The impact of a professional development model for a mobilized science curriculum: a case study of teacher changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Looi, Chee-Kit; Sun, Daner; Kim, Mi Song; Wen, Yun

2018-01-01

Background and purpose: To date, there has been little research on the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) for delivering a mobile technology-supported science curriculum. To address this, a TPD model for a science curriculum supported by mobile technology was developed and evaluated in this paper. The study reported focuses on the establishment of the TPD model and exploration of its impact on teacher behaviors in the curriculum implementation.

The Digestive System and Alcohol Use. Science of Alcohol Curriculum for American Indians. Training Unit [and] Participant Booklet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Cecelia; And Others

The Science of Alcohol Curriculum for American Indians uses the Medicine Circle and the "new science paradigm" to study the science of alcohol through a culturally relevant holistic approach. Intended for teachers and other educational personnel involved with American Indians, this curriculum presents a framework for alcohol education…

Into the Curriculum. Interdisciplinary: Celebrating Our Animal Friends: An Across-the-Curriculum Unit for Middle Level Students [and] Music: Program Notes [and] Reading-Language Arts: Letters: Written, Licked, and Stamped [and] Science: Plants in Families [and] Science: Physics and Holiday Toys (Gravity) [and] Social Studies: Learning about Geography through Children's Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillen, Rose; And Others

1995-01-01

Presents six curriculum guides for elementary and secondary education. Subjects include interdisciplinary instruction, music, reading/language arts, science, and social studies. Each guide provides library media skills objectives, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activity and procedures for completion, a…

Science for Survival: The Modern Synthesis of Evolution and the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Lisa Anne

2012-01-01

In this historical dissertation, I examined the process of curriculum development in the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) in the United States during the period 1959-1963. The presentation of evolution in the high school texts was based on a more robust form of Darwinian evolution which developed during the 1930s and 1940s called…

The Impact of a Professional Development Model for a Mobilized Science Curriculum: A Case Study of Teacher Changes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Looi, Chee-Kit; Sun, Daner; Kim, Mi Song; Wen, Yun

2018-01-01

Background and purpose: To date, there has been little research on the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) for delivering a mobile technology-supported science curriculum. To address this, a TPD model for a science curriculum supported by mobile technology was developed and evaluated in this paper. The study reported focuses on the…

An Analysis of Teaching Competence in Science Teachers Involved in the Design of Context-Based Curriculum Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Putter-Smits, Lesley G. A.; Taconis, Ruurd; Jochems, Wim; Van Driel, Jan

2012-01-01

The committees for the current Dutch context-based innovation in secondary science education employed teachers to design context-based curriculum materials. A study on the learning of science teachers in design teams for context-based curriculum materials is presented in this paper. In a correlation study, teachers with (n = 5 and 840 students)…

Science and Technology Teachers' Views of Primary School Science and Technology Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz-Duban, Nil

2013-01-01

This phenomenographic study attempts to explicit science and technology teachers' views of primary school science and technology curriculum. Participants of the study were selected through opportunistic sampling and consisted of 30 science and technology teachers teaching in primary schools in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. Data were collected through an…

Improving Middle School Students' Science Literacy through Reading Infusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, Zhihui; Wei, Youhua

2010-01-01

Despite recent calls for border crossing between reading and science, few studies have examined the impact of reading infusion in the science curriculum on students' science literacy. In this quasi-experimental study, the authors investigated the effects of an inquiry-based science curriculum that integrated explicit reading strategy instruction…

Teacher Self-Efficacy during the Implementation of a Problem-Based Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodges, Charles B.; Gale, Jessica; Meng, Alicia

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate eighth-grade science teachers' self-efficacy during the implementation of a new, problem-based science curriculum. The curriculum included applications of LEGO® robotics, a new technology for these teachers. Teachers' responded to structured journaling activities designed to collect information about their…

The Comparison of the Inquiry Behavior of ISCS and Non-ISCS Science Students as Measured by the Tab Science Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stallings, Everett S.; Snyder, William R.

1977-01-01

Studies of a group of seventh-grade students who were tested for inquiry skills using the TAB Science Test showed no significant differences between those students who had studied the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) and those who studied another curriculum. (MLH)

Impact of the Knowledge and Beliefs of Egyptian Science Teachers in Integrating a STS Based Curriculum: A Sociocultural Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansour, Nasser

2010-01-01

The failure of much curriculum innovation has been attributed to the neglect by innovators of teachers' perceptions. The purpose of this study was to investigate inservice science teachers views of integrating Science, Technology and Society (STS) issues into the science curriculum and identify the factors that influence their decisions concerning…

The Central Nervous System and Alcohol Use. Science of Alcohol Curriculum for American Indians. Training Unit [and] Participant Booklet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Cecelia; And Others

The Science of Alcohol Curriculum for American Indians uses the Medicine Circle and the "new science paradigm" to study the science of alcohol through a culturally relevant holistic approach. Intended for teachers and other educational personnel involved with American Indians, this curriculum aims to present a framework for alcohol…

An Efficacy Trial of Research-Based Curriculum Materials with Curriculum-Based Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Joseph A.; Getty, Stephen R.; Kowalski, Susan M.; Wilson, Christopher D.; Carlson, Janet; Van Scotter, Pamela

2015-01-01

This study examined the efficacy of a curriculum-based intervention for high school science students. Specifically, the intervention was two years of research-based, multidisciplinary curriculum materials for science supported by comprehensive professional development for teachers that focused on those materials. A modest positive effect was…

Effects of a novel science curriculum versus traditional science curriculum on problem solving skills and attitudes for 10th grade students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauchat, Carrie

This study utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods in investigating how a novel science curriculum, geared towards the 21 st century student, affected skills and attitudes towards science for tenth grade students. The quantitative portion of the study was a quasi-experimental design since random groups were not possible. This portion of the study used a pretest/posttest design to measure any improvement in science skills, and a Likert scale survey to measure any improvements in students' attitudes. Statistical tests revealed no significant differences between students who received the novel curriculum versus those students who received a traditional curriculum. Both groups showed significant improvements in all skill areas. Qualitatively, the researcher used informal teacher interviews and student surveys to identify the most relevant and effective curriculum components for the 21st century student. The findings suggest that the task of creating a meaningful and relevant curriculum based on the necessary skills of this century is not an easy task. There is much more work to be done in this area, but according to the qualitative findings integrated design and student technology are promising.

Education for Survival; A Social Studies and Science Curriculum Guide for Grades 1, 2, 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grubman, Ruth W.; And Others

This book is one of a series on Education For Survival and integrates a conservation curriculum into a social studies and science program for grades 1, 2, and 3. It was developed to help lead young people to an awareness of environmental problems which confront our society. The first chapter presents a resume of all social science curriculum units…

Into the Curriculum. Dramatics/Reading/Language Arts: Jellyfish Jiggle and More; Reading/Language Arts: Birthstone Folklore; Science: Jellyfish FAQ; Science: Minerals in Caves; Social Studies: Mapping the Oceans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Library Media Activities Monthly, 2003

2003-01-01

Provides five fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in dramatics, reading, language arts, science, and social studies. Library media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activities and procedures, evaluation, and follow-up are describes for each…

A Perspective on the Intended Science Curriculum in Iceland and its `Transformation' over a Period of 50 Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorolfsson, Meyvant; Finnbogason, Gunnar E.; Macdonald, Allyson

2012-11-01

In recent decades, a consensus has emerged among educators and scientists that all compulsory school students need good science education. The debate about its purpose and nature as a school subject in an emerging information society has not been as conclusive. To further understand this, it helps to examine how the science curriculum has transformed and what forces have shaped it as a core curricular area over time. This article sheds light on the transformation of the science curriculum for compulsory schools in Iceland in force from 1960 to 2010. Using criteria based on curriculum ideologies regarding the function of learners, instructors and subject matter in the learning process and the orientation of content and product versus process and development, it offers findings from content analysis of the intended science curriculum. The official curriculum was studied and conceptualised as it has evolved over time. The curriculum developers appear to have been striving for a compromise between conflicting views, resulting in what the authors of this article conceive as a 'kaleidoscopic quilt' of ideas over the period studied.

Measuring Science Curriculum Improvement Study Teachers' Attitudinal Changes Toward Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hovey, Larry Michael

Investigated were three questions related to the relationship between a science teacher's attitude regarding the use of a newer science program, in this instance the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS): (1) Could the Projective Tests of Attitudes, originally designed for fifth-grade students, be modified for use with adults? (2) Is there a…

The Study of the Atmosphere in the Science Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Brian

1998-01-01

Seeks to justify the inclusion of meteorology within the science curriculum. Reflects upon the nature of science and some current issues in science education, and examines the reality of including meteorology within worldwide science curricula. Contains 37 references. (Author/DDR)

An Analysis of the Learning Activities Covered in the 5th Grade Science Textbooks Based on 2005 and 2013 Turkish Science Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydogdu, Cemil; Idin, Sahin

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to analyze the learning activities covered in 5th grade elementary science textbooks which depend on 2005 and 2013 elementary science curricula. Two elementary science textbooks depends on 2005 science curriculum and two elementary science textbooks depend on 2013 science curriculum were researched. The study is a…

Materials and Fabrication Methods II. A Study Guide of the Science and Engineering Technician Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindberg, Andrew; Bay, Robert

This study guide is part of a program of studies entitled Science and Engineering Technician (SET) Curriculum. The SET Curriculum integrates elements from the disciplines of chemistry, physics, mathematics, mechanical technology, and electronic technology with the objective of training technicians in the use of electronic instruments and their…

Analog and Digital Electronics. A Study Guide of the Science and Engineering Technician Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanaugh, Vince; Greer, Marlin

This study guide is part of an interdisciplinary curriculum entitled the Science and Engineering Technician (SET) Curriculum devised to provide basic information to train technicians in the use of electronic instruments and their application. The program of study integrates elements from the disciplines of chemistry, physics, mathematics,…

Integrating the history of science into a middle school science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huybrechts, Jeanne Marie

This study examined the effect of incorporating the history of science into a middle school physical science curriculum on student attitudes toward science and the work of scientists. While there is wide support for including some science history in middle school science lessons within both the science and science-education communities, there is little curriculum designed to meet that objective. A series of five lessons was written specifically for the study. Each lesson included a brief biography of a scientist whose work was of historical significance, and a set of directions for duplicating one or more of the experiments done by that scientist. A thirty-question, Likert scale survey of the attitudes of middle school students toward science and the work of scientists was also written for this study. The survey was administered to two groups of students in a single middle school: One group---the experimental group---subsequently used the science history curriculum; the second (control) group did not. The same attitude survey was readministered to both groups of students after study of the science-history curriculum was completed. The results of the study indicate that there was no statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores of either the experimental or control group students. Further analysis was done to determine whether there were differences between the pretest and posttest scores of boys and girls, or between "regular" or "honors" students. In both cases no statistically significant difference was found.

Factors Affecting Student Success with a Google Earth-Based Earth Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blank, Lisa M.; Almquist, Heather; Estrada, Jen; Crews, Jeff

2016-01-01

This study investigated to what extent the implementation of a Google Earth (GE)-based earth science curriculum increased students' understanding of volcanoes, earthquakes, plate tectonics, scientific reasoning abilities, and science identity. Nine science classrooms participated in the study. In eight of the classrooms, pre- and post-assessments…

An implementation study: An analysis of elementary students' and teachers' attitudes toward science in process-approach vs. traditional science classes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kyle, William C., Jr.; Bonnstetter, Ronald J.; Gadsden, Thomas, Jr.

In 1983, the Richardson Independent School District conducted an internal audit to assess the status of science education. The audit was in anticipation of Texas Administrative Code Chapter 75 which requires an inquiry-oriented, process-approach to the teaching of science. In response to the data, and to national reports advocating a broadening of the science education curriculum to address the needs of all students, the district established a committee to implement and evaluate their new K-6 SCIENCE THROUGH DISCOVERY curriculum. The Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIIS) was adopted as the focal component of the overall curriculum with subsequent, planned innovations to occur in accordance with the Concerns-Based Adoption Model.The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes toward science of students who had completed one year of SCIIS compared to students in non-SCIIS classes. In addition, the attitudes of teachers who received inservice education and who had instructed SCIIS were compared to non-SCIIS teachers. While SCIIS and non-SCIIS teachers possess similar perceptions of science, drastic attitudinal differences were observed between SCIIS and non-SCIIS students. The results indicate that the nature of the curriculum, in conjunction with the necessary implementation support including inservice education, greatly enhances students perceptions of science.

Learning about Teaching the Extracurricular Topic of Nanotechnology as a Vehicle for Achieving a Sustainable Change in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blonder, Ron; Mamlok-Naaman, Rachel

2016-01-01

This study focused on teachers' transfer of a variety of teaching methods from a teaching module on nanotechnology, which is an example of a topic outside the science curriculum, to teaching topics that are part of the chemistry curriculum. Nanotechnology is outside the science curriculum, but it was used in this study as a means to carry out a…

A colorful approach to teaching optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magnani, Nancy J.; Donnelly, Judith

2014-09-01

In a traditional Connecticut elementary school setting, the classroom teacher will teach language arts, social studies and science curriculum. For 5th grade, the science curriculum includes learning about the senses and moon phases, in addition to the fundamentals of light. For art, music and physical education, students are sent to teachers who have certifications in teaching these subjects. In support of the science curriculum, we have traditionally provided workshops to enhance and supplement existing science curriculum. This method of instruction has become a routine. What if we invigorate the curriculum by using visual art to teach science? Will the students achieve a greater understanding of the principals of light? In this paper, we will explore the use of art to enhance the understanding of color and light phenomena.

What Are Critical Features of Science Curriculum Materials That Impact Student and Teacher Outcomes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roblin, Natalie Pareja; Schunn, Christian; McKenney, Susan

2018-01-01

Large investments are made in curriculum materials with the goal of supporting science education reform. However, relatively little evidence is available about what features of curriculum materials really matter to impact student and teacher learning. To address this need, the current study examined curriculum features associated with student and…

Comparing Two Inquiry Professional Development Interventions in Science on Primary Students' Questioning and Other Inquiry Behaviours

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nichols, Kim; Burgh, Gilbert; Kennedy, Callie

2017-02-01

Developing students' skills to pose and respond to questions and actively engage in inquiry behaviours enables students to problem solve and critically engage with learning and society. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of providing teachers with an intervention in inquiry pedagogy alongside inquiry science curriculum in comparison to an intervention in non-inquiry pedagogy alongside inquiry science curriculum on student questioning and other inquiry behaviours. Teacher participants in the comparison condition received training in four inquiry-based science units and in collaborative strategic reading. The experimental group, the community of inquiry (COI) condition, received training in facilitating a COI in addition to training in the same four inquiry-based science units. This study involved 227 students and 18 teachers in 9 primary schools across Brisbane, Australia. The teachers were randomly allocated by school to one of the two conditions. The study followed the students across years 6 and 7 and students' discourse during small group activities was recorded, transcribed and coded for verbal inquiry behaviours. In the second year of the study, students in the COI condition demonstrated a significantly higher frequency of procedural and substantive higher-order thinking questions and other inquiry behaviours than those in the comparison condition. Implementing a COI within an inquiry science curriculum develops students' questioning and science inquiry behaviours and allows teachers to foster inquiry skills predicated by the Australian Science Curriculum. Provision of inquiry science curriculum resources alone is not sufficient to promote the questioning and other verbal inquiry behaviours predicated by the Australian Science Curriculum.

