and corresponding frequency was converted to a percentage. The categories of reasons were not only attributed to the use of innovative technologies in environmental research but also the contexts and events that surrounded it. The reasons that influenced students' science dispositions positively were because engaging in environmental research projects with technology contributed to easing fear and difficulty, building a research team, disseminating findings, communicating with the community, researching with scientists, training by teachers, and acknowledging teachers' knowledge. These results advanced how and why students develop science dispositions in the positive direction, which are as follows: building science teacher capacity, developing a community of inquirers, and committing to improve pedagogical practices.

Student Recommendations for Improving Nutrition in America's K-12 Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NCSSSMST Journal, 2006

2006-01-01

Co-hosted by the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (NCSSSMST) and The Keystone Center, the third annual Keystone Center Youth Policy Summit focused on Adolescent and Childhood Nutrition in America's K-12 Schools. In June 2006, 40 students from 10 math and science schools came together in…

Mapping Curriculum Innovation in STEM Schools to Assessment Requirements: Tensions and Dilemmas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Aik-Ling; Leong, Woon Foong

2014-01-01

Specialized science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) schools create niche areas in an attempt to attract the best students, establish the school status, and justify their privilege to valuable resources. One Singapore STEM school does this in applied science learning to differentiate its curriculum from the national prescribed…

Science, Technology, and Society: Some Philosophical Reflections on a Grade 11 Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Paul L.

1993-01-01

Speculates on factors that may influence the lack of status of a "Science and Technology" course for grade 11 in British Columbia. Suggests that Aristotelian conceptions of the superiority of pure science over practical knowledge affect the status of school subjects. Questions the course's portrayal of the nature of technology and…

Food Science and Technology. Teacher's Instructional Guide [and] Reference Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock. Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences.

This reference book and teacher's instructional guide are intended for use in one- and two-year food science and technology programs for Texas high school students. The reference book provides information needed by employees in the food science and technology occupational area. Each chapter includes the following components: (1) a list of the…

Science and Technology Teachers' Attitudes towards Educational Research in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sekerci, Ali Riza; Ilhan, Nail; Mustafa, Sozbilir; Yildirim, Ali

2017-01-01

This study reports on the attitudes of science and technology teachers' towards educational research that were investigated and analyzed with respect to certain demographic variables. The survey method was utilized as the research design. The study group consisted of 918 science and technology teachers working in middle schools in the Eastern…

Relationship between Pre-School Preservice Teachers' Environmental Literacy and Science and Technology Literacy Self Efficacy Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Surmeli, Hikmet

2013-01-01

This study examined the relationship between preschool teachers' environmental literacy and their science and technology self efficacy beliefs. 120 preschool teachers from teacher education programme at one university participated in this study. Data were collected by using Environmental Literacy Scale and Science and Technology Literacy Self…

Development of a Short-Form Measure of Science and Technology Self-Efficacy Using Rasch Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, Richard L.; Vallett, David; Annetta, Leonard

2014-01-01

Despite an increased focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in U.S. schools, today's students often struggle to maintain adequate performance in these fields compared with students in other countries (Cheek in "Thinking constructively about science, technology, and society education." State University of New…

Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program: Green Earth Enhanced with Inquiry and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hanna

2011-01-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of a guided inquiry integrated with technology, in terms of female middle-school students' attitudes toward science/scientists and content knowledge regarding selective science concepts (e.g., Greenhouse Effect, Air/Water Quality, Alternative Energy, and Human Health). Thirty-five female students who were…

Impact of Science-Technology Learning Environment Characteristics on Learning Outcomes: Pupils' Perceptions and Gender Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doppelt, Yaron

2004-01-01

Science and technology are connected to each other and are mutually inspiring. The science-technology curriculum for junior-high school in Israel suggests that teachers integrate these subjects. In addition, this curriculum calls for infusing thinking competencies into the learning subjects and for implementing alternatives in assessment methods…

Careers in science and technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The objective of this book is to expose junior and senior high school students to the science and technology fields. It also will convey the importance of getting a general education in science and mathematics while still in high school and of continuing such studies in college. This is intended to encourge students, particularly underrepresented minorities and women, to consider and prepare for careers in science and technology. This book attempts to point out the increasing importance of such knowledge in daily life regardless of occupational choice. This book is intended to be used by junior and senior high schoolmore » students, as a classroom reference by teachers, and by scientist and engineers participating in outreach activities.« less

Building Alaska's Science and Engineering Pipeline: Evaluation of the Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernstein, Hamutal; Martin, Carlos; Eyster, Lauren; Anderson, Theresa; Owen, Stephanie; Martin-Caughey, Amanda

2015-01-01

The Urban Institute conducted an implementation and participant-outcomes evaluation of the Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program (ANSEP). ANSEP is a multi-stage initiative designed to prepare and support Alaska Native students from middle school through graduate school to succeed in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)…

Discover Primary Science: Developing Primary Science in Ireland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horner, Margaret; Palmer, Marion

2007-01-01

"Discover Primary Science" is a major project in primary science education in Ireland. In 2006-2007 it involves 2400 primary schools, 45 host centres, and two government departments. However, it started out as a local initiative taken by one state agency in 2002 involving four Institutes of Technology and 40 primary schools. The aim of…

General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation Outreach Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winter, Patricia S.

1997-11-01

Scientific literacy for all students is a national goal. The General Atomics (GA) Foundation Outreach Program is committed to playing a major role in enhancing pre-college education in science, engineering and new technologies. GA has received wide recognition for its Sciences Education Program, a volunteer effort of GA employees and San Diego science teachers. GA teacher/scientist teams have developed inquiry-based education modules and associated workshops based on areas of core competency at GA: Fusion -- Energy of the Stars; Explorations in Materials Science; Portrait of an Atom; DNA Technology. [http://www.sci-ed-ga.org]. Workshops [teachers receive printed materials and laboratory kits for ``hands-on" modules] have been presented for 700+ teachers from 200+ area schools. Additional workshops include: University of Denver for Denver Public Schools; National Educators Workshop; Standard Experiments in Engineering Materials; Update '96 in Los Alamos; Newspapers in Education Workshop (LA Times); American Chemical Society Regional/National meetings, and California Science Teachers Association Conference. Other outreach includes High School Science Day, school partnerships, teacher and student mentoring and the San Diego Science Alliance [http://www.sdsa.org].

A comparative analysis of Science-Technology-Society standards in elementary, middle and high school state science curriculum frameworks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobias, Karen Marie

An analysis of curriculum frameworks from the fifty states to ascertain the compliance with the National Science Education Standards for integrating Science-Technology-Society (STS) themes is reported within this dissertation. Science standards for all fifty states were analyzed to determine if the STS criteria were integrated at the elementary, middle, and high school levels of education. The analysis determined the compliance level for each state, then compared each educational level to see if the compliance was similar across the levels. Compliance is important because research shows that using STS themes in the science classroom increases the student's understanding of the concepts, increases the student's problem solving skills, increases the student's self-efficacy with respect to science, and students instructed using STS themes score well on science high stakes tests. The two hypotheses for this study are: (1) There is no significant difference in the degree of compliance to Science-Technology-Society themes (derived from National Science Education Standards) between the elementary, middle, and high school levels. (2) There is no significant difference in the degree of compliance to Science-Technology-Society themes (derived from National Science Education Standards) between the elementary, middle, and high school level when examined individually. The Analysis of Variance F ratio was used to determine the variance between and within the three educational levels. This analysis addressed hypothesis one. The Analysis of Variance results refused to reject the null hypothesis, meaning there is significant difference in the compliance to STS themes between the elementary, middle and high school educational levels. The Chi-Square test was the statistical analysis used to compare the educational levels for each individual criterion. This analysis addressed hypothesis two. The Chi-Squared results showed that none of the states were equally compliant with each individual criterion across the elementary, middle, and high school levels. The National Science Education Standards were created with the input of thousands of people and over twenty scientific and educational societies. The standards were tested in numerous classrooms and showed an increase in science literacy for the students. With the No Child Left Behind legislation and Project 2061, the attainment of a science literate society will be helped by the adoption of the NSES standards and the STS themes into the American classrooms.

76 FR 69246 - Application for New Awards; High School Equivalency Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-08

... could include, for example, participation in training on intensive science teaching techniques presented...)). The third priority is an invitational priority for applications that promote science, technology... preference over other applications. These priorities are: Invitational Priority 1--Science, Technology...

Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roach, Linda E., Ed.

This document contains the following papers on science instruction and technology: "A 3-D Journey in Space: A New Visual Cognitive Adventure" (Yoav Yair, Rachel Mintz, and Shai Litvak); "Using Collaborative Inquiry and Interactive Technologies in an Environmental Science Project for Middle School Teachers: A Description and…

Supporting the Development of Science Communication Skills in STEM University Students: Understanding Their Learning Experiences as They Work in Middle and High School Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Brooke L.; Liu, Xiufeng; Gardella, Joseph A.

2015-01-01

This paper examines the roles that 52 university Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students play in an Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership that connects several middle schools, high schools, institutions of higher learning, businesses, and community institutions. It also examines the support these students…

Influence of a Science-Focused After-School Program on Underrepresented High-School Students' Science Attitudes and Trajectory: A Survey Validation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puvirajah, Anton; Verma, Geeta; Li, Hongli; Martin-Hansen, Lisa

2015-01-01

As engagement with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) increases in after-school programs (ASPs), it is important to examine the impact of this engagement on students' academic achievement, STEM participation, and affinity toward STEM. Results of these examinations can offer insights into both best practices that could be…

Teachers' Views of the School Community Support in the Context of a Science Curricular Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deslandes, Rollande; Barma, Sylvie; Massé-Morneau, Julie

2016-01-01

This study examines teachers' perceptions and comprehension of their school community support for change in implementing a new teaching approach in science and technology in the context of a reform initiative at the secondary level. It is part of a two-year research-intervention conducted with science teachers from a private school. Data was first…

The Clubbers' Guide: A Treasure Trove of Science Activities/A Treasure Hunt through Time and Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howarth, Sue; Scott, Linda; Carter, Liz

2013-01-01

This issue of Clubbers' Guide contains an article written by Liz Carter, Senior Science Technician at the Warwick School, Redhill, Surrey (UK), describing some of the wide variety of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) based activities that her school puts on during an eight-day summer school in the holidays for prospective…

Determinants of Girls' Performance in Science, Mathematics and Technology Subjects in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Musau, Lydia Mbaki; Migosi, Joash; Muola, James Matee

2013-01-01

There has been incessant low academic performance in Science, Mathematics and Technology (SMT) subjects especially among girls at form four level in Kitui Central District over the years. The aim of this study was to investigate the determinants of girls' performance in SMT subjects in public secondary schools. Using ex-post-facto survey research…

Changes in Primary School Pupils' Conceptions of Water in the Context of Science, Technology, and Society (STS) Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Havu-Nuutinen, Sari; Kärkkäinen, Sirpa; Keinonen, Tuula

2018-01-01

Pupils' conceptual change processes that have led to long-term changes in learning processes can be very challenging and interwoven with several issues. Meanwhile, school learning is often determined as fragmented, without providing connections to pupils' different life and societal contexts. In this study, Science, Technology, and Society (STS)…

Computer Science Lesson Study: Building Computing Skills among Elementary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Thomas R.

2017-01-01

The lack of diversity in the technology workforce in the United States has proven to be a stubborn problem, resisting even the most well-funded reform efforts. With the absence of computer science education in the mainstream K-12 curriculum, only a narrow band of students in public schools go on to careers in technology. The problem persists…

Demystify Math, Science, and Technology: Creativity, Innovation, and Problem-Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Dennis; Hamm, Mary

2010-01-01

Technology is viewed as a powerful force both in and out of school and has long been linked with math and science. Although concepts and activities of this book apply to any grade, the primary focus is on the elementary and middle school levels. This book provides principles and practical strategies for promoting creative and innovative work in…

Delgado Community College/Sears-Roebuck Keeping America Working. Math, Science and Technology Summer Youth Enrichment Program. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delgado Community Coll., New Orleans, LA.

Recognizing the need for better preparation of high school students in mathematics, science, and technology, Delgado Community College and the Orleans Parish School System entered into an agreement for the provision of a summer enrichment program for minority students in grades 7 through 9 who had exhibited average or above average abilities in…

National STEM School Education Strategy: A Comprehensive Plan for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Council, 2015

2015-01-01

There are many factors that affect student engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Underlying this are the views of the broader community--and parents in particular--about the relevance of STEM, and the approach to the teaching and learning of STEM from the early years and continuing throughout schooling. Connected…

Slow off the Mark: Elementary School Teachers and the Crisis in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epstein, Diana; Miller, Raegen T.

2011-01-01

One can't throw a stone without hitting a STEM initiative these days, but most science, technology, engineering, and math initiatives--thus the STEM acronym--overlook a fundamental problem. In general, the workforce pipeline of elementary school teachers fails to ensure that the teachers who inform children's early academic trajectories have the…

Tapping into Basic 7-9 Science and Technology Teachers' Conceptions of Indigenous Knowledge in Imo State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh-Pillay, Asheena; Alant, Busisiwe P.; Nwokocha, Godson

2017-01-01

The discussion on how to integrate African indigenous knowledge (IK) into mainstream Science and Technology schooling prevails. Nigeria's colonised school curriculum is antithetical to its rich IK heritage. Guided by postcolonial theory, and the need for a culturally relevant and decolonised curriculum, this paper sought to explore seven basic 7-9…

An Empirical Assessment of Science Teachers' Intentions toward Technology Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Weishen; Chang, Huey-Por; Guo, Chorng-Jee

2008-01-01

Building upon three theoretical paradigms (technology acceptance model, social cognitive theory, and task-technology fit), the present study aims to investigate the relationship among intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing science teachers' intentions toward teaching with information technology (IT). A sample of 226 middle school science…

Creating a virtual community of practice to investigate legitimate peripheral participation by African American middle school girls in science activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Leslie D.

How do teenage girls develop an interest in science? What kinds of opportunities can science teachers present to female students that support their engagement with learning science? I studied one aspect of this issue by focusing on ways students could use science to enhance or gain identities that they (probably) already valued. To do that I created technology-rich activities and experiences for an after school class in science and technology for middle school girls who lived in a low socio-economic urban neighborhood. These activities and experiences were designed to create a virtual community of practice whose members used science in diverse ways. Student interest was made evident in their responses to the activities. Four conclusions emerged. (1) Opportunities to learn about the lives and work of admired African American business women interested students in learning by linking it to their middle-class aspirations and their interest in things that money and status can buy. (2) Opportunities to learn about the lives and work of African American women experts in science in a classroom context where students then practiced similar kinds of actual scientific tasks engaged students in relations of legitimate peripheral participation in a virtual and diverse community of practice focused on science which was created in the after-school classes. (3) Opportunities where students used science to show off for family, friends, and supporters of the after-school program, identities they valued, interested them enough that they engaged in long-term science and technology projects that required lots of revisions. (4) In response to the opportunities presented, new and enhanced identities developed around becoming a better student or becoming some kind of scientist.

The Impact of a Multi-Year, Multi-School District K-6 Professional Development Programme Designed to Integrate Science Inquiry and Language Arts on Students' High-Stakes Test Scores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shymansky, James A.; Wang, Tzu-Ling; Annetta, Leonard A.; Yore, Larry D.; Everett, Susan A.

2013-04-01

This paper is a report of a quasi-experimental study on the impact of a systemic 5-year, K-6 professional development (PD) project on the 'high stakes' achievement test scores of different student groups in rural mid-west school districts in the USA. The PD programme utilized regional summer workshops, district-based leadership teams and distance delivery technologies to help teachers learn science concepts and inquiry teaching strategies associated with a selection of popular science inquiry kits and how to adapt inquiry science lessons in the kits to teach and reinforce skills in the language arts-i.e. to teach more than science when doing inquiry science. Analyses of the school district-level pre-post high-stakes achievement scores of 33 school districts participating in the adaptation of inquiry PD and a comparative group of 23 school districts revealed that both the Grade 3 and Grade 6 student-cohorts in the school districts utilizing adapted science inquiry lessons significantly outscored their student-cohort counterparts in the comparative school districts. The positive school district-level high-stakes test results, which serve as the basis for state and local decision making, suggest that an inquiry adaptation strategy and a combination of regional live workshop and distance delivery technologies with ongoing local leadership and support can serve as a viable PD option for K-6 science.

An Epistemology of One's Own: Curricular (Re-)Construction of School Technology and Non-Technology in Sweden, 1975-1995

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lovheim, Daniel

2010-01-01

This article analyses the introduction and, later on, reconstruction of compulsory school technology in Sweden 1975-1995. It focuses on two curricular reforms and different attempts to increase the legitimacy of technology as a school subject. The article builds upon theories from science studies and the term boundary-work is used to analyse the…

In Brief: Legislation proposed to enhance high school science labs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zielinski, Sarah

2007-03-01

At an 8 March hearing, the U.S. House of Representatives Science and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Education began consideration of new legislation intended to improve high school science laboratories. The bill, H.R. 524, would create a $5 million program at the U.S. National Science Foundation that would provide grants to improve high school science laboratories. The grants could be used to purchase or rent equipment and instrumentation, maintain or renovate facilities, train teachers, or design hands-on laboratory experiences.

The Impact of a Geospatial Technology-Supported Energy Curriculum on Middle School Students' Science Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulo, Violet; Bodzin, Alec

2013-02-01

Geospatial technologies are increasingly being integrated in science classrooms to foster learning. This study examined whether a Web-enhanced science inquiry curriculum supported by geospatial technologies promoted urban middle school students' understanding of energy concepts. The participants included one science teacher and 108 eighth-grade students classified in three ability level tracks. Data were gathered through pre/posttest content knowledge assessments, daily classroom observations, and daily reflective meetings with the teacher. Findings indicated a significant increase in the energy content knowledge for all the students. Effect sizes were large for all three ability level tracks, with the middle and low track classes having larger effect sizes than the upper track class. Learners in all three tracks were highly engaged with the curriculum. Curriculum effectiveness and practical issues involved with using geospatial technologies to support science learning are discussed.

Reconstructing a School's Past Using Oral Histories and GIS Mapping.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alibrandi, Marsha; Beal, Candy; Thompson, Ann; Wilson, Anna

2000-01-01

Describes an interdisciplinary project that incorporated language arts, social studies, instructional technology, and science where middle school students were involved in oral history, Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, architectural research, the science of dendrochronology, and the creation of an archival school Web site. (CMK)

Technology Integration in a Science Classroom: Preservice Teachers' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rehmat, Abeera P.; Bailey, Janelle M.

2014-01-01

The challenge of preparing students for the information age has prompted administrators to increase technology in the public schools. Yet despite the increased availability of technology in schools, few teachers are integrating technology for instructional purposes. Preservice teachers must be equipped with adequate content knowledge of technology…

High School Students' Views about Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffiths, Alan K.; Heath, Nancy Parsons

In this technologically expanding world it is important for teachers and other educators to be aware of students' existing conceptions of technology and to provide appropriate avenues for change. This study interviewed high school students (n=26) in Newfoundland, Canada, about their beliefs of science and technology. Questions were asked regarding…

State of the Union Address Student Guests

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-01-25

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Associate Director for Science Carl Wieman, left, talks with West Philadelphia High School student Brandon Ford, left, and Montana Central Catholic High School student Mikayla Nelson at the New Executive Office Building, Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011 in Washington. The students are all young achievers in science and technology and will be amongst other guests seated in the First Lady’s Box in the U.S. Capitol during the President’s State of the Union Address. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Comparative Analyses of Discourse in Specialized STEM School Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tofel-Grehl, Colby; Callahan, Carolyn M.; Nadelson, Louis S.

2017-01-01

The authors detail the discourse patterns observed within mathematics and science classes at specialized STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) high schools. Analyses reveal that teachers in mathematics classes tended to engage their students in authoritative discourse while teachers in science classes tended to engage students…

New Trends in School Science Equipment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Norman K., Ed.

This four-part volume examines trends, problems, and issues related to school science equipment. Part 1 focuses on laboratory work and practical activities in science and technology education, considering equipment and curriculum development, equipment development related to curricula in Brazil, uses of local resources for practical work,…

Effectiveness of Science-Technology-Society (STS) Instruction on Student Understanding of the Nature of Science and Attitudes toward Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akcay, Behiye; Akcay, Hakan

2015-01-01

The study reports on an investigation about the impact of science-technology-society (STS) instruction on middle school student understanding of the nature of science (NOS) and attitudes toward science compared to students taught by the same teacher using traditional textbook-oriented instruction. Eight lead teachers used STS instruction an…

Urban schools' teachers enacting project-based science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tal, Tali; Krajcik, Joseph S.; Blumenfeld, Phyllis C.

2006-09-01

What teaching practices foster inquiry and promote students to learn challenging subject matter in urban schools? Inquiry-based instruction and successful inquiry learning and teaching in project-based science (PBS) were described in previous studies (Brown & Campione, [1990]; Crawford, [1999]; Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, Bass, & Fredricks, [1998]; Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, & Solloway, [1994]; Minstrell & van Zee, [2000]). In this article, we describe the characteristics of inquiry teaching practices that promote student learning in urban schools. Teaching is a major factor that affects both achievement of and attitude of students toward science (Tamir, [1998]). Our involvement in reform in a large urban district includes the development of suitable learning materials and providing continuous and practiced-based professional development (Fishman & Davis, in press; van Es, Reiser, Matese, & Gomez, [2002]). Urban schools face particular challenges when enacting inquiry-based teaching practices like those espoused in PBS. In this article, we describe two case studies of urban teachers whose students achieved high gains on pre- and posttests and who demonstrated a great deal of preparedness and commitment to their students. Teachers' attempts to help their students to perform well are described and analyzed. The teachers we discuss work in a school district that strives to bring about reform in mathematics and science through systemic reform. The Center for Learning Technologies in Urban Schools (LeTUS) collaborates with the Detroit Public Schools to bring about reform in middle-school science. Through this collaboration, diverse populations of urban-school students learn science through inquiry-oriented projects and the use of various educational learning technologies. For inquiry-based science to succeed in urban schools, teachers must play an important role in enacting the curriculum while addressing the unique needs of students. The aim of this article is to describe patterns of good science teaching in urban school.

Science Teachers' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Technology in the Laboratories: Implications for Science Education Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yaseen, Niveen K.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify science teachers' perceptions concerning the use of technology in science laboratories and identify teachers' concerns and recommendations for improving students' learning. Survey methodology with electronic delivery was used to gather data from 164 science teachers representing Texas public schools. The…

Changes in Attitudes towards Science-Technology-Society of Pre-Service Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaya, Osman Nafiz; Yager, Robert; Dogan, Alev

2009-01-01

This research focuses on use of a triadic teaching approach in a science-technology-society (STS) course designed for future science teachers for middle schools in Turkey. Forty-three pre-service science teachers were enrolled in a semester-long course organized around issues students identified and used throughout the semester. The triadic…

Paper Towers: Building Students' Understandings of Technological Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minogue, James; Guentensberger, Todd

2006-01-01

One set of ideas at the core of the National Science Education Standards (NSES) Science and Technology Standards is that of engaging middle school students in activities that help them develop their understandings of technological design. More precisely, students should be able to identify appropriate problems for technological design, design a…

Lost Opportunities: The Status of Science Education in California Middle Schools. CenterView

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd, 2012

2012-01-01

California's middle schools have a critical role to play in furthering their students' pursuit of science learning, in high school and beyond. The rapidly changing economy, advances in technology, and the press of global challenges only increase the importance of this responsibility. The potential is there for California's middle schools to…

Teacher Learning in Technology Professional Development and Its Impact on Student Achievement in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hyunju; Longhurst, Max; Campbell, Todd

2017-01-01

This research investigated teacher learning and teacher beliefs in a two-year technology professional development (TPD) for teachers and its impact on their student achievement in science in the western part of the United States. Middle-school science teachers participated in TPD focused on information communication technologies (ICTs) and their…

Relationship between Professional Values and Critical Thinking Disposition of Science-Technology and Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Senar Alkin; Tunca, Nihal; Altinkurt, Yahya; Yilmaz, Kürsad

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the professional values and critical thinking disposition of science-technology and mathematics teachers working in middle schools. The survey research method was employed in the study. The sample of the study is comprised of 193 teachers (90 science-technology and 103 mathematics…

Science and Technology Teachers' Views about the Causes of Laboratory Accidents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydogdu, Cemil

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine science and technology teachers' views about the causes of the problems encountered in laboratories. In this research, phenomenology, a qualitative research design, was used. 21 science and technology teachers who were working in elementary schools in Eskisehir during the 2010-2011 spring semester were the…

Johnson Space Center Research and Technology 1997 Annual Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

This report highlights key projects and technologies at Johnson Space Center for 1997. The report focuses on the commercial potential of the projects and technologies and is arranged by CorpTech Major Products Groups. Emerging technologies in these major disciplines we summarized: solar system sciences, life sciences, technology transfer, computer sciences, space technology, and human support technology. Them NASA advances have a range of potential commercial applications, from a school internet manager for networks to a liquid metal mirror for optical measurements.