A Longitudinal Assessment of Gifted Students' Learning Using the Integrated Curriculum Model (Icm): Impacts and Perceptions of the William and Mary Language Arts and Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feng, Annie Xuemei; Van Tassel-Baska, Joyce; Quek, Chwee; Bai, Wenyu; O'Neill, Barbara

2005-01-01

This study examines the effects over time of implementing the William and Mary language arts and science curriculum for gifted learners designed around the Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM) in one suburban school district. It also analyzes stakeholders' perceptions of the effectiveness of the curriculum. Findings suggest that gifted student…

Go Ask Alice: Uncovering the Role of a University Partner in an Informal Science Curriculum Support Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker-Doyle, Kira J.

2013-01-01

This article describes a study from the Linking Instructors Networks of Knowledge in Science Education project, which aims to examine the informal science curriculum support networks of teachers in a school-university curriculum reform partnership. We used social network analysis and qualitative methods to reveal characteristics of the informal…

Keeping the Inquiry in Curriculum Designed To Help Students' Conceptual Understanding of Cellular Respiration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Helen L.; Rea-Ramirez, Mary Anne

Most middle school science curriculum has been created to provide superficial treatment of the different subject areas (earth, life, and physical science), and in-depth coverage of very little. The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) criticism of the typical American school curriculum is that it is a "mile wide and an…

Linking Science and Statistics: Curriculum Expectations in Three Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Jane M.

2017-01-01

This paper focuses on the curriculum links between statistics and science that teachers need to understand and apply in order to be effective teachers of the two fields of study. Meaningful statistics does not exist without context and science is the context for this paper. Although curriculum documents differ from country to country, this paper…

History of Science in the Physics Curriculum: A Directed Content Analysis of Historical Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seker, Hayati; Guney, Burcu G.

2012-05-01

Although history of science is a potential resource for instructional materials, teachers do not have a tendency to use historical materials in their lessons. Studies showed that instructional materials should be adaptable and consistent with curriculum. This study purports to examine the alignment between history of science and the curriculum in the light of the facilitator model on the use of history of science in science teaching, and to expose possible difficulties in preparing historical materials. For this purpose, qualitative content analysis method was employed. Codes and themes were defined beforehand, with respect to levels and their sublevels of the model. The analysis revealed several problems with the alignment of historical sources for the physics curriculum: limited information about scientists' personal lives, the difficulty of linking with content knowledge, the lack of emphasis on scientific process in the physics curriculum, differences between chronology and sequence of topics, the lack of information about scientists' reasoning. Based on the findings of the analysis, it would be difficult to use original historical sources; educators were needed to simplify historical knowledge within a pedagogical perspective. There is a need for historical sources, like Harvard Case Histories in Experimental Science, since appropriate historical information to the curriculum objectives can only be obtained by simplifying complex information at the origin. The curriculum should leave opportunities for educators interested in history of science, even historical sources provides legitimate amount of information for every concepts in the curriculum.

Georgia science curriculum alignment and accountability: A blueprint for student success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reining-Gray, Kimberly M.

Current trends and legislation in education indicate an increased dependency on standardized test results as a measure for learner success. This study analyzed test data in an effort to assess the impact of curriculum alignment on learner success as well as teacher perceptions of the changes in classroom instruction due to curriculum alignment. Qualitative and quantitative design methods were used to determine the impact of science curriculum alignment in grades 9-12. To determine the impact of science curriculum alignment from the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) to the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) test data and teacher opinion surveys from one Georgia School system were examined. Standardized test scores before and after curriculum alignment were analyzed as well as teacher perception survey data regarding the impact of curriculum change. A quantitative teacher perception survey was administered to science teachers in the school system to identify significant changes in teacher perceptions or teaching strategies following curriculum realignment. Responses to the survey were assigned Likert scale values for analysis purposes. Selected teachers were also interviewed using panel-approved questions to further determine teacher opinions of curriculum realignment and the impact on student success and teaching strategies. Results of this study indicate significant changes related to curriculum alignment. Teachers reported a positive change in teaching strategies and instructional delivery as a result of curriculum alignment and implementation. Student scores also showed improvement, but more research is recommended in this area.

An instructional package integrating science and social studies instruction at the fifth-grade level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hulley, Kathy Louise Sullivan

Integrative education is being implemented by classroom teachers who want to immerse students in an environment rich in problem-solving skills, critical analysis skills, ethics, valuing of knowledge, and communication of learning. Several subject areas in the curriculum have been integrated, such as literature with social studies and mathematics with science. The focus of this dissertation is on the integration of science and social studies at the fifth grade level using the Mississippi State Department of Education Curriculum Guidelines and Objectives (MSDE, 1995) and the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council (NRC), 1996). An instructional package of lesson plans that teachers can use as ideas to create their own plans for an integrated curriculum of science and social studies was devised. The Mississippi State Department of Education Curriculum Guidelines and Objectives for Social Studies (MSDE, 1995) at the fifth grade level contain fifteen competencies. Three standards from the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996) were chosen. They include (a) science and technology, (b) science in personal and social perspectives, and (c) the history and nature of science. Each competency for social studies has three lesson plans written that integrate the three chosen standards from the National Science Education Standards. A total of forty-five lesson plans were written integrating science and social studies. Each lesson plan includes an objective, materials, procedures, and evaluation for teachers. Teachers are encouraged to use the lesson plans as a guide in creating their own lesson plans that would correspond to their school's particular curriculum guidelines. Consideration should be given to the learning levels and styles of their classroom. This qualitative study was done to create lesson plans that integrate science and social studies with the hope that teachers will expand upon them and implement them into their curricula.

Into the Curriculum. Music/Art/Reading/Language Arts: Can You Guess the Animal? [and] Science: The Ocean [and] Science: Biome and Animal Unit [and] Social Studies: How Many Forms of Transportation Can You Find?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritz-Salminen, Dianne; Ely, Patricia; Asire, Marty

2000-01-01

Presents four fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in music and art, reading and language arts, science, and social studies. Each activity identifies library media skills objectives, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, librarian and teacher instructional roles, procedures,…

Implementing Curriculum Evaluation: Case Study of a Generic Undergraduate Degree in Health Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Lynne; Driscoll, Peter; Lewis, Melinda; Matthews, Lynda; Russell, Cherry; Cumming, Steven

2010-01-01

This case study presents a longitudinal, evidence-based approach to health science curriculum reform and evaluation. Curriculum in higher education must meet the needs of diverse stakeholders and must respond to dynamic local, national and international contexts, and this creates challenges for evaluation. The long lead time prior to the…

A behavioral science/behavioral medicine core curriculum proposal for Japanese undergraduate medical education.

PubMed

Tsutsumi, Akizumi

2015-01-01

Behavioral science and behavioral medicine have not been systematically taught to Japanese undergraduate medical students. A working group under the auspices of Japanese Society of Behavioral Medicine developed an outcome-oriented curriculum of behavioral science/behavioral medicine through three processes: identifying the curriculum contents, holding a joint symposium with related societies, and defining outcomes and proposing a learning module. The behavioral science/behavioral medicine core curriculum consists of 11 units of lectures and four units of practical study. The working group plans to improve the current core curriculum by devising formative assessment methods so that students can learn and acquire attitude as well as the skills and knowledge necessary for student-centered clinical practice.

Pairing New Science Curriculum with Professional Learning Increases Student Achievement. Lessons from Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killion, Joellen

2016-01-01

A randomized trial study, conducted over two school years in 18 high schools in Washington, finds that "An Inquiry Approach," a three-year, educative curriculum for high school science, has a positive impact on student achievement, teacher practice, and fidelity of implementation of the curriculum when the curriculum is paired with…

Teacher talk about science: An examination of the constructed understanding of science held by four elementary school teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Robert John

The elementary school teacher's personal understanding of science has not been a primary focus of consideration in educational reform discussions. This study examines how four elementary school teachers have constructed their personal understanding of science. The purpose of this study is to explore core understandings about science held by these teachers, and to examine the origins of these ideas. This study assumes that a teacher's understanding of science is unique and constructed on personal experiences affected by influences. This study further explores the relationship of the teachers understanding to the school's stated curriculum. The theoretical framework of this research recognizes three guiding assumptions: science exists as a set of ideas that have developed over time through competing discourses; the teacher plays an important role in the implementation of the science curriculum; and the guiding influences of a teacher's understanding of science are associated with power that emerges from discourse. The methodology in this qualitative study is closely associated with narrative inquiry. Data collection methods include a questionnaire, focus group sessions, and individual interviews. Teachers' stories were collected through collaborative interview opportunities between the researcher and the participants. The findings are presented through the narratives of the four teachers, and are organized through the guiding influences, and talk related to the stated science curriculum. The teachers' talk can be categorized by three broad guiding influences: family, education, and an image of science. The talk related to the stated curriculum illustrates both conflicts, and a relationship between the teachers' understanding of science and the curriculum. The finding of this study provides evidence that each teacher's understanding of science is unique and developed over time. Additionally, this understanding plays a role in how the stated curriculum is discussed and understood. This investigation recommends that teachers' personal understanding of science, as revealed through narrative inquiry, becomes a focus in developing new educational opportunities for elementary school teachers. This study further recommends challenging a hegemony related to positivism that exists in science curricula, and the addition of the valued voice of elementary teachers to the discourse of science education.

The effects of an integrated Algebra 1/physical science curriculum on student achievement in Algebra 1, proportional reasoning and graphing abilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrence, Lettie Carol

1997-08-01

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if an integrated curriculum in algebra 1/physical science facilitates acquisition of proportional reasoning and graphing abilities better than a non-integrated, traditional, algebra 1 curriculum. Also, this study was to ascertain if the integrated algebra 1/physical science curriculum resulted in greater student achievement in algebra 1. The curriculum used in the experimental class was SAM 9 (Science and Mathematics 9), an investigation-based curriculum that was written to integrate physical science and basic algebra content. The experiment was conducted over one school year. The subjects in the study were 61 ninth grade students. The experimental group consisted of one class taught concurrently by a mathematics teacher and a physical science teacher. The control group consisted of three classes of algebra 1 students taught by one mathematics teacher and taking physical science with other teachers in the school who were not participating in the SAM 9 program. This study utilized a quasi-experimental non-randomized control group pretest-posttest design. The investigator obtained end-of-algebra 1 scores from student records. The written open-ended graphing instruments and the proportional reasoning instrument were administered to both groups as pretests and posttests. The graphing instruments were also administered as a midtest. A two sample t-test for independent means was used to determine significant differences in achievement on the end-of-course algebra 1 test. Quantitative data from the proportional reasoning and graphing instruments were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance to determine differences in scores over time for the experimental and control groups. The findings indicate no significant difference between the experimental and control groups on the end-of-course algebra 1 test. Results also indicate no significant differences in proportional reasoning and graphing abilities between the two groups over time. However, all subjects (experimental and control groups) made significant improvement in graphing abilities over one school year. In this study, students participating in an investigation-based curriculum integrating algebra 1 and physical science performed as well on the instruments as the students in the traditional curriculum. Therefore, an argument can be made that instruction using an integrated curriculum (algebra l/physical science) is a viable alternative to instruction using a more traditional algebra 1 curriculum. Finally, the integrated curriculum adheres to the constructivist theoretical perspective (Krupnik-Gotlieb, 1995) and is more consistent with recommendations in the NCTM Standards (1992) than the traditional curriculum.

Science K-12, Living Things in Continuous Change. Utica City School District Articulated Curriculum: Project SEARCH, 1975.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utica City School District, NY.

Two-column objectives are listed for an integrated science curriculum (grades K-12), often subheaded according to science area (biology, general science, physical science, earth science) and grade level. In grades K-6, objectives for topics of science study include conditions for plants and animals to live, adaptation, conservation,…

Elementary School Teachers as "Targets and Agents of Change": Teachers' Learning in Interaction with Reform Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metz, Kathleen E.

2009-01-01

This article examines teachers' perspectives on the challenges of using a science reform curriculum, as well as their learning in interaction with the curriculum and parallel professional development program. As case studies, I selected 4 veteran teachers of 2nd or 3rd grade, with varying science backgrounds (including 2 with essentially none).…

Investigating the Transition Process when Moving from a Spiral Curriculum Alignment into a Field-Focus Science Curriculum Alignment in Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alwardt, Randi Kay

2011-01-01

This investigation examined the transition from a spiral science curriculum to a field-focus science curriculum in middle school. A spiral science curriculum focuses on a small part of each field of science during each middle school year, more of a general science concept. In contrast to that, the base of a field-focus curriculum is that each…

Media Literacy Ignored: A Qualitative Call for the Introduction of Media Studies Across the High School Social Science Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sneed, Don; And Others

Noting that America is behind several countries in media studies and that efforts to introduce systematic study and use of media in the curriculum has been sporadic, this paper calls for the introduction of media studies in the social science curriculum of American high schools. Two projects are examined as possible means of helping spread media…

The influence of secondary science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge, educational beliefs and perceptions of the curriculum on implementation and science reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonner, Portia Selene

2001-07-01

Science education reform is one of the focal points of restructuring the educational system in the United States. However, research indicates a slow change in progression towards science literacy among secondary students. One of the factors contributing to slow change is how teachers implement the curriculum in the classroom. Three constructs are believed to be influential in curriculum implementation: educational beliefs, pedagogical knowledge and perception of the curriculum. Earlier research suggests that there is a strong correlation between teachers' educational beliefs and instructional practices. These beliefs can be predictors of preferred strategies employed in the classroom. Secondly, teachers' pedagogical knowledge, that is the ability to apply theory and appropriate strategies associated with implementing and evaluating a curriculum, contributes to implementation. Thirdly, perception or how the curriculum itself is perceived also effects implementation. Each of these constructs has been examined independently, but never the interplay of the three. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the interplay of teachers' educational beliefs, pedagogical content knowledge and perceptions of a science curriculum with respect to how these influence curriculum implementation. This was accomplished by investigating the emerging themes that evolved from classroom observations, transcripts from interview and supplementary data. Five high school biology teachers in an urban school system were observed for ten months for correspondence of teaching strategies to the curriculum. Teachers were interviewed formally and informally about their perceptions of science teaching, learning and the curriculum. Supplementary material such as lesson plans, course syllabus and notes from classroom observations were collected and analyzed. Data were transcribed and analyzed for recurring themes using a thematic matrix. A theoretical model was developed from the emerging themes and sub-themes that attempts to explain how teachers begin with an intended curriculum but digress to the actual curriculum. The results of this study were consistent with previous research on teachers' beliefs and pedagogy but also revealed a new model to explain the interaction of the three constructs. Each instructor held individual beliefs about science, science teaching and pedagogy. However, there was some commonality with teachers' beliefs, pedagogy and perceptions that impacted the implementation of the curriculum. It is the interplay of teachers' educational beliefs, pedagogical content knowledge and perceptions of the curriculum that determines what is taught and instructional strategies used to teach a concept.