Re-Examining the Way We Teach: The Earth System Science Education Alliance Online Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botti, J. A.; Myers, R. J.

2003-12-01

Science education reform has skyrocketed over the last decade thanks in large part to the technology of the Internet, opening up dynamic new online communities of learners. It has allowed educators worldwide to share thoughts about Earth system science and reexamine the way science is taught. The Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) is one positive offshoot of this reform effort. This developing partnership among universities, colleges, and science education organizations is led by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies and the Center for Educational TechnologiesTM at Wheeling Jesuit University. ESSEA's mission is to improve Earth system science education. ESSEA has developed three Earth system science courses for K-12 teachers. These online courses guide teachers into collaborative, student-centered science education experiences. Not only do these courses support teachers' professional development, they also help teachers implement Earth systems science content and age-appropriate pedagogical methods into their classrooms. The ESSEA semester-long courses are open to elementary, middle school, and high school educators. After three weeks of introductory content, teachers develop content and pedagogical and technological knowledge in four three-week learning cycles. The elementary school course focuses on basic Earth system interactions between land, life, air, and water. The middle school course stresses the effects of real-world events-volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, rainforest destruction-on Earth's lithosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere, using "jigsaw" to study the interactions between events, spheres, and positive and negative feedback loops. The high school course uses problem-based learning to examine critical areas of global change, such as coral reef degradation, ozone depletion, and climate change. This ESSEA presentation provides examples of learning environments from each of the three courses.

Township of Ocean School District Contemporary Science. Student Enrichment Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truex, Ronald T.

Contemporary Science is a program designed to provide non-academic disaffected students as well as college-bound high school students with a meaningful and positive educational experience in science in order to bridge the gap between science and the citizen in a technological world. The program, designed as a full year elective course, involves…

Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Catherine; Corbett, Christianne; St. Rose, Andresse

2010-01-01

The number of women in science and engineering is growing, yet men continue to outnumber women, especially at the upper levels of these professions. In elementary, middle, and high school, girls and boys take math and science courses in roughly equal numbers, and about as many girls as boys leave high school prepared to pursue science and…

Out-of-School Time Science Activities and Their Association with Career Interest in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dabney, Katherine P.; Tai, Robert H.; Almarode, John T.; Miller-Friedmann, Jaimie L. L.; Sonnert, Gerhard; Sadler, Philip M.; Hazari, Zahra

2012-01-01

Spurred by concerns about an inadequately sized science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce, there has been a growing interest in out-of-school time (OST) science activities as a means to foster STEM career interest. This study examines the association between OST science activities and STEM career interest in university…

Science in Action: How Middle School Students Are Changing Their World through STEM Service-Learning Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Jane L.; Dantzler, John; Coleman, April N.

2015-01-01

The purpose of Science in Action (SIA) was to examine the relationship between implementing quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) service-learning (SL) projects and the effect on students' academic engagement in middle school science, civic responsibility, and resilience to at-risk behaviors. The innovative project funded by…

STELR: Improving Science Retention Rates in Australian Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finkel, Alan; Pentland, Peter; Hubber, Peter; Blake, Damian; Tytler, Russell

2009-01-01

The Australian Federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations has funded a rollout of the STELR (Science and Technology Education Leveraging Relevance) Stage One Project to 150 secondary schools in 2010. Participating schools will receive, at no cost, curriculum materials, class sets of supporting laboratory equipment, two…

Effective Practices for Evaluating STEM Out-of-School Time Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkerson, Stephanie B.; Haden, Carol M.

2014-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs in out-of-school time (OST) are designed to supplement school work, ignite student interest, and extend STEM learning. From interactive museum exhibits to summer-long science camps, opportunities for informal student engagement in STEM learning abound. The differences these programs…

The effects of calculator-based laboratories on standardized test scores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevens, Charlotte Bethany Rains

Nationwide, the goal of providing a productive science and math education to our youth in today's educational institutions is centering itself around the technology being utilized in these classrooms. In this age of digital technology, educational software and calculator-based laboratories (CBL) have become significant devices in the teaching of science and math for many states across the United States. Among the technology, the Texas Instruments graphing calculator and Vernier Labpro interface, are among some of the calculator-based laboratories becoming increasingly popular among middle and high school science and math teachers in many school districts across this country. In Tennessee, however, it is reported that this type of technology is not regularly utilized at the student level in most high school science classrooms, especially in the area of Physical Science (Vernier, 2006). This research explored the effect of calculator based laboratory instruction on standardized test scores. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of traditional teaching methods versus graphing calculator teaching methods on the state mandated End-of-Course (EOC) Physical Science exam based on ability, gender, and ethnicity. The sample included 187 total tenth and eleventh grade physical science students, 101 of which belonged to a control group and 87 of which belonged to the experimental group. Physical Science End-of-Course scores obtained from the Tennessee Department of Education during the spring of 2005 and the spring of 2006 were used to examine the hypotheses. The findings of this research study suggested the type of teaching method, traditional or calculator based, did not have an effect on standardized test scores. However, the students' ability level, as demonstrated on the End-of-Course test, had a significant effect on End-of-Course test scores. This study focused on a limited population of high school physical science students in the middle Tennessee Putnam County area. The study should be reproduced in various school districts in the state of Tennessee to compare the findings.

Evaluation of the Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program (ANSEP). Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernstein, Hamutal; Martin, Carlos; Eyster, Lauren; Anderson, Theresa; Owen, Stephanie; Martin-Caughey, Amanda

2015-01-01

The Urban Institute conducted an implementation and participant-outcomes evaluation of the Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program (ANSEP). ANSEP is a multi-stage initiative designed to prepare and support Alaska Native students from middle school through graduate school to succeed in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)…

Reflections on the Use of Tablet Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wise, Nicki; McGregor, Deb; Bird, James

2015-01-01

This article describes a recent Oxfordshire Big Science Event (BSE), which was combined with Science Week in Bure Park Primary School and involved a competition in which primary school children throughout Oxfordshire devised, carried out, and recorded data from science investigations to answer questions that interested them. Teams of children…

Blending In

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Jesse; Kruse, Jerrid; Clough, Michael

2017-01-01

Even though many educators are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), science often does not receive the attention in elementary school that it should. One way to ensure that elementary school children have the science experiences they need and deserve is to use it as a context to teach…

A Science Club Takes Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeDee, Olivia; Mosser, Anna; Gamble, Tony; Childs, Greg; Oberhauser, Karen

2007-01-01

The after-school science club at Galtier Math, Science, and Technology Elementary Magnet School in St. Paul, Minnesota, learned some valuable lessons when they took newfound knowledge about pollution into their homes. After learning about the effects of various contaminants on health and what informed citizens can do about it, students tested…

Extra-Curricular and out-of-School Education in European Socialist Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wegerich, Hans-Joachim

1988-01-01

Describes extra-curricular activities in East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, and the USSR, and provides an annotated bibliography that covers activities in the social sciences; science and technology; natural sciences; arts and culture; sports; tourism; mass media; after school centers; holiday activities; and youth…

Context of STEM Integration in Schools: Views from In-Service Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

EL-Deghaidy, Heba; Mansour, Nasser; Alzaghibi, Mohammad; Alhammad, Khalid

2017-01-01

This study explores science teachers' views regarding Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pedagogy and its interdisciplinary nature. It also seeks to identify teachers' views on the contextual factors that facilitate and hinder such pedagogy in their schools. Qualitative methodologies were used through focus group discussions…

Beginning secondary science teachers' instructional use of educational technology during the induction year

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNall, Rebecca Lee

This study explored how 10 beginning secondary science teachers who had completed the newly revised technology-integrated science teacher education program at the University of Virginia used educational technology in their science instruction during the induction year. Nine of the beginning teachers taught in Virginia or Maryland high schools, while one taught overseas in an international school. Participants taught biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, or general science. A revised version of the Technology Usage and Needs of Science Teachers survey (Pedersen & Yerrick, 2000) was administered to all 10 participants in early fall 2002 and late spring 2003 to assess their confidence using educational technology tools in teaching science. Follow-up interviews were conducted with all participants subsequent to survey administration to explore their views toward educational technology as an instructional tool, their use of educational technology in science instruction, and factors influencing their use. In addition, four participants were purposefully selected to characterize participants' instructional use of educational technology and to increase the likelihood of observing its use. Selection criteria of this subgroup included factors summarized from the research literature: (a) high confidence using educational technology, (b) strong intent to use educational technology instructionally, (c) access to technology tools, and (d) collegial or technology support. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and interview and classroom observation data were analyzed using analytic induction methods developed by Erickson (1986). Analysis of survey responses indicated that participants were confident using educational technology tools in science instruction and were most confident using word processing, spreadsheets, PowerPoint, and telecommunications applications. Classroom observations and interview responses indicated that participants used educational technology to provide visual representations of science concepts, support authentic science explorations and inquiry, and create real-world connections to science content. Limited access to educational technology resources, unfamiliarity with the curriculum, and limited time were factors limiting their use. While participants used educational technology less than they had originally intended, they continued to believe educational technology was a potentially powerful tool for teaching science and planned to continue to explore ways of incorporating it in their science instruction.

Global Patterns in Students' Views of Science and Interest in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Griethuijsen, Ralf A. L. F.; van Eijck, Michiel W.; Haste, Helen; den Brok, Perry J.; Skinner, Nigel C.; Mansour, Nasser; Savran Gencer, Ayse; BouJaoude, Saouma

2015-01-01

International studies have shown that interest in science and technology among primary and secondary school students in Western European countries is low and seems to be decreasing. In many countries outside Europe, and especially in developing countries, interest in science and technology remains strong. As part of the large-scale European Union…

Music and Drama in Primary Schools in the Madeira Island--Narratives of Ownership and Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mota, Graça; Araújo, Maria Jose

2013-01-01

A three-year-case study funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) from the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education was designed to study a 30-year project of music and drama in primary schools in Madeira. This article reports on the narratives of the three main figures in the project as they elaborate on its…

Students' Opinions about Science and Technology in Turkey and the United States: A Cross-Cultural Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korkmaz, Hunkar; Thomas, Julie Anna; Tatar, Nilgun; Aktas Altunay, Serpil

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the thoughts of Turkish and American middle school students on science and technology. One intact school was assigned randomly for this study from both countries. The sampling of the study contains 479 students (363 Turkish students, 116 American students) from two countries aged between 11 and 13. The data…

Investigating the Quality of Project-Based Science and Technology Learning Environments in Elementary School: A Critical Review of Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thys, Miranda; Verschaffel, Lieven; Van Dooren, Wim; Laevers, Ferre

2016-01-01

This paper provides a systematic review of instruments that have the potential to measure the quality of project-based science and technology (S&T) learning environments in elementary school. To this end, a comprehensive literature search was undertaken for the large field of S&T learning environments. We conducted a horizontal bottom-up…

Retooling Chinese Primary School Teachers to Use Technology Creatively to Promote Innovation and Problem Solving Skills in Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Kar-Tin; Chalmers, Christina; Vinesh, Chandra; Yeh, Andy; Nason, Rod

2014-01-01

This paper reports on the initial phase of a Professional Learning Program (PLP) undertaken by 100 primary school teachers in China that aimed to facilitate the development of adaptive expertise in using technology to facilitate innovative science teaching and learning such as that envisaged by the Chinese Ministry of Education's (2010-2020)…

Evaluation of a technology unit in a girls' primary school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eke, Marion; Gardner, Paul L.

1991-12-01

Rapid advances in technology are changing the structure of the workforce. There are elite highly-paid hi-tech occupations and low status poorly-paid jobs. Women are unfortunately more likely to be found in the latter category. To allow them to qualify and compete for the higher-status positions, girls need to participate in the physical sciences and in technology studies. However, they are rarely attracted to them in secondary school, possibly because they are already alienated from them by the time they leave primary school. This paper reports some of the outcomes of a curriculum unit taught in two primary school classes in an independent school for girls. The unit was cross-curricular, involving technology, science and other fields of knowledge; it made extensive use of LEGO Technic materials. The evaluation of the unit, based on observations, a teacher journal and pupil questionnaires, focussed upon the issue of whether it assisted the girls to feel happier about working with unfamiliar technology and feel more capable of doing so. Implications for teaching technology are also discussed.

Learning technologies and the cyber-science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houlihan, Gerard

Access to computer and communication technology has long been regarded `part-and-parcel' of a good education. No educator can afford to ignore the profound impact of learning technologies on the way we teach science, nor fail to acknowledge that information literacy and computing skills will be fundamental to the practice of science in the next millennium. Nevertheless, there is still confusion concerning what technologies educators should employ in teaching science. Furthermore, a lack of knowledge combined with the pressures to be `seen' utilizing technology has lead some schools to waste scarce resources in a `grab-bag' attitude towards computers and technology. Such popularized `wish lists' can only drive schools to accumulate expensive equipment for no real learning purpose. In the future educators will have to reconsider their curriculum and pedagogy with a focus on the learning environment before determining what appropriate computing resources to acquire. This will be fundamental to the capabilities of science classrooms to engage with cutting-edge issues in science. This session will demonstrate the power of a broad range of learning technologies to enhance science education. The aim is to explore classroom possibilities as well as to provide a basic introduction to technical aspects of various software and hardware applications, including robotics and dataloggers and simulation software.

75 FR 73054 - Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview Information; High School Equivalency...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-29

...' participation in training on intensive science teaching techniques presented by a professionally credentialed...)). The third priority is an invitational priority for applications that promote science, technology... priorities are: Invitational Priority 1--Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education...

Analysis of Five High School Biology Textbooks Used in the United States for Inclusion of the Nature of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiappetta, Eugene L.; Fillman, David A.

2007-01-01

Five high school biology textbooks were examined to determine the inclusion of four aspects of the nature of science: (a) science as a body of knowledge, (b) science as a way of investigating, (c) science as a way of thinking, and (d) science and its interactions with technology and society. The textbooks analyzed were "BSCS Biology--A Human…

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Readiness: Ethno-linguistic and gender differences in high-school course selection patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamuti-Trache, Maria; Sweet, Robert

2014-03-01

The study examines science-related course choices of high-school students in the culturally diverse schools of the province of British Columbia, Canada. The analysis employs K-12 provincial data and includes over 44,000 students born in 1990 who graduated from high school by 2009. The research sample reflects the presence of about 27% of students for whom English is not a first language. We construct an empirical model that examines ethno-linguistic and gender differences in Grade 12 course choices while accounting for personal and situational differences among students. The study employs a course selection typology that emphasizes readiness for science, technology, engineering and math fields of study. Findings indicate that math- and science-related course selection patterns are strongly associated with ethnicity, qualified not only by gender and prior math and science achievement but also by the individual's grade level at entry to the system and enrollment in English as a Second Language program. Students who are more likely to engage in math and science courses belong to Asian ethno-linguistic groups and entered the provincial school system during the senior high-school years. We suggest that ethnic diversity and broader academic exposure may play a crucial role in changing the gender composition of science classrooms, university fields of study and science-related occupations.

A Community of Practice: Web Portals and Faculty Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Patricia A.

2002-01-01

Describes a Web portal constructed by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology dedicated to improving middle school science, mathematics, and technology instruction. The portal emulates emerging corporate practices of knowledge management and process reinvention through information technology, and offers middle school teachers across Indiana a…

Science Education at Riverside Middle School A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smiley, Bettie Ann Pickens

For more than thirty years the gender gap in science and related careers has been a key concern of researchers, teachers, professional organizations, and policy makers. Despite indicators of progress for women and girls on some measures of achievement, course enrollment patterns, and employment, fewer women than men pursue college degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. According to the results of national assessments, the gender gap in science achievement begins to be evident in the middle school years. Gender and school science achievement involve a complex set of factors associated with schools and child/family systems that may include school leadership, institutional practices, curriculum content, teacher training programs, teacher expectations, student interests, parental involvement, and cultural values. This ethnographic case study was designed to explore the context for science education reform and the participation of middle school girls. The study analyzed and compared teaching strategies and female student engagement in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade science classrooms. The setting was a middle school situated in a district that was well-known for its achievement in reading, math, and technology. Findings from the study indicated that while classroom instruction was predominantly organized around traditional school science, the girls were more disciplined and outperformed the boys. The size of the classrooms, time to prepare for hands-on activities, and obtaining resources were identified as barriers to teaching science in ways that aligned with recent national science reform initiatives. Parents who participated in the study were very supportive of their daughters' academic progress and career goals. A few of the parents suggested that the school's science program include more hands-on activities; instruction designed for the advanced learner; and information related to future careers. Overall the teachers and students perceived their science program to be gender fair. Eighth grade participants who had career goals related to science and engineering, indicated that their science instruction did not provide the rigor they needed to improve their critical skills for advanced placement in high school. Recommendations include the need for professional development on inquiry-based science, equitable student achievement, and diverse perspectives in science education.

Lessons Learned from Conducting a K-12 Project to Revitalize Achievement by Using Instrumentation in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapila, Vikram; Iskander, Magued

2014-01-01

A student's first introduction to engineering and technology is typically through high school science labs. Unfortunately, in many high schools, science labs often make use of antiquated tools that fail to deliver exciting lab content. As a result, many students are turned off by science, fail to excel on standardized science exams, and do not…

Barriers to integrating information technology in Saudi Arabia science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Alwani, Abdulkareem Eid Salamah

This study examined current level of information technology integration in science education in the Yanbu school district in Saudi Arabia, and barriers to use. Sub-domains investigated included: infrastructure and resources, policy and support, science teachers' personal beliefs, and staff development. Survey determined demographic data and level of technology implementation, personal computer use, and current instructional practice. Mean frequency of information technology use was 1--2 times during a semester. Science teachers rated barriers limiting use of technology in teaching with a scale ranging from 0 (does not limit) to 3 (greatly limits). Results found all four factors were significant barriers: infrastructure and resources (M = 2.06; p < .001), staff development (M = 2.02; p <.001), policy and support (M = 1.84; p < .041) and science teachers' personal beliefs regarding technology (M = 1.15; p < .001). Regression analysis found that locations, level of training, teaching experience, and gender predicted frequency of use (F(3,168) = 3.63, R2 = .10, p < .014). Teachers who received in-service training programs used IT significantly more frequently than those who did not receive any training (t = 2.41, p = 0.017). Teachers who received both pre-service and in-service training used IT significantly more frequently than those who did not receive any training (t = 2.61, p = 0.01). Low technology users perceived that there was no support or incentives for using technology, while high technology users did not perceive these barriers (r = -0.18, p = .01). High technology users had positive personal beliefs about how information technology benefits learning, while low technology users held negative beliefs about technology use (r = -0.20, p = .003). The more barriers science teachers experienced, the less likely they were to be information technology users (r = -0.16, p = .02). There is a need for more computers in school, more teacher training, more time for teachers to learn to use technology, and more readily-available, technical support staff. Further studies are needed to represent all science teachers in Saudi Arabia, assess technology capacity of all schools, and assess in-service staff development strategies.

Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Jeffrey R.

2006-01-01

This abstract covers a one hour presentation on Space Exploration. The audience is elementary students; therefore there are few words on the slides, mostly pictures of living and working in space. The presentation opens with a few slides describing a day in the life of a space explorer. It begins with a launch, discussions of day-night cycles, eating, exercising, housekeeping, EVA, relaxation, and sleeping. The next section of the presentation shows photos of astronauts performing experiments on the ISS. Yokomi Elementary School launched this fall with the most advanced educational technology tools available in schools today. The science and technology magnet school is equipped with interactive white boards, digital projectors, integrated sound systems and several computers for use by teachers and students. The only elementary school in Fresno Unified with a science focus also houses dedicated science classrooms equipped specifically for elementary students to experience hands-on science instruction in addition to the regular elementary curriculum.

BioSIGHT: Interactive Visualization Modules for Science Education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Wee Ling

1998-01-01

Redefining science education to harness emerging integrated media technologies with innovative pedagogical goals represents a unique challenge. The Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC) is the only engineering research center in the area of multimedia and creative technologies sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The research program at IMSC is focused on developing advanced technologies that address human-computer interfaces, database management, and high- speed network capabilities. The BioSIGHT project at IMSC is a demonstration technology project in the area of education that seeks to address how such emerging multimedia technologies can make an impact on science education. The scope of this project will help solidify NASA's commitment for the development of innovative educational resources that promotes science literacy for our students and the general population as well. These issues must be addressed as NASA marches towards the goal of enabling human space exploration that requires an understanding of life sciences in space. The IMSC BioSIGHT lab was established with the purpose of developing a novel methodology that will map a high school biology curriculum into a series of interactive visualization modules that can be easily incorporated into a space biology curriculum. Fundamental concepts in general biology must be mastered in order to allow a better understanding and application for space biology. Interactive visualization is a powerful component that can capture the students' imagination, facilitate their assimilation of complex ideas, and help them develop integrated views of biology. These modules will augment the role of the teacher and will establish the value of student-centered interactivity, both in an individual setting as well as in a collaborative learning environment. Students will be able to interact with the content material, explore new challenges, and perform virtual laboratory simulations. The BioSIGHT effort is truly cross-disciplinary in nature and requires expertise from many areas including Biology, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Education, and the Cognitive Sciences. The BioSIGHT team includes a scientific illustrator, educational software designer, computer programmers as well as IMSC graduate and undergraduate students. Our collaborators include TERC, a research and education organization with extensive k-12 math and science curricula development from Cambridge, MA.; SRI International of Menlo Park, CA.; teachers and students from local area high schools (Newbury Park High School, USC's Family of Five schools, Chadwick School, and Pasadena Polytechnic High School).

Nature of Technology: Implications for Design, Development, and Enactment of Technological Tools in School Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waight, Noemi; Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad

2012-01-01

This position paper provides a theory-based explanation informed by philosophy of technology (PoT) of the recurrent documented patterns often associated with attempts to enact technology-supported, inquiry-based approaches in precollege science classrooms. Understandings derived from the history of technological development in other domains (e.g.…

Traditional Craft or Technology Education: Development of Students' Technical Abilities in Finnish Comprehensive School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Autio, Ossi

2016-01-01

Changes in the economy, nature, production and society together with increasing scientific and technological knowledge make demands of transforming school teaching in the field of technology education. The aim of the article is briefly to explore the integration between science, technology and traditional craft education by analyzing the current…

Keeping Pace: Science Trade Books in Spanish.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schon, Isabel

1985-01-01

Describes elementary school science trade books written in Spanish. Topics considered in these books include: animal life; astronomy; biology; earth sciences; mathematics; general science; and general technology. (DH)

Astronomy and Space Science On The School - An Outreach Project for Elementary and High School Students of Brasilia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, Jose Leonardo

2016-07-01

This project aims to develop interdisciplinary actions, articulated and convergence in the field of education, dissemination and popularization of science and technology in Brasilia-DF, the Federal District of Brazil. These actions are also been carried out at DF surroundings areas. Since 2015 linked convergent actions are focused on the development of space science and astronomy teaching with hands on experimental activities. Workshops, short basic astronomy courses, expositions and planetarium show are been carried out by a team of professors, graduate and under graduate students from University of Brasilia- UnB. At the same time upgrade actions are been done in order to modernize The Luiz Cruls Astronomical Observatory located at the far campus of UnB, named Fazenda Água Limpa. It is now a Center for research and space science dissemination and popularization not only for students but also for the whole community of Brasilia. Working toghether with the Physics Institute of UnB we have the recently created Museum of Science and Technology of Brasilia, also located at the UnB campus. The Museum is responsible for contac with schools and Brasilia community and for the organization of the activities of the Science on the School Project. Science on the School is an educational, scientific and cultural proposal approved and financed by the brazillian national research council (CNPq) and by the Science and Technology Reseach Foundation of Brasilia. Besides science dissemination for the brazillian society the project is also developing theoretical and experimental research in the area of Space Science and Astronomy. The project also aim to transform the Museum in a strong Science Education Center for the Brazil central region population, It is going to be a cultural environment and leisure for the Federal District and surrounding areas of Brasilia. In this work we will describe the coordinate actions of The Luiz Cruls Astronomical Observatory the Physics Institute of UnB and of the Museum of Science and Technology of Brasilia destinate to converge public communication of science. In their facilities will be possible to conceive, plan, develop, encourage and support scientific activities (playful and interactive) in schools and communities in the Federal District and surrounding areas of Brasilia, focusing on different aspects of science and technology and their relationship with society through investigative practices involving, particularly students and teachers of basic education and the community in General. The project will act even in the promotion of events, courses, workshops and scientific-cultural experiences, production of radio and TV programs aimed at promoting initiation into Science and environmental awareness on basic education.