Policy Networks and Boundary Objects: Enacting Curriculum Reform in the Absence of Consensus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banner, Indira; Donnelly, Jim; Ryder, Jim

2012-01-01

This article uses the concept of "boundary object", first developed within science studies by Star and Griesemer, to analyse curriculum policy implementation. It employs as a vehicle a significant but contested reform of the science curriculum in schools in England from 2006 onwards, drawing empirically on an extended study of the…

Turkana Children's Sociocultural Practices of Pastoralist Lifestyles and Science Curriculum and Instruction in Kenyan Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng'asike, John Teria

2010-01-01

This dissertation discusses the findings of an ethnographic exploratory study of Turkana nomadic pastoralist children's sociocultural practices of their everyday lifestyles and science curriculum and instruction in Kenyan early childhood curriculum. The study uses the findings from Turkana elders to challenge the dominant society in Kenya that…

Achieving a coherent curriculum in second grade: Science as the organizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park Rogers, Meredith A.

The purpose of this study was to examine how a team of four second grade teachers used their approach to teaching science as a means for designing and implementing a coherent curriculum. Within this study, curriculum coherency refers to making logical instructional connections that are both visible and explicit for students. A teacher using a common teaching strategy or critical thinking skills in such a way that the commonalities between subject areas are clearly demonstrated to students is one example of curriculum coherency. The research framework guiding this study was phenomenology; I used a case study method for data analysis. The primary data source was field notes gathered during 10 weeks of classroom observations. Secondary data sources included observations of team meetings, two sets of interviews with each of the four teachers, an interview with the school principal, and artifacts used and developed by the teachers. An analysis of the data led me to interpret the following findings: (1) the teachers viewed science as a tool to motivate their students to learn and believed in teaching science through an inquiry-based approach; (2) they described science inquiry as a process of thinking organized around questions, and saw their teaching role as shifting between guided and open classroom inquiry; (3) they taught all subjects using an inquiry-based approach, emphasized the process skills associated with doing scientific inquiry, and consistently used the language of the process skills throughout their instruction of all disciplines; (4) their team's collaborative approach played a significant role in achieving their vision of a coherent curriculum; the successfulness of their collaboration relied on the unique contributions of each member and her commitment to professional development. This study demonstrates how an inquiry-based science curriculum can provide educators with an effective model for designing and implementing a coherent curriculum. Furthermore, the findings have implications for elementary preservice and inservice programs with respect to using science teaching as a foundation for developing curriculum coherency.

Chemical Science and Technology II. A Study Guide of the Science and Engineering Technician Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballinger, Jack T.; Wolf, Lawrence J.

This study guide is part of a program of studies entitled the Science and Engineering Technician (SET) Curriculum developed to provide a framework for training technicians in the use of electronic instruments and their applications. This interdisciplinary course of study integrates elements from the disciplines of chemistry, physics, mathematics,…

Science Textbooks in the Context of Political Reform in South Africa: Implications for Access to Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Whitfield; Naidoo, Devika

2008-01-01

The post-apartheid National Physical Science Curriculum was implemented for the first time in South Africa in grade 10 during 2006. A variety of new textbooks for grade 10 have been published. This study was a comparative analysis of three popular textbooks, one prepared to support the previous curriculum, and two prepared for the new curriculum.…

Examining the Features of Earth Science Logical Reasoning and Authentic Scientific Inquiry Demonstrated in a High School Earth Science Curriculum: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Do-Yong; Park, Mira

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the inquiry features demonstrated in the inquiry tasks of a high school Earth Science curriculum. One of the most widely used curricula, Holt Earth Science, was chosen for this case study to examine how Earth Science logical reasoning and authentic scientific inquiry were related to one another and how…

An Analysis of the Learning Activities Covered in the 5th Grade Science Textbooks Based on 2005 and 2013 Turkish Science Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydogdu, Cemil; Idin, Sahin

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to analyze the learning activities covered in 5th grade elementary science textbooks which depend on 2005 and 2013 elementary science curricula. Two elementary science textbooks [which] depend on 2005 science curriculum and two elementary science textbooks [which] depend on 2013 science curriculum were researched. The…

Improving the Science Curriculum with Bioethics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundmark, Cathy

2002-01-01

Explains the importance of integrating bioethics into the science curriculum for student learning. Introduces a workshop designed for middle and high school science teachers teaching bioethics, its application to case studies, and how teachers can fit bioethics into their classroom. (YDS)

Into the Curriculum. Art: A Path to Monet--Following in Linnea's Footsteps [and] Reading/Language Arts: Legends about Humanity's Acquisition of Fire [and] Reading/Language Arts: Analytical Book Reviews [and] Science/Art: Build a Beautiful Butterfly [and] Science: Life Processes of Plants [and] Social Studies: Community Helpers: Fire Fighters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultis, Cathy; Troisi, Andrea; Vidor, Constance; Rostek, Andrea; Linsky, Melissa Carruthers

1998-01-01

Presents six curriculum guides for art, language arts, reading, science, and social studies. Each activity identifies library media skills objectives, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, librarian and teacher instructional roles, activity and procedures for completion, activity samples, guidelines for evaluating finished activities,…

Into the Curriculum. Reading/Language Arts: Three Little Kittens and the Lost Mittens; Reading/Language Arts: A Caldecott Archaeological Dig; Science: Discovering the Periodic Table of Elements; Science: The Red-Eyed Tree Frog Jumps into Nonfiction; Social Studies: Our Nation's Beginnings-Jamestown and Plymouth Settlements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherry, Carolyn; Louk, Cathy; Barwick, Martha; Kidd, Gentry E.

2001-01-01

Provides five fully developed school library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in reading/language arts, science, and social studies. Library media skills objectives, curriculum (subject area) objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activity and procedures for completion, evaluation, and…

Into the Curriculum. Reading/Language Arts: I Need a Hero/Heroine [and] Reading/Language Arts: Is It Real? Or Did I Make It Up? Comparing and Contrasting Nonfictional and Fantasy Creatures [and] Science/Language Arts: "Jumanji" in the Solar System [and] Science: A Change of Seasons [and] Social Studies: Women Who Changed America: 1800s [and] Social Studies: Discovering the "Titanic."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Jill; And Others

1997-01-01

Presents six curriculum guides for reading, language arts, science, and social studies. Each activity identifies library media skills objectives, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, librarian and teacher instructional roles, activity and procedures for completion, activity samples, guidelines for evaluating finished activities, and…

Into the Curriculum. Reading/Language Arts: Hans Christian Andersen [and] Science: Bat Research [and] Science: The Library Media Center Rocks! An Introduction to Rocks, Minerals, and Gemstones [and] Social Studies: Ticket to the Olympics: Exploring Sydney and the 2000 Summer Games [and] Social Studies/Music: Sounds of the Election: Presidential Campaign Songs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Germain, Claudia; Mayo, Jeanne B.; Hart, Lisa

2000-01-01

Provides five fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in reading and language arts, science, social studies, and music. Library media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, procedures, evaluation, and follow-up are described for each activity. (LRW)

A self-study of designing and implementing an inquiry-based chemistry course for elementary education majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, Teresa

2011-12-01

This self-study examines my experiences with implementing an inquiry-based version of a chemistry course (Chemistry 299) designed for elementary education majors. The inquiry-based curriculum design and teaching strategies that I implement in Chemistry 299 is the focus of this study. Since my previous education and professional experiences were in the physical sciences, I position myself in this study as a scientist who engages in self-study as a form of professional development for the purpose of developing an inquiry-based curriculum and instructional practices. My research provides an inside perspective of the curriculum development process. This process involves implementing the inquiry-oriented ideas and knowledge I acquired in my graduate studies to design the curriculum and influence my teaching practice. My analysis of the curriculum and my instruction is guided by two questions: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the inquiry-based Chemistry 299 curriculum design? What does the process of developing my inquiry-based teaching practice entail and what makes is challenging? Schwab's (1973) The Practical 3: Translation into Curriculum serves as the theoretical framework for this study because of the emphasis Schwab places on combining theoretical and practical knowledge in the curriculum development process and because of the way he characterizes the curriculum. The findings in this study are separated into curriculum and instruction domains. First, the Chemistry 299 curriculum was designed to make the epistemological practices of scientists "accessible" to students by emphasizing epistemic development with respect to their ideas about scientific inquiry and science learning. Using student learning as a gauge for progress, I identify specific design elements that developed transferable inquiry skills as a means to support scientific literacy and pre-service teacher education. Second, the instruction-related findings built upon the insight I gained through my analysis of the curriculum. The data reveals four areas of inner conflict I dealt with throughout the study that related to underlying beliefs I held about science teaching and learning. The implications of the study position the Chemistry 299 curriculum in the field and speak to issues related to developing science courses for elementary education majors and professional development for scientists.

Foundational Approaches in Science Teaching (FAST)--A Structured "Inquiry" Oriented Junior Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dekkers, John; Rouse, Fae

1977-01-01

Provides a detailed description of the three-year Foundational Approaches in Science Education curriculum developed at the University of Hawaii. The program utilizes a spiral approach with topics in ecology, physical science and relational study. Sample units and implementation suggestions are provided. (CP)

Children's Literature and the Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ediger, Marlow

2010-01-01

A quality children's literature program needs to be correlated with ongoing science lessons and units of study. It can enhance and enrich the science curriculum. Pupils tend to enjoy reading library books and the the literature may assist pupils to explore topics in greater depth. In addition to science experiments, demonstrations, and…

The Science behind Curriculum Development and Evaluation: Taking a Design Science Approach in the Production of a Tier 2 Mathematics Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doabler, Christian T.; Clarke, Ben; Fien, Hank; Baker, Scott K.; Kosty, Derek B.; Cary, Mari Strand

2015-01-01

The production of an effective mathematics curriculum begins with a scientific development, evaluation, and revision framework. The purpose of this study was to conduct an initial investigation of a recently developed Tier 2 mathematics curriculum designed to improve the outcomes of first grade students at risk for mathematics difficulties (MD).…

Revision of Primary I-III Science Curriculum in Somalia. African Studies in Curriculum Development & Evaluation No. 83.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdi, Ahmed Ali

This study was designed to evaluate: (1) the content of the primary I-III science curriculum in Somalia; (2) the instructional materials that back up the content and methodologies; and (3) the professional competence of the teachers in charge of teaching this subject. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire, observations, and unstructured…

Champions or Helpers: Leadership in Curriculum Reform in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Elizabeth D.; Bird, Fiona L.; Fyffe, Jeanette; Yench, Emma

2012-01-01

This study describes the perceptions of embedded teaching and learning leadership teams working on curriculum reform in science teaching departments. The teams combined a formally recognised leader, School Director of Learning and Teaching, with a project-based, more junior academic, Curriculum Fellow, to better leverage support for curriculum…

Experiencing the Implementation of New Inquiry Science Curricula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ower, Peter S.

Using a phenomenological methodology, a cohort of four experienced science teachers was interviewed about their experience transitioning from traditional, teacher and fact-centered science curricula to inquiry-based curricula. Each teacher participated in two interviews that focused on their teaching backgrounds, their experience teaching the prior traditional curriculum, and their experience teaching the new inquiry-based curriculum. The findings are presented as a narrative of each teachers' experience with the new curriculum implementation. Analyzing the data revealed four key themes. 1) The teachers felt trapped by the old curriculum as it did not align with their positive views of teaching science through inquiry. 2) The teachers found a way to fit their beliefs and values into the old and new curriculum. This required changes to the curriculum. 3) The teachers attempted to make the science curriculum as meaningful as possible for their students. 4) The teachers experienced a balancing act between their beliefs and values and the various aspects of the curriculum. The revealed essence of the curriculum transition is one of freedom and reconciliation of their beliefs. The teachers experienced the implementation of the new curriculum as a way to ensure their values and beliefs of science education were embedded therein. They treated the new curriculum as a malleable structure to impart their grander ideas of science education (e.g. providing important skills for future careers, creating a sense of wonder, future problem solving) to the students. Their changes were aligned with the philosophy of the curriculum kits they were implementing. Thus, the fidelity of the curriculum's philosophy was not at risk even though the curriculum kits were not taught as written. This study showed that phenomenological methods are able to reveal the relationship between a teacher's prior experiences, values and beliefs and their current instructional philosophy in science education. An analytical diagram was developed based on this relationship and the teachers' experiences moving from a traditional to a new inquiry curricula. The diagram suggests a transition from feeling trapped in an existing curriculum that is inconsistent with teacher values to finding a fit and balance in a new curriculum that provides a better though not perfect fit. This diagram can serve as a guide for how to design future, ongoing professional development to ensure the success of an inquiry curriculum designed to replace a more traditional one and may be applicable to other teachers.

Factors Impacting on Teachers' Job Satisfaction Related to Science Teaching: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, S.; Mustafa, M.

2015-01-01

Science teachers' job satisfaction is identified as a major factor that affects the quality of a science program. This research investigated to what extent a science program supports science teachers in terms of curriculum materials or extracurricular activities. It also examined the relationships among schools' curriculum support, the number of…

Snow snakes and science agency: Empowering American Indian students through a culturally-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Brant Gregory

Mainstream curricula have struggled to provide American Indian students with meaningful learning experiences. This research project studied a novel approach to engaging students with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content through a culturally-based context. The traditional American Indian game of Snow Snakes (shushumeg in Ojibwe) presented a highly engaging context for delivering STEM content. Through the engaging context of snow snakes, the designed STEM curriculum explicitly applied mathematics (scaling and data), and science (force and motion) to an engineering prototype iteration that used available materials and tools (technology) for success. It was hypothesized that by engaging students through the carefully integrated STEM curriculum, driven by the culturally based context of snow snakes, students would exhibit an increase in science agency and achievement. The overarching research question explored for this study was: How does a culturally-based and integrated STEM curriculum impact student's science agency? Associated sub-questions were: (1) What does science agency look like for 6th grade students? (2) What key experiences are involved in the development of science agency through a culturally-based STEM curriculum context? And (3) What are the impacts on the community associated with the implementation of a culturally-based STEM curriculum? A case study research design was implemented for this research. Yin (2003) defines a case study as investigating a phenomenon (e.g. science agency) which occurs within authentic contexts (e.g. snow snakes, Adventure Learning, and Eagle Soaring School) especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are unclear. For this case study Eagle Soaring School acted as the bounded case with students from the 6th grade class representing the embedded units. Science agency was the theoretical framework for data analysis. Major findings were categorized as science and STEM learning, agency, and community impact. Concerning agency, students displayed science agency through: connecting snow snake experiences to outside contexts; students emerging as leaders; and students commanding a facility with science. This research lays the foundation for future inquiry into the development of science agency in students using culturally-based contexts.

Biomedical Engineering and Cognitive Science Secondary Science Curriculum Development: A Three Year Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Stacy S.; Sherwood, Robert D.