After-School and Informal STEM Projects: the Effect of Participant Self-Selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallett, David B.; Lamb, Richard; Annetta, Leonard

2017-12-01

This research represents an unforeseen outcome of the authors' National Science Foundation Innovation Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program grant in science education. The grant itself focused on the use of serious educational games (SEGs) in the science classroom, both during and after school, to teach science content and affect student perceptions of science and technology. This study consists of a Bayesian artificial neural network analysis, using the preintervention measures of affect, interest, personality, and cognitive ability, in members of both the treatment and comparison groups to generate the probabilities that students would opt into the treatment group or choose not to participate. It appears, from this sample and the sampling methods of other related studies within the field, that despite sometimes profound results from technology interventions in science, interventions are affecting only those who already have a strong interest in STEM due to the manner in which participants are recruited.

After Installation: Ubiquitous Computing and High School Science in Three Experienced, High-Technology Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drayton, Brian; Falk, Joni K.; Stroud, Rena; Hobbs, Kathryn; Hammerman, James

2010-01-01

There are few studies of the impact of ubiquitous computing on high school science, and the majority of studies of ubiquitous computing report only on the early stages of implementation. The present study presents data on 3 high schools with carefully elaborated ubiquitous computing systems that have gone through at least one "obsolescence cycle"…

A New Species of Science Education: Harnessing the Power of Interactive Technology to Teach Laboratory Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reddy, Christopher

2014-01-01

Interactive television is a type of distance education that uses streaming audio and video technology for real-time student-teacher interaction. Here, I discuss the design and logistics for developing a high school laboratory-based science course taught to students at a distance using interactive technologies. The goal is to share a successful…

Teacher Design in Teams as a Professional Development Arrangement for Developing Technology Integration Knowledge and Skills of Science Teachers in Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kafyulilo, Ayoub; Fisser, Petra; Voogt, Joke

2016-01-01

This study investigated the impact of teacher design teams as a professional development arrangement for developing technology integration knowledge and skills among in-service science teachers. The study was conducted at a secondary school in Tanzania, where 12 in-service science teachers participated in a workshop about technology integration in…

Science and Technology in the Early Years. An Equal Opportunities Approach. Gender and Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browne, Naima, Ed.

During the early 1980s there was a lack of research regarding gender issues for early childhood and elementary education. This document attempts to fill this chasm by addressing gender issues in science and technology for primary education schooling and early-years education. The following chapters are included: (1) "Science and Technology in the…

Technology in Mathematics and Science: An Examination and Comparison of Instructional Use in the United States and Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparapani, Ervin F.; Calahan, Patricia S.

2015-01-01

Mathematics, science, and technology are three disciplines that are highly discussed in national and international circles, especially as regards their importance to the success of young people after they leave school. With that, the purpose of the study is to examine the integration of technology into mathematics and science instruction in…

The Role of STEM High Schools in Reducing Gaps in Science and Mathematics Coursetaking: Evidence from North Carolina. Research Report. RTI Press Publication RR-0025-1603

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glennie, Elizabeth; Mason, Marcinda; Dalton, Ben

2016-01-01

Some states have created science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) schools to encourage student interest and enhance student proficiency in STEM subjects. We examined a set of STEM schools serving disadvantaged students to see whether these students were more likely to take and pass advanced science and mathematics classes than…

Evaluating Primary School Student's Deep Learning Approach to Science Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilkörücü Göçmençelebi, Sirin; Özkan, Muhlis; Bayram, Nuran

2012-01-01

This study examines the variables which help direct students to a deep learning approach to science lessons, with the aim of guiding programmers and teachers in primary education. The sample was composed of a total of 164 primary school students. The Learning Approaches to Science Scale developed by Ünal (2005) for Science and Technology lessons…

Variations on a Theme: Characteristics of Out-of-School Time Science Programs Offered by Distinct Organization Types

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laursen, Sandra L.; Thiry, Heather; Archie, Tim; Crane, Rebecca

2013-01-01

The out-of-school time (OST) domain offers a promising resource for enriching young people's experience of science, technology, and engineering. Belief is widespread that OST programs are ideal locations in which to learn science and that youth participation may increase access to science for underrepresented groups, such as girls or minorities,…

Understanding the Views of the Nature of Science of Undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hypolite, Karen L.

2012-01-01

Much of the nature of science research has been focused on high school students. High school students are primarily the target of such research to aid and to guide them in making informed decisions about possible career choices in the sciences (Bell, Blair, Crawford, & Lederman, 2002). Moreover, during review of the literature, little to no…

Learning from a Distance: High School Students' Perceptions of Virtual Presence, Motivation, and Science Identity during a Remote Microscopy Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Childers, Gina; Jones, M. Gail

2017-01-01

Through partnerships with scientists, students can now conduct research in science laboratories from a distance through remote access technologies. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that contribute to a remote learning environment by documenting high school students' perceptions of science motivation, science identity, and virtual…

Future Scenarios for Mobile Science Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burden, Kevin; Kearney, Matthew

2016-04-01

This paper adopts scenario planning as a methodological approach and tool to help science educators reconceptualise their use of mobile technologies across various different futures. These `futures' are set out neither as predictions nor prognoses but rather as stimuli to encourage greater discussion and reflection around the use of mobile technologies in science education. Informed by the literature and our empirical data, we consider four alternative futures for science education in a mobile world, with a particular focus on networked collaboration and student agency. We conclude that `seamless learning', whereby students are empowered to use their mobile technologies to negotiate across physical and virtual boundaries (e.g. between school and out-of-school activities), may be the most significant factor in encouraging educators to rethink their existing pedagogical patterns, thereby realizing some of the promises of contextualised participatory science learning.

Using Technology to Facilitate Differentiated High School Science Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeng, Jennifer L.

2017-10-01

This qualitative investigation explored the beliefs and practices of one secondary science teacher, Diane, who differentiated instruction and studied how technology facilitated her differentiation. Diane was selected based on the results of a previous study, in which data indicated that Diane understood how to design and implement proactively planned, flexible, engaging instructional activities in response to students' learning needs better than the other study participants. Data for the present study included 3 h of semi-structured interview responses, 37.5 h of observations of science instruction, and other artifacts such as instructional materials. This variety of data allowed for triangulation of the evidence. Data were analyzed using a constant comparative approach. Results indicated that technology played an integral role in Diane's planning and implementation of differentiated science lessons. The technology-enhanced differentiated lessons employed by Diane typically attended to students' different learning profiles or interest through modification of process or product. This study provides practical strategies for science teachers beginning to differentiate instruction, and recommendations for science teacher educators and school and district administrators. Future research should explore student outcomes, supports for effective formative assessment, and technology-enhanced readiness differentiation among secondary science teachers.

Do High School STEM Courses Prepare Non-College Bound Youth for Jobs in the STEM Economy?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bozick, Robert; Srinivasan, Sinduja; Gottfried, Michael

2017-01-01

Our study assesses whether high school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses provide non-college bound youth with the skills and training necessary to successfully transition from high school into the STEM economy. Specifically, our study estimates the effects that advanced math, advanced science, engineering, and…

After-School Spaces: Looking for Learning in All the Right Places

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schnittka, Christine G.; Evans, Michael A.; Won, Samantha G. L.; Drape, Tiffany A.

2016-01-01

After-school settings provide youth with homework support, social outlets and fun activities, and help build self-confidence. They are safe places for forming relationships with caring adults. More after-school settings are starting to integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) topics. What science skills and concepts might…

Is Science Me? Exploring Middle School Students' STE-M Career Aspirations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aschbacher, Pamela R.; Ing, Marsha; Tsai, Sherry M.

2014-01-01

This study explores middle school students' aspirations in science, technology, engineering, and medical (STE-M) careers by analyzing survey data during their eighth and ninth grade years from an ethnically and economically diverse sample of Southern California urban and suburban public school students (n = 493). Students were classified based on…

NASA Master Teacher Re-Certification Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okari-Brooks, Emma; Thompson, Paul

2000-01-01

Edward Waters College is submitting a final report covering the grant period from January 1999 - April 30, 2000. The Teacher re-certification program at Edward Waters College created a high quality professional development opportunity for middle and high school science teachers which will contribute to the improvement of science education and the use of innovation technologies in the classroom for years to come. The following goals and objectives were met and exceeded during the grant period. 1) A focused and relevant educational technology curriculum based on National Science Education Standard and state-of-the art educational resources that are accepted as one of the qualifications for re-certification in the scientific discipline in Duval County, Florida. 2) The program goal was to recertify 40 middle and high school science teachers over a two- year period. This goal was met and exceeded the projected number by recertifying over 80 middle and high school science and math teachers over a two-year period. 3) Teachers that were recertified were given an opportunity to public information that they developed on EWC's Web page or develop a web page of their own. Area schools were made aware of this information through various forms of communication with the teachers in Duval County School District, i.e., flyers sent from EWC to participants, school newspapers, word of mouth, etc. 4) A multimedia technology resource lab is available at EWC for use as a "Learning Lab" for class field trips by Duval County teachers.

Integrating Science and Technology into a Policy of Lifelong Education in Nigeria.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urevbu, Andrew O.

1985-01-01

Examines Nigeria's National Policy on Education guidelines, specifically focusing on science and technological education. Discusses the development of vocational and technical schools, transfer of technology, and the role of research institutes. Recommendations are made concerning academic survival skills, respect for manual skills, improved…

Attitudes toward Agriculture of Minority and Non-Minority Students Enrolled in an Introductory Agriscience Course in Texas. A Summary Report of Research. Department Information Bulletin 92-1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talbert, B. Allen; Larke, Alvin, Jr.

A study compared the attitudes of minority and nonminority Texas high school agriscience students toward agriculture. A cluster sample of 1,399 agriscience students in Texas high school courses called "Introduction to World Agricultural Science and Technology" and "Applied Agricultural Science and Technology" participated in the ex post facto…

Editorial: Boxed In or Coming Out? On the Treatment of Science, Technology, and Gender in Educational Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henwood, Flis; Miller, Katrina

2001-01-01

This theme issue examines the treatment of science, technology, and gender in educational research, presenting perspectives from mainland Europe, the United States, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Articles focus on mainstreaming gender equality in science, interrogating the masculinist and heteronormative nature of elementary school science,…

Teaching Science in a Technology-Rich Environment: The Impact of Three Innovative Tools on Secondary Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felt, Wallace A.

2011-01-01

This qualitative case study of a rural high school examines the impact of technology tools on secondary science classrooms. Specifically, document cameras, student response systems, and probeware are examined for their affect in instructional practices in science classrooms where they are used. Observational data, student surveys, and teacher…

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Curriculum and Seventh Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Jamie Smith

2014-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to evaluate to what degree Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education influenced mathematics and science achievement of seventh grade students in one Middle Tennessee school district. This research used an independent samples t test at the a = 0.05 level to evaluate…

The Case for Improving U.S. Computer Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nager, Adams; Atkinson, Robert

2016-01-01

Despite the growing use of computers and software in every facet of our economy, not until recently has computer science education begun to gain traction in American school systems. The current focus on improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the U.S. School system has disregarded differences within STEM…

Using Prompted Praxis to Improve Teacher Professional Development in Culturally Diverse Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Alberto J.; Zozakiewicz, Cathy; Yerrick, Randy

2005-01-01

Recent science and teacher education reports continue to stress the need for radical changes in the way teachers are prepared to teach science to diverse learners. In response, a three-year intervention project was developed to help teachers in culturally diverse schools transform their science teaching practices using learning technologies. Many…

Using Learning Stories to Capture "Gifted" and "Hard Worker" Mindsets within a NYC Specialized High School for the Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pride, Leah D.

2014-01-01

All science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educators working in urban public school systems are expected to provide opportunities for students to develop foundational scientific literacy skills in mathematics and science learning. However, the demands on STEM educators teaching the "gifted" or…

Sustaining Inquiry-Based Teaching Methods in the Middle School Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Amy Fowler

2012-01-01

This dissertation used a combination of case study and phenomenological research methods to investigate how individual teachers of middle school science in the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) program sustain their use of inquiry-based methods of teaching and learning. While the overall context for the cases was the AMSTI…

Shaking up Pre-Calculus: Incorporating Engineering into K-12 Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabo, Chelsea; Burrows, Andrea; Childers, Lois

2014-01-01

Projects highlighting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in high schools have promoted student interest in engineering-related fields and enhanced student understanding of mathematics and science concepts. The Science and Technology Enhancement Program (Project STEP), funded by a NSF GK-12 grant at the University of…

Leading Practice in Space Education: Successful Approaches by Specialist Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schools Network, 2010

2010-01-01

The aim of the Government's Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme is to ensure Britain's future success as a major centre for science, engineering and innovation. Specialist science, technology, engineering and maths & computing colleges help to drive this programme by becoming centres of excellence in STEM…

Innovative Technologies in Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerra, Cecilia; Pombo, Lucia; Moreira, Antonio

2011-01-01

Technology plays a crucial role in pupils' and primary teachers' lives nowadays and its use can facilitate change towards an innovative school environment. The internet, for example, can act as a platform to foster science teaching and offers a variety of opportunities for effective science learning and engaging and motivating children. But…

Status of teaching elementary science for English learners in science, mathematics and technology centered magnet schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Alyson Kim

According to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (2001), one in three students speaks a language other than English. Additionally, the Commission stated that a student is considered to be an English learner if the second language acquisition is English. In California more than 1.4 million English learners enter school speaking a variety of languages, and this number continues to rise. There is an imminent need to promote instructional strategies that support this group of diverse learners. Although this was not a California study, the results derived from the nationwide participants' responses provided a congruent assessment of the basic need to provide effective science teaching strategies to all English learners. The purpose of this study was to examine the status of elementary science teaching practices used with English learners in kindergarten through fifth grade in public mathematics, science, and technology-centered elementary magnet schools throughout the country. This descriptive research was designed to provide current information and to identify trends in the areas of curriculum and instruction for English learners in science themed magnet schools. This report described the status of elementary (grades K-5) school science instruction for English learners based on the responses of 116 elementary school teachers: 59 grade K-2, and 57 grade 3-5 teachers. Current research-based approaches support incorporating self-directed learning strategy, expository teaching strategy, active listening strategies, questioning strategies, wait time strategy, small group strategy, peer tutoring strategy, large group learning strategy, demonstrations strategy, formal debates strategy, review sessions strategy, mediated conversation strategy, cooperative learning strategy, and theme-based instruction into the curriculum to assist English learners in science education. Science Technology Society (STS) strategy, problem-based learning strategy, discovery learning strategy, constructivist learning strategy, learning cycle strategy, SCALE technique strategy, conceptual change strategy, inquiry-based strategy, cognitive academic language learning approach (CALLA) strategy, and learning from text strategy provide effective science teaching instruction to English learners. These science instructional strategies assist elementary science teachers by providing additional support to make science instruction more comprehensible for English learners.

Impact of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE): A Technological Approach to Genetics Teaching on High School Students' Content Knowledge, Self-Efficacy and Career Goal Aspirations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kandi, Kamala M.

2013-01-01

This study examines the effect of a technology-based instructional tool "Geniverse" on the content knowledge gains, Science Self-Efficacy, Technology Self-Efficacy, and Career Goal Aspirations among 283 high school learners. The study was conducted in four urban high schools, two of which have achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and…

Introducing Technology Education at the Elementary Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKnight, Sean

2012-01-01

Many school districts are seeing a need to introduce technology education to students at the elementary level. Pennsylvania's Penn Manor School District is one of them. Pennsylvania has updated science and technology standards for grades 3-8, and after several conversations the author had with elementary principals and the assistant superintendent…

The long-term impact of a math, science and technology program on grade school girls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, Sandra Judd

The purpose of this study was to determine if a math, science, and technology intervention program improved grade school girls' attitudes and stereotypes toward science and scientists, as well as participation levels in science-related activities, two years after their participating in the program. The intervention program evaluated was Operation SMART, developed by Girls Incorporated. Participants were recruited from the 6th and 7th grades from two public middle schools in Northern California. One hundred twenty-seven girls signed up for the survey and were assigned to either the SMART group (previous SMART participants) or Non-SMART group (no previous experience with SMART). The survey consisted of five parts: (1) a background information sheet, (2) the Modified Attitudes Toward Science Inventory, (3) the What Do You Do? survey, (4) the Draw-A-Scientist Test-Revised, and (5) a career interests and role models/influencer survey. Results indicated that there were no significant differences between the SMART and Non-SMART groups on any of the test measures. However, middle school attended did have a significant effect on the outcome variables. Girls from Middle School A reported more positive attitudes toward science, while girls from Middle School B reported higher participation levels in extracurricular science activities. Possible explanations for these findings suggest too much time had passed between treatment effect and time of measurement as well as the strong influence of teacher and school environment on girls' attitudes and stereotypes. Recommendations for future research are discussed.

The Mexican National Programs on Teaching Mathematics and Science with Technology: The Legacy of a Decade of Experiences of Transformation of School Practices and Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sacristán, Ana Isabel; Rojano, Teresa

Here we give an overview of the Mexican experience of a national program, begun in 1997, of gradual implementation of computational tools in the lower secondary-school classrooms (children 12-15 years-old) for mathematics and science. This project illustrates, through the benefit of long-term hindsight, the successes and difficulties of large-scale massive implementation of technologies in schools. The key factors for success and for transforming school practices seem to be: adequate planning, gradual implementation, continuous training and support, and enough time (years) for assimilation and integration.

Lambkins Roar as the Top High School in the 27th Colorado Science Bowl |

Science.gov Websites

round of the competition. As they readied to answer rapid-fire physics, math, biology, astronomy, energy group, which is an offshoot of his school's STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math

Beyond Robotics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tally, Beth; Laverdure, Nate

2006-01-01

Chantilly High School Academy Robotics Team Number 612 from Chantilly, Virginia, is an award-winning team of high school students actively involved with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a multinational nonprofit organization that inspires students to transform culture--making science, math, engineering and…

Educational Effect of Project-based Learning (PBL) in Co-operated Education by Senior High School and Institute of Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakui, Yasuhiro; Kumagai, Koji; Hasegawa, Akira; Kaneko, Kenji; Takeuchi, Takahiro

This paper reports PBL has been implemented in Senior High School, which is conducted with cooperation by university and civil engineering corporations as well. In the recent statement from Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, it has been notified that the purpose of students for studying at university has not been specified enough. To respond to this, this class is basically designed upon students’ interests; to foster communication skill, to provoke interest toward Science and Technology and to increase motivation for academic studies and future jobs. Fostering these elements, we conclude that PBL is suitable for senior high school from the survey.

Family Science Night: Changing Perceptions One Family at a Time

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pesnell, W. D.; Drobnes, E.; Mitchell, S.; Colina-Trujillo, M.

2007-01-01

If students are not encouraged to succeed in science, mathematics, and technology classes at school, efforts to improve the quality of content and teaching in these subjects may be futile. Parents and families are in a unique position to encourage children to enroll and achieve in these classes. The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Family Science Night program invites middle school students and their families to explore the importance of science and technology in our daily lives by providing a venue for families to comfortably engage in learning activities that change their perception and understanding of science - making it more practical and approachable for participants of all ages. Family Science Night strives to change the way that students and their families participate in science, within the program and beyond.

The Effects of Using Problem-Based Learning in Science and Technology Teaching upon Students' Academic Achievement and Levels of Structuring Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inel, Didem; Balim, Ali Gunay

2010-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of the problem-based learning method used in science and technology teaching upon elementary school students' construction levels for the concepts concerning the "Systems in Our Body" unit in the science and technology course and their academic achievement. To this end, during the four-week…

The Long-Term Impact of an Education for Sustainability Course on Israeli Science and Technology Teachers' Pro-Environment Awareness, Commitment and Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abramovich, Anat; Loria, Yahavit

2015-01-01

The impact of an Education for Sustainability (EfS) course for science and technology junior high school teachers on the intentional and actual environmental behaviour of participants was studied by researching the EfS implementation of 13 science and technology teachers within their family, community, and work environment. The research was…

Family Consumer Sciences Teachers' Use of Technology to Teach Higher Order Thinking Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirose, Beth Erica

2009-01-01

Family and consumer sciences (FACS) high school teachers were surveyed on their use of technology to teach higher order thinking skills (HOTS). This study determined if teachers had enough support and training to use technology. Lesson plans were accumulated that required both technology and higher order thinking skills. These lessons were then…

Constellation-X Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

Women in Science Conferences are designed to allow young women in grades 7 through 12 to learn first-hand about careers in science, mathematics, and technology from accomplished professional women. Results of an international science and mathematics study conducted in 2000 indicated that "children in the United States were among the leaders in the 4th grade assessment, but by high school graduation, they were almost last." Part of the problem is that many girls and young women in junior and senior high school lose interest in science and technological careers. The goal of the WIS-Conferences held at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, and at Central Wyoming College in Riverton, are to directly address this problem. The conferences will be a cooperative effort supported by local agencies, schools, and businesses, in addition to several state agencies. By presenting positive role models in the science, mathematics, and technological fields, we hope to encourage all students (especially young women and minorities) to pursue higher education and careers in mathematics and science. The workshop topics include: 1) Engineering; 2) Robotics; 3) Physics/Astronomy; 4) Geology; 5) Paleontology; 6) Remote Sensing (GPS/GIS); 7) Molecular Biology; 8) Veterinary Medicine; 9) Optometry; 10) Data Encryption; and 11) Wildlife Biology.

High School/High Tech Program Guide: An Implementation Guide for High School/High Tech Program Coordinators. Promoting Careers in Science and Technology for High School Students with Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Disability Employment Policy (DOL), Washington, DC.

This implementation guide is intended to assist educators in planning, establishing, building, and managing a High School/High Tech project for high school students with disabilities. The program is designed to develop career opportunities, provide activities that will spark an interest in high technology fields, and encourage students to pursue…

To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Defense to make grants to recognized science and technology secondary schools to support research and development projects at such schools in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology to supplement the national security functions of the Department of Defense.

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11

2009-07-24

House - 01/12/2010 Referred to the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Teaching Einsteinian Physics at Schools: Part 1, Models and Analogies for Relativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaur, Tejinder; Blair, David; Moschilla, John; Stannard, Warren; Zadnik, Marjan

2017-01-01

The Einstein-First project aims to change the paradigm of school science teaching through the introduction of modern Einsteinian concepts of space and time, gravity and quanta at an early age. These concepts are rarely taught to school students despite their central importance to modern science and technology. The key to implementing the…

Impact of Environmental Power Monitoring Activities on Middle School Student Perceptions of STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knezek, Gerald; Christensen, Rhonda; Tyler-Wood, Tandra; Periathiruvadi, Sita

2013-01-01

Middle school is a crucial stage in student development as students prepare for a fast changing future. The science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills that students acquire in middle school lay the foundation for a successful career in STEM. Moreover, most STEM occupations require competencies in science, math and logical…

Encouraging a Career in Science: A Research Review of Secondary Schools' Effects on Students' STEM Orientation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reinhold, Sarah; Holzberger, Doris; Seidel, Tina

2018-01-01

Previous studies have pointed out that schools play a central role in students' orientation towards science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, studies use a variety of theoretical foundations in order to define variables and hypothesise relationships between schools and STEM orientation. In order to facilitate the…

Using ICT-Based Instructional Technologies to Teach Science: Perspectives from Teachers in Trinidad and Tobago

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maharaj-Sharma, Rawatee; Sharma, Aarti; Sharma, Aditi

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how science teachers in Trinidad and Tobago use ICT-based instructional technologies in classroom science teaching. The participants were 30 secondary school science teachers who completed their Postgraduate Diploma in Education within the last 2 years from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad…

Assessing Second Phase High School Learners' Attitudes towards Technology in Addressing the Technological Skills Shortage in the South African Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, H.; Gumbo, M. T.; Tholo, J. A. T.; Sedupane, S. M.

2014-01-01

This article argues the case that the decline in the numbers of school leavers entering science, technology, engineering and mathematics study courses worldwide and in South Africa in particular, is linked to negative attitudes towards Technology. The issue is regarded as critical since a negative trend in new entrants into the technology sector…

UCLA's outreach program of science education in the Los Angeles schools.

PubMed

Palacio-Cayetano, J; Kanowith-Klein, S; Stevens, R

1999-04-01

The UCLA School of Medicine's Interactive Multi-media Exercises (IMMEX) Project began its outreach into pre-college education in the Los Angeles area in 1993. The project provides a model in which software and technology are effectively intertwined with teaching, learning, and assessment (of both students' and teachers' performances) in the classroom. The project has evolved into a special collaboration between the medical school and Los Angeles teachers. UCLA faculty and staff work with science teachers and administrators from elementary, middle, and high schools. The program benefits ethnically and racially diverse groups of students in schools ranging from the inner city to the suburbs. The project's primary goal is to use technology to increase students' achievement and interest in science, including medicine, and thus move more students into the medical school pipeline. Evaluations from outside project evaluators (West Ed) as well as from teachers and IMMEX staff show that the project has already had a significant effect on teachers' professional development, classroom practice, and students' achievement in the Los Angeles area.