2005-01-01

This study reports on a multi-year effort to create and evaluate cognitive-based curricular materials for secondary school science classrooms. A team of secondary teachers, educational researchers, and academic biomedical engineers developed a series of curriculum units that are based in biomedical engineering for secondary level students in…

Conditions and Decisions of Urban Elementary Teachers Regarding Instruction of STEM Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Erica L.; Parker, Carolyn A.; McKinney, David; Grigg, Jeffrey

2018-01-01

The study was situated in a National Science Foundation supported Math Science Partnership between a private university and an urban school district. This study sought to understand the decision-making process of elementary teachers as they implement an integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum in their…

The Influence of Undergraduate Science Curriculum Reform on Students' Perceptions of Their Quantitative Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Kelly E.; Adams, Peter; Goos, Merrilyn

2015-01-01

In this study, the Science Student Skills Inventory was used to gain understanding of student perceptions about their quantitative skills and compare perceptions of cohorts graduating before and after the implementation of a new science curriculum intent on developing quantitative skills. The study involved 600 responses from final-year…

Teacher change and professional development: A case study of teachers engaged in an innovative constructivist science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akura, Okong'o. Gabriel

This study examined both the changes that elementary school teachers experienced when they implemented a reform-based science curriculum and the impact of professional development on this transformation. The research involved a case study of three purposefully selected teachers implementing the Linking Food and the Environment (LIFE) program during the 2002--2003 school year. The LIFE program is a curriculum designed to enhance science literacy among learners from high poverty urban environments. While the study was grounded in the tradition of critical theory (Carspecken, 1996), the theoretical perspective of hermeneutic phenomenology (van Manen, 1990) guided data collection and analysis. Extensive observations of the teachers were made in order to capture and record the teacher change phenomenon. Data were recorded by means of field notes, audio and videotapes, semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and video Stimulated Recall (SR) interviews. Emerging themes relating to teacher change, knowledge interests, constructivist pedagogy, and professional development illustrated how teachers grapple with various aspects of implementing a reform-based science curriculum. The teachers in this study were similar to those in earlier investigations, which found that sustained professional development programs involving mentoring and constant reflection enable elementary science teachers to change their instructional strategies from the technical-realist orientation towards the practical-hermeneutic and emancipatory-liberatory orientations. The study has implications for science curriculum developers and designers of professional development programs.

Food-based Science Curriculum Increases 4th Graders Multidisciplinary Science Knowledge

PubMed Central

Hovland, Jana A.; Carraway-Stage, Virginia G.; Cela, Artenida; Collins, Caitlin; Díaz, Sebastián R.; Collins, Angelo; Duffrin, Melani W.

2013-01-01

Health professionals and policymakers are asking educators to place more emphasis on food and nutrition education. Integrating these topics into science curricula using hand-on, food-based activities may strengthen students’ understanding of science concepts. The Food, Math, and Science Teaching Enhancement Resource (FoodMASTER) Initiative is a compilation of programs aimed at using food as a tool to teach mathematics and science. Previous studies have shown that students experiencing the FoodMASTER curriculum were very excited about the activities, became increasingly interested in the subject matter of food, and were able to conduct scientific observations. The purpose of this study was to: 1) assess 4th graders food-related multidisciplinary science knowledge, and 2) compare gains in food-related science knowledge after implementation of an integrated, food-based curriculum. During the 2009–2010 school year, FoodMASTER researchers implemented a hands-on, food-based intermediate curriculum in eighteen 4th grade classrooms in Ohio (n=9) and North Carolina (n=9). Sixteen classrooms in Ohio (n=8) and North Carolina (n=8), following their standard science curricula, served as comparison classrooms. Students completed a researcher-developed science knowledge exam, consisting of 13 multiple-choice questions administered pre- and post-test. Only subjects with pre- and post-test scores were entered into the sample (Intervention n=343; Control n=237). No significant differences were observed between groups at pre-test. At post-test, the intervention group scored (9.95±2.00) significantly higher (p=.000) than the control group (8.84±2.37) on a 13-point scale. These findings suggest the FoodMASTER intermediate curriculum is more effective than a standard science curriculum in increasing students’ multidisciplinary science knowledge related to food. PMID:25152539

Exploring the value and role of integrated supportive science courses in the reformed medical curriculum iMED: a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Eisenbarth, Sophie; Tilling, Thomas; Lueerss, Eva; Meyer, Jelka; Sehner, Susanne; Guse, Andreas H; Guse Nee Kurré, Jennifer

2016-04-29

Heterogeneous basic science knowledge of medical students is an important challenge for medical education. In this study, the authors aimed at exploring the value and role of integrated supportive science (ISS) courses as a novel approach to address this challenge and to promote learning basic science concepts in medical education. ISS courses were embedded in a reformed medical curriculum. The authors used a mixed methods approach including four focus groups involving ISS course lecturers and students (two each), and five surveys of one student cohort covering the results of regular student evaluations including the ISS courses across one study year. They conducted their study at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf between December 2013 and July 2014. Fourteen first-year medical students and thirteen ISS course lecturers participated in the focus groups. The authors identified several themes focused on the temporal integration of ISS courses into the medical curriculum, the integration of ISS course contents into core curriculum contents, the value and role of ISS courses, and the courses' setting and atmosphere. The integrated course concept was positively accepted by both groups, with participants suggesting that it promotes retention of basic science knowledge. Values and roles identified by focus group participants included promotion of basic understanding of science concepts, integration of foundational and applied learning, and maximization of students' engagement and motivation. Building close links between ISS course contents and the core curriculum appeared to be crucial. Survey results confirmed qualitative findings regarding students' satisfaction, with some courses still requiring optimization. Integration of supportive basic science courses, traditionally rather part of premedical education, into the medical curriculum appears to be a feasible strategy to improve medical students' understanding of basic science concepts and to increase their motivation and engagement.

ELEMENTARY SCIENCE OUTLINE, A GUIDE TO SUGGESTED CURRICULUM PRACTICES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCIENCE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

KARTSOTIS, A. THOMAS; MESSERSCHMIDT, RALPH M.

THE COMMITTEE ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCIENCE OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SCHOOL STUDY COUNCIL REPORTS THEIR WORK ON SUGGESTED CURRICULUM FOR GRADES 1-6. THE BELIEF IS THAT SCIENCE IS A MAJOR STUDY AREA IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO ALL PUPILS IN A PLANNED LEARNING SEQUENCE, WITH DUE CONSIDERATION BEING GIVEN TO THE MATURITY OF THE CHILD.…

Family and Consumer Sciences Technology-Life-Careers Core Curriculum. A Curriculum Guide. A Family and Consumer Sciences Education Course of Study for Grades 6-7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utah State Office of Education, Salt Lake City.

This curriculum, part of a coordinated exploratory vocational core program, is an activity-oriented instructional course that enables students in grades 6-7 to explore careers and skills related to consumer and occupational roles. The curriculum consists of five units: (1) independent living skills; (2) families; (3) child care; (4) textiles…

The Impact of Science Integrated Curriculum Supplements on Early Childhood Teachers' Attitudes and Beliefs towards Science while In-Service: A Multiple Case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Kellian L.

Science at the early childhood level has been rarely taught as a single subject or integrated into the curriculum. One reason why early childhood educators avoid teaching science are their attitudes, beliefs, and lack of understanding scientific concepts as presented in traditional science curriculums. The intervention used by researchers for improving beliefs and attitudes in K-6 pre-service teachers towards teaching science in early childhood has been science method courses. For in service teachers, the intervention has been professional development workshops, seminars, and symposiums. Though these interventions have had a positive impact on teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward teaching science, the interventions have not necessarily guaranteed more science being taught in the preschool classroom. The specific problem investigated for this study was how to improve the interventions designed to improve preschool teachers' attitudes and beliefs so that they would feel more confident in teaching science to young children. The purpose of this study was to examine how implementing a one-week science integrated curriculum supplement could be an effective tool for improving preschool teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward teaching science. This study utilized the qualitative multiple case study research method. A logical model was created based on negative teacher attitudes and beliefs attributes that were the core components of the Preschool Teachers' Attitudes and Beliefs toward Science teaching (P-TABS) questionnaire. The negative attributes were paired with positive interventions and encapsulated in a one-week science integrated curriculum supplement based on the factors of teacher comfort, child benefit and challenges. The primary source of evidence for this study was the semi-structured interview. The researcher contacted 24 early childhood facilities, 44 emails were sent to preschool teachers, four teachers agreed to participate in the study. The results of the study showed that the teachers responded positively to the one-week science integrated curriculum supplement interventions. The researcher recommends eliminating the distinction between the intervention and the outcome via research methods that lead to desired outcomes, moving towards greater integration of subject domains through the pedagogical approach of dialogic reading and kinesthetic intelligence and the production of children's picture books written with purposeful academic intent.

Science Curriculum Guide, Level 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newark School District, DE.

The fourth of four levels in a K-12 science curriculum is outlined. In Level 4 (grades 9-12), science areas include earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics. Six major themes provide the basis for study in all levels (K-12). These are: Change, Continuity, Diversity, Interaction, Limitation, and Organization. In Level 4, all six themes are…

The National Curriculum: A Study to Compare Levels of Attainment with Data from APU Science Surveys (1980-4).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, R. M.

1990-01-01

Compared are the levels of attainment for the Science in the National Curriculum assessment in Great Britain in 1989 and the performance of students on the application of science concepts part of the Assessment of Performance Unit-Science carried out in 1980-84. (KR)

Examining Differences in Middle School Student Achievement on a Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rich, Jamie; Duncan, Dennis W.; Navarro, Maria; Ricketts, John C.

2009-01-01

Many authors have posited that agricultural education curriculum in middle schools may enhance student performance in science. To determine the effect that agricultural education curriculum has upon Georgia middle schools' student performance in science, this descriptive study compared science knowledge among middle school students in Georgia who…

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…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kulo, Violet; Bodzin, Alec

2013-01-01

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…

Supporting Kindergartners' Science Talk in the Context of an Integrated Science and Disciplinary Literacy Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Tanya S.; Gotwals, Amelia Wenk

2017-01-01

Given the growing evidence of limited attention to science, disciplinary literacy, and oral language in elementary classrooms serving low-income children, this study focused on designing and testing an integrated science and disciplinary language and literacy curriculum aligned with NGSS and CCSS ELA standards for kindergarten. We used…

In the Curriculum. Health: Mental Agility and Memory; Reading/Language Arts: The Writer/Reader Connection; Science: Stars.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Alice A.

2003-01-01

Provides six library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in health, science, language arts, and social studies. Each activity identifies library media skills and curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, procedures, evaluation guidelines, and follow-up activities. (AEF)

An Exploration of the Potential Impact of the Integrated Experiential Learning Curriculum in Beijing, China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Danhui; Campbell, Todd

2012-01-01

This study examines the effectiveness of the Integrated Experiential Learning Curriculum (IELC) in China. This curriculum was developed to engage Chinese elementary students in science to cultivate a scientifically literate society by focusing science instruction on practical applications of scientific knowledge. Cornerstones of the approach…

Mentoring BUGS: An Integrated Science and Technology Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrell, Pamela Esprivalo; Walker, Michelle; Hildreth, Bertina; Tyler-Wood, Tandra

2004-01-01

The current study describes an authentic learning experience designed to develop technology and science process skills through a carefully scaffolded curriculum using mealworms as a content focus. An individual mentor assigned to each 4th and 5th grade girl participating in the program delivered the curriculum. Results indicate mastery of science…

Engaging Young Children in Collective Curriculum Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goulart, Maria Ines Mafra; Roth, Wolff-Michael

2010-01-01

In this study we investigate how 5-year-old children in Brazil and their teachers collectively design science curriculum. More specifically, we develop an agency|structure dialectic as a framework to describe this collective praxis in which science curriculum may emerge as the result of children-teacher transactions rather than as a result of…

Integrating Engineering into Delaware's K-5 Classrooms: A Study of Pedagogical and Curricular Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grusenmeyer, Linda Huey

This study examines the personal and curricular resources available to Delaware's elementary teachers during a time of innovative curriculum change, i.e., their knowledge, goals and beliefs regarding elementary engineering curriculum and the pedagogical support to teach two Science and Engineering Practices provided by science teaching materials. Delaware was at the forefront of K-12 STEM movement, first to adopt statewide elementary curriculum materials to complement existing science units, and one of the first to adopt the new science standards--Next Generation Science Standards. What supports were available to teachers as they adapted and adopted this new curriculum? To investigate this question, I examined (1) teachers' beliefs about engineering and the engineering curriculum, and (2) the pedagogical supports available to teachers in selected science and engineering curriculum. Teachers' knowledge, goals, and beliefs regarding Delaware's adoption of new elementary engineering curriculum were surveyed using an adapted version of the Design, Engineering, and Technology Survey (Hong, Purser, & Gardella, 2011; Yaser, Baker, Carpius, Krauss, & Roberts, 2006). Also, three open ended questions sought to reveal deeper understanding of teacher knowledge and understanding of engineering; their concerns about personal and systemic resources related to the new curriculum, its logistics, and feasibility; and their beliefs about the potential positive impact presented by the engineering education initiative. Teacher concerns were analyzed using the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (Hall & Hord, 2010). Lay understandings of engineering were analyzed by contrasting naive representations of engineering with three key characteristics of engineering adapted from an earlier study (Capobianco Diefes-Dux, Mena, & Weller, 2011). Survey findings for teachers who had attended training and those who have not yet attended professional development in the new curriculum were compared with few notable differences. Almost all elementary teacher respondents were familiar with engineering and able to define it using one or more key characteristics. They valued the inclusion of engineering in the elementary curriculum; however trained and untrained teachers reported they were not confident about teaching it and were unaware of the new standards related to engineering. Teachers saw potential advantages or benefits of the new curriculum as helping improve science and math understanding, an opportunity to increase vocational awareness, and engaging students and motivating them to learn. Most teachers saw similar barriers to implementation- lack of teacher knowledge, lack of time to learn about engineering and how to teach engineering, and lack of administrative support. Almost all were open to additional in-service training to learn more about this new curriculum. Three fifth grade science units were examined for evidence of teacher pedagogical support in teaching two Science and Engineering Practices (SEP) advocated by the Next Generation Science Standards. An analytic framework was developed based upon two NGSS SEPs: Asking questions, defining problems and Engaging in argument from evidence. Findings revealed that the kits varied greatly in their pedagogical approaches to the two SEPs and differences might be explained by each kit's underlying orientations to the teaching-learning process. Findings from these investigations have implications for the design of professional development and for engineering curricula. They highlight the importance of considering teacher beliefs about curriculum implementation and subject matter, as well as the importance of creating curriculum materials that focus teacher attention toward student thinking and the language rich science and engineering practices. Recommendations also include ongoing professional development to allow teachers time to try out and revise pedagogical routines that support the SEPs studied here.

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Teacher's Edition: Environmental Science. Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the teacher's edition of one of the eight units of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). This unit and its activities focuses on environmental pollution and hazards. Optional excursions are suggested for students who wish to study an area in greater depth. An introduction describes the problem…

Pre-College Science Curriculum Activities of the National Science Foundation. Report of Science Curriculum Review Team, Volume II-Appendix.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Foundation, Washington, DC.

Presented is a detailed study of National Science Foundation (NSF) programs in pre-college science education. The development of policies and operational procedures are traced over the past quarter century and their impact on management practice analyzed. The report is presented in two parts: Volume 1, the findings and recommendations, and Volume…

Science Teacher Decision-Making in a Climate of Heightened Accountability: A Rhizomatic Case Study Analysis of Two Science Departments in New York City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purohit, Kiran Dilip

2017-01-01

Secondary science teachers make many daily decisions in the enactment of curriculum. Although curriculum materials are widely available to address science content, practices, and skills, the consideration that goes into deciding how and whether to use such materials is complicated by teachers' beliefs about science, their understandings of…

Into the Curriculum. Reading/Language Arts: Arabian Nights; Reading/Language Arts: Birds in Picture Books: Characters, Plots, and Themes; Science: Birds in Their Nests; Social Studies: Written with Quills; Social Studies: Baghdad and Iraq History.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Library Media Activities Monthly, 2003

2003-01-01

Provides five fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in reading, language arts, science, and social studies. Library media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activities and procedures, evaluation, and follow-up are described for each activity. (LRW)

The Effects of Gender and Type of Inquiry Curriculum on Sixth Grade Students' Science Process Skills and Epistemological Beliefs in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaleta, Kristy L.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of gender and type of inquiry curriculum (open or structured) on science process skills and epistemological beliefs in science of sixth grade students. The current study took place in an urban northeastern middle school. The researcher utilized a sample of convenience comprised of 303 sixth…

Exploring ecology through science terms: A computer-supported vocabulary supplement to the science curriculum in a two-way immersion program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrera, Francisco Javier, Jr.

This study set out to examine how a web-based tool embedded with vocabulary strategies, as part of the science curriculum in a third grade two-way immersion classroom, would aid students' academic vocabulary development. Fourteen students (seven boys, seven girls; ten of which were English learners) participated in this study. Students utilized web pages as part of their science curriculum on the topic of ecology. The study documented students' use of the web pages as a data-gathering tool on the topic of ecology during science instruction. Students were video and audio taped as they explored the web pages. Results indicated that through the use of the intervention web pages students significantly improved their knowledge of academic English target words.

Seeking the Trace of Argumentation in Turkish Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cetin, Pinar Seda; Metin, Duygu; Capkinoglu, Esra; Leblebicioglu, Gulsen

2016-01-01

Providing students with inquiry-oriented learning environments is a major concern in science education. Argumentation discourse can enhance the effectiveness of inquiry-oriented learning environments. This study seeks the trace of argumentation in Turkish Elementary and Secondary Science Curriculum developed by the Turkish Ministry of Education…

Transformations in Kenyan Science Teachers' Locus of Control: The Influence of Contextualized Science and Emancipated Student Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, D.; Nashon, S.; Namazzi, E.; Okemwa, P.; Ombogo, P.; Ooko, S.; Beru, F.

2015-11-01

This study investigated Kenyan science teachers' pedagogical transformations, which manifested as they enacted and experienced a reformed contextualized science curriculum in which students' learning experiences were critical catalysts of teacher change. Twelve high school teachers voluntarily participated in the study and were interviewed about their pedagogical transformations following their enactment of a reformed contextualized science curriculum. The outcomes demonstrated that students' emancipated behaviours, learning and performance, qualitatively influenced teacher change and pedagogical reform. Specifically, changes in students, as a result of the ways the science curriculum was implemented, resulted in epiphanies and dilemmas for teachers who subsequently resolved to surrender their tightly held pedagogical control (locus of control) for the betterment of the learning environment and their sense of professional satisfaction.

Integrating Ethics into the Social Studies Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howe, Kenneth R.

1991-01-01

Urges incorporation of ethics into social studies curriculum. Provides an overview of ethical theory including principle-based theories of utilitarianism and deontology and virtue-based theories. Discusses philosophies of social science including positivism, interpretivism, and critical social science. Suggests teaching methods and curriculum…

Science Curriculum Guide, Levels 1 and 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newark School District, DE.

The first two of four levels in a K-12 science curriculum are outlined. In Level 1 (grades K-2) and Level 2 (grades 3-5), science areas include the study of living things, matter and energy, and solar system and universe. Conveniently listed are page locations for educational and instructional objectives, cross-referenced to science area and coded…

Science/Technology/Society: A Framework for Curriculum Reform in Secondary School Science and Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hickman, Faith M.; And Others

The Science/Technology/Society (STS) theme describes a contemporary trend in education which focuses on the teaching of issues such as air quality, nuclear power, land use, and water resources but justification for including STS in the high school core curriculum has a precedence based on historical connections among science, technology, and…

The Proof of the Pudding?: A Case Study of an "At-Risk" Design-Based Inquiry Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chue, Shien; Lee, Yew-Jin

2013-01-01

When students collaboratively design and build artifacts that require relevant understanding and application of science, many aspects of scientific literacy are developed. Design-based inquiry (DBI) is one such pedagogy that can serve these desired goals of science education well. Focusing on a Projectile Science curriculum previously found to be…

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 Curriculum for a Master of Science in Information Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Yang W.; Pierce, Elizabeth; Talburt, John; Wang, Richard Y.; Zhu, Hongwei

2007-01-01

The first Master of Science in Information Quality (IQ) degree is designed and being offered to prepare students for careers in industry and government as well as advanced graduate studies. The curriculum is guided by the Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems, which are endorsed by the Association for…

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.…

Elementary Teachers' Curriculum Design and Pedagogical Reasoning for Supporting Students' Comparison and Evaluation of Evidence-Based Explanations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biggers, Mandy; Forbes, Cory T.; Zangori, Laura

2013-01-01

Previous research suggests that elementary teachers vary in their enactment of science curriculum materials and may not always engage students in substantive sense making. This mixed-methods study investigates elementary teachers' use of science curriculum materials to engage students in the scientific practice of comparing and evaluating…

An Exploratory Analysis of a Middle School Science Curriculum: Implications for Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Gregory S.; Hord, Casey

2016-01-01

An exploratory study of a middle school curriculum directly aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards was conducted with a focus on how the curriculum addresses the instructional needs of students with learning disabilities. A descriptive analysis of a lesson on speed and velocity was conducted and implications discussed for students with…

Science Curriculum Components Favored by Taiwanese Biology Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chen-Yung; Hu, Reping; Changlai, Miao-Li

2005-09-01

The new 1-9 curriculum framework in Taiwan provides a remarkable change from previous frameworks in terms of the coverage of content and the powers of teachers. This study employs a modified repertory grid technique to investigate biology teachers' preferences with regard to six curriculum components. One hundred and eighty-five in-service and pre-service biology teachers were asked to determine which science curriculum components they liked and disliked most of all to include in their biology classes. The data show that the rank order of these science curriculum components, from top to bottom, was as follows: application of science, manipulation skills, scientific concepts, social/ethical issues, problem-solving skills, and the history of science. They also showed that pre-service biology teachers, as compared with in-service biology teachers, favored problem-solving skills significantly more than manipulative skills, while in-service biology teachers, as compared with pre-service biology teachers, favored manipulative skills significantly more than problem-solving skills. Some recommendations for ensuring the successful implementation of the Taiwanese 1-9 curriculum framework are also proposed.

A study of the continuum of integration of mathematics content with science concepts at the middle school level in West Virginia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meisel, Edna Marie

The purpose of this study was to examine the practices and perceptions of regular education seventh grade middle school mathematics teachers in West Virginia concerning the integration of mathematics objectives with science concepts. In addition, this study also emphasized the use of integrated curriculum continuum models to study mathematics teachers' practices and perceptions for teaching mathematics objectives in connection with science concepts. It was argued that the integrated curriculum continuum model can be used to help educators begin to form a common definition of integrated curriculum. The population was described as the regular education seventh grade middle school mathematics teachers in West Virginia. The entire population (N = 173) was used as the participants in this study. Data was collected using an integrated curriculum practices and perceptions survey constructed by the researcher. This was a descriptive study that incorporated the Chi Square statistic to show trends in teacher practices and perceptions. Also, an ex post facto design, that incorporated the Mann-Whitney U statistic, was used to compare practices and perceptions between teachers grouped according to factors that influence teaching practices and perceptions. These factors included teaching certificate endorsement and teacher professional preparation. Results showed that the regular education seventh grade middle school mathematics teachers of West Virginia are teaching mathematics objectives mainly at a discipline-based level with no formal attempt for integration with science concepts. However, these teachers perceived that many of the mathematics objectives should be taught at varying levels of integration with science concepts. It was also shown that teachers who experienced professional preparation courses that emphasized integrated curriculum courses did teach many of the mathematics objectives at higher levels of integration with science than those teachers who did not experience integrated curriculum courses.

The Delphi Technique in Identifying Learning Objectives for the Development of Science, Technology and Society Modules for Palestinian Ninth Grade Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abualrob, Marwan M. A.; Daniel, Esther Gnanamalar Sarojini

2013-01-01

This article outlines how learning objectives based upon science, technology and society (STS) elements for Palestinian ninth grade science textbooks were identified, which was part of a bigger study to establish an STS foundation in the ninth grade science curriculum in Palestine. First, an initial list of STS elements was determined. Second,…

Exploring Ivorian Perspectives on the Effectiveness of the Current Ivorian Science Curriculum in Addressing Issues Related to HIV/AIDS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ado, Gustave Firmin

2014-01-01

School-based HIV/AIDS science education has the potential to impact students when integrated into the science curriculum. However, this mixed method study shows that school-based HIV/AIDS science education is often not infused into career subjects such as science education but integrated into civics education and taught by teachers who lack the…

Into the Curriculum. Industrial Arts/Social Studies: African American Inventors [and] Mathematics/Science: How Do Bears Measure Up? [and] Reading/Language Arts: Information Power: Using the Illustrations [and] Reading/Language Arts: African American History [and] Social Studies: Appalachian Trail [and] Social Studies: Trailblazers of the Early American Wilderness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleischer, Barbara; Warner, Richard L.; Haas, Lisa S.; Sommers, Kathy

1998-01-01

Presents curriculum guides for elementary instruction in the areas of industrial arts, social studies, mathematics, science, and reading/language arts. Each lesson plan describes library media skills objectives; curriculum objectives; grade levels; resources; instructional roles; activity and procedures for completion; evaluation; and follow-up…

Evaluation of an Environmental Science Laboratory Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berger, Toby Esther

The curriculum evaluated in this study is a series of innovative exercises offered as part of an introductory science course at Barnard College. It was hypothesized that students receiving the experimental treatment in the laboratory would show significant changes in cognitive achievement in environmental science and in their attitudes towards…

An Ecological System Curriculum: An Integrated MST Approach to Environmental Science Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leonhardt, Nina A.

This paper describes an inquiry-based, student-centered mathematics, science, and technology curriculum guide. It features activities addressing such environmental science topics as groundwater modeling, water filtration, soil permeability and porosity, water temperature and salinity, and quadrant studies. Activities are organized so that the…

Curriculum for Excellence Science: Vision or Confusion?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Stephen; Bryce, Tom

2013-01-01

Policy studies in science education do not have a particularly high profile. For science teachers, policy lurks in the background, somewhat disconnected from their normal classroom practice; for many, it is simply taken-for-granted. This paper analyses policy documents which have emerged from Curriculum for Excellence ("CfE") that impact…

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES CURRICULUM STUDY NEWSLETTER.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MAYER, WILLIAM V.; AND OTHERS

RESEARCH STUDIES CONCERNED WITH THE APPROPRIATENESS AND EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE CURRICULUM STUDY (BSCS) MATERIALS ARE DESCRIBED IN THIS NEWSLETTER. BSCS TESTS WERE ANALYZED AND RELATED TO OTHER TESTING INSTRUMENTS USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE BSCS PROGRAMS. DATA COLLECTED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TEST NORMS WERE ALSO USED IN A…

Moral Sensitivity in the Context of Socioscientific Issues in High School Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, Samantha R.; Zeidler, Dana L.; Sadler, Troy D.

2009-01-01

This study is a part of a larger study that examined using socioscientific issues (SSI) as a form of effective science teaching. The purpose was to investigate how teaching a year-long curriculum using SSI affects science learning outcomes. In this report, we examine the effects of a SSI-driven curriculum on the development of students' moral…

Trends in Basic Sciences Education in Dental Schools, 1999-2016.

PubMed

Lantz, Marilyn S; Shuler, Charles F

2017-08-01

The purpose of this study was to examine data published over the past two decades to identify trends in the basic sciences curriculum in dental education, provide an analysis of those trends, and compare them with trends in the basic sciences curriculum in medical education. Data published from the American Dental Association (ADA) Surveys of Dental Education, American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Surveys of Dental School Seniors, and two additional surveys were examined. In large part, survey data collected focused on the structure, content, and instructional strategies used in dental education: what was taught and how. Great variability was noted in the total clock hours of instruction and the clock hours of basic sciences instruction reported by dental schools. Moreover, the participation of medical schools in the basic sciences education of dental students appears to have decreased dramatically over the past decade. Although modest progress has been made in implementing some of the curriculum changes recommended in the 1995 Institute of Medicine report such as integrated basic and clinical sciences curricula, adoption of active learning methods, and closer engagement with medical and other health professions education programs, educational effectiveness studies needed to generate data to support evidence-based approaches to curriculum reform are lacking. Overall, trends in the basic sciences curriculum in medical education were similar to those for dental education. Potential drivers of curriculum change were identified, as was recent work in other fields that should encourage reconsideration of dentistry's approach to basic sciences education. This article was written as part of the project "Advancing Dental Education in the 21st Century."

Surviving the Implementation of a New Science Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowe, Beverly; Appleton, Ken

2015-12-01

Queensland schools are currently teaching with the first National Curriculum for Australia. This new curriculum was one of a number of political responses to address the recurring low scores in literacy, mathematics, and science that continue to hold Australia in poor international rankings. Teachers have spent 2 years getting to know the new science curriculum through meetings, training, and exploring the new Australian curriculum documents. This article examines the support and preparation for implementation provided in two regional schools, with a closer look at six specific teachers and their science teaching practices as they attempted to implement the new science curriculum. The use of a survey, field observations, and interviews revealed the schools' preparation practices and the teachers' practices, including the support provided to implement the new science curriculum. A description and analysis of school support and preparation as well as teachers' views of their experiences implementing the new science curriculum reveal both achievements and shortcomings. Problematic issues for the two schools and teachers include time to read and comprehend the curriculum documents and content expectations as well as time to train and change the current processes effectively. The case teachers' experiences reveal implications for the successful and effective implementation of new curriculum and curriculum reform.

Into the Curriculum. Art: Pueblo Storyteller Figures [and] Physical Education: Games That Rely on Feet [and] Reading/Language Arts: Movie Reviews [and] Reading/Language Arts: Reader's Choice [and] Science: Float or Sink [and] Social Studies: Buildings and Designs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crane, Jean; Rains, Annette

1996-01-01

Presents six curriculum guides for art, physical education, reading/language arts, science, and social studies. Each guide identifies library media skills objectives; curriculum objectives; grade levels; print and nonprint resources; instructional roles; the activity; and procedures for completion, evaluation, and follow-up activities. (AEF)

Innovative science within and against a culture of achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlone, Heidi B.

2003-05-01

As science educators struggle to reform science education, we need a better understanding of the conundrums associated with the ways educators enact innovative science within and against the academic, rigorous, and elite sociohistorical constructions of science. I ethnographically investigated the meanings of an innovative, reform-based curriculum (Active Physics) in various micro (classroom) and macro (school and community) contexts. I conducted the study in a high school serving primarily upper middle class students, the majority of whom (97%) planned to attend college. I explored how meanings of the curriculum transformed as the curriculum traveled across space and time. While certain aspects of the context enabled innovative science (e.g., support from the administration, pressure to serve a wider range of students), other aspects of the context constrained the potential of the curriculum (e.g., the need to establish for students, parents, and administrators the legitimacy of Active Physics as real and rigorous physics). Using practice theory to understand the influence of context and agency in shaping school science practice, this study demonstrates the potential for viewing meanings of science in local settings as partially fluid entities, sometimes reproducing and sometimes contesting sociohistorical legacies.