Comparison of Science Process Skills with STEM Career Interests of Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zorlu, Fulya; Zorlu, Yusuf

2017-01-01

This study was aimed to examine the relation between the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) career interests and science process skills of middle school seventh grade students. Method of this study was the relational survey method. The study was conducted on the basis of voluntariness and participants were 133 seventh grade…

Township of Ocean School District Contemporary Science. Curriculum Guide, September 1987.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truex, Ronald T.

This guide was prepared for a program designed to provide non-academic disaffected students as well as college-bound high school students with a meaningful and positive educational experience in science in order to bridge the gap between science and the citizen in a technological world. The program, designed as a full year elective course,…

Township of Ocean School District Contemporary Science. Program Description, September 1989.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truex, Ronald T.

This report describes a program that was designed to provide non-academic disaffected students as well as college-bound high school students with a meaningful and positive educational experience in science in order to bridge the gap between science and the citizen in a technological world. The program, designed as a full year elective course,…

Enhancing Middle School Science Lessons with Playground Activities: A Study of the Impact of Playground Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Lawrence B.; Margolin, Jonathan; Swanlund, Andrew; Dhillon, Sonica; Liu, Feng

2017-01-01

Playground Physics is a technology-based application and accompanying curriculum designed by New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) to support middle school students' science engagement and learning of force, energy, and motion. The program includes professional development, the Playground Physics app, and a curriculum aligned with New York State…

Development, Implementation, and Outcomes of an Equitable Computer Science After-School Program: Findings from Middle-School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mouza, Chrystalla; Marzocchi, Alison; Pan, Yi-Cheng; Pollock, Lori

2016-01-01

Current policy efforts that seek to improve learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) emphasize the importance of helping all students acquire concepts and tools from computer science that help them analyze and develop solutions to everyday problems. These goals have been generally described in the literature under the…

Women's History Month at NASA

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-14

The Science Cheerleaders perform at a Women's History Month event for middle school and high school girls on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The Science Cheerleaders are a group professional cheerleaders-turned-scientists and engineers who challenge stereotypes while helping to inspire young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Democratizing Computer Science Knowledge: Transforming the Face of Computer Science through Public High School Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryoo, Jean J.; Margolis, Jane; Lee, Clifford H.; Sandoval, Cueponcaxochitl D. M.; Goode, Joanna

2013-01-01

Despite the fact that computer science (CS) is the driver of technological innovations across all disciplines and aspects of our lives, including participatory media, high school CS too commonly fails to incorporate the perspectives and concerns of low-income students of color. This article describes a partnership program -- Exploring Computer…

Science after School: Way Cool! A Course-Based Approach to Teaching Science Outreach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, Kathleen S.

2017-01-01

Outreach efforts directed toward improving STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) literacy are vitally important to ensure that all of our citizens are prepared to fully participate in an increasingly complex and technology-driven world. Attempts to maximize the effectiveness of STEM outreach has focused on younger populations,…

Game-Based Learning Aids in Second Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, William, II; Franklin, Teresa; Cooper, Tessa; Carroll, Stephen; Liu, Chang

2012-01-01

In an age of technological advancement, video games have been found to be effective teaching aids in middle school science classrooms. A National Science Foundation (NSF) project at Ohio University, known as STEAM, (Science and Technology Enrichment for Appalachian Middle Schoolers), has examined Second Life as a curriculum aid through the design,…

New Technology: Servant or Master of Social Science Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Homan, Roger

The introduction of computer technology into social science education in elementary and secondary schools in England stands to inhibit some of the positive developments in these subjects in recent years. Currently, objectives of social science education for the multicultural society in Britain are the enhancement of respect for self and of respect…

Designing STEM Pathways through Early College: Ohio's Metro Early College High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North, Charlotte

2011-01-01

Calls for improved outcomes in U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education are frequent and insistent. In 2009, the Commission on Mathematics and Science Education, convened by the Institute for Advanced Study and Carnegie Corporation of New York, concluded that: "Knowledge and skills from science, technology, engineering…

A Critical Review of the Massachusetts Next Generation Science and Technology/Engineering Standards. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metzenberg, Stan

2015-01-01

Stan Metzenberg offers a critical analysis of the draft "Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Standards," which are for pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8 and introductory high school courses. Metzenberg claims that the document reveals significant, unacceptable gaps in science content, as well as some notable errors and…

Using the Process and Excitement of Science and Technology to Empower Teachers and Engage their Students

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crannell, Carol Jo

2002-01-01

Students United with NASA Becoming Enthusiastic About Math and Science (SUNBEAMS) is a Partnership between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). It empowers teachers and inspires students with the process and excitement of science and technology. SUNBEAMS is being developed as a model urban intervention program for sixth grade teachers and their students. The teachers come to Goddard for five weeks during the summer. They partner with Goddard mentors and work much the same way that summer students do. In addition, the teachers are responsible for developing lesson plans that they pilot at their schools and post on the SUNBEAMS web site. During the school year, each teacher brings one class to Goddard for a full week of total immersion in math and science.

Opportunities in Education and Public Outreach for Scientists at the School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hicks, T.

2004-12-01

The School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is home to twelve diverse research institutes, programs and academic departments that focus on a wide range of earth and planetary sciences. SOEST's main outreach goals at the K-12 level are to increase the awareness of Hawaii's schoolchildren regarding earth, ocean, and space science, and to inspire them to consider a career in science. Education and public outreach efforts in SOEST include a variety of programs that engage students and the public in formal as well as informal educational settings, such as our biennial Open House, expedition web sites, Hawaii Ocean Science Bowl, museum exhibits, and programs with local schools. Some of the projects that allow for scientist involvement in E/PO include visiting local classrooms, volunteering in our outreach programs, submitting lessons and media files to our educational database of outreach materials relating to earth and space science research in Hawaii, developing E/PO materials to supplement research grants, and working with local museum staff as science experts.

Towards a More Authentic Science Curriculum: The contribution of out-of-school learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braund, Martin; Reiss, Michael

2006-10-01

In many developed countries of the world, pupil attitudes to school science decline progressively across the age range of secondary schooling while fewer students are choosing to study science at higher levels and as a career. Responses to these developments have included proposals to reform the curriculum, pedagogy, and the nature of pupil discussion in science lessons. We support such changes but argue that far greater use needs to be made of out-of-school sites in the teaching of science. Such usage will result in a school science education that is more valid and more motivating. We present an “evolutionary model” of science teaching that looks at where learning and teaching take place, and draws together thinking about the history of science and developments in the nature of learning over the past 100 years or so. Our contention is that laboratory-based school science teaching needs to be complemented by out-of-school science learning that draws on the actual world (e.g., through fieldtrips), the presented world (e.g., in science centres, botanic gardens, zoos and science museums), and the virtual worlds that are increasingly available through information technologies.

Analysing Cases in Technology and Design Education: How Could Designing and Making Technological Products Be a Vehicle for Enhancing Understanding of Natural Science Principles?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Pal J. Kirkeby

2009-01-01

"Knowledge Promotion" is the recent curriculum for the Norwegian 10-year compulsory school. "Technology and Design" (ToD) is a new main subject area in Natural Science. ToD should be taught across the curriculum between Natural Science, Art and Crafts, and Mathematics. The main goal is that pupils should be able to plan,…

Optical legacy of Imperial College London

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kidger Webb-Moore, Tina E.

2016-10-01

The Industrial Revolution, beginning primarily in the UK, generated an increasing need for highly skilled technical people. Throughout the 19th century, technical instruction increased dramatically and the formation of schools specializing in science and technology grew quickly. In England, there was much motivation in favour of a national prestige center for science and technology centered in London. Central among the motivating forces was Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert. Although there were already existing specialist science and technology institutions in major English cities, the growth of superior institutions in other countries within Europe, especially Germany and the Charlottenburg area of Berlin (e.g., the Berlin Technical High School), encouraged important English dignitaries to become more competitive with continental Europe. As a result of this strong continental motivation, several science and technology institutions were built in the south Kensington part of London during the latter half of the 19th century. Imperial College, founded at the start of the 20th century, was a culmination and consolidation of several of these 19th century English institutions. Optical science and technology was an early beneficiary of the founding of Imperial College. This paper will attempt to provide the reader with an understanding of how great was the influence of the optical section of Imperial College in the further development of the world's optical science and technology.

Massachusetts Science and Technology Engineering Curriculum Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massachusetts Department of Education, 2006

2006-01-01

This 2006 "Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework" provides a guide for teachers and curriculum coordinators regarding specific content to be taught from PreK through high school. Following this "Organization" chapter, the "Framework" contains the following sections: (1) Philosophy and…

Elementary Applications of Information Theory in Various Fields of Science and Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sexl, Roman U.

1979-01-01

Discusses how the concept of information is fundamental to many branches of science, technology, and mathematics and how a systematic use of the information concept can help to bridge the gap between different subjects in school. (HM)

New Literacy Implementation: The Impact of Professional Development on Middle School Student Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Hui-Yin; Wang, Shaing-Kwei; Coster, Daniel

2017-01-01

With advancing technology, "literacy" evolves to include new forms of literacy made possible by digital technologies. "New literacy" refers to using technology to research, locate, evaluate, synthesize and communication information. The purpose of the study is to develop a framework to guide science teachers' new literacy…

Innovations in Science and Mathematics Education: Advanced Designs for Technologies of Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Michael J., Ed.; Kozma, Robert B., Ed.

This collection of essays consists of current work that addresses the challenge not just to put the newest technologies in schools, but to identify advanced ways to design and use these new technologies to advance learning. These essays are intended for science and mathematics educators, educational and cognitive researchers, instructional…

4 Schools for WIE. Evaluation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erkut, Sumru; Marx, Fern

2005-01-01

With funding from the National Science Foundation, engineering schools at Northeastern University, Tufts University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Boston University joined forces in an effort to increase the number of girls who develop an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields during the middle school…

Semiconductors: A 21st Century Social Studies Topic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sunal, Cynthia

2000-01-01

Addresses the reasons for exploring semiconductor technology and organic semiconductors in schools for either middle school or secondary students in an interdisciplinary social studies and science environment. Provides background information on transistors and semiconductors. Offers three social studies lessons and related science lessons if an…

Return of the Lambkins: Practice Makes Perfect at Colorado Science Bowl |

Science.gov Websites

study and potential careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). "Science Bowl school students to explore math and science. Now, the competition attracts approximately 15,000 students

The art and science of political advocacy.

PubMed

Kosiorowski, Donna

2014-01-01

School nurses throughout the nation, individually and collectively, work to bring about change for the school nursing profession and to safeguard the health of children and the public. School nurses practice amidst education reform, health care reform, changes in society, and medical and technological advancements. School nurses must be active in decisions that affect their daily practice by involvement in the local, state, and federal political process. School nurses must craft the art and develop the science of political advocacy.

Middle school science curriculum design and 8th grade student achievement in Massachusetts public schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clifford, Betsey A.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released proposed Science and Technology/Engineering standards in 2013 outlining the concepts that should be taught at each grade level. Previously, standards were in grade spans and each district determined the method of implementation. There are two different methods used teaching middle school science: integrated and discipline-based. In the proposed standards, the Massachusetts DESE uses grade-by-grade standards using an integrated approach. It was not known if there is a statistically significant difference in student achievement on the 8th grade science MCAS assessment for students taught with an integrated or discipline-based approach. The results on the 8th grade science MCAS test from six public school districts from 2010 -- 2013 were collected and analyzed. The methodology used was quantitative. Results of an ANOVA showed that there was no statistically significant difference in overall student achievement between the two curriculum models. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference for the various domains: Earth and Space Science, Life Science, Physical Science, and Technology/Engineering. This information is useful for districts hesitant to make the change from a discipline-based approach to an integrated approach. More research should be conducted on this topic with a larger sample size to better support the results.

Keeping It Real: A Toledo Public School Prepares Students for College and Career

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dubin, Jennifer

2014-01-01

In this article, author Jennifer Dubin offers a look into the innovations taking place in the Toledo Technology Academy (TTA), a career-tech school within the public school system in Toledo, Ohio. TTA teaches students in grades 7 through 12 using a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum, in addition to the traditional…

First Robotics Competition

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-05

Students from McKinley Tech High School in Washington, D.C., work on their robot in the "Pit Area" as they prepare to compete in the First Robotics Competition, Friday, March 5, 2010, in Washington. The student competition is called "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," or FIRST. The program was founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people, their schools and communities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

First Robotics Competition

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-05

Students from the Highland School in Warrenton, Va. work on their robot in the "Pit Area" as they prepare to compete in the First Robotics Competition, Friday, March 5, 2010, in Washington. The student competition is called "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," or FIRST. The program was founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people, their schools and communities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers) Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

Case Study of Manor New Tech High School: Promising Practices in STEM Education for Comprehensive High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gourgey, Hannah; Asiabanpour, Bahram; Fenimore, Carol

2010-01-01

The following paper culminates a year of research conducted by researchers at E[superscript 3] Alliance and Texas State University and sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The following reports on promising practices observed and reported at Manor New Tech High School (MNTH), a Texas Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (T-STEM)…

The distinctiveness and effectiveness of science teaching in the Malaysian `Smart school'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tek Ong, Eng; Ruthven, Kenneth

2010-04-01

A recent reform initiative in the Malaysian educational system has sought to develop 'Smart schools', intended to better prepare students for adult life in a developing economy and to increase the flow of young people prepared for scientific and technological careers. The study reported in this paper examined lower-secondary science teaching, comparing two Smart schools officially judged to be successfully implementing the reform, with two neighbouring mainstream schools. Through analysis of classroom observation, supported by teacher interview and student report, the distinctive features of science teaching in the Smart schools were found to be use of ICT-based resources and of student-centred approaches, often intertwined to provide extended support for learning; accompanied by a near absence of the note giving and copying prevalent in the mainstream schools. Through analysis of measures of student attitude to science, science process skills and general science attainment, science teaching in Smart schools was found to be relatively effective overall. However, while the positive attitude effect was general, both academic effects were much weaker amongst students who had been of lower attainment on entry to secondary school.

Influence of Science, Technology, and Engineering Curriculum on Rural Midwestern High School Student Career Decisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Killingsworth, John

Low degree completion in technical and engineering degrees is a growing concern for policymakers and educators in the United States. This study was an examination of the behaviors of adolescents specific to career decisions related to technology and engineering. The central research question for this study was: do rural, Midwestern high school technical and engineering curricula serve to engage students sufficiently to encourage them to persist through high school while sustaining their interests in technology and engineering careers? Engaging students in technology and engineering fields is the challenge for educators throughout the country and the Midwest. Rural schools have the additional challenge of meeting those issues because of resource limitations. Students in three Midwestern schools were surveyed to determine the level of interest in technology and engineering. The generalized likelihood ratio test was used to overcome concerns for small sample sizes. Accounting for dependent variables, multiple independent variables are examined using descriptive statistics to determine which have greater influence on career decisions, specifically those related to technology and engineering. A typical science curriculum is defined for rural Midwestern high schools. This study concludes that such curriculum achieves the goal of maintaining or increasing student interest and engagement in STEM careers. Furthermore, those schools that incorporate contextual and experiential learning activities into the curriculum demonstrate increased results in influencing student career choices toward technology and engineering careers. Implications for parents, educators, and industry professionals are discussed.

Towards teaching science for social responsibility: An examination of flaws in science, technology and society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cross, Roger T.; Price, Ronald F.

1991-12-01

In this paper we continue our search for a socially responsible science education by an examination of the trends in the Science, Technology and Society movement. These trends reflect differing ideological perspectives and result in courses which serve different ends. We identify two major flaws in the movement that inhibits the realization of a schooling in science dedicated to democracy. We propose skills necessary for citizens to participate in debate over issues surrounding the impact of science and technology on society and a teaching stategy to help develop them.

Increase in Science Research Commitment in a Didactic and Laboratory-Based Program Targeted to Gifted Minority High-School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraleigh-Lohrfink, Kimberly J.; Schneider, M. Victoria; Whittington, Dawayne; Feinberg, Andrew P.

2013-01-01

Underrepresentation of ethnic minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields has been a growing concern. Efforts to ameliorate this have often been directed at college-level enrichment. However, mentoring in the sciences at a high-school age level may have a greater impact on career choices. The Center Scholars…

Scalable Game Design: A Strategy to Bring Systemic Computer Science Education to Schools through Game Design and Simulation Creation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Repenning, Alexander; Webb, David C.; Koh, Kyu Han; Nickerson, Hilarie; Miller, Susan B.; Brand, Catharine; Her Many Horses, Ian; Basawapatna, Ashok; Gluck, Fred; Grover, Ryan; Gutierrez, Kris; Repenning, Nadia

2015-01-01

An educated citizenry that participates in and contributes to science technology engineering and mathematics innovation in the 21st century will require broad literacy and skills in computer science (CS). School systems will need to give increased attention to opportunities for students to engage in computational thinking and ways to promote a…

Between School Factors and Teacher Factors: What Inhibits Malaysian Science Teachers from Using ICT?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmad, Tunku Badariah Tunku

2014-01-01

Despite the Malaysian government's efforts to increase the use of ICT in school, teachers' uptake of the technology remains slow and dismal. In this study, teachers' perceptions of the barriers that inhibited their use of ICT in the science classroom were explored. One hundred and fifty-one (N = 151) science teachers from selected secondary…

Innovative Teaching and Technology in the Service of Science: Recruiting the Next Generation of STEM Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNally, Thomas

2012-01-01

This article examines innovative approaches to augmenting science lessons taught in middle and high school, with special emphasis on the importance of the early teen years, when experiences both in and out of school have significant impact on career decisions. This is a reflective essay on the recent work of science educators and educational…

Teaching about Designer Babies and Genetically Modified Foods: Encouraging the Teaching of Biotechnology in Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leslie, Glenda; Schibecci, Renato

2006-01-01

Biotechnology is a cutting edge science/technology which impacts the community in many ways. For this and other reasons, it is important we encourage teachers to include biotechnology in the science curriculum. First, however, we need to know what hinders and encourages teachers. We surveyed the views of 88 high school science teachers. The …

A Study on Learning Effect among Different Learning Styles in a Web-Based Lab of Science for Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Koun-tem; Lin, Yuan-cheng; Yu, Chia-jui

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the learning effect related to different learning styles in a Web-based virtual science laboratory for elementary school students. The online virtual lab allows teachers to integrate information and communication technology (ICT) into science lessons. The results of this experimental teaching method…

Use of Digital Game Based Learning and Gamification in Secondary School Science: The Effect on Student Engagement, Learning and Gender Difference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Amna; Ahmad, Farzana Hayat; Malik, Muhammad Muddassir

2017-01-01

This study aimed to identify the impact of a game based learning (GBL) application using computer technologies on student engagement in secondary school science classrooms. The literature reveals that conventional Science teaching techniques (teacher-centered lecture and teaching), which foster rote learning among students, are one of the major…

Water Quality-8th Grade Earth Science, or "Lets Get Relevant."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rezabek, Edward

This document describes some experiences in a science/technology/society (STS) program for an eighth grade science course at a small rural school in Iowa. The background information about the school and the general goal of the STS program are outlined. The curriculum structure of the program related to water as a reusable resource is presented.…

The use of digital technologies as a didactic resource for the teaching and learning of science for students of the last year of the fundamental education of public schools in Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paganotti, A.; Paladino, L.; Araujo Júnior, C. F.; Voelzke, M. R.

2017-07-01

The technological transformation of the last decades requires that teachers get a new look on how to teach. There is a demand that knowledge should be transformed in order to connect it with the new reality, lived in the everyday life. This work aimed to verify the insertion of digital technologies in the daily life of students of public schools in the state educational network. Four schools participated in the study, of which two were located in Divinópolis, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, designated as A and B schools, with 68 surveyed students, and other two were located in the outskirts of the City of São Paulo, called C and D schools, with 62 tested students. A research questionnaire was used with six objective and discursive questions. The analysis of the given answers suggest the conclusion that more than 70% of the surveyed students use the smartphone as the main tool associated with technologies. Other options such as the tablet or desktop computer have been rarely mentioned. When students were questioned about the use of digital technologies by the teacher, very diverse responses emerged. At school A, 30 students stated that the science teacher does not use digital technologies in their classrooms. In school B, the result was the opposite, because all of the 36 students affirmed the use of technologies by teachers. At school C, 22 students stated that they did not use technologies in their classrooms while at school D, only 17 made this statement. It is concluded that the students live in a world full of digital technologies in their daily life, but the school representing the teaching action does not follow this technological trend, which contributes to the permanence of the traditional lectures and the predominance of the students' mechanical learning.

Physical Science Connected Classrooms: Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irving, Karen; Sanalan, Vehbi; Shirley, Melissa

2009-01-01

Case-study descriptions of secondary and middle school classrooms in diverse contexts provide examples of how teachers implement connected classroom technology to facilitate formative assessment in science instruction. Connected classroom technology refers to a networked system of handheld devices designed for classroom use. Teachers were…

Math and science technology access and use in South Dakota public schools grades three through five

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwietert, Debra L.

The development of K-12 technology standards, soon to be added to state testing of technology proficiency, and the increasing presence of computers in homes and classrooms reflects the growing importance of technology in current society. This study examined math and science teachers' responses on a survey of technology use in grades three through five in South Dakota. A researcher-developed survey instrument was used to collect data from a random sample of 100 public schools throughout the South Dakota. Forced choice and open-ended responses were recorded. Most teachers have access to computers, but they lack resources to purchase software for their content areas, especially in science areas. Three-fourths of teachers in this study reported multiple computers in their classrooms and 67% reported access to labs in other areas of the school building. These numbers are lower than the national average of 84% of teachers with computers in their classrooms and 95% with access to computers elsewhere in the building (USDOE, 2000). Almost eight out of 10 teachers noted time as a barrier to learning more about educational software. Additional barriers included lack of school funds (38%), access to relevant training (32%), personal funds (30%), and poor quality of training (7%). Teachers most often use math and science software as supplemental, with practice tutorials cited as another common use. The most common interest for software was math for both boys and girls. The second most common choice for boys was science and for girls, language arts. Teachers reported that there was no preference for either individual or group work on computers for girls or boys. Most teachers do not systematically evaluate software for gender preferences, but review software over subjectively.

Increasing Opportunities and Success in Science, Math, Engineering and Technology Through Partnerships and Resource Convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huebner, P.

2003-12-01

Bridging the geographic boundaries and providing educational opportunities is the goal of American Indian Programs at Arizona State University East. Since its inception in 1997, American Indian Programs has established programs and partnerships to provide opportunities and resources to Tribal communities throughout Arizona. From educational programs to enhance student achievement at the K-12 level to recruitment and retention of American Indian students at the post secondary level, American Indian Programs provides the resources to further the success of students in science, math, engineering and technology. Resource convergence is critical in providing opportunities to ensure the success of Indian students in science, math, engineering and technology. American Indian Programs has built successful programs based on partnerships between federal grant programs, corporate, federal and state agencies. Providing professional development for teachers, school assessment, science and math curriculum and data collection are the primary efforts at the K-12 level to increase student achievement. Enrichment programs to enhance K-12 activities include the development of the Arizona American Indian Science and Engineering Fair (the only State fair for American Indiana's in the country) supported entirely through corporate support, summer residential programs, after school activities and dual enrollment programs for high school students. ASU East's retention rate for first year students is 92 percent and 1in 6 graduating students enter graduate programs. American Indian Programs strives to build student relationships with federal, state and corporate agencies through internships and coops. This effort has led to the development of an E-mentoring program that allows students (and K-12 teachers) to work directly with practicing scientists, and engineers in research activities. New programs look to increase technology not only in Tribal schools but increase technology in the homes of students as well.

Opportunities for Scientists to Engage the Public & Inspire Students in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaughan, R. G.; Worssam, J.; Vaughan, A. F.