Toward a Unified Science Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Showalter, Victor M.

The two major models of science curriculum change, textbook revision and national curriculum projects, are derived from, and reinforce, the present curriculum structure. This is undesirable in a time of increasing fluidity and change, because adaptation to new situations is difficult. Unified science, based on the premise that science is a unity,…

Into the Curriculum. Guidance: Why Are You Jealous?; Reading/Language Arts: Family Storytelling-Passing On Tradition; Science/Reading/Language Arts: Middle School Wilderness Survival: An Introduction to the Big Six[TM] Research Model; Social Studies: Printing ABCs; Social Studies: Using Literature To Discuss the Revolutionary War.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayo, Jeanne B. Pilgrim; Bautz, Kim

2001-01-01

Provides five fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in guidance, reading, language arts, science, and social studies. Library media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, procedures, evaluation, and follow-up are described for each activity. (LRW)

Into the Curriculum. Guidance: Sense of Self, Self-Esteem; Health: Clean Hands, Clean Books; Mathematics/Science: What's the Heaviest Thing in the Library Media Center?; Reading/Language Arts: Merry-Go-Round Mooo-ving Picture Show; Social Studies: I Came to School By !; Social Studies: Revolutionary War Facts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Library Media Activities Monthly, 2001

2001-01-01

Provides six fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in guidance, health, mathematics, science, reading, language arts, and social studies. Library media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, procedures, evaluation, and follow-up are described for each…

Into the Curriculum. Art: Landscape Painting; Home Economics/Social Studies: Greek Clothing; Reading/Language Arts: In Search of Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses!; Science: Magnets; Social Studies/Language Arts: Great Primary Sources on the Great Depression: Using the Library of Congress Collections Online.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbour, Jeffrey Paul; Ward, Lisa M.

2001-01-01

Provides five fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in art, home economics, social studies, reading, language arts, and science. Library Media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, procedures, evaluation, and follow-up are described for each…

Student science achievement and the integration of Indigenous knowledge on standardized tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupuis, Juliann; Abrams, Eleanor

2017-09-01

In this article, we examine how American Indian students in Montana performed on standardized state science assessments when a small number of test items based upon traditional science knowledge from a cultural curriculum, "Indian Education for All", were included. Montana is the first state in the US to mandate the use of a culturally relevant curriculum in all schools and to incorporate this curriculum into a portion of the standardized assessment items. This study compares White and American Indian student test scores on these particular test items to determine how White and American Indian students perform on culturally relevant test items compared to traditional standard science test items. The connections between student achievement on adapted culturally relevant science test items versus traditional items brings valuable insights to the fields of science education, research on student assessments, and Indigenous studies.

Changes in Elementary Student Perceptions of Science, Scientists and Science Careers after Participating in a Curricular Module on Health and Veterinary Science

PubMed Central

Shin, Soo Yeon; Parker, Loran Carleton; Adedokun, Omolola; Mennonno, Ann; Wackerly, Amy; SanMiguel, Sandra

2015-01-01

This study examined to what extent a curriculum module that uses animal and human health scientists and science concepts to portray science and scientists in a relevant and authentic manner could enhance elementary students’ aspiration for science careers, attitudes to science, positive perceptions of scientists, and perceived relevance of science. The curriculum was developed by a research-based university program and has been put into practice in two early elementary classrooms in an urban school in the Midwest. An attitudinal rating survey and the Draw-A-Scientist Test (DAST) were used to assess pre to post changes in student attitudes toward science, perceptions of scientists, perceived relevance of science, and aspiration for science careers. Findings indicated that the implementation of this curriculum contributed positively to student attitudes toward science, decreased students’ stereotypical images of scientists, and increased student aspirations to become a scientist. PMID:26726271

The Origin and Evolution of Life in Pakistani High School Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asghar, Anila; Wiles, Jason R.; Alters, Brian

2010-01-01

This study seeks to inform science education practitioners and researchers in the West about apparent attempts to reconcile science and religion in Pakistan's public school curriculum. We analysed the national high school science curriculum and biology textbooks (English) used in the Government schools in Pakistan, where Islamic faith is the…

Science Curriculum Guide. Grade 8. Bulletin 1989, No. 78.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama State Dept. of Education, Montgomery.

The purpose of this curriculum guide is to help teachers implement the Alabama Course of Study: Science. The major emphasis of the guide is to provide student-oriented, hands-on activities that engage students in "sciencing" behaviors. This guide has two major components, the table of contents and the activities. The table of contents…

Science Curriculum Guide. Kindergarten. Bulletin 1989, No. 70.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama State Dept. of Education, Montgomery.

The purpose of this curriculum guide is to help teachers implement the Alabama Course of Study: Science. The major emphasis of the guide is to provide student-oriented, hands-on activities that engage students in "sciencing" behaviors. This guide has two major components, the table of contents and the activities. The table of contents…

Science Curriculum Guide. Grade 5. Bulletin 1989, No. 75.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama State Dept. of Education, Montgomery.

The purpose of this curriculum guide is to help teachers implement the Alabama Course of Study: Science. The major emphasis of the guide is to provide student-oriented, hands-on activities that engage students in "sciencing" behaviors. This guide has two major components, the table of contents and the activities. The table of contents…

Science and Engineering Technician Curriculum Development Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mowery, Donald R.; Wolf, Lawrence J.

Project SET (Science and Engineering for Technicians) developed a series of study guides designed to teach generic science and engineering skills to students interested in becoming technicians. An entire 2-year curriculum is encompassed by these guides, geared for 2-year college students. Described in this final report are the project's rationale,…

Material Objects. Basic Edition. Science for Micronesia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Dept. of Education, Saipan.

Presented is a teacher's guide for an elementary science unit designed for use with first grade students in the Trust Territory of Micronesia. Although there is a degree of similarity to the curriculum materials developed for the Science Curriculum Improvement Study, this Micronesian unit does not purport to be an adaptation or edition of the SCIS…

Environments. Basic Edition. Science for Micronesia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Dept. of Education, Saipan.

Presented is a teacher's guide to an elementary science unit designed for use with fourth grade, or higher, students in the Trust Territory of Micronesia. Although there is a degree of similarity to curriculum materials developed for the Science Curriculum Improvement Study, this Micronesian unit does not purport to be an adaption or edition of…

Systems and Variables. Basic Edition. Science for Micronesia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Dept. of Education, Saipan.

This teacher's guide is for an elementary school science unit designed for use with third grade (or older) children in the schools of the Trust Territory of Micronesia. Although there is a degree of similarity to curriculum materials developed for the Science Curriculum Improvement Study, this Micronesian unit does not purport to be an adaptation…

Science Curriculum Guide. Grade 2. Bulletin 1989, No. 72.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama State Dept. of Education, Montgomery.

The purpose of this curriculum guide is to help teachers implement the Alabama Course of Study: Science. The major emphasis of the guide is to provide student-oriented, hands-on activities that engage students in "sciencing" behaviors. This guide has to major components, the table of contents and the activities. The table of contents…

Science Curriculum Guide. Grade 1. Bulletin 1989, No. 71.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama State Dept. of Education, Montgomery.

The purpose of this curriculum guide is to help teachers implement the Alabama Course of Study: Science. The major emphasis of the guide is to provide student-oriented, hands-on activities that engage students in "sciencing" behaviors. This guide has to major components, the table of contents and the activities. The table of contents…

Science Curriculum Guide. Grade 3. Bulletin 1989, No. 73.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama State Dept. of Education, Montgomery.

The purpose of this curriculum guide is to help teachers implement the Alabama Course of Study: Science. The major emphasis of the guide is to provide student-oriented, hands-on activities that engage students in "sciencing" behaviors. This guide has two major components, the table of contents and the activities. The table of contents…

Populations. Basic Edition. Science for Micronesia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Dept. of Education, Saipan.

This teacher's guide is for an elementary school science unit designed for use with third grade (or older) children in the Trust Territory of Micronesia. Although there is a degree of similarity to curriculum materials developed for the Science Curriculum Improvement Study, this Micronesian unit does not purport to be an adaptation or edition of…

Maximising Students' Progress and Engagement in Science through the Use of the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) 5E Instructional Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoskins, Peter

2013-01-01

The Biological Sciences Curriculum Studies (BSCS) 5E Instructional Model (often referred to as the 5Es) consists of five phases. Each phase has a specific function and contributes both to teachers' coherent instruction and to students' formulation of a better understanding of scientific knowledge, attitudes and skills. Evidence indicates that the…

Experiences of Computer Science Curriculum Design: A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sloan, Arthur; Bowe, Brian

2015-01-01

This paper presents a qualitative study of 12 computer science lecturers' experiences of curriculum design of several degree programmes during a time of transition from year-long to semesterised courses, due to institutional policy change. The background to the study is outlined, as are the reasons for choosing the research methodology. The main…

An Explorative Study on the Null Secondary Science Curriculum in Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chowdhury, Tapashi Binte Mahmud; Siddique, Mohammed Nure Alam

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify the content of secondary Science curriculum excluded in teaching and learning activities, the reasons behind the omission and its impact on students' learning in the context of Bangladesh. This study used qualitative methodology. Eight teachers were selected and interviewed to investigate what they excluded…

A case study of systemic curricular reform: A forty-year history

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laubach, Timothy Alan

What follows is a description of the development of a particular inquiry-based elementary school science curriculum program and how its theoretical underpinnings positively influenced a school district's (K-12) science program and also impacted district- and state-wide curriculum reform initiatives. The district's science program has evolved since the inception of the inquiry-based elementary school science curriculum reform forty years ago. Therefore, a historical case study, which incorporated grounded theory methodology, was used to convey the forty-year development of a science curriculum reform effort and its systemic influences. Data for this study were collected primarily through artifacts, such as technical and non-technical documents, and supported and augmented with interviews. Fifteen people comprised the interview consortium with professional responsibilities including (a) administrative roles, such as superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals, and curriculum consultants/coordinators; (b) classroom roles, such as elementary and secondary school teachers who taught science; (c) partnership roles, such as university faculty who collaborated with those in administrative and classroom positions within the district; and (d) the co-director of SCIS who worked with the SCIS trial center director. Data were analyzed and coded using the constant comparative method. The analysis of data uncovered five categories or levels in which the curriculum reform evolved throughout its duration. These themes are Initiation, Education, Implementation, Confirmation, and Continuation. These five categories lead to several working hypotheses that supported the sustaining and continuing of a K-12 science curriculum reform effort. These components are a committed visionary; a theory base of education; forums promoting the education of the theory base components; shared-decision making; a university-school partnership; a core group of committed educators and teachers; evidences of success; national and state reform initiatives; a core group of administrators; longevity of the science program; district support (philosophical, financial, and emotional); and community support all contributed to the initiation, education, implementation, confirmation, and the continuation of the systemic curricular reform. The underlying component, or grounded theory generated by the study, that ties these experiences together is the "theory base" that concurrently evolved in the local school district and in a nearby university.

Consumer Citizenship Curriculum Guides for Social Studies, English, Science, Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacKenzie, Louise; Smith, Alice

These four consumer citizenship curriculum guides for social studies, English, science, and mathematics incorporate consumer education into these subject matter areas in grades 8-12. Each guide is organized around 10 main component/goals. They are basic economics in the marketplace, credit, consumer law/protection, banking skills, comparison…

Investigations in Science Education. Volume 11, Number 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blosser, Patricia E., Ed.; Helgeson, Stanley L., Ed.

1985-01-01

Presented are abstracts and abstractors' analyses of nine studies related to curriculum and instruction. These studies focused on: (1) the status of environmental education in Kansas; (2) attitudes of Israeli students toward two versions of a curriculum titled Agriculture as Environmental Science; (3) interrelationships among teacher intentions,…

Biological Sciences Curriculum Study Newsletter Number 39, BSCS Biology: A World View.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, George M.

Included are progress reports from forty-two countries, ranging from accounts of complete adaptation and implementation of Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) materials to notes of preliminary contact with BSCS programs. Countries represented are: Afganistan, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Central America, Ceylon, Chile,…

The Extra Strand of the Maori Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Georgina

2011-01-01

This paper comments on the process of re-development of the Maori-medium Science (Putaiao) curriculum, as part of overall curriculum development in Aotearoa New Zealand. A significant difference from the English Science curriculum was the addition of an "extra strand" covering the history and philosophy of science. It is recommended that…

Science Curriculum Resource Handbook: A Practical Guide for K-12 Science Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheek, Dennis W., Ed.; And Others

This handbook is one of a series of practical references for curriculum developers, education faculty, veteran teachers, and student teachers. The handbook is designed to provide basic information on the background of the science curriculum, and current information on publications, standards, and special materials for K-12 science. Part 1 contains…

The Notions of Science as human capital: An empirical analysis of economic growth and science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pritchard, Russell D.

This study was designed to determine the strength of the relationship between a nation's human capital in the form of the "Notions of Science" (NOS) and the growth rate of gross domestic product per capita for 43 countries during the years 1988 through 1998. This relationship was studied from two perspectives: first, the study sought to determine if there was a significant relationship between a country's NOS and its growth rate in gross domestic per capita; second, the study sought to determine if the NOS had a greater relationship with the growth rate of gross domestic product per capita than a more commonly used measure of human capital, amount of schooling. The NOS for the participating countries were proxied by the percentage of a country's science curriculum devoted to teaching the NOS. The science curricula used in this study were obtained from the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's (IEA) Curriculum Frameworks for Mathematics and Science. These curricular frameworks were written as one part of the Third International Math and Science Study (TIMSS). The NOS were extracted from the science curriculum frameworks through the construction of a content-by-cognitive-behavior-grid. The categories, or codes, for the NOS used in this grid were based on the work of Clarence Irving Lewis in Mind and the World Order. Holding several other explanatory variables constant, the NOS percentage for each country were regressed against each country's average growth rate of gross domestic product per capita for the period of 1988 through 1998. The results indicate that there was not a significant relationship between human capital, as proxied by the percentage of the curriculum devoted to the notions of science, and a country's economic growth rate. Because the regression coefficient for the NOS was not statistically significant, this study was not able to determine if the NOS had a stronger relationship with growth in GDP per capita than years of schooling.

Comparative Study on Romanian School Science Curricula and the Curriculum of TIMSS 2007 Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciascai, Liliana

2009-01-01

The results of Romanian school students in Science PISA and TIMSS testings have been and continue to be systematically slack. In the present paper we intend to do a comparative analysis of Science curriculum TIMSS 2007 and Romanian Science school curricula of 4th and 8th grades. This analysis, based on Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive domain,…

Into the Curriculum. Creative Dramatics: Valentine Lip Sync Book Charades; Language Arts/Social Studies: Found Poetry from Primary Sources; Reading/Language Arts: A Thematic Activity To Herald in the New Year; Science: Asian Elephant Life Cycles; Social Studies: Conservation of Animal Species-Asian Elephants; Social Studies: What Makes a Leader?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shugar, Candace; Robinson, Alice A.

2003-01-01

Provides six fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in creative dramatics, language arts, social studies, reading, and science. Library media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activities and procedures, evaluation, and follow-up are described for…

Developing and Evaluating an Eighth Grade Curriculum Unit That Links Foundational Chemistry to Biological Growth: Using Student Measures to Evaluate the Promise of the Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrmann-Abell, Cari F.; Flanagan, Jean C.; Roseman, Jo Ellen

2013-01-01

Students often have trouble understanding key biology ideas, in part because they lack an understanding of foundational chemistry ideas. AAAS [American Association for the Advancement of Science] is collaborating with BSCS [Biological Sciences Curriculum Study] in the development of a curriculum unit that connects core chemistry and biology ideas…

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.

Ecosystems, Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Univ., Berkeley. Science Curriculum Improvement Study.

The Science Curriculum Improvement Study has developed this teacher's guide to "Ecosystems," the sixth part of a six unit life science curriculum sequence. The six basic units, emphasizing organism-environment interactions, are organisms, life cycles, populations, environments, communities, and ecosystems. They make use of scientific and…

Populations, Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Univ., Berkeley. Science Curriculum Improvement Study.

The Science Curriculum Improvement Study has developed this teacher's guide to "Populations," the third part of a six-unit life science curriculum sequence. The six basic units, emphasizing organism-environment interactions, are organisms, life cycles, populations, environments, communities, and ecosystems; and they make use of…

Communities, Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Univ., Berkeley. Science Curriculum Improvement Study.

The Science Curriculum Improvement Study has developed this teacher's guide to "Communities," the fifth part of a six unit life science curriculum sequence. The six basic units, emphasizing organism-environment interactions, are organisms, life cycles, populations, environments, communities, and ecosystems, and make use of scientific and…

46 CFR 310.59 - Courses of instruction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... science courses prescribed by the Department of the Navy. All curriculums include general education... Academy. Three major curriculums are offered: Nautical Science, for the preparation of deck officers... addition to practical shipboard assignments, midshipmen are required to complete written study assignments...

SU-F-E-08: Medical Physics as a Teaching Tool for High School Science Curriculum

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

Buckley, L

Purpose: Delivering high school science curriculum in a timely manner and in way that is accessible to all students is a challenge for teachers. Although many high schools offer career workshops, these are typically directed at senior students and do not relate directly to details of the curriculum. The objective of this initiative was to create a series of lectures that use medical physics to relate many aspects of the high school science curriculum to tangible clinical applications and to introduce students to alternate pathways into a career in health sciences. Methods: A series of lectures has been developed basedmore » on the Ontario High School Science Curriculum. Each lecture uses a career in radiotherapy medical physics as the framework for discussion of topics specific to the high school course being addressed. Results: At present, these lectures have been delivered in five area high schools to students ranging from sophomores to seniors. Survey documents are given to the students before and after the lecture to assess their awareness of careers in health care, applications of physics and their general interest in the subject areas. As expected, students have limited up front awareness of the wide variety of health related career paths. The idea of combining a career lecture with topics specific to the classroom curriculum has been well-received by teachers and students alike. Conclusion: Career talks for high school students are useful for students contemplating their post- secondary career path. Relating career discussion with direct course curriculum makes their studies more relevant and engaging. Students aspiring to a career in health sciences often focus their studies on life sciences due to limited knowledge of potential careers. An early introduction to medical physics presents them with an alternate path through the physical sciences into health care.« less

Student achievement in science and mathematics on campuses that have implemented the CSCOPE curriculum model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Emily R.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences in student achievement exist between school campuses which followed a specific standards-based curriculum model (CSCOPE) and school campuses which followed a non-CSCOPE or traditional curriculum model. One-hundred and sixty CSCOPE curriculum campuses and 160 non-CSCOPE curriculum campuses were used in the study. Achievement data were collected on students in the fifth, eighth, and eleventh grades using the campuses percentage passing on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) for both science and mathematics. The TAKS is the state-mandated assessment system used to comply with federal testing guidelines. Data for the 2007-2008 school year were used for the elementary level while data from 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 were used for junior high (middle school) and high school levels. Data were analyzed by overall class as well as aggregated by ethnic classifications. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize achievement results and t-tests were utilized to analyze achievement differences between the two curriculum models. Overall fifth grade students in CSCOPE schools outperformed (p < .05) non-CSCOPE counterparts in science and mathematics. Also, fifth grade Hispanic students using CSCOPE curriculum scored higher (p < .05) than those in traditional curricula. Eighth grade students in CSCOPE schools performed better (p < .05) in science than students in non-CSCOPE schools. Finally, eighth grade Hispanic and White subgroups using CSCOPE curriculum outperformed ( p < .05) their ethnic counterparts using traditional curriculum models. The only statistically significant finding at the eleventh grade level was the African-American subgroup in science, but this subgroup had too small of a sample to infer the findings to the population. Thus, the results would tend to support use of the standardized curriculum model (CSCOPE) at lower levels whereas achievement in high school may not be differentially affected by the standardized model.

Language games: Christian fundamentalism and the science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freund, Cheryl J.

Eighty years after the Scope's Trial, the debate over evolution in the public school curriculum is alive and well. Historically, Christian fundamentalists, the chief opponents of evolution in the public schools, have used the court system to force policymakers, to adopt their ideology regarding evolution in the science curriculum. However, in recent decades their strategy has shifted from the courts to the local level, where they pressure teachers and school boards to include "alternate theories" and the alleged "flaws" and "inconsistencies" of evolution in the science curriculum. The purpose of this content analysis study was to answer the question: How do Christian fundamentalists employ rhetorical strategies to influence the science curriculum? The rhetorical content of several public legal and media documents resulting from a lawsuit filed against the Athens Public Schools by the American Center of Law and Justice were analyzed for the types of rhetorical strategies employed by the participants engaged in the scientific, legal, and public discourse communities. The study employed an analytical schema based on Ludwig Wittgenstein's theory of language games, Lawrence Prelli's theory of discourse communities, and Michael Apple's notion of constitutive and preference rules. Ultimately, this study revealed that adroit use of the constitutive and preference rules of the legal and public discourse communities allowed the school district to reframe the creation-evolution debate, thereby avoiding a public spectacle and ameliorating the power of creationist language to affect change in the science curriculum. In addition, the study reinforced the assertion that speakers enjoy the most persuasive power when they attend to the preference rules of the public discourse community.

Teachers and Science Curriculum Materials: Where We Are and Where We Need to Go

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Elizabeth A.; Janssen, Fred J. J. M.; Van Driel, Jan H.

2016-01-01

Curriculum materials serve as a key conceptual tool for science teachers, and better understanding how science teachers use these tools could help to improve both curriculum design and theory related to teacher learning and decision-making. The authors review the literature on teachers and science curriculum materials. The review is organised…

Curriculum Profiles: A Resource of the EDC K-12 Science Curriculum Dissemination Center

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Development Center, Inc, 2005

2005-01-01

The purpose of this document is to provide useful information for teachers and school systems engaged in the process of examining and choosing science curriculum materials appropriate for their settings. The curriculum profiles include summaries of selected programs available for K?12 science curriculum programs. Each profile describes a number of…

Contextualized science? An Indian experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koul, Ravinder

1997-11-01

This study asserts that science is contextualized and should therefore be taught as contextualized. Works of major philosophers in 20th century history, philosophy and sociology of science and recent developments in cognition are discussed in developing a foundation and outlining three themes for contextualized science: (a) science curriculum should emphasize scientific methodology through the generation and testing of knowledge in a specific context, (b) it should validate and evaluate everyday contextual experiences, and (c) develop a context for action by engaging in science, technology and society issues. School science is a major instrument for diffusion and utilization of scientific knowledge. In India, textbooks are often the only classroom source of information for students other than the teacher. The most widely used standard curriculum materials in Indian schools are the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks. For schools in the Hoshingabad district of Madhya Pradesh, the state prescribes NCERT materials and materials developed for the Hoshingabad Science Teaching Program (HSTP), a grassroots science education initiative. In this study, the investigation of these curriculum materials and interviews with educators (curriculum developers/textbook authors/teachers at New Delhi and Hoshingabad) are used to establish criteria for both the need and the feasibility of contextualized science. Results of the investigation indicate that the centralized NCERT system of curriculum development has undermined context specific treatment of subject matter in their textbooks. While HSTP attempted to contextualize science in rural schools, the present status of the program may be interpreted as either development and legitimization of another standardized curriculum, or, as the culmination of a gradual erosion and dissipation of conceptually valid and concrete educational practices. There are major situational and institutional constraints that impede the use of contextualized instructional materials. Furthermore, teachers' reflections on science in two curricula reveal limited conceptions on the nature of science and a preference for the abstract science of NCERT. The findings indicate that teacher understanding of methodological and epistemological point of view is essential but insufficient to provide a context for action. Teacher training must also incorporate ontological considerations in reform efforts to contextualize school science.

Assessment of the Joint Food Science Curriculum of Washington State University and the University of Idaho by Graduates and Their Employers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Stephanie; McCurdy, Alan; Roy, Sharon; Smith, Denise

2006-01-01

Thirty-two recent graduates from the joint food science program of Washington State Univ. (WSU) and The Univ. of Idaho (UI) and 12 of their employers participated in a survey study to assess food science program outcomes. The objective of this study was to assess the joint curriculum in its ability to prepare undergraduate students for critical…

An Analysis of Student Outcomes Using Audio Tapes to Supplement Reading in the Level One Course of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gates, Richard Wade

Analyzed was the effectiveness of audio tapes used as a supplement to reading the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) first level materials. The instruments used on a pretest and posttest basis to compare the growth as a result of using audio tapes were: (1) Prouse Subject Preference Survey, (2) Test on Understanding Science, Form W, (3)…

On track for success: an innovative behavioral science curriculum model.

PubMed

Freedy, John R; Carek, Peter J; Dickerson, Lori M; Mallin, Robert M

2013-01-01

This article describes the behavioral science curriculum currently in place at the Trident/MUSC Family Medicine Residency Program. The Trident/MUSC Program is a 10-10-10 community-based, university-affiliated program in Charleston, South Carolina. Over the years, the Trident/MUSC residency program has graduated over 400 Family Medicine physicians. The current behavioral science curriculum consists of both required core elements (didactic lectures, clinical observation, Balint groups, and Resident Grand Rounds) as well as optional elements (longitudinal patient care experiences, elective rotations, behavioral science editorial experience, and scholars project with a behavioral science focus). All Trident/MUSC residents complete core behavioral science curriculum elements and are free to participate in none, some, or all of the optional behavioral science curriculum elements. This flexibility allows resident physicians to tailor the educational program in a manner to meet individual educational needs. The behavioral science curriculum is based upon faculty interpretation of existing "best practice" guidelines (Residency Review Committee-Family Medicine and AAFP). This article provides sufficient curriculum detail to allow the interested reader the opportunity to adapt elements of the behavioral science curriculum to other residency training programs. While this behavioral science track system is currently in an early stage of implementation, the article discusses track advantages as well as future plans to evaluate various aspects of this innovative educational approach.

Perceptions of Critical Thinking, Task Value, Autonomy and Science Lab Self-Efficacy: A Longitudinal Examination of Students' CASE Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velez, Jonathan J.; Lambert, Misty D.; Elliott, Kristopher M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to begin examining the impact of the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE). Under development since 2008, the curriculum is intended to integrate core academics and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) into agricultural education programs. This longitudinal descriptive correlational study…

Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Science Education and Its Integration in Grades 7 and 8 Canadian Science Curriculum Documents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Eun-Ji Amy; Dionne, Liliane

2014-01-01

Though science education has been prominent in the Canadian educational system, researchers increasingly recognize the scientific and educational value of integrating traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into their curriculum. Despite national strategies to integrate TEK, Canada has yet to initiate a comprehensive study of its prevalence and…

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…

Towards a More Authentic Science Curriculum: The Contribution of Out-of-School Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braund, Martin; Reiss, Michael

2006-01-01

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…

When Are Students Ready for Research Methods? A Curriculum Mapping Argument for the Political Science Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergbower, Matthew L.

2017-01-01

For many political science programs, research methods courses are a fundamental component of the recommended undergraduate curriculum. However, instructors and students often see these courses as the most challenging. This study explores when it is most appropriate for political science majors to enroll and pass a research methods course. The…

The Innovative Immersion of Mobile Learning into a Science Curriculum in Singapore: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Daner; Looi, Chee-Kit; Wu, Longkai; Xie, Wenting

2016-01-01

With advancements made in mobile technology, increasing emphasis has been paid to how to leverage the affordances of mobile technology to improve science learning and instruction. This paper reports on a science curriculum supported by an inquiry-based framework and mobile technologies. It was developed by teachers and researchers in a multiyear…

Environmental and Science Education in Developing Nations: A Ghanaian Approach to Renewing and Revitalizing the Local Community and Ecosystems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mueller, Michael P.; Bentley, Michael L.

2009-01-01

Curriculum reform in environmental and science education now taking place in Ghana focuses on the community and ecosystems as the context of education. In Ghana, students conduct science investigations that include games, word searches, crossword puzzles, case studies, role play, debates, projects, and ecological profiles. This curriculum reflects…

An Exploration of the Science Teaching Orientations of Indian Science Teachers in the Context of Curriculum Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nargund-Joshi, Vanashri

2012-01-01

This study explores the concepts and behaviors, otherwise referred to as "orientations", of six Indian science teachers and the alignment of these orientations to the 2005 India National Curriculum Framework (NCF-2005). Differences in teachers' orientations across grade bands (elementary, middle, and secondary) and school types (public…

Science through Engineering in Elementary School: Comparing Three Enactments of an Engineering-Design-Based Curriculum on the Science of Sound

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wendell, Kristen Bethke

2011-01-01

This research illustrates how varying enactments of an engineering-design-based science curriculum shaped the development of students' domain-specific scientific ideas and practices. In this comparative case study rooted in the analytical perspectives of activity theory and learning environments, student and teacher participants in three…

Innovations: The Social Consequences of Science and Technology. Final Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolman, Richard R.

The Biological Sciences Curriculum Study designed, developed, and field-tested a series of nine curriculum resource units for a semester program called "Innovations: The Social Consequences of Science and Technology (IST)." The units were designed for use by students and teachers in the 11th and 12th grades and at the junior college…

Animal Science Technology. An Experimental Developmental Program. Volume II, Curriculum Course Outlines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brant, Herman G.

This volume, the second of a two part evaluation report, is devoted exclusively to the presentation of detailed course outlines representing an Animal Science Technology curriculum. Arranged in 6 terms of study (2 academic years), outlines are included on such topics as: (1) Introductory Animal Science, (2) General Microbiology, (3) Zoonoses, (4)…

Preparing Science Teachers to Address Contentious and Sensitive Science Topics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ado, Gustave

2015-01-01

Purpose: Despite high HIV prevalence rates in Ivory Coast, the formal K-12 curriculum was not developed to address HIV/AIDS information completely for many African students. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that influenced Ivorian teachers' teaching of the HIV/AIDS curriculum in middle school science curricula in nine middle…

Electronic Components, Transducers, and Basic Circuits. A Study Guide of the Science and Engineering Technician Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mowery, Donald R.

This study guide is part of a program of studies entitled the Science and Engineering Technician (SET) Curriculum developed for the purpose of training technicians in the use of electronic instruments and their applications. The program integrates elements from the disciplines of chemistry, physics, mathematics, mechanical technology, and…

The MORPG-Based Learning System for Multiple Courses: A Case Study on Computer Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Kuo-Yu

2015-01-01

This study aimed at developing a Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game-based (MORPG) Learning system which enabled instructors to construct a game scenario and manage sharable and reusable learning content for multiple courses. It used the curriculum of "Introduction to Computer Science" as a study case to assess students' learning…

Infusing Culturally Responsive Science Curriculum into Early Childhood Teacher Preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Jiyoon; Martin, Leisa A.