2014-12-01

Increasingly, research scientists are learning that communicating science to broad, non-specialist audiences, particularly students, is just as important as communicating science to their peers via peer-reviewed scientific publications. This presentation highlights opportunities that scientists in Flagstaff, AZ have to foster public support of science & inspire students to study STEM disciplines. The goal here is to share ideas, personal experiences, & the rewards, for both students & research professionals, of engaging in science education & public outreach. Flagstaff, AZ, "America's First STEM Community," has a uniquely rich community of organizations engaged in science & engineering research & innovation, including the Flagstaff Arboretum, Coconino Community College, Gore Industries, Lowell Observatory, Museum of Northern Arizona, National Weather Service, National Park Service, National Forest Service, Northern Arizona University, Northern Arizona Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology, US Geological Survey, US Naval Observatory, & Willow Bend Environmental Education Center. These organizations connect with the Northern Arizona community during the yearly Flagstaff Festival of Science - the third oldest science festival in the world - a 10 day long, free, science festival featuring daily public lectures, open houses, interactive science & technology exhibits, field trips, & in-school speaker programs. Many research scientists from these organizations participate in these activities, e.g., public lectures, open houses, & in-school speaker programs, & also volunteer as mentors for science & engineering themed clubs in local schools. An example of a novel, innovative program, developed by a local K-12 science teacher, is the "Scientists-in-the-Classroom" mentor program, which pairs all 7th & 8th grade students with a working research scientist for the entire school year. Led by the student & guided by the mentor, they develop a variety of science / technology projects, which the students then present at year's end. From the perspective of an active research scientist, such outreach activities take little time & effort (~ 0.05 FTE), but pay large dividends in the long run, in inciting public support for science & inspiring the next generation of scientists & engineers.

Presenting Science in a Video-Delivered, Web-based Format: Comparing Learning Settings To Get the Most Out of Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urven, Lance E.; Yin, L. Roger; Eshelman, Bruce D.; Bak, John D.

2000-01-01

Describes a high school course entitled "Science Technology in Society". High school students use live video presentations and world wide web courseware. Concludes that distance learning students performed as well as traditionally instructed students. (SAH)

America's Children: Providing Early Exposure to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Initiatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeJarnette, Nancy K.

2012-01-01

Recent attention has been brought to light in the United States regarding low numbers of students pursing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) disciplines and degree programs (National Science Board, 2010). There is a great need in America for talented scientists and engineers. Numerous programs abound for high school and middle school…

The MESTEP Record: A Report on the First Six Years. Math English Science Technology Education Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Richard J.; And Others

The Math English Science Technology Education Project (MESTEP) was established to recruit, select, prepare, support, and retain in teaching diverse and talented recent college graduates with strong academic majors in math, English, or a science. A collaborative partnership of the University of Massachusetts (Amherst), public schools, and private…

Exploration of Secondary Students' Creativity by Integrating Web-Based Technology into an Innovative Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jang, Syh-Jong

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate how web-based technology could be utilized and integrated with real-life scientific materials to stimulate the creativity of secondary school students. One certified science teacher and 31 seventh graders participated in this study. Several real-life experience science sessions integrated with online…

The National Teacher Training Institute for Math, Science and Technology: Exemplary Practice in a Climate of Higher Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donlevy, James G., Ed.; Donlevy, Tia Rice, Ed.

1999-01-01

Reviews the NTTI (National Teacher Training Institute) for Math, Science and Technology model that trains teachers to use video and Internet resources to enhance math and science instruction. Discusses multimedia methodology; standards-based training; program impact in schools; and lesson plans available on the NTTI Web site. (Author/LRW)

Infusing Science, Technology, and Society Into an Elementary Teacher Education Program: The Impact on Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henning, Mary Beth; Peterson, Barbara R.; King, Kenneth Paul

2011-01-01

In an effort to improve science and social studies instruction, preservice teachers developed original science, technology, and society units to teach in elementary and middle school classrooms during their clinical field experience. Data revealed that the preservice teachers fell into categories of being skeptics, open-minded instructors, or…

Teaching Tech Literacy to the MySpace Generation: When It Comes to Sharpening Students' IT Skills, Districts Take Different Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heun, Christopher

2006-01-01

This article describes the approaches taken by various school districts in teaching technology literacy to their students. One such example is the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, developed in partnership with The Franklin Institute, a science museum, which teaches a curriculum that stresses science, technology, mathematics, and…

Development and Evaluation of Science and Technology Education Program Using Interferometric SAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Y.; Ikemitsu, H.; Nango, K.

2016-06-01

This paper proposes a science and technology education program to teach junior high school students to measure terrain changes by using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The objectives of the proposed program are to evaluate and use information technology by performing SAR data processing in order to measure ground deformation, and to incorporate an understanding of Earth sciences by analyzing interferometric SAR processing results. To draft the teaching guidance plan for the developed education program, this study considers both science and technology education. The education program was used in a Japanese junior high school. An educational SAR processor developed by the authors and the customized Delft object-oriented radar interferometric software package were employed. Earthquakes as diastrophism events were chosen as practical teaching materials. The selected events indicate clear ground deformation in differential interferograms with high coherence levels. The learners were able to investigate the ground deformations and disasters caused by the events. They interactively used computers and became skilled at recognizing the knowledge and techniques of information technology, and then they evaluated the technology. Based on the results of pre- and post-questionnaire surveys and self-evaluation by the learners, it was clarified that the proposed program was applicable for junior high school education, and the learners recognized the usefulness of Earth observation technology by using interferometric SAR. The usefulness of the teaching materials in the learning activities was also shown through the practical teaching experience.

Implementation literacy strategies on health technology theme Learning to enhance Indonesian Junior High School Student's Physics Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feranie, Selly; Efendi, Ridwan; Karim, Saeful; Sasmita, Dedi

2016-08-01

The PISA results for Indonesian Students are lowest among Asian countries in the past two successive results. Therefore various Innovations in science learning process and its effectiveness enhancing student's science literacy is needed to enrich middle school science teachers. Literacy strategies have been implemented on health technologies theme learning to enhance Indonesian Junior high school Student's Physics literacy in three different health technologies e.g. Lasik surgery that associated with application of Light and Optics concepts, Ultra Sonographer (USG) associated with application of Sound wave concepts and Work out with stationary bike and walking associated with application of motion concepts. Science learning process involves at least teacher instruction, student learning and a science curriculum. We design two main part of literacy strategies in each theme based learning. First part is Integrated Reading Writing Task (IRWT) is given to the students before learning process, the second part is scientific investigation learning process design packed in Problem Based Learning. The first part is to enhance student's science knowledge and reading comprehension and the second part is to enhance student's science competencies. We design a transformation from complexity of physics language to Middle school physics language and from an expensive and complex science investigation to a local material and simply hands on activities. In this paper, we provide briefly how literacy strategies proposed by previous works is redesigned and applied in classroom science learning. Data were analysed using t- test. The increasing value of mean scores in each learning design (with a significance level of p = 0.01) shows that the implementation of this literacy strategy revealed a significant increase in students’ physics literacy achievement. Addition analysis of Avarage normalized gain show that each learning design is in medium-g courses effectiveness category according to Hake's classification.

Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program for Middle School-Aged Female Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hanna

2016-04-01

This study investigates the effects of an intensive 1-week Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program (InSTEP) designed for middle school-aged female students. InSTEP uses a guided/open inquiry approach that is deepened and redefined as eight sciences and engineering practices in the Next Generation Science Standards, which aimed at increasing female students' interest in science and science-related careers. This study examined the effectiveness of InSTEP on 123 female students' pre-assessment and post-assessment changes in attitudes toward science and content knowledge of selected science concepts. An attitude survey, a science content test with multiple-choice questions, written assignments, and interviews to collect data were all used to measure students' attitudes and content knowledge. A within-group, repeated measure design was conducted, and the results indicated that at the post-intervention level, InSTEP increased the participants' positive attitudes toward science, science-related careers, and content knowledge of selected science concepts.

Evaluation of Engineering and Technology Activities in Primary Schools in Terms of Learning Environment, Attitudes and Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koul, Rekha B.; Fraser, Barry J.; Maynard, Nicoleta; Tade, Moses

2018-01-01

Because the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education continues to be recognised around the world, we developed and validated an instrument to assess the learning environment and student attitudes in STEM classrooms, with a specific focus on engineering and technology (E&T) activities in primary schools.…

2004 Education Industry

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

they may donate older equipment to K-12 schools for e- education . A great deal of learning can occur with minimal technology . WHY TARGET TEACHERS...success to continue, the education industry must respond to globalization, rapidly advancing technologies , and demographic changes in the US. The...of Education , Baltimore, MD Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA Minuteman Regional High School of Applied Arts and Sciences

Development Module Oriented Science Technology Society Indue Science Literacy Assessment for 7th-Grade Junior High School Students in 2nd -Semester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arbi, Y. R.; Sumarmin, R.; Putri, D. H.

2018-04-01

The problem in the science learning process is the application of the scientific approach takes a long time in order to provide conceptual understanding to the students, there is no teaching materials that can measure students reasoning and thinking ability, and the assessment has not measured students reasoning and literacy skills.The effort can be done is to develop science technology society module indue science literacy assessment. The purpose of the research was to produce a module oriented society indue science science technology literacy assessment. The research is development research using Plomp model, consist of preliminary, prototyping, and assessment phase. Data collect by questionnare and documantion. The result there is science technology society module indue science literacy assessment is very valid.

Introducing School Children in Nigeria to SPACE Technology As a Tool for Mitigation of National Catastrophes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alabi, O.

2014-12-01

The zonal workshops organized by the space education outreach unit of the African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education utilized recent catastrophic events in Nigeria to attract pre-collegiate youths to space science and technology (SST). About 200 school children, aged between 10 and 18 years participated in the program which was coordinated at 2 different geopolitical zones in Nigeria in 2014. The 2-day event was packed with a lot of fun-filled, hands-on educational activities demonstrating the use of outer space to address prevailing socio-economic problems in the nation. The students were introduced to the Nigerian Earth Observation Satellites, and learned why these satellites cannot be used to track the school girls kidnapped by the terrorist group in the northern part of the country. They were also introduced to other types of satellites and participated in activities on the applications of TRMM satellite data to monitor flood events in Nigeria. The Global Positioning System (GPS) technology was introduced as a navigational tool to curb criminal activities in the country and participants used the hand-held GPS unit for geocaching. The program culminated in the launching of space clubs in all the participating schools and a teacher from each school received resource materials on DVD to nurture the space club. To assess the impact of the workshop on the knowledge level of the participants in space science, quiz competitions were administered and the average score of the students was above 70%. The enthusiasm displayed by the students, coupled with the brilliant performance in the evaluation tests, indicated that this method of informal education, that linked science to the alleviation of national disasters is viable, not only for stimulating the interest of Nigerian pre-collegiate youths in SST, but also to inspire the young learners and develop their interest in the Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program: Green Earth Enhanced with Inquiry and Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hanna

2011-12-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of a guided inquiry integrated with technology, in terms of female middle-school students' attitudes toward science/scientists and content knowledge regarding selective science concepts (e.g., Greenhouse Effect, Air/Water Quality, Alternative Energy, and Human Health). Thirty-five female students who were entering eighth grade attended an intensive, 1-week Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program which used a main theme, "Green Earth Enhanced with Inquiry and Technology." We used pre- and post-attitude surveys, pre- and post-science content knowledge tests, and selective interviews to collect data and measure changes in students' attitudes and content knowledge. The study results indicated that at the post-intervention measures, participants significantly improved their attitudes toward science and science-related careers and increased their content knowledge of selected science concepts ( p < .05).

Get Students Excited--3D Printing Brings Designs to Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lacey, Gary

2010-01-01

Students in technology education programs from middle school through high school around the nation are benefiting from--and enjoying--hands-on experience in mechanical engineering, applied mathematics, materials processing, basic electronics, robotics, industrial manufacturing, and other STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)-focused…

New Information Technology Directions for American Education. Improving Science and Mathematics Education. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melmed, Arthur S.; Burnham, Robert A.

This report is an analysis of the findings of four workshops exploring the ways interactive technology can be considered an option for improving American education after 25 years of research and development. Sections include: (1) "Manpower Needs and School Problems"; (2) "Science and Technology Option"; (3) "Barriers and Strategy"; and (4) "To…

The Knowledge of DNA and DNA Technologies among Pre-Service Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardak, Osman; Dikmenli, Musa

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the alternative conceptions of elementary school pre-service science teachers regarding DNA and DNA technologies. The questions asked in the study related to subjects including the structure and role of DNA molecule, structure of genes, some genetic technologies, Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) plants,…

Science, technology, and pedagogy: Exploring secondary science teachers' effective uses of technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzey, Siddika Selcen

Technology has become a vital part of our professional and personal lives. Today we cannot imagine living without many technological tools such as computers. For the last two decades technology has become inseparable from several areas, such as science. However, it has not been fully integrated into the field of education. The integration of technology in teaching and learning is still challenging even though there has been a historical growth of Internet access and available technology tools in schools (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2006). Most teachers have not incorporated technology into their teaching for various reasons such as lack of knowledge of educational technology tools and having unfavorable beliefs about the effectiveness of technology on student learning. In this study, three beginning science teachers who have achieved successful technology integration were followed to investigate how their beliefs, knowledge, and identity contribute to their uses of technology in their classroom instruction. Extensive classroom observations and interviews were conducted. The findings demonstrate that the participating teachers are all intrinsically motivated to use technology in their teaching and this motivation allows them to enjoy using technology in their instruction and keeps them engaged in technology use. These teachers use a variety of technology tools in their instruction while also allowing students to use them, and they posit a belief set in favor of technology. The major findings of the study are displayed in a model which indicates that teachers' use of technology in classroom instruction was constructed jointly by their technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge; identity; beliefs; and the resources that are available to them and that the internalization of the technology use comes from reflection. The study has implications for teachers, teacher educators, and school administrators for successful technology integration into science classrooms.

Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bramsen, Neil

2014-01-01

In March and April 2014, the author travelled overseas on a 2013 Churchill Fellowship to study education programs that successfully engage and enthuse primary and middle school students in maths, engineering and science (MES) or science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) learning in schools, universities and institutions in the United…

Graduate Students as Middle School Content Experts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luedeman, John K.; Leonard, William H.; Horton, Robert M.; Wagner, John R.

2003-01-01

Describes the Graduate K-12 Project, which is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and provides fellowship to graduate and highly qualified undergraduate students in the areas of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology to serve in K-12 schools with teachers. Aims to improve communication and teaching skills of fellows,…

Wanted: A Revolution in Elementary Science Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education, College Park, MD.

Children come to school with a foundation for formal learning from their early experiences with interactions of the natural and technological world. Failure of elementary schools to build on this experience can discourage children, especially those who do not identify readily with the science establishment (girls, blacks, Hispanics, and the…

Characteristics of Schools Successful in STEM: Evidence from Two States' Longitudinal Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Michael

2014-01-01

Present federal education policies promote learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and the participation of minority students in these fields. Using longitudinal data on students in Florida and North Carolina, value-added estimates in mathematics and science are generated to categorize schools into performance levels…

Middle School and pH?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herricks, Susan

2007-01-01

A local middle school requested that the Water Center of Advanced Materials for Purification of Water With Systems (WaterCAMPWS), a National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center, provide an introduction to pH for their seventh-grade water-based service learning class. After sorting through a multitude of information about pH, a…

From Skeletons to Bridges & Other STEM Enrichment Exercises for High School Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riechert, Susan E.; Post, Brian K.

2010-01-01

The national Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Initiative favors a curriculum shift from the compartmentalization of math and science classes into discrete subject areas to an integrated, multidisciplinary experience. Many states are currently implementing programs in high schools that provide greater integration of math,…

Fuel for Thought: Building Energy Awareness in Grades 9-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metz, Steve, Ed.

2011-01-01

The concept of energy is central to all the science disciplines, seamlessly connecting science, technology, and mathematics. For high school and upper middle school teachers, this compendium comprises inquiry-based activities, lesson plans, and case studies designed to help teach increased awareness of energy, environmental concepts, and the…

A "Science and Society" Course for High School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenthal, Dorothy B.

1979-01-01

Presents a rationale for teaching a course to high school students on the influence of science and technology on society. Bioethics and food, and world hunger are two of the topics included in the course outline. References are given for simulation games, readings, and audiovisual materials. (SA)

Sociopolitical Development of Private School Children Mobilising for Disadvantaged Others

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoeg, Darren; Lemelin, Nathalie; Bencze, John Lawrence

2015-01-01

A contemporary focus on democratic decision-making has occurred in school science through curricular developments such as socioscientific issues (SSIs) and Science, Technology, Society and Environment (STSE), creates opportunities for inclusion of activist education. However, it appears these components are often taught, if at all, as simply…

Social Equity and Access to a Philippine STEM School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talaue, Frederick Toralballa

2014-01-01

Like most developing countries in the world, there is a huge gap in opportunities to access quality science education between students from the high- and low-socioeconomic strata of Philippine society. In establishing its own science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) high school, despite limited public funding in 1964, the…

Mathematical Modelling at Secondary School: The MACSI-Clongowes Wood College Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charpin, J. P. F.; O'Hara, S.; Mackey, D.

2013-01-01

In Ireland, to encourage the study of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects and particularly mathematics, the Mathematics Applications Consortium for Science and Industry (MACSI) and Clongowes Wood College (County Kildare, Ireland) organized a mathematical modelling workshop for senior cycle secondary school students.…

JPRS Report, Science & Technology, Europe & Latin America, Brazil: Selections from the 1987 Federal S&T Budget.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-24

of Goias 67 . Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro 68 . Federal University of Juiz de Fora 68 . Federal University of Minas Gerais...Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte 72 . Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul • 72 . Federal University of Rio de Janeiro 73...University of Rio de Janeiro 75 . School of Agrarian Sciences of Para 76 . School of Medicine of the Minas Triangle 77 . Federal Technological Education

Preparing students for higher education and careers in agriculture and related fields: An ethnography of an urban charter school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, Kesha Atasha

This study explored the preparation of students for higher education and careers in agriculturally-related fields at an urban charter high school. The data were collected through interviews, observations, and field notes. The data were analyzed by qualitative methodology with phenomenology as the theoretical framework. Findings indicated that administrators thought it was important to incorporate agricultural science courses into urban school curricula. They stated that agricultural science courses gave urban students a different way of looking at science and helped to enhance the science and technology focus of the school. Further, agricultural science courses helped to break urban students' stereotypes about agriculture and helped to bring in more state funding for educational programs. However they thought that it was more challenging to teach agricultural science in urban versus rural schools and they focused more on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related careers. The students had mixed views about higher education and careers in agriculture. This was based on their limited knowledge and stereotypes about agricultural majors and career options. The students highlighted several key reasons why they chose to enroll in agricultural science courses. This included the benefits of dual science credits and the ability to earn an associate degree upon successful completion of their program. Students also loved science and appreciated the science intensive nature of the agricultural courses. Additionally, they thought that the agricultural science courses were better than the other optional courses. The results also showed that electronic media such as radio and TV had a negative impact on students' perceptions about higher education and careers in agriculturally-related fields. Conclusions and recommendations are presented.

An Integrated Analysis of School Students' Aspirations for STEM Careers: Which Student and School Factors Are Most Predictive?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Kathryn; Gore, Jennifer; Smith, Max; Lloyd, Adam

2018-01-01

Declining enrolments in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and a lack of interest in STEM careers are concerning at a time when society is becoming more reliant on complex technologies. We examine student aspirations for STEM careers by drawing on surveys conducted annually from 2012 to 2015. School students in…

National Science Bowl | NREL

Science.gov Websites

and high school student teams on science and math topics. The National Science Bowl provides an opportunity for students to develop science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills in a non tournament challenges students' knowledge of science. Student teams are questioned on life science, math

Unawareness to Production, Dropout to Innovator--Primary Teachers' Understanding and Use of a Science, Technology and Society Approach to Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rollnick, Marissa; Dlamini, Betty T.; Bradley, John

2015-01-01

This paper investigates the process of teacher change in a group of 8 primary school teachers during their exposure to a science, technology and society (STS) approach to teaching Science in Swaziland. The research aimed to establish the effect of support given to teachers in using the approach through a series of workshops, followed by a 5-week…

ICT in Science Education: A Quasi-Experimental Study of Achievement, Attitudes toward Science, and Career Aspirations of Korean Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, HyeRan; Khan, Samia; Petrina, Stephen

2009-01-01

The Seventh School Curriculum Reform in Korea was introduced in 2000 to prepare school-aged Koreans for an information and knowledge-based society. The reform effort emphasises information and communication technology (ICT) in the K-12 curriculum and a learner-centred pedagogy. This study examines the contributions of ICT, specifically,…

The implementation of a discovery-oriented science education program in a rural elementary school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liddell, Martha Sue

2000-10-01

This study focused on the implementation of a discovery-oriented science education program at a rural elementary school in Mississippi. The instructional leadership role of the principal was examined in the study through identification and documentation of processes undertaken by the principal to implement a discovery-oriented science education program school. The goal of the study was to develop a suggested approach for implementing a discovery-oriented science education program for principals who wish to become instructional leaders in the area of science education at their schools. Mixed methods were used to collect, analyze, and interpret data. Subjects for the study consisted of teachers, students, and parents. Data were collected through field observation; observations of science education being taught by classroom teachers; examination of the principal's log describing actions taken to implement a discovery-oriented science education program; conducting semi-structured interviews with teachers as the key informants; and examining attitudinal data collected by the Carolina Biological Supply Company for the purpose of measuring attitudes of teachers, students, and parents toward the proposed science education program and the Science and Technology for Children (STC) program piloted at the school. To develop a suggested approach for implementing a discovery-oriented science education program, data collected from field notes, classroom observations, the principal's log of activities, and key informant interviews were analyzed and group into themes pertinent to the study. In addition to descriptive measures, chi-square goodness-of-fit tests were used to determine whether the frequency distribution showed a specific pattern within the attitudinal data collected by the Carolina Biological Supply Company. The pertinent question asked in analyzing data was: Are the differences significant or are they due to chance? An alpha level of .01 was selected to determine statistical significance. Teachers, students, and parents responding to the attitudinal survey concerning science education at the school were asked to mark each of four statements in one of three ways: "Agree," "Unsure," or "Disagree." Teachers, students, and parents were also given the opportunity to make comments. The results of the 1998 attitudinal surveys administered to teachers, students, and parents at the school indicated that teachers at the school generally held negative perceptions about the science education program in place at the school. Students were also generally negative in their opinions about science education at the school and parents were somewhat neutral in their opinions. After the Science and Technology for Children program was implemented at the school site, opinions concerning science education at the school changed. The 1999 attitudinal surveys indicated that teachers, students, and parents at the school expressed more positive than negative responses concerning science education.

How to change students' images of science and technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scherz, Zahava; Oren, Miri

2006-11-01

This paper examines the images middle school students have of science and technology, the workplaces, and the relevant professions. It also describes the effect on these images caused by an instructional initiative, Investigation into Science and Technology (IST), designed to introduce students to science and technology in the real life. Students' images were delineated via questionnaires, drawing tasks, and interviews before and after their participation in the IST program. The sample consisted of 100 students from six classes (eighth or ninth grade) of three schools. We found that before the IST intervention students' images about the scientific or technological environments were superficial, unreal, and even incorrect. Their impressions of the characteristics of scientists and technologists were superficial, misleading, and sometimes reflected ignorance. The findings demonstrate that the IST program stimulated a positive effect on students' images. Their preconceptions were altered in several dimensions: in the cognitive dimension, from superficial and vague to precise and correct images; in the perceptive dimension, from stereotypic to rational and open-minded images; and in the affective dimension, from negative to positive attitudes.

Using Web 2.0 Technology to Enhance the Science Curriculum in Your School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hainsworth, Mark

2017-01-01

The author shares his vision of what 21st century science education might look like in the future and discusses how to develop an e-learning capability to shape the science curriculum in your school. Good teaching and learning should always be a teacher's first priority but there is little doubt in the author's mind that the implementation of an…

Innovations in Science and Mathematics Education in Schools in the Soviet Union. Science and Technology Education Document Series No. 24.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demidova, S. I.; And Others

The current reform of general secondary education and vocational training in the USSR is aimed at further improving quality and meeting social demands. This document is an addendum to "Science and Mathematics Education in the General Secondary School in the Soviet Union," published in July 1986. It discusses some of the new reform…

Building a Mentorship-Based Research Program Focused on Individual Interests, Curiosity, and Professional Skills at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoemaker, Sarah E.; Thomas, Christopher; Roberts, Todd; Boltz, Robin

2016-01-01

The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) offers students a wide variety of real-world opportunities to develop skills and talent critical for students to gain the essential professional and personal skills that lead to success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. One of the key avenues available…

Game-Like Technology Innovation Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magnussen, Rikke

2011-01-01

This paper examines the methodological challenges and perspectives of designing game-like scenarios for the implementation of innovation processes in school science education. This paper presents a design-based research study of a game-like innovation scenario designed for technology education for Danish public school students aged 13-15. Students…

With Corporate Help, We're Building the School of the Future Right Now.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herlihy, John J.; Day, C. William

1989-01-01

When Toyota Motor Manufacturing moved into a Kentucky community, it provided technological expertise and substantial financial backing to the school system. "Smart classrooms" are being designed with a spectrum of technological tools including computerized science laboratories and electronically linked media centers. (MLF)

Experiences of high school Hispanic girls in pursuit of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related coursework and careers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijil, Veronica G.

2011-12-01

An overall increased awareness of the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has prompted attention toward the continued underrepresentation of Hispanic women in this field. The purpose of this collective case study was to explore the support systems, perceived barriers, and prior experiences influencing high school Hispanic girls' decisions to pursue advanced coursework and related careers through a career pathway in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) areas. Specifically, participants were interviewed regarding their mathematics and science experiences in elementary and middle schools, as well as perceived supports and barriers to their choices to pursue STEM careers and advanced coursework. Results indicated that the participants linked their elementary and middle school experiences with their teachers rather than specific activities. Accolades such as certificates and good grades for academic achievement contributed to the girls' strong self-efficacy at an early age. The participants possessed self-discipline and self-confidence, using intrinsic motivation to pursue their goals. Support systems included families and a few teachers. Barriers were revealed in different forms including derogatory comments by boys in class, difficult curricula with limited tutors available for higher level courses, and receipt of financial assistance to attend a university of their choice.

The Design of Collaborative Learning for Teaching Physics in Vocational Secondary School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismayati, Euis

2018-04-01

Vocational secondary school (Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan or SMK) is a vocational education that is based on the principle of human resource investment (human capital investment) referring to the quality of education and productivity to compete in the global job market. Therefore, vocational education relates directly to business world/industry which fulfills the needs of the skilled worker. According to the results of some researches, the work ethics of vocational graduates are still unsatisfying. Most of them are less able to perform their works, to adapt to the changes and development of technology and science, to be retrained, to develop themselves, to collaborate, and to argue. Meanwhile, the employers in the world of work and industries require their employees to have abilities to think creatively and working collaboratively. In addition, the students’ abilities to adapt to the technology in working environment are greatly influenced by the learning process in their schools, especially in science learning. The process of science learning which can help the students to think and act scientifically should be implemented by teachers using a learning approach which is appropriate to the students’ need and the material taught to the students. To master technology and industry needs science mastery. Physics, as a part of science, has an important role in the development of technology since the products of technology strongly support further development of science. In order to develop the abilities to think critically and working collaboratively, education should be given to the students through the learning process using learning model which refers to a collaborative group discussion system called Collaborative Learning. Moreover, Collaborative learning for teaching Physics in vocational secondary school should be designed in such a way that the goal of teaching and learning can be achieved. Collaborative Learning is advantageous to improve the students’ creative thinking and collaborative working.

Enhancing Earth Science And IT Literacy Through Environmental Science Information Technology Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuff, K. E.; Molinaro, M.

2004-12-01

The Environmental Science Information Technology Activities (ESITA) program provides grades 9 and 10 students with under-represented minority backgrounds in the East San Francisco Bay Area with real-world opportunities to learn about and apply information technologies through a series of project-based activities related to environmental science. Supported by the NSF Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program, ESITA activities engage students in the use of newly acquired information technology (IT) skills and understandings while performing air and water quality research investigations. One project that ESITA students have become involved in relates to the currently relevant issue of elevated levels of lead found in drinking waters in Washington, D.C. Students based in the Bay Area have initiated and maintained E-mail correspondence with children who attend elementary schools in the D.C. area. After receiving a thorough explanation of required sampling procedures devised by the Bay Area students, the elementary school children have sent 500 ml water samples from their homes and schools to Berkeley along with information about the locations from which the water samples were collected. These samples were then prepared for lead analysis at Lawrence Hall of Science by ESITA students, who used resulting data to perform a preliminary assessment of the geospatial distribution of lead trouble spots throughout Washington, DC. Later, ESITA student scientists will work with students from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health to develop surveys and questionnaires that generate high quality information useful with regard to assessing the impact of the current lead crisis on younger children in the Washington, D.C. area. Through the application of new understandings to current, real-world environmental problems and issues such as that related to lead, positive changes in students' attitudes towards IT and science have occurred, which accompany increases in their content learning and skills acquisition abilities.

Decisions for Today and Tomorrow: Teaching Notes. Issues in Science-Technology-Society.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iozzi, Louis A.; Bastardo, Peter J.

This teacher's guide was designed to be used with senior high school level classes as a supplement to existing programs in the areas of science and social studies. Each of the 12 chapters included in the guide may be used independently or may be combined into a separate course on the relationships between science, technology, and society. The…

Debunking the Computer Science Digital Library: Lessons Learned in Collection Development at Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buczynski, James Andrew

2005-01-01

Developing a library collection to support the curriculum of Canada's largest computer studies school has debunked many myths about collecting computer science and technology information resources. Computer science students are among the heaviest print book and e-book users in the library. Circulation statistics indicate that the demand for print…

Linking Science with Design and Technology in a Stimulating Approach to Teaching about Levers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davenport, Carol

2015-01-01

Changes in the National Curriculum for England in 2014 included the introduction of levers, gears, and pulleys into primary science. Although simple mechanisms had been part of the design and technology (DT) curriculum for some time, it was the first time that the science behind the mechanisms had been included at the primary school level. These…

Educacion en Ciencia, Tecnologia y Sociedad: Teoria y Practica (Education in Science, Technology, and Society: Theory and Practice).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pena Borrero, Margarita, Ed.

This volume compiles Spanish translations of seven articles on different aspects of Science, Technology and Society Education. The papers, originally written in English, were used during the first in-service training seminar for high school science teachers, which took place in Mayaguez under (Puerto Rico) joint sponsorship of the National…

Charge It! Translating Electric Vehicle Research Results to Engage 7th and 8th Grade Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Egbue, Ona; Long, Suzanna; Ng, Ean-Harn

2015-01-01

Despite attempts to generate interest in science and technology careers, US students continue to show reduced interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors at the collegiate level. If girls are not engaged in STEM learning by the middle school level, studies show that they are even less likely to choose a science- or…

The Inquiry Based Science and Technology Education Program (IN-STEP): The Evaluation of the First Year

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corcoran, Thomas B.

2008-01-01

This is the first report on the evaluation of the Inquiry Based Science and Technology Education Program (IN-STEP), an innovative and ambitious science education initiative for lower secondary schools being undertaken by a public-private partnership in Thailand funded by MSD-Thailand, an affiliate of Merck & Co. IN-STEP is a public-private…

The All-Purpose Science Teacher: An Analysis of Loopholes in State Requirements for High School Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council on Teacher Quality, 2010

2010-01-01

The basic story line of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) crisis is, at this point, well known. In an increasingly interdependent and technology-driven economy, America is falling behind. A substantial number of students cannot perform basic math. U.S. students lag behind peers in international comparisons of science…

Improving epistemological beliefs and moral judgment through an STS-based science ethics education program.

PubMed

Han, Hyemin; Jeong, Changwoo

2014-03-01

This study develops a Science-Technology-Society (STS)-based science ethics education program for high school students majoring in or planning to major in science and engineering. Our education program includes the fields of philosophy, history, sociology and ethics of science and technology, and other STS-related theories. We expected our STS-based science ethics education program to promote students' epistemological beliefs and moral judgment development. These psychological constructs are needed to properly solve complicated moral and social dilemmas in the fields of science and engineering. We applied this program to a group of Korean high school science students gifted in science and engineering. To measure the effects of this program, we used an essay-based qualitative measurement. The results indicate that there was significant development in both epistemological beliefs and moral judgment. In closing, we briefly discuss the need to develop epistemological beliefs and moral judgment using an STS-based science ethics education program.

Overview of the Earth System Science Education Alliance Online Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botti, J. A.

2001-12-01

Science education reform has skyrocketed over the last decade in large part thanks to technology-and one technology in particular, the Internet. The World Wide Web has opened up dynamic new online communities of learners. It has allowed educators from around the world to share thoughts about Earth system science and reexamine the way science is taught. A positive offshoot of this reform effort is the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA). This partnership among universities, colleges, and science education organizations is led by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies and the Center for Educational TechnologiesTM at Wheeling Jesuit University. ESSEA's mission is to improve Earth system science education. ESSEA has developed three Earth system science courses for K-12 teachers. These online courses guide teachers into collaborative, student-centered science education experiences. Not only do these courses support teachers' professional development, they also help teachers implement Earth systems science content and age-appropriate pedagogical methods into their classrooms. The ESSEA courses are open to elementary, middle school, and high school teachers. Each course lasts one semester. The courses begin with three weeks of introductory content. Then teachers develop content and pedagogical and technological knowledge in four three-week learning cycles. The elementary school course focuses on basic Earth system interactions between land, life, air, and water. In week A of each learning cycle, teachers do earth system activities with their students. In week B teachers investigate aspects of the Earth system -- for instance, the reason rocks change to soil, the relationship between rock weathering and soil nutrients, and the consequent development of biomes. In week C teachers develop classroom activities and share them online with other course participants. The middle school course stresses the effects of real-world events -- volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, rainforest destruction -- on Earth's lithosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere. Teachers team during week A of each cycle to research the effect of each event on individual spheres. In week B groups "jigsaw" to study the interactions between events, spheres, and positive and negative feedback loops. In week C teachers develop classroom activities. The high school course uses problem-based learning to examine critical areas of global change, such as coral reef degradation, ozone depletion, and climate change. The ESSEA presentation provides examples of learning environments from each of the three courses.

Science and Technology Education in the STES Context in Primary Schools: What Should It Take?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zoller, Uri

2011-01-01

Striving for sustainability requires a paradigm shift in conceptualization, thinking, research and education, particularly concerning the science-technology-environment-society (STES) interfaces. Consequently, "STES literacy" requires the development of students' question asking, critical, evaluative system thinking, decision making and problem…

Transforming Science Teaching Environment for the 21st Century Primary School Pupils

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Hendon

2016-01-01

The transformation of technology in the 21st century has produced children who are technology savvy and exposed to the internet and social networking at a very young age. These children are already in our school system. Thus teachers too need to use technology and transform the learning environment to meet the requirements of these children. This…

Museums, zoos, and gardens: how formal-informal partnerships can impact urban students' performance in science.

PubMed

Weinstein, Meryle; Whitesell, Emilyn Ruble; Schwartz, Amy Ellen

2014-12-01

Informal science education institutions (ISEIs) are critical partners in public science education, as they support the science efforts of school systems by providing authentic opportunities for scientific inquiry. This study reports findings from an evaluation of urban advantage (UA), a collaboration between the New York City Department of Education and eight ISEIs designed to improve science education in New York City (NYC) middle schools. Now in its 10th year, the program harnesses the resources and expertise of NYC's ISEIs to (a) enhance the science content knowledge of middle school science teachers, (b) develop teachers' skills at using inquiry-based approaches in their classrooms, and (c) improve the science achievement of middle school students. We examine whether the UA program has led to increased student achievement on the eighth-grade New York State standardized science exam for students in participating schools; in supplemental analyses, we examine the effects on longer term (ninth-grade) outcomes. We use a difference-in-differences framework with school fixed effects to estimate the impact of attending a UA school in eighth grade on science achievement. Our key outcome is performance on New York State's eighth-grade intermediate-level science assessment; longer term outcomes include enrollment at specialized science, technology, engineering, and math high schools as well as taking and passing the high school (Regents) science exams. We find that attending a UA school increases student performance on the eighth-grade science exam by approximately 0.05 SD, and there is some evidence of small effects on Regents taking and passing rates. © The Author(s) 2014.

Story - Science - Solutions: A new middle school science curriculum that promotes climate-stewardship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cordero, E.; Centeno Delgado, D. C.

2017-12-01

Over the last five years, Green Ninja has been developing educational media to help motivate student interest and engagement around climate science and solutions. The adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) offers a unique opportunity where schools are changing both what they teach in a science class and how they teach. Inspired by the new emphasis in NGSS on climate change, human impact and engineering design, Green Ninja developed a technology focused, integrative, and yearlong science curriculum (6th, 7th and 8th grade) focused broadly around solutions to environmental problems. The use of technology supports the development of skills valuable for students, while also offering real-time metrics to help measure both student learning and environmental impact of student actions. During the presentation, we will describe the design philosophy around our middle school curriculum and share data from a series of classes that have created environmental benefits that transcend the traditional classroom. The notion that formal education, if done correctly, can be leveraged as a viable climate mitigation strategy will be discussed.

Factors of Engagement: Professional Standards and the Library Science Internship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dotson, Kaye B.; Dotson-Blake, Kylie P.

2015-01-01

In today's technological world, school librarians planning to be leaders should be ready to keep up with advances in standards significant to the profession. The professional standards, specifically American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards and International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Coaches offer…

Translating University Biosensor Research to a High School Laboratory Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heldt, Caryn L.; Bank, Alex; Turpeinen, Dylan; King, Julia A.

2016-01-01

The need to increase science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates is great. To interest more students into STEM degrees, we made our graphene biosensor research portable, inexpensive, and safe to demonstrate technology development to high school students. The students increased their knowledge of biosensors and proteins, and…

Assessment of TAMU Rack Material in Poly Tray Racks using Spray Retort

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

FOR ADVANCED FOOD TECHNOLOGY The School of Enviromental and Biological Science Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey New Brunswick, New Jersey...A003 Mr. Henderikus B. Bruins Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey The Center for Advanced Food Technology School of Enviromental and

Enhancing Students' Interest in Science and Technology through Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration and Active Learning Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Donna M.; Malloy, Alisha D.; Hollowell, Gail P.

2013-01-01

Twenty-nine rising high school 12th grade students participated in a 4-week summer program designed to increase their interest in science and technology. The program was a blend of hands-on biology, chemistry, and technology modules that addressed the global issue of obesity. Student groups developed websites to address obesity in one of five…

Integrating Information & Communications Technologies into the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomei, Lawrence, Ed.

2007-01-01

"Integrating Information & Communications Technologies Into the Classroom" examines topics critical to business, computer science, and information technology education, such as: school improvement and reform, standards-based technology education programs, data-driven decision making, and strategic technology education planning. This book also…

The Relationship between Academic Averages of Primary School Science and Technology Class and Test Sub-Test Scores of Placement Test of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzeller, Cem Oktay

2012-01-01

In this research, the relationship between written exam scores of science and technology class of 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, project, participation in class activities and performance work, year-end academic success point averages and sub-test raw scores of LDT science of 6th, 7th and 8th grades. Academic success point averages were used as…

Learning from a distance: high school students' perceptions of virtual presence, motivation, and science identity during a remote microscopy investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Childers, Gina; Jones, M. Gail

2017-02-01

Through partnerships with scientists, students can now conduct research in science laboratories from a distance through remote access technologies. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that contribute to a remote learning environment by documenting high school students' perceptions of science motivation, science identity, and virtual presence during a remote microscopy investigation. Exploratory factor analysis identified 3 factors accounting for 63% of the variance, which suggests that Science Learning Drive (students' perception of their competence and performance in science and intrinsic motivation to do science), Environmental Presence (students' perception of control of the remote technology, sensory, and distraction factors in the learning environment, and relatedness to scientists), and Inner Realism Presence (students' perceptions of how real is the remote programme and being recognised as a science-oriented individual) were factors that contribute to a student's experience during a remote investigation. Motivation, science identity, and virtual presence in remote investigations are explored.

A Trial of PBL Education with Emphasis on Improving Practical Competence of Engineering Students-A Trial Connected with the Support for Science Education in Elementary School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsutsumi, Hirotaka; Nikkuni, Hiroyuki; Kitakoshi, Daisuke; Yasuda, Toshitaka; Kikuchi, Akira; Mitani, Tomoyo

Recently Colleges of technology as well as universities have some experience-oriented classes in sciences for elementary school students. These have proved to be successful as good motivation for students in the primary education to be engineers. This research has tried the PBL education, which combined the Support of Science Education in Elementary School and the improvement of students‧ practical competence in their careers. The support of science education in elementary school was carried out by using LEGO blocks, widely utilized in the educational researches of robots, and was conducted in the practical class with the autonomous robots. Finally, the method for the class was evaluated by the elementary school students on the basis of the questionnaire.

Design Principles for "Thriving in Our Digital World": A High School Computer Science Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veletsianos, George; Beth, Bradley; Lin, Calvin; Russell, Gregory

2016-01-01

"Thriving in Our Digital World" is a technology-enhanced dual enrollment course introducing high school students to computer science through project- and problem-based learning. This article describes the evolution of the course and five lessons learned during the design, development, implementation, and iteration of the course from its…

Exploring Links between Pedagogical Knowledge Practices and Student Outcomes in STEM Education for Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Peter; English, Lyn; Dawes, Les; King, Donna; Baker, Steve

2015-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is an emerging initiative in Australia, particularly in primary schools. This qualitative research aimed to understand Year 4 students' involvement in an integrated STEM education unit that focused on science concepts (e.g., states of matter, testing properties of materials) and…

Quinceaneras and Quadratics: Experiences of Latinas in State-Supported Residential Schools of Science and Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sayman, Donna M.

2013-01-01

This qualitative study sought to understand the experiences of Latinas enrolled in residential state schools of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Goals of the study focused on understanding experiences and identifying factors such as decisions to enroll, barriers and supports, and issues contributing to retention. These schools…

Scientific Investigation through Innovative Use of Mobile Devices in the Playground

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tho, Siew Wei; Lee, Tien Tien; Baharom, Sadiah

2018-01-01

Trends in contemporary science education emphasise the benefits of out-of-school learning experiences to help schools link science with everyday life (Tho, Chan, & Yeung, 2015). With the help of state-of-the-art technology, mobile devices--particularly smartphones--have the ability to work as data-logging tools for students to perform…

Improving STEM Program Quality in Out-of-School-Time: Tool Development and Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shah, Ashima Mathur; Wylie, Caroline; Gitomer, Drew; Noam, Gil

2018-01-01

In and out-of-school time (OST) experiences are viewed as complementary in contributing to students' interest, engagement, and performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). While tools exist to measure quality in general afterschool settings and others to measure structured science classroom experiences, there is a need…

Using Symbolic Interactionism to Analyze a Specialized STEM High School Teacher's Experience in Curriculum Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teo, Tang Wee; Osborne, Margery

2012-01-01

In this paper, we present a microanalysis of a specialized STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) high school teacher's experience of self-initiated science inquiry curriculum reform. We examine the meanings of these two constructs: "inquiry curriculum" and "curriculum change" through the process lens of interactions, actions,…

TechXcite: Discover Engineering--A New STEM Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sallee, Jeff; Schmitt-McQuitty, Lynn; Swint, Sherry; Meek, Amanda; Ybarra, Gary; Dalton, Rodger

2015-01-01

TechXcite is an engineering-focused, discovery-based after-school science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) program. The free curriculum is downloadable from http://techxcite.pratt.duke.edu/ and is comprised of eight Modules, each with four to five 45-minute activities that exercise the science and math learned in school by using…

Social Responsibility Learned in Wisconsin High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koch, Mary

2006-01-01

Twenty-first century science and technology places new demands on educators to better prepare the next generation to acquire and maintain advanced levels of literacy and technological skill. Providing a variety of culturally diverse learning opportunities in family and consumer sciences (FCS) classrooms can open new doors to peace through…

"Project NEO": A Video Game to Promote STEM Competency for Preservice Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Eck, Richard N.; Guy, Mark; Young, Timothy; Winger, Austin T.; Brewster, Scott

2015-01-01

The need for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors for our future workforce is growing, yet fewer students are choosing to major in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics areas, and many are underprepared, in part because elementary school preservice teachers are also underprepared. This National Science…

Medical Laboratory Science: An International Comparison for Credentials Evaluators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Solveig M.; Karlsson, Britta

Information is presented to help medical technology schools abroad evaluate their credentials in comparison to U.S. requirements. After defining the subfields of medical technology, also called medical laboratory science, a summary is provided of the educational requirements, the professional titles, and the certification recognition of medical…

Nuclear Concepts & Technological Issues Institute: Teacher Activity Booklet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davison, Candace C., Ed.; Lunetta, Lois W., Ed.

For many summers the Radiation Science and Engineering Center at Pennsylvania State University has been the site of a Nuclear Concepts and Technological Issues Institute for secondary school science teachers. As a culminating activity of the institute teachers develop lesson plans, laboratory experiments, demonstrations, or other activities and…

How Reliable is the Temperature Forecast?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christmann, Edwin P.

2005-01-01

Project 2061 suggests "technology provides the eyes and ears of science--and some of the muscle too. The electronic computer, for example, has led to substantial progress in the study of weather systems...." Obviously, now that teachers have access to a kaleidoscope of technological advancements, middle school science teachers can engage students…

Science and Technology, Autonomous and More Interdependent Every Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santilli, Haydee

2012-01-01

In a School of Engineering scientific and technological knowledge live together. Science teachers usually try to understand the role that scientific disciplines have over the engineer training. In this paper are descript three historical case studies that could help teachers and students for better understanding the interdependence between science…

Three education modules using EnviroAtlas-Exploration and Discovery Through Maps: Teaching Science with Technology

EPA Science Inventory

Session #1: Exploration and Discovery through Maps: Teaching Science with Technology (elementary school) - EnviroAtlas is a tool developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its partners that empowers anyone with the internet to be a highly informed local decision-ma...

The Construction of Pro-Science and Technology Discourse in Chinese Language Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Yongbing

2005-01-01

This paper examines the pro-science and technology discourse constructed in Chinese language textbooks currently used for primary school students nationwide in China. By applying analytical techniques of critical discourse analysis (CDA), the paper critically investigates how the discourse is constructed and what ideological forces are manifested…

Using Technology to Facilitate Differentiated High School Science Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maeng, Jennifer L.

2017-01-01

This qualitative investigation explored the beliefs and practices of one secondary science teacher, Diane, who differentiated instruction and studied how technology facilitated her differentiation. Diane was selected based on the results of a previous study, in which data indicated that Diane understood how to design and implement proactively…

Engaging High School Girls in Native American Culturally Responsive STEAM Enrichment Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kant, Joanita M.; Burckhard, Suzette R.; Meyers, Richard T.

2018-01-01

Providing science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) culturally responsive enrichment activities is one way of promoting more interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) studies and careers among indigenous students. The purpose of the study was to explore the impact, if any, of STEAM culturally…

INSPIRE: Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierce, Donna M.; McNeal, K. S.; Bruce, L. M.; Harpole, S. H.; Schmitz, D. W.

2010-10-01

INSPIRE, Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education, is a partnership between Mississippi State University and three school districts in Mississippi's Golden Triangle (Starkville, Columbus, West Point). This program recruits ten graduate fellows each year from geosciences, physics, astronomy, and engineering and pairs them with a participating middle school or high school teacher. The graduate fellows provide technology-supported inquiry-based learning in the earth and space sciences by incorporating their research into classroom instruction and using multiple resources such as Google Earth, geographic information systems (GIS), Celestia, and others. In addition to strengthening the communication skills of the graduate fellows, INSPIRE will increase the content knowledge of participating teachers, provide high-quality instruction using multiple technologies, promote higher education to area high-school students, and provide fellows and teachers with international research experience through our partners in Australia, The Bahamas, England, and Poland. INSPIRE is funded by the Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education Program (GK-12; Award No. DGE-0947419), which is part of the Division for Graduate Education of the National Science Foundation.

The Pedometer as a Tool to Enrich Science Learning in a Public Health Context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rye, James A.; Zizzi, Samuel J.; Vitullo, Elizabeth A.; Tompkins, Nancy O'hara

2005-12-01

The United States is experiencing an obesity epidemic: A science-technology-society public health issue tied to our built environment, which is characterized by heavy dependence on automobiles and reduced opportunities to walk and bicycle for transportation. This presents an informal science education opportunity within "science in personal and social perspectives'' to use pedometer technology for enhancing students' understandings about human energy balance. An exploratory study was conducted with 29 teachers to investigate how pedometers could be used for providing academic enrichment to secondary students participating in after-school Health Sciences and Technology Academy clubs. Frequency analysis revealed that the pedometer activities often investigated kilocalorie expenditure and/or incorporated hypothesis testing/experimenting. Teachers' perspectives on learning outcomes most frequently conveyed that students increased their awareness of the importance of health habits relative to kilocalorie intake and expenditure. Pedometers have considerable merit for the regular science curriculum as they allow for numerous mathematics applications and inquiry learning and target concepts such as energy and equilibrium that cut across the National Science Education Standards. Pedometers and associated resources on human energy balance are important tools that science teachers can employ in helping schools respond to the national call to prevent childhood obesity.

Improving math and science education in charter secondary schools through the use of technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ojose, Bobby

This study was conducted to examine the promising practices of using technology in teaching math and science in charter schools in California. The study was conducted under the auspices of the Center for Educational Governance (CEG) which hopes to compile the promising practices into an Internet-based compendium to be replicated by others. The research employed an in-depth qualitative case study method. It was conducted in two secondary schools in different school districts in the state of California over a two-month period. The main participants were principals, lead teachers, teachers, and support staff. Interviews, observations, and archival documents were the main data collection tools. Face to face interviews were conducted with the principals, lead teachers of technology, teachers, and a support staff (Network Administrator). Technology lab and professional development activities were observed. Interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed. The study found that one school (MSA) has the promising practice of using technology to enhance the subject matter knowledge of students by using computers to further explore concepts already learned in the regular classroom. The other school (CART) has the promising practice of applying technology to real life situations as a teaching pedagogy. The result of these practices is the positive outcomes in the following areas: Increased student achievement in standardized teat scores, increased motivation, growth in mean GPA, less behavior problems from students, and improved school attendance by students. The implications for policy and practice include: Teachers having the knowledge of the benefits of constructive teaching in the classroom; principals understanding that professional development activities for technology integration will vary in complexities and depends on needs of teachers; policy makers identifying needs and establishing goals; and researchers conducting more qualitative studies to gather evidence to demonstrate the progression of learning in the technology classroom.

First Robotics Competition

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-05

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., left, stands with Dean Kamen, the founder of First Robotics, as he talks about the importance of Science and Technology education during the First Robotics Competition, Friday March 5, 2010, in Washington. The student competition is called "For Inspiration and Recognition ofScience and Technology," or FIRST. The program was founded in 1989 by Kamen to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people, their schools and communities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

Country, School and Students Factors Associated with Extreme Levels of Science Literacy across 25 Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alivernini, F.; Manganelli, S.

2015-01-01

A huge gap in science literacy is between students who do not show the competencies that are necessary to participate effectively in life situations related to science and technology and students who have the skills which would give them the potential to create new technology. The objective of this paper is to identify, for 25 countries, distinct…

Constructing "Authentic" Science: Results from a University/High School Collaboration Integrating Digital Storytelling and Social Networking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olitsky, Stacy; Becker, Elizabeth A.; Jayo, Ignacio; Vinogradov, Philip; Montcalmo, Joseph

2018-02-01

This study explores the implications of a redesign of a college course that entailed a new partnership between a college neuroscience classroom and a high school. In this course, the college students engaged in original research projects which included conducting brain surgery and behavioural tests on rats. They used digital storytelling and social networking to communicate with high school students and were visited by the students during the semester. The aims of the redesign were to align the course with science conducted in the field and to provide opportunities to disseminate scientific knowledge through emerging technologies. This study investigates the impact of these innovations on the college and high school students' perceptions of authentic science, including their relationship with science-centred communities. We found that these collaborative tools increased college students' perceptions that authentic science entailed communication with the general public, in addition to supporting prior perceptions of the importance of conducting experiments and presenting results to experts. In addition, the view of science as high-status knowledge was attenuated as students integrated non-formal communication practices into presentations, showing the backstage process of learning, incorporating music and youth discourse styles, and displaying emotional engagement. An impact of these hybrid presentation approaches was an increase in the high school students' perceptions of the accessibility of laboratory science. We discuss how the use of technologies that are familiar to youth, such as iPads, social networking sites, and multimedia presentations, has the potential to prioritize students' voices and promote a more inclusive view of science.

Advancing participation of blind students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck-Winchatz, Bernhard; Riccobono, Mark A.

2008-12-01

Like their sighted peers, many blind students in elementary, middle, and high school are naturally interested in space. This interest can motivate them to learn fundamental scientific, quantitative, and critical thinking skills, and sometimes even lead to careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines. However, these students are often at a disadvantage in science because of the ubiquity of important graphical information that is generally not available in accessible formats, the unfamiliarity of teachers with non-visual teaching methods, lack of access to blind role models, and the low expectations of their teachers and parents. We discuss joint efforts by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Federation of the Blind’s (NFB) National Center for Blind Youth in Science (NCBYS) to develop and implement strategies to promote opportunities for blind youth in science. These include the development of tactile space science books and curriculum materials, science academies for blind middle school and high school students, and college-level internship and mentoring programs. The partnership with the NFB exemplifies the effectiveness of collaborations between NASA and consumer-directed organizations to improve opportunities for underserved and underrepresented individuals.

Having Fun with Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sampey, Carol

2016-01-01

As a science leader in her school, the author is always looking for new and interesting ways to inspire children in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) subjects. Attending several science conferences introduced her to new STEM programs, such as Street Science and fractals. In this article, she shares a couple of the activities…

Laptop Use, Interactive Science Software, and Science Learning among At-Risk Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Binbin; Warschauer, Mark; Hwang, Jin Kyoung; Collins, Penelope

2014-01-01

This year-long, quasi-experimental study investigated the impact of the use of netbook computers and interactive science software on fifth-grade students' science learning processes, academic achievement, and interest in further science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) study within a linguistically diverse school district in…

Development and Evaluation of Senior High School Courses on Emerging Technology: A Case Study of a Course on Virtual Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chi-Tung

2012-01-01

In Taiwan, the National Science Council has implemented the High Scope Program (HSP) since 2006. The purpose of this study was to analyze the development and effectiveness of senior high school HSP courses on emerging technology. This study used a course on virtual reality as an example, to investigate the influence of emerging technology courses…

An exploration of middle school science teachers' understandings and teaching practice of science as inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castle, Margaret Ann

A number of reports have raised a concern that the U.S. is not meeting the demands of 21st century skill preparation of students, teachers, and practitioners in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In 2005 and 2006 five reports were released indicating a need for improvement in science and mathematics education in the U.S. The reports were: Keeping America Competitive: Five Strategies To Improve Mathematics and Science Education (Coble & Allen, 2005); National Defense Education and Innovation Initiative: Meeting America's Economic and Security Challenges in the 21st Century (The Association of American Universities, 2006); Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future (National Academies Press, 2007); Tapping America's Potential: The Education for Innovation Initiative (Business Roundtable Taskforce , 2005); and Waiting for Sputnik: Basic Research and Strategic Competition (Lewis, 2005). Consensus of data in these reports indicates that the U.S., as compared to other industrialized nations, does not fare very well in science achievement and STEM degree attainment. For example, on the 2003 Program for International Assessment (PISA), 15-year-old students in the U.S. ranked 28th in math and 24th in science literacy (Kuenzi, Matthews, & Mangon, 2006). Furthermore, the U.S. ranked 20th among all nations in the proportion of 24-year-olds who earned degrees in natural sciences or engineering (Kuenzi, 2008). As a result, if the U.S. is to remain scientifically and technologically competitive in the world, it is necessary to increase our efforts to incorporate scientific practices associated with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into the science classroom. Middle school is a critical point in students' science education and it is in middle school that they begin to dislike science. Research indicates that when students learn science through inquiry their interest in and understanding of science increases (Akkus, Gunel & Hand, 2007; Gibson, 2002; Liu, Lee & Linn, 2010). As a result, it is important to explore middle school science teachers' definition of science as inquiry because of its importance in how their understandings are reflected in their practice. Researchers must witness, first- hand, what is taking place in middle school science classrooms with respect to the teaching of scientific inquiry before recommendations for improvements can be made. We must also allow opportunities for middle school science teachers to broach, examine, explore, interpret and report implementation strategies when practicing the elements of scientific inquiry as a science content area. It then stands to reason that more research needs to be done to: (1) assess teachers' knowledge related to reform-based teaching, (2) investigate teachers' views about the goals and purposes of inquiry, and (3) investigate the processes by which teachers carry out SI and motivation for undertaking such a complex and difficult to manage form of instruction. The purpose of this study was to examine middle school science teachers' understandings and skills related to scientific inquiry; how those understandings and skills were translated into classroom practice, and the role the school district played in the development of such understandings and skills.

2011 Bayou Regional

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-19

Students from 38 high school teams in seven states competed for top honors during the 2011 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Bayou Regional competition held March 17-19 in the New Orleans area. In this photo, members of the robotics team from Gulfport High School guide their robot during the annual tournament. The robotics competition is designed to help encourage students to pursue studies and careers in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. John C. Stennis Space Center is a supporter of FIRST activities and the Bayou Regional tournament.

Greek Students' Science-related Interests and Experiences: Gender differences and correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christidou, Vasilia

2006-08-01

This paper explores the science-related interests and out-of-school experiences of 583 ninth-grade Greek students. The instrument of data collection consisted of a questionnaire including items on science-related topics that could be of interest to students and on everyday, out-of-school, science-related experiences. Factor analysis yielded six distinct fields of interest and five types of science-related experiences. Significant gender differences emerge: girls are more interested in topics related to human biology, health, and fitness, and are more familiar with using instruments and devices, seeking information about nature, and doing cuisine and handicraft; while boys are more interested in science, technology, and their social dimension, and the threatening aspects of science and technology, and tend to engage more in manual work and computer use. The results of this study indicate that there is a need for the Greek science curriculum to become more appealing to students, by integrating topics and experiences that are interesting and relevant to them.

An Analysis of the Impact of Student-Scientist Interaction in a Technology Design Activity, Using the Expectancy-Value Model of Achievement Related Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masson, Anne-Lotte; Klop, Tanja; Osseweijer, Patricia

2016-01-01

Many education initiatives in science and technology education aim to create enthusiasm among young people to pursue a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Research suggests that personal interaction between secondary school students and scientists could be a success factor, but there is a need for more in-depth…

From Flavr Savr Tomatoes to STEM Cell Therapy: Young People's Understandings of Gene Technology, 15 Years On

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Jenny

2014-01-01

This paper explores knowledge and understanding of basic genetics and gene technologies in school students who have been taught to a "science for all" National Curriculum and compares 482 students in 1995 (gene technology was a new and rapidly developing area of science with potential to impact on everyday life; the first cohort of…

Inservice Program for Math/Science Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinsley, Carol W.; Sweet, Helaine D.

1986-01-01

A school-business partnership between Monsanto Company and the Springfield Public Schools, Massachusetts, focuses on inservice teacher education. Seminar series equip teachers with current information on the technological revolution. (CJH)

After-school enrichment and the activity theory: How can a management service organization assist schools with reducing the achievement gap among minority and non-minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) during the after-school hours?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flowers, Reagan D.

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate how a management service organization can assist schools with reducing the achievement gap between minority and non-minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) during the after-school hours. Developing a strategic plan through creating a program that provides support services for the implementation of hands-on activities in STEM for children during the after-school hours was central to this purpose. This Project Demonstrating Excellence (PDE), a social action project, also presents historical and current after-school program developments in the nation. The study is quantitative and qualitative in nature. Surveys were utilized to quantitatively capture the opinions of participants in the social action project on three specific education related issues: (1) disparity in academic motivation of students to participate in after-school STEM enrichment programs; (2) whether teachers and school administrators saw a need for STEM after-school enrichment; and (3) developing STEM after-school programs that were centered on problem-solving and higher-order thinking skills to develop students' interest in STEM careers. The sample consisted of 50 participants comprised of students, teachers, and administrators. The focus groups and interviews provided the qualitative data for the study. The qualitative sample consisted of 14 participants comprised of students, parents and teachers, administrators, an education consultant, and a corporate sponsor. The empirical data obtained from the study survey, focus groups, and interviews provided a comprehensive profile on the current views and future expectations of STEM after-school enrichment, student and school needs, and community partnerships with STEM companies. Results of the study and review of the implementation of the social action project, C-STEM (communication, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Teacher and Student Support Services, Inc., revealed the need and focus for STEM after-school enrichment programs in Houston, Texas. This result, along with requirements of STEM Research and Special Programs Administrations and a multiyear and multilevel strategic plan inspired by this study, led to the conceptualization, development, and implementation of C-STEM Teacher and Student Support Services, Inc. at multiple schools in Houston, Texas. The purpose of C-STEM Teacher and Student Support Services, Inc. is to provide hands-on support services that encourage schools, organizations and families to improve academic achievement and socioemotional development through project-based learning in communication, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (CSTEM) in grades 4-12.

Implementation of a Self-Monitoring Application to Improve On-Task Behavior: A High-School Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wills, Howard P.; Mason, Benjamin A.

2014-01-01

Technological innovations offer promise for improving intervention implementation in secondary, inclusive classrooms. A withdrawal design was employed with two high-school students in order to assess the effectiveness of a technologically delivered, self-monitoring intervention in improving on-task behavior in a science classroom. Two students…

Teaching Planetary Sciences at the Universidad del País Vasco in Spain: The Aula Espazio Gela and its Master in Space Science and Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hueso, R.; Sanchez-Lavega, A.; Pérez-Hoyos, S.

2011-12-01

Planetary science is a highly multidisciplinary field traditionally associated to Astronomy, Physics or Earth Sciences Departments. Spanish universities do not generally offer planetary sciences courses but some departments give courses associated to studies on Astronomy or Geology. We show a different perspective obtained at the Engeneering School at the Universidad del País Vasco in Bilbao, Spain, which offers a Master in Space Science and Technology to graduates in Engineering or Physics. Here we detail the experience acquired in two years of this master which offers several planetary science courses: Solar System Physics, Astronomy, Planetary Atmospheres & Space Weather together with more technical courses. The university also owns an urban observatory in the Engineering School which is used for practical exercises and student projects. The planetary science courses have also resulted in motivating part of the students to do their master thesis in scientific subjects in planetary sciences. Since the students have very different backgrounds their master theses have been quite different: From writing open software tools to detect bolides in video observations of Jupiter atmosphere to the photometric calibration and scientific use or their own Jupiter and Saturn images or the study of atmospheric motions of the Venus' South Polar Vortex using data from the Venus Express spacecraft. As a result of this interaction with the students some of them have been engaged to initiate Ph.D.s in planetary sciences enlarging a relative small field in Spain. Acknowledgements: The Master in Space Science and Technology is offered by the Aula Espazio Gela at the Universidad del País Vasco Engineer School in Bilbao, Spain and is funded by Diputación Foral de Bizkaia.

Middle School Science Teachers' Confidence and Pedagogical Practice of New Literacies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Hui-Yin; Wang, Shiang-Kwei; Runco, Lisa

2013-06-01

Due to the rapid advancements of information and communication technologies (ICTs), educational researchers argue that multimodal and new literacies should become common practices in schools. As new ICTs emerge and evolve, students need the new literacies skills and practices to successfully participate fully in the civic life of a global community. Are teachers prepared to integrate ICTs in the classroom to develop students' new literacies skills? The purpose of this study is to suggest a new literacies framework that guides ICTs integration and supports scientific inquiry, as well as investigate middle school teachers' confidence to practice new literacies in science classrooms. The study adopted mixed-methodology design, surveyed 32 middle school science teachers' ICTs and new literacies skills, and randomly observed 15 teachers' new literacies practices in the classrooms. The results revealed that even though teachers have high confidence in using ICTs, the meaningful technology integration and new literacies practices were scarcely observed in their classroom practices.

The effects of experience and attrition for novice high-school science and mathematics teachers.

PubMed

Henry, Gary T; Fortner, C Kevin; Bastian, Kevin C

2012-03-02

Because of the current high proportion of novice high-school teachers, many students' mastery of science and mathematics depends on the effectiveness of early-career teachers. In this study, which used value-added models to analyze high-school teachers' effectiveness in raising test scores on 1.05 million end-of-course exams, we found that the effectiveness of high-school science and mathematics teachers increased substantially with experience but exhibited diminishing rates of return by their fourth year; that teachers of algebra 1, algebra 2, biology, and physical science who continued to teach for at least 5 years were more effective as novice teachers than those who left the profession earlier; and that novice teachers of physics, chemistry, physical science, geometry, and biology exhibited steeper growth in effectiveness than did novice non-science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teachers.

"Finding the Joy in the Unknown": Implementation of STEAM Teaching Practices in Middle School Science and Math Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quigley, Cassie F.; Herro, Dani

2016-06-01

In response to a desire to strengthen the economy, educational settings are emphasizing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum and programs. Yet, because of the narrow approach to STEM, educational leaders continue to call for a more balanced approach to teaching and learning, which includes the arts, design, and humanities. This desire created space for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education, a transdisciplinary approach that focuses on problem-solving. STEAM-based curricula and STEAM-themed schools are appearing all over the globe. This growing national and global attention to STEAM provides an opportunity for teacher education to explore the ways in which teachers implement STEAM practices, examining the successes and challenges, and how teachers are beginning to make sense of this innovative teaching practice. The purpose of this paper is to examine the implementation of STEAM teaching practices in science and math middle school classrooms, in hopes to provide research-based evidence on this emerging topic to guide teacher educators.

Essential Concepts of Nanoscale Science and Technology for High School Students Based on a Delphi Study by the Expert Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakhnini, Sohair; Blonder, Ron

2015-07-01

Nanoscale science and technology (NST) is an important new field in modern science. In the current study, we seek to answer the question: 'What are the essential concepts of NST that should be taught in high school'? A 3-round Delphi study methodology was applied based on 2 communities of experts in nanotechnology research and science education. Eight essential concepts in NST were identified. Each concept is accompanied by its explanation, definition, importance and includes subcategories that compose it. Three concepts emerged in the Delphi study, which were not identified before: functionality, classification of nanomaterials, and the making of nanotechnology. Differences between the concepts suggested by the 2 communities of experts were found. The results of this study serve as a tool to examine different nanotechnology programs that were reported thus far and to make recommendations for designing a NST program for high school students that includes the essential concepts.

Mathematics and Science Teachers Professional Development with Local Businesses to Introduce Middle and High School Students to Opportunities in STEM Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, Rhea; Slagter van Tryon, Patricia J.; Mensah, Felicia Moore

2015-01-01

TechMath is a professional development program that forms collaborations among businesses, colleges, and schools for the purpose of promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers. TechMath has provided strategies for creating highquality professional development by bringing together teachers, students, and business…

Elementary Teacher Self-Efficacy in Engineering and Student Achievement in Math and Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorena, Jacquelyn L.

2015-01-01

STEM education is a national priority, and more schools are implementing STEM K-12. Elementary teachers are prepared to teach science, mathematics, and technology, but teachers may not feel as prepared to teach engineering. Engineering is a new genre for elementary schools, and it is not typically a content area included in teacher preparation…

Inspiring Careers in STEM and Healthcare Fields through Medical Simulation Embedded in High School Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berk, Louis J.; Muret-Wagstaff, Sharon L.; Goyal, Riya; Joyal, Julie A.; Gordon, James A.; Faux, Russell; Oriol, Nancy E.

2014-01-01

The most effective ways to promote learning and inspire careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remain elusive. To address this gap, we reviewed the literature and designed and implemented a high-fidelity, medical simulation-based Harvard Medical School MEDscience course, which was integrated into high school…

The Contribution of Scientific Project Competitions upon High School Students' Acquiring a Scientific Viewpoint (Geography Lesson Case)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meydan, Ali

2017-01-01

Scientific research projects competitions for high school students have been held by TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) since 1969. Whereas only projects on science were taken into the scope of competition for long years, the projects appropriate to the interdisciplinary approach such as social sciences projects…

High School Math and Science Preparation and Postsecondary STEM Participation for Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Xin; Yu, Jennifer; Shattuck, Paul; Blackorby, Jose

2017-01-01

Previous studies suggest that individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are more likely than other disability groups and the general population to gravitate toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. However, the field knows little about which factors influenced the STEM pipeline between high school and…

High School Math and Science Preparation and Postsecondary STEM Participation for Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Xin; Yu, Jennifer W.; Shattuck, Paul; Blackorby, Jose

2017-01-01

Previous studies suggest that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely than other disability groups and the general population to gravitate toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. However, the field knows little about which factors influence the STEM pipeline between high school and…

How Teaching Practices Are Connected to Student Intention to Enrol in Upper Secondary School Physics Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juuti, Kalle; Lavonen, Jari

2016-01-01

Background: In developed countries, it is challenging for teachers to select pedagogical practices that encourage students to enrol in science and technology courses in upper secondary school. Purpose: Aiming to understand the enrolment dynamics, this study analyses sample-based data from Finland's National Assessment in Science to determine…

Fundamental Computer Science Conceptual Understandings for High School Students Using Original Computer Game Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ernst, Jeremy V.; Clark, Aaron C.

2012-01-01

In 2009, the North Carolina Virtual Public Schools worked with researchers at the William and Ida Friday Institute to produce and evaluate the use of game creation by secondary students as a means for learning content related to career awareness in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines, with particular emphasis in…

The High School Environment and the Gender Gap in Science and Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Legewie, Joscha; DiPrete, Thomas A.

2014-01-01

Despite the striking reversal of the gender gap in education, women pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees at much lower rates than those of their male peers. This study extends existing explanations for these gender differences and examines the role of the high school context for plans to major in STEM fields.…

Social Class and the STEM Career Pipeline an Ethnographic Investigation of Opportunity Structures in a High-Poverty versus Affluent High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikischer, Andrea B.

2013-01-01

This research investigates science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) high school opportunity structures, including student experiences with math and science course sequences and progress, college guidance and counseling, and STEM extracurricular activities (Weis and Eisenhart, 2009), specifically related to STEM fields and career and…

Academic Success of Urban African American Elementary Students in Title I Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, James Sebastian

2017-01-01

The researcher investigated the achievement of third- and fifth-grade urban African American students who attended science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), Non-STEM, and Theme Title I schools in science and mathematics on the 2015 Georgia Milestones Assessment. The researcher used data from 29 Non-STEM, 14 STEM, and 10 Theme…

Teaching for Ownership in the Middle School Science Classroom: Towards Practical Inquiry in an Age of Accountability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayton, Christine D.; Ardito, Gerald

2009-01-01

The authors of this study document one middle school classroom in an attempt to understand how inquiry learning, supported with technological tools, can provide students with opportunities to develop ownership of science content knowledge. Case study and collaborative teacher researcher methods were utilized to document the implementation of a…

A Comparative Study of Visual Representations in Conventional, Digitized and Interactive High School Science Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Xiaoning

2017-01-01

With emerging new technologies being applied in teaching and learning, this study compares visual representations in three different high school biology textbook formats and analyses the senses engaged in viewing and understanding the science content represented through these visuals. The findings show that while a similar pattern is observed in…

Designing for Learner Engagement in Middle School Science: Technology, Inquiry, and the Hierarchies of Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harmer, Andrea J.; Cates, Ward Mitchell

2007-01-01

Engaging middle-school students in scientific inquiry is typically recognized as important, but difficult. Designed to foster learner engagement, this method used an online, problem-based, science inquiry that investigated the West Nile virus during four weeks of collaborative classroom sessions. The inquiry prototype was authored in WISE, the…

Middle School Science Curriculum Design and 8th Grade Student Achievement in Massachusetts Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clifford, Betsey A.

2016-01-01

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released proposed Science and Technology/Engineering standards in 2013 outlining the concepts that should be taught at each grade level. Previously, standards were in grade spans and each district determined the method of implementation. There are two different methods used…

Leveraging Current Initiatives to Bring Earth and Space Science into Elementary and Early Childhood Classrooms: NGSS in the Context of the Classroom Technology Push

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pacheco-Guffrey, H. A.

2016-12-01

Classroom teachers face many challenges today such as new standards, the moving targets of high stakes tests and teacher evaluations, inconsistent/insufficient access to resources and evolving education policies. Science education in the K-5 context is even more complex. NGSS can be intimidating, especially to K-5 educators with little science background. High stakes science tests are slow to catch up with newly drafted state level science standards, leaving teachers unsure about what to change and when to implement updated standards. Amid all this change, many schools are also piloting new technology programs. Though exciting, tech initiatives can also be overwhelming to teachers who are already overburdened. A practical way to support teachers in science while remaining mindful of these stressors is to design and share resources that leverage other K-5 school initiatives. This is often done by integrating writing or math into science learning to meet Common Core requirements. This presentation will suggest a method for bringing Earth and space science learning into elementary / early childhood classrooms by utilizing the current push for tablet technology. The goal is to make science integration reasonable by linking it to technology programs that are in their early stages. The roles and uses of K-5 Earth and space science apps will be examined in this presentation. These apps will be linked to NGSS standards as well as to the science and engineering practices. To complement the app resources, two support frameworks will also be shared. They are designed to help educators consider new technologies in the context of their own classrooms and lessons. The SAMR Model (Puentadura, 2012) is a conceptual framework that helps teachers think critically about the means and purposes of integrating technology into existing lessons. A practical framework created by the author will also be shared. It is designed to help teachers identify and address the important logistical and curricular decision-making aspects of integrating technology into K-5 classroom science. This method provides clear applications for new technology while also bringing meaningful Earth and space science learning into K-5 classrooms.

Educational Outreach at the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, P.; Rivenberg, P.; Censabella, V.

2002-11-01

At the MIT PSFC, student and staff volunteers work together to increase the public's knowledge of fusion science and plasma technology. Seeking to generate excitement in young people about science and engineering, the PSFC hosts a number of educational outreach activities throughout the year, including Middle and High School Outreach Days. The PSFC also has an in-school science-demonstration program on the theme of magnetism. As ``Mr. Magnet," Technical Supervisor Paul Thomas brings a truck-load of hands-on demonstrations to K-12 schools, challenging students to help him with experiments. While teaching fundamentals of magnetism and electricity he shows that science is fun for all, and that any student can have a career in science. This year he reached 82 schools -- 30,000 teachers and students. He has recently expanded his teaching to include an interactive demonstration of plasma, encouraging participants to investigate plasma properties with audiovisual, electromagnetic, and spectroscopic techniques. He has also developed a workshop for middle school on how to build an electromagnet.

Toward the Integration of Cultural Values and Alternative School Models: Challenges in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chesky, Aimi Kono

2013-01-01

The project development school idea in Japan started in the late 1970s. Both public and private schools can become project schools. Public schools' districts and private schools' boards develop the project plan and submit the application to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Once approved, the project school…

Evaluation of the Science, Technology, and Engineering Leadership Program, Year Three

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolanin, Natalie; Wade, Julie

2014-01-01

The Office of Shared Accountability conducted an evaluation of the implementation of the third and final year (2012-2013) of the "Science, Technology, and Engineering Leadership Program" (STELP) in Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS). Funding for STELP, including the evaluation study, is provided by a grant from the Howard…

Five Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Majors: A Portraiture of Their Lived Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torcivia, Patrice Prusko

2012-01-01

Numerous studies have addressed science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and their relation to education and gender ranging from elementary school pedagogy to career choices for traditional-aged college students. Little research has addressed nontraditional female students returning to the university to in the STEM fields. This…

Developing Conceptual Understanding of Mechanical Advantage through the Use of Lego Robotic Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Joan M.; Carbonaro, Mike; Murray, Hana

2008-01-01

Science educators advocate hands on experiences and the use of manipulatives as important for children's conceptual development. Consequently, the utilisation of "Lego" robotic technologies in teaching and learning has become more prevalent in school science classrooms. It is important to investigate their value as educational tools, particularly…

Teaching of Computer Science Topics Using Meta-Programming-Based GLOs and LEGO Robots

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Štuikys, Vytautas; Burbaite, Renata; Damaševicius, Robertas

2013-01-01

The paper's contribution is a methodology that integrates two educational technologies (GLO and LEGO robot) to teach Computer Science (CS) topics at the school level. We present the methodology as a framework of 5 components (pedagogical activities, technology driven processes, tools, knowledge transfer actors, and pedagogical outcomes) and…

Fostering Personalized Learning in Science Inquiry Supported by Mobile Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Yanjie; Wong, Lung-Hsiang; Looi, Chee-Kit

2012-01-01

In this paper, we present a mobile technology-assisted seamless learning process design where students were facilitated to develop their personalized and diversified understanding in a primary school's science topic of the life cycles of various living things. A goal-based approach to experiential learning model was adopted as the pedagogical…

Evaluation of the Science, Technology, and Engineering Leadership Program, Year Two

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolanin, Natalie L.; Wade, Julie H.

2013-01-01

The Office of Shared Accountability (OSA) conducted an evaluation of the implementation of the second year (2011-2012) of the Science, Technology, and Engineering Leadership Program (STELP) in Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS). Funding for STELP, including the evaluation study, is provided by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical…

Purposeful Action Research: Reconsidering Science and Technology Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

vanOostveen, Roland

2017-01-01

Initial plans for this project arose from a need to address issues of professional development of science and technology teachers that went beyond the norm available within school board settings. Two teams of 4 teachers responded to an invitation to participate in a collaborative action research project. Collaborative action research was chosen in…

Gender Issues in Education for Science and Technology: Current Situation and Prospects for Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acker, Sandra; Oatley, Keith

1993-01-01

Prevailing explanations for the underrepresentation of females in mathematics, science, and technology in school and the workplace are reviewed, and disadvantageous features of higher education and the workplace are discussed. Educational innovation in the area of gender equity is considered, and questions are raised for further research. (SLD)

Implementing a High School Level Geospatial Technologies and Spatial Thinking Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Curtis P.; Oberle, Alex; Sugumaran, Ramanathan

2011-01-01

Understanding geospatial technologies (GSTs) and spatial thinking is increasingly vital to contemporary life including common activities and hobbies; learning in science, mathematics, and social science; and employment within fields as diverse as engineering, health, business, and planning. As such, there is a need for a stand-alone K-12…

ENGage: The use of space and pixel art for increasing primary school children's interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Simon J.

2014-01-01

The Faculty of Engineering at The University of Nottingham, UK, has developed interdisciplinary, hands-on workshops for primary schools that introduce space technology, its relevance to everyday life and the importance of science, technology, engineering and maths. The workshop activities for 7-11 year olds highlight the roles that space and satellite technology play in observing and monitoring the Earth's biosphere as well as being vital to communications in the modern digital world. The programme also provides links to 'how science works', the environment and citizenship and uses pixel art through the medium of digital photography to demonstrate the importance of maths in a novel and unconventional manner. The interactive programme of activities provides learners with an opportunity to meet 'real' scientists and engineers, with one of the key messages from the day being that anyone can become involved in science and engineering whatever their ability or subject of interest. The methodology introduces the role of scientists and engineers using space technology themes, but it could easily be adapted for use with any inspirational topic. Analysis of learners' perceptions of science, technology, engineering and maths before and after participating in ENGage showed very positive and significant changes in their attitudes to these subjects and an increase in the number of children thinking they would be interested and capable in pursuing a career in science and engineering. This paper provides an overview of the activities, the methodology, the evaluation process and results.

Reform Japanese style: Voyage into an unknown and chaotic future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogawa, Masakata

2001-09-01

This article critically examines the ongoing revisions of school education in Japan in general, and of science education and science teacher education in particular. One of the major issues is that the revision policy does not necessarily reflect another emergent national policy, namely: science and technology as Japan's survival strategy. The reasons why such a discrepancy between two national policies has happened are investigated from sociocultural viewpoints. The policymakers realize that the school education system in Japan is now in a crisis, as almost all social institutions of traditional Japan society - family, rural communities, and schools - are collapsing, and their educational roles and functions are being lost. Thus, the top priority in the revision of school education is how to recover such educational roles and functions within school settings. So far, the revisions in science education have been unsatisfactory.

Crystal Clear Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manner, Barbar; Beddard-Hess, Sharon; Daskalakis, Argy

2005-01-01

Subjects like Earth science often rely on "ready made" hands-on materials such as kits and modules to support understanding and science inquiry. However, sometimes the materials need adaptations to make sure they suit students' and teachers needs. As part of the Allegheny Schools Science Education and Technology (ASSET) program, the authors…

A Decade of Project 2061

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lagowski, J. J.

1996-04-01

Ten years ago the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) launched Project 2061, the first of the truly systemic projects focused on reform in K--12 science education. Project 2061 addresses science literacy for all people rather than only those in the more narrowly construed basic science disciplines; it includes the natural and social sciences, mathematics, and technology. Because it deals with the influence of science on all people's lives, Project 2061 is irrefutably systemic. The general strategy of Project 2061 was to forge a consensus on learning goals as the basis for all other changes to the system of science education. Up front, the designers of Project 2061 announced that it would require at least 25 years to achieve its goals. The fact that the project has survived its tenth year is a tribute to the funding agencies and their confidence in the 2061 concept and its designers. The original supporters--the Carnegie Corporation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation--continue to support Project 2061. From the start, Project 2061 emphasized the importance of science as one of the great human activities, much like the visual arts, literature, and music. The basic premise of the project was that the excitement in science should be made available to all students if they are to become science literate. The project's first major report, Science for All Americans, traced the lack of science literacy to problems derived from administrative and curricular issues like the crushing workloads of teachers; antiquated support systems; poor training; textbooks and methods of instruction that impede inquiry, critical thought, and recognition of connections among ideas; and an overstuffed curriculum that offered some topics in needless detail while overlooking ideas and skills critical to science literacy. The chief intent of Science for All Americans, was to provide a fresh, critical look at what science was most worth learning. Put another way, the question was: What should all high school graduates know and be able to do in science, mathematics, and technology? Science for All Americans established the ground rules for what has become to be known as systematic reform. Thus, reform must be comprehensive in the sense that it involves all children, all grades, and all subjects; and, it must be long term. The approach to curriculum development was ambitious. Curriculum reform should be shaped by a vision of the lasting knowledge and skills students need to acquire by the time they become adults. Moreover, the common core of learning in science, mathematics, and technology should center on science literacy. A common set of learning goals did not imply a uniform curriculum, funding methods, or materials. But above all, schools should not try to teach more, but less. In other words, the new curriculum to be developed was not the accretion of additional layers of material on top of the existing structure; that's why the designers suggested it might take a quarter of a century to achieve its goals. Science for All Americans construed the notion of science literacy broadly, by focusing on interconnected understanding in the natural and social sciences, mathematics, and technology. After the publication of Science for All Americans, Project 2061 turned its attention to developing tools to help redesign curricula around the science literacy goals and to helping teachers think through the implications for other aspects of the education system. To illustrate the flexibility of this approach, Project 2061 established school district teams in six diverse geographical areas--three rural school districts in Georgia; the school districts in Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, and San Francisco; and a small suburban school district near Madison, Wisconsin. Planning for 13 years of schooling in science, mathematics, and technology involved teams of teachers in each ISD. Each team included five elementary teachers, five middle school teachers, ten high school teachers, one principal from each level, and two curricula specialists. The teachers were drawn from a wide range of disciplines, including the life and physical sciences, social sciences, mathematics, technology, and even the humanities. Initially, the teams set out to design curriculum models that the school districts involved could use to plan curricula responsive to local needs, but still focused on the science literacy goals for all. Working backward from these adult literacy goals, the teams were able to identify a series of learning goals for younger students. Working to gather them created a common set of learning goals for various levels, which were the focus for the second major publication of Project 2061, Benchmarks for Science Literacy. Benchmarks is a tool to be used in designing curriculum that makes local sense for meeting the goals for science literacy that are recommended in Science for All Americans. Benchmarks specifies thresholds rather than averages or advanced performance. In the course of the last 10 years, Project 2061 has produced a wide spectrum of resources describing most of the developments that occurred during the evaluation of the project. These are, perhaps, its most important legacy. We can only hope that the project will be sustained for at least another 15 years, as conceived by its designers. The 10-year report of Project 2061, which includes a useful set of references, is available from AAAS, 1333 H St., N.W., Washington, DC 20005.

Principal Leadership for Technology-enhanced Learning in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerard, Libby F.; Bowyer, Jane B.; Linn, Marcia C.

2008-02-01

Reforms such as technology-enhanced instruction require principal leadership. Yet, many principals report that they need help to guide implementation of science and technology reforms. We identify strategies for helping principals provide this leadership. A two-phase design is employed. In the first phase we elicit principals' varied ideas about the Technology-enhanced Learning in Science (TELS) curriculum materials being implemented by teachers in their schools, and in the second phase we engage principals in a leadership workshop designed based on the ideas they generated. Analysis uses an emergent coding scheme to categorize principals' ideas, and a knowledge integration framework to capture the development of these ideas. The analysis suggests that principals frame their thinking about the implementation of TELS in terms of: principal leadership, curriculum, educational policy, teacher learning, student outcomes and financial resources. They seek to improve their own knowledge to support this reform. The principals organize their ideas around individual school goals and current political issues. Principals prefer professional development activities that engage them in reviewing curricula and student work with other principals. Based on the analysis, this study offers guidelines for creating learning opportunities that enhance principals' leadership abilities in technology and science reform.

Evaluating virtual STEM mentoring programs: The SAGANet.org experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Som, S. M.; Walker, S. I.; Miller, E.; Anbar, M.; Kacar, B.; Forrester, J. H.

2014-12-01

Many school districts within the United States continue to seek new ways of engaging students within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. SAGANet.org, a web-based 501c3 Astrobiology outreach initiative, works with a number of schools, partnering K-12 students and their families with professional scientist mentors from around the world to teach and inspire students using virtual technology platforms. Current programs include two mentoring partnerships: pairing scientist-mentors with at-risk youth at the Pittsburg Community School in Pittsburg CA, and pairing scientist-mentors with families from the Kyrene del Cielo Elementary School in Chandler AZ. These programs represent two very different models for utilizing the virtual media platform provided by SAGANet.org to engage K-12 students and their families in STEM. For the former, scientists mentor the students of the Pittsburg School as part of the formal in-class curriculum. For the latter, scientists work with K-5 students and their families through Cielo's Science & Engineering Discovery Room to develop a science project as part of an informal learning experience that is independent of the formal curriculum. In this presentation, we (1) discuss the challenges and successes of engaging these two distinct audiences through virtual media, (2) present the results of how these two very-different mentoring partnership impact K-12 students science self-efficacy, interest in science, and STEM career awareness, and (3) share the impact of the mentoring experience on the mentor's confidence and self-efficacy with communicating science to the public.

Using Telescopic Observations to Mentor High School Students in STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLin, K. M.; Cominsky, L. R.

2011-09-01

Over the past two summers (2009 and 2010) the NASA EPO Group at Sonoma State University (SSU) has sponsored local high school students in a summer science internship program at the University. The students, chosen from Sonoma County high schools in a competitive selection process, work in various science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields throughout the School of Science and Technology at SSU. The two interns sponsored by the EPO Group each summer monitor active galaxies using GORT, the NASA/Fermi-sponsored optical robotic telescope operated by the Group. They are mentored in their projects by EPO Group personnel and by SSU undergraduates who have experience with the telescope. The students learn about the sky, telescopes and the active galaxies they observe. They also learn how to make telescopic observations and how to reduce the CCD images obtained. Interns also participate in weekly meetings with other interns working on different projects around campus. At the end of the summer all the interns present their research results at a symposium held on campus.The symposium is attended by the interns themselves, their parents, their high school science teachers, and university faculty and administrators.The program has had a positive impact on how our interns view science, and specifically on their view of astronomy, as reported by the interns themselves in the first two years of the program.

Health Sciences Information Tools 2000: a cooperative health sciences library/public school information literacy program for medical assistant students.

PubMed Central

Spang, L; Marks, E; Adams, N

1998-01-01

Educating diverse groups in how to access, use, and evaluate information available through information technologies is emerging as an essential responsibility for health sciences librarians in today's complex health care system. One group requiring immediate attention is medical assistants. Projections indicate that medical assistant careers will be among the fastest growing occupations in the twenty-first century. The expanding use and importance of information in all health care settings requires that this workforce be well versed in information literacy skills. But, for public school vocational education staff charged with educating entry level workers to meet this specialized demand, the expense of hiring qualified professionals and acquiring the sophisticated technology necessary to teach such skills poses a dilemma. Health Sciences Information Tools 2000, a cooperative work-study information literacy program jointly formulated by the Wayne State University's Shiffman Medical Library and the Detroit Public Schools' Crockett Career and Technical Center, demonstrates that cooperation between the health sciences library and the public school is a mutually beneficial and constructive solution. This article describes the background, goals, curriculum, personnel, costs, and evaluation methods of Tools 2000. The Shiffman-Crockett information literacy program, adaptable to a variety of library settings, is an innovative means of preparing well-trained high school vocational education students for beginning level medical assistant positions as well as further education in the health care field. PMID:9803297

Decisions for Today and Tomorrow: Student Guide. Issues in Science-Technology-Society. A Multidisciplinary Approach to Problem-Solving and Critical-Thinking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iozzi, Louis A.; Bastardo, Peter J.

This student guide was designed to be used with senior high school level classes as a supplement to existing programs in the areas of science and social studies. Each of the 12 chapters included in the guide may be used independently or may be combined into a separate course on the relationships between science, technology, and society. The…

Scientists, Engineers and the Society of Free Choice: Enrollment as Policy and Practice in Swedish Science and Technology Education 1960-1990

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lövheim, Daniel

2014-01-01

This article portrays the formation of a new problem area within Swedish educational policy in the 1960s, namely the need of scientific manpower and the demands to entice more individuals into studies in science and technology. As a consequence school science was given the mission to be interesting, fun and to change young people's attitudes…

Science and Technology, Autonomous and More Interdependent Every Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santilli, Haydée

2012-06-01

In a School of Engineering scientific and technological knowledge live together. Science teachers usually try to understand the role that scientific disciplines have over the engineer training. In this paper are descript three historical case studies that could help teachers and students for better understanding the interdependence between science and technology, and the way in which both are related to society. The cases clearly show that both kind of knowledge, scientific and technological, are autonomous, and that their growths involve complex processes. On this way, learners could have an insight of both, the NOS and the NOT.

Towards an Analysis of Visual Images in School Science Textbooks and Press Articles about Science and Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimopoulos, Kostas; Koulaidis, Vasilis; Sklaveniti, Spyridoula

2003-04-01

This paper aims at presenting the application of a grid for the analysis of the pedagogic functions of visual images included in school science textbooks and daily press articles about science and technology. The analysis is made using the dimensions of content specialisation (classification) and social-pedagogic relationships (framing) promoted by the images as well as the elaboration and abstraction of the corresponding visual code (formality), thus combining pedagogical and socio-semiotic perspectives. The grid is applied to the analysis of 2819 visual images collected from school science textbooks and another 1630 visual images additionally collected from the press. The results show that the science textbooks in comparison to the press material: a) use ten times more images, b) use more images so as to familiarise their readers with the specialised techno-scientific content and codes, and c) tend to create a sense of higher empowerment for their readers by using the visual mode. Furthermore, as the educational level of the school science textbooks (i.e., from primary to lower secondary level) rises, the content specialisation projected by the visual images and the elaboration and abstraction of the corresponding visual code also increases. The above results have implications for the terms and conditions for the effective exploitation of visual material as the educational level rises as well as for the effective incorporation of visual images from press material into science classes.

An evaluation of the use of microcomputer-based laboratory instruction on middle school students' concept attainment and attitudes towards computer-based instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osio, Sergio Albina

The advent of instructional technology has become an integral part of the learning process, thought by many to be a vital component in the reform of science instruction. Microcomputer-Based Laboratory (MBL) is an instructional technology environment in which a computer is connected through its Universal Serial Box (USB) port or an interface (for older models) with sensors to control the experiment, collect data, and generate and interpret graphs. In this study, MBL tools and instructions were used to design an instructional program that integrated ideas in teaching thinking skills so that middle school students from varying levels of differentiated achievement could categorize and create concepts grounded on the Concept Attainment Model of teaching. Data were collected and analyzed based on the procedures of a one-group pretest-posttest experimental design and two research questions. The study provided a quantitative correlation of variables such as MBL to students' pretest-posttest total scores; pretest-posttest total scores to the levels of differentiated achievement and treatment groups. Likewise, a modified student-computer-attitude survey was administered to evaluate students' attitude toward the use of computer technologies. The research findings revealed a 9.1% increase in test scores in the three concepts of investigation; multiple increases in test scores in the three levels of differentiated achievement (22.2% for regular science group, 6.2% for accelerated science group students, and 1% for sheltered science group); and 11.1% mean difference between the MHL group and traditional laboratory group. Simultaneously, participants showed a positive significance of 77% feeling of comfort and confidence towards the use of computer technologies. Eventually, the great potential of MBL technology could play an important role in the reform of science education in the schools of the second largest Unified School District in the country today.

Management Challenges in an Information Communication Technology (ICT) Network in Rural Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mihai, Maryke; Nieuwenhuis, Jan

2015-01-01

This study concerns the management of an interactive whiteboard (IWB) network started in April 2008 in Mpumalanga, with a leading school partnered with several disadvantaged schools, transmitting lessons in Mathematics and Science. Many educational institutions try to provide learners with better learning opportunities by equipping schools with…

Creating an Environment for Diversity in Dental Schools: One School's Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Formicola, Allan J.; Klyvert, Marlene; McIntosh, James; Thompson, Albert; Davis, Martin; Cangialosi, Thomas

2003-01-01

Describes how the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery strives to admit more underrepresented minority students. Discusses its D.D.S. minority admissions program, postdoctoral minority admissions program, Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) for middle and high school students, and "zero" tuition dental assisting…

Inclusive STEM High School Design: 10 Critical Components

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters-Burton, Erin E.; Lynch, Sharon J.; Behrend, Tara S.; Means, Barbara B.

2014-01-01

Historically, the mission of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) schools emphasized providing gifted and talented students with advanced STEM coursework. However, a newer type of STEM school is emerging in the United States: inclusive STEM high schools (ISHSs). ISHSs have open enrollment and are focused on preparing…

Learning by Experience in a Standardized Testing Culture: Investigation of a Middle School Experiential Learning Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scogin, Stephen C.; Kruger, Christopher J.; Jekkals, Regan E.; Steinfeldt, Chelsea

2017-01-01

Standardized testing pressure sometimes discourages schools from broadly implementing experiential learning opportunities. However, some K-12 schools are challenging the trend with greater commitment to learning by experience. STREAM (science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, mathematics) school is a project-based program providing students…

Developing Partnerships between Higher Education Faculty, K-12 Science Teachers, and School Administrators via MSP initiatives: The RITES Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caulkins, J. L.; Kortz, K. M.; Murray, D. P.

2011-12-01

The Rhode Island Technology Enhanced Science Project (RITES) is a NSF-funded Math and Science Partnership (MSP) project that seeks to improve science education. RITES is, at its core, a unique partnership that fosters relationships between middle and high school science teachers, district and school administrators, higher education (HE) faculty members, and science education researchers. Their common goal is to enhance scientific inquiry, increase classroom technology usage, and improve state level science test scores. In one of the more visible examples of this partnership, middle and high school science teachers work closely with HE science faculty partners to design and teach professional development (PD) workshops. The PD sessions focus on technology-enhanced scientific investigations (e.g. use of probes, online simulations, etc.), exemplify inquiry-based instruction, and relate expert content knowledge. Teachers from these sessions express substantial satisfaction in the program, report increased comfort levels in teaching the presented materials (both via post-workshop surveys), and show significant gains in content knowledge (via pre-post assessments). Other benefits to this kind of partnership, in which K-12 and HE teachers are considered equals, include: 1) K-12 teachers are empowered through interactions with HE faculty and other science teachers in the state; 2) HE instructors become more informed not only about good pedagogical practices, but also practical aspects of teaching science such as engaging students; and 3) the PD sessions tend to be much stronger than ones designed and presented solely by HE scientists, for while HE instructors provide content expertise, K-12 teachers provide expertise in K-12 classroom practice and implementation. Lastly, the partnership is mutually beneficial for the partners involved because both sides learn practical ways to teach science and inquiry at different levels. In addition to HE faculty and K-12 science teacher interactions, RITES gives district-level administrators, HE faculty and teacher-leaders the opportunity to meet and set mutual teaching goals, enhancing the partnership and a sense of ownership within it.

Teaching science to 8th graders by engaging them in a design and technology activity: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidawi, Mai M.

This study described how students can apply science concepts to a Design and Technology task. It also examined whether the students could transfer their scientific knowledge to their design of technology. The study was conducted at an urban school in Philadelphia where a sample of 36 eighth grade students were taught a science unit, Energy, Machines, and Motion, and engaged in a technology design task that was chosen based on the scientific content of the unit. Two approaches of relating teaching science to technological design were observed and described. Through the first approach, the students were given technology lessons in addition to their science lessons. This was to provide them with the technological knowledge that they needed in designing technology such as learning about the design process, selection of appropriate materials, and selection of appropriate tools and how to use them. Also, the students were taught the social skills that will enable them to develop an effective collaborative relationship with their peers such as conflict-management and brainstorming. Through the second approach, the students were taught the science unit and then at the end of the unit the students were given the design task as an assessment of their scientific knowledge. The students' experience of designing technology for each approach was described. The study was conducted using multiple tools and instruments such as observation, videotaping, interviews, and testing. The students were also given the survey PATT-USA to measure their attitude toward technology. The study showed that the students' learning of science was impacted by their weak prerequisite knowledge in science, their poor verbal and written communication skills and their style as dependent learners. Also, the study showed the great impact of the school and classroom cultures on the participation of the students in a Design and Technology activity. The students in this study showed great resistant to participating in a Design and Technology activity. The study linked that to the culture of the classroom where the technology period was considered by the students a period of "free time" to be spent mainly on the computer, playing educational games or engaged in short term, non-demanding projects.

Lauren Bamford

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As the Director of EPA-RTP's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) Outreach Program, Kelly collaborates with schools and the community to develop and implement educational outreach programs, particularly in minority and low-income K-12 schools.

Kelly Witter

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As the Director of EPA-RTP's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) Outreach Program, Kelly collaborates with schools and the community to develop and implement educational outreach programs, particularly in minority and low-income K-12 schools.