2017-08-01

Previous research studies in early childhood teacher education have indicated that teacher candidates are not adequately prepared to demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to teach science to all children including culturally and linguistically diverse students. To address this issue, the researchers provided 31 early childhood teacher candidates with instructions through a culturally responsive science education curriculum that integrates American and Korean science curriculum corresponding to the American and Korean standards for teacher education. The results showed a statistically significant increase in their Personal Science Teaching Efficacy (PSTE). In addition, the teacher candidates were able to create a multicultural/diverse lesson in the developing and proficiency levels based on Ambrosio's lesson matrix. This study provides teacher candidates' knowledge as well as an additional resource for developing their self-efficacy and understanding the role of multicultural/diverse lesson planning for science instruction. Also, teacher candidates could be better prepared by understanding how other countries approach science education and integrating this knowledge to enrich their own science instruction.

Engaging a middle school teacher and students in formal-informal science education: Contexts of science standards-based curriculum and an urban science center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grace, Shamarion Gladys

This is a three-article five chapter doctoral dissertation. The overall purpose of this three-pronged study is to engage a middle school science teacher and students in formal-informal science education within the context of a science standards-based curriculum and Urban Science Center. The goals of the study were: (1) to characterize the conversations of formal and informal science educators as they attempted to implement a standards-based curriculum augmented with science center exhibits; (2) to study the classroom discourse between the teacher and students that foster the development of common knowledge in science and student understanding of the concept of energy before observing science center exhibits on energy; (3) to investigate whether or not a standards-driven, project-based Investigating and Questioning our World through Science and Technology (IQWST) curriculum unit on forms and transformation of energy augmented with science center exhibits had a significant effect on urban African-American seventh grade students' achievement and learning. Overall, the study consisted of a mixed-method approach. Article one consists of a case study featuring semi-structured interviews and field notes. Article two consists of documenting and interpreting teacher-students' classroom discourse. Article three consists of qualitative methods (classroom discussion, focus group interviews, student video creation) and quantitative methods (multiple choice and open-ended questions). Oral discourses in all three studies were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. In article one, the community of educators' conversations were critically analyzed to discern the challenges educators encountered when they attempted to connect school curriculum to energy exhibits at the Urban Science Center. The five challenges that characterize the emergence of a third space were as follows: (a) science terminology for lesson focus, (b) "dumb-down" of science exhibits, (c) exploration distracts lesson structure, (d) meaning of model/modeling, and (e) Which comes first?--science content learning or science exhibit exploration. These challenges were considered and discussed as opportunities for personal growth. The third space allowed for participant reflection and transformation in formal-informal collaboration and communication. In article two, teacher-students' classroom discourse transcripts corresponding to the workbook lessons from the IQWST Physics Unit were analyzed. Four instructional events were selected for discourse analysis: focusing on the inquiry process; understanding about kinetic energy; formulating scientific explanations; and translating energy transformation. The discourse-excerpts representing the aforementioned instructional events revealed four teacher behaviors: teacher-posed questions, teacher-explanations, teacher responses, and teacher reference to past learning. Of these teacher behaviors, teacher-posed questions dominated and these consist of fill-in-the-blank, affirmation, second-order, descriptive, and explanatory. Article three represented the results of the IQWST Unit Achievement Test (IUAT) and students' understanding of the concepts of energy and energy transformation. The IUAT indicated that students (N=37) in the experimental group taught with the science center exhibits augmented IQWST curriculum unit achieved scores (p<0.001) about the same as students in the control group (N=31) taught only with the IQWST curriculum unit. However, the experimental (Deltapost-pre = 4.78) and control (Deltapost-pre = 4.04) groups revealed significant gains (p<0.001) from pre-test scores to post-test scores. These findings confirm that underserved urban students' learning can be enhanced with an augmented standards-based curriculum unit. The students also can realize significant achievement gains when professionally developed and administration supported teachers use standards-driven science curriculum whether or not augmented with science exhibits. The three qualitative analyses of data in article three indicated that students had reasonable understandings of the forms and transformation of energy. They were also able to explain the working of science exhibits using their understandings of the energy concepts developed in class. The first study (article 1) implies that a third space allows for participant reflection and transformation in formal-informal collaboration and communication. The second study (article 1) implies the following: (a) the teacher's struggle with dialogic discourse, a communicative approach that fosters common knowledge through a social process; and (b) the need for professional development that fosters dialogic discourse. The third study (article three) implies an integrated curriculum with both formal and informal components can be successfully enacted to achieve content mastery when teachers are given professional development on how to develop students' knowledge using science exhibits, time to develop concepts with students using exhibits, and support from administration to modify the time required to cover certain topics in the curriculum with more time spent on those topics such as energy that require creative teaching methods to assist students' science learning. Overall, the study implies that the science center exhibits can provide a context to observe whether students are able to translate classroom constructed knowledge at the intersection of formal-informal instruction.

Evaluating the Effects of Medical Explorers a Case Study Curriculum on Critical Thinking, Attitude Toward Life Science, and Motivational Learning Strategies in Rural High School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brand, Lance G.

2011-12-01

The purpose of this study was three-fold: to measure the ability of the Medical Explorers case-based curriculum to improve higher order thinking skills; to evaluate the impact of the Medical Explorers case-based curriculum to help students be self directed learners; and to investigate the impact of the Medical Explorers case-based curriculum to improve student attitudes of the life sciences. The target population for this study was secondary students enrolled in advanced life science programs. The resulting sample (n = 71) consisted of 36 students in the case-based experimental group and 35 students in the control group. Furthermore, this study employed an experimental, pretest-posttest control group research design. The treatment consisted of two instructional strategies: case-based learning and teacher-guided learning. Analysis of covariance indicated no treatment effect on critical thinking ability or Motivation and Self-regulation of Learning. However, the Medical Explorers case-based curriculum did show a treatment effect on student attitudes toward the life sciences. These results seem to indicate that case-based curriculum has a positive impact on students' perspectives and attitudes about the study of life science as well as their interest in life science based careers. Such outcomes are also a good indicator that students enjoy and perceive the value to use of case studies in science, and because they see value in the work that they do they open up their minds to true learning and integration. Of additional interest was the observationthat on average eleventh graders showed consistently stronger gains in critical thinking, motivation and self-regulation of learning strategies, and attitudes toward the life sciences as compared to twelfth grade students. In fact, twelfth grade students showed a pre to post loss on the Watson-Glaser and the MSLQ scores while eleventh grade students showed positive gains on each of these instruments. This decline in twelfth grade performance is an endemic indicator of underlying problems that exists in this transitional year of education and supports the need to strengthen the transitional connections between high schools and institutions of higher learning.

TEST BOOKLET FOR HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY, EXPERIMENTAL MATERIALS FOR USE 1966-1968.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, Boulder, CO.

SUPPLEMENTARY TEST QUESTIONS FOR USE BY SECONDARY BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES CURRICULUM STUDY GREEN VERSION BIOLOGY TEACHERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF EXAMINATIONS ARE CONTAINED IN THIS EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL. THE ITEMS WERE PREPARED BY THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES CURRICULUM STUDY TEST CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE IN RESPONSE TO TEACHER REQUESTS FOR SHORT-RANGE TESTS.…

Making Sense of Curriculum--The Transition into Science and Engineering University Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulriksen, Lars; Holmegaard, Henriette T.; Madsen, Lene Møller

2017-01-01

Research on students' transition, retention and experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has increasingly focused on identity formation and on students' integration in the study programmes. However, studies focusing on the role of the curriculum in this process at the level of higher education are scarce. The present…

The World Needs a New Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prensky, Marc

2014-01-01

The author proposes that today's existing, world-wide curriculum--based on offering roughly the same math, language arts, science, and social studies to all--is not what is required for the future, and is hurting rather than helping the world's students. Math, language arts, science, and social studies, he argues, are really "proxies"…

A comparative study on student perceptions of their learning outcomes in undergraduate science degree programmes with differing curriculum models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Kelly E.; Firn, Jennifer; Schmidt, Susanne; Whelan, Karen

2017-04-01

This study investigated students' perceptions of their graduate learning outcomes including content knowledge, communication, writing, teamwork, quantitative skills, and ethical thinking in two Australian universities. One university has a traditional discipline-orientated curriculum and the other, an interdisciplinary curriculum in the entry semester of first year. The Science Students Skills Inventory asked students (n = 613) in first and final years to rate their perceptions of the importance of developing graduate learning outcomes within the programme; how much they improved their graduate learning outcomes throughout their undergraduate science programme; how much they saw learning outcomes included in the programme; and how confident they were about their learning outcomes. A framework of progressive curriculum development was adopted to interpret results. Students in the discipline-oriented degree programme reported higher perceptions of scientific content knowledge and ethical thinking while students from the interdisciplinary curriculum indicated higher perceptions of oral communication and teamwork. Implications for curriculum development include ensuring progressive development from first to third years, a need for enhanced focus on scientific ethics, and career opportunities from first year onwards.

Florence Bascom and the Exclusion of Women From Earth Science Curriculum Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Lois

1975-01-01

Numerous excerpts from present day earth science curriculum materials reveal sexual discrimination. In addition, studies of photographs included in the materials reveal a high male dominance. The significant contributions of one earth scientist, Florence Bascom, are remembered. (CP)

Working Alongside Scientists. Impacts on Primary Teacher Beliefs and Knowledge About Science and Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Dayle; Moeed, Azra

2017-05-01

Current curriculum demands require primary teachers to teach about the Nature of Science; yet, few primary teachers have had opportunity to learn about science as a discipline. Prior schooling and vicarious experiences of science may shape their beliefs about science and, as a result, their science teaching. This qualitative study describes the impact on teacher beliefs about science and science education of a programme where 26 New Zealand primary (elementary) teachers worked fulltime for 6 months alongside scientists, experiencing the nature of work in scientific research institutes. During the 6 months, teachers were supported, through a series of targeted professional development days, to make connections between their experiences working with scientists, the curriculum and the classroom. Data for the study consisted of mid- and end-of-programme written teacher reports and open-ended questionnaires collected at three points, prior to and following 6 months with the science host and after 6 to 12 months back in school. A shift in many teachers' beliefs was observed after the 6 months of working with scientists in combination with curriculum development days; for many, these changes were sustained 6 to 12 months after returning to school. Beliefs about the aims of science education became more closely aligned with the New Zealand curriculum and its goal of developing science for citizenship. Responses show greater appreciation of the value of scientific ways of thinking, deeper understanding about the nature of scientists' work and the ways in which science and society influence each other.

Development and Evaluation of an Experimental Curriculum for the New Quincy (Mass.) Vocational-Technical School. The Science Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Champagne, Audrey; Albert, Anne

Activities concerning the development of the science curriculum of Project ABLE are summarized. The science curriculum attempts to relate science content to vocational areas where applicable, but emphasizes generalizations which the student will apply in his specific vocational field. Intended for 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students, the…

Neo-Liberal Individualism and a New Essentialism: A Comparison of Two Australian Curriculum Documents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Dorothy V.

2011-01-01

This article explores a significant shift in the science curriculum in Victoria, Australia, in the mid-1990s by using the idea of essentialism to compare two science curriculum documents that span the shift. The accounts given in these documents of desirable approaches to teaching science, science itself and the proper scope of curriculum, are…

Developing and Evaluating an Eighth Grade Curriculum Unit That Links Foundational Chemistry to Biological Growth: Paper 5--Using Teacher Measures to Evaluate the Promise of the Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flanagan, Jean C.; Herrmann-Abell, Cari F.; Roseman, Jo Ellen

2013-01-01

AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) is collaborating with BSCS (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study) in the development of a curriculum unit for eighth grade students that connects fundamental chemistry and biology concepts to better prepare them for high school biology. Recognizing that teachers play an influential role in…

Dissemination of an innovative mastery learning curriculum grounded in implementation science principles: a case study.

PubMed

McGaghie, William C; Barsuk, Jeffrey H; Cohen, Elaine R; Kristopaitis, Theresa; Wayne, Diane B

2015-11-01

Dissemination of a medical education innovation, such as mastery learning, from a setting where it has been used successfully to a new and different medical education environment is not easy. This article describes the uneven yet successful dissemination of a simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) curriculum on central venous catheter (CVC) insertion for internal medicine and emergency medicine residents across medical education settings. The dissemination program was grounded in implementation science principles. The article begins by describing implementation science which addresses the mechanisms of medical education and health care delivery. The authors then present a mastery learning case study in two phases: (1) the development, implementation, and evaluation of the SBML CVC curriculum at a tertiary care academic medical center; and (2) the dissemination of the SBML CVC curriculum to an academic community hospital setting. Contextual information about the drivers and barriers that affected the SBML CVC curriculum dissemination is presented. This work demonstrates that dissemination of mastery learning curricula, like all other medical education innovations, will fail without active educational leadership, personal contacts, dedication, hard work, rigorous measurement, and attention to implementation science principles. The article concludes by presenting a set of lessons learned about disseminating an SBML CVC curriculum across different medical education settings.

Matching the Grade 8 TIMSS Item Pool to the Ontario Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Alexandra; Bordignon, Catherine; Nagy, Philip

2002-01-01

Studied the match between the Ontario (Canada) eighth grade curriculum for 1997 and the item pool of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and analyzed the matching process itself. Findings show that the 1997 curriculum is a better match to the TIMSS item pool, achieving the better match by enlarging the curriculum and…

Preservice Elementary Teachers' Adaptation of Science Curriculum Materials for Inquiry-Based Elementary Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forbes, Cory T.

2011-01-01

Curriculum materials are important resources with which teachers make pedagogical decisions about the design of science learning environments. To become well-started beginning elementary teachers capable of engaging their students in inquiry-based science, preservice elementary teachers need to learn to use science curriculum materials…

Social Studies Curriculum and the Elementary Teacher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breiter, Joan; Menne, Jack

This study of the traditional elementary social studies curriculum was conducted during 1974-76 in 16 school systems in cities of 10,000 and above population in Iowa and southern Minnesota. A traditional social studies curriculum incorporates history and geography, but not other social science fields. The purposes of the study were to (1)…

Career Orientation: Grade 7 and 8: A Unified Approach: Science Careers. Activity Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cincinnati Public Schools, OH.

Career orientation in the science curriculum introduces students to science-related careers and opportunities and enables them to prepare an educational program if they choose a science career. The curriculum guide is designed to aid junior high school science teachers in relating the seventh and eighth grade science curriculum to careers in…

Making Curriculum Decisions in K-8 Science: The Relationship between Teacher Dispositions and Curriculum Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eidietis, L.; Jewkes, A. M.

2011-01-01

This study examined teachers' dispositions toward and choices to teach ocean science using a survey design. A sample of 89 in-service K-8 teachers in the United States reported their (1) feelings of preparedness to teach about ocean literacy and (2) attitudes toward ocean science on three measures. Results of multiple linear regression showed that…

A Curriculum Guide to Applications of Science to Technology for Able Learners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanTassel-Baska, Joyce, Ed.; And Others

This curriculum guide was developed with the intention of providing an enrichment option for gifted and talented learners who are interested in pursuing current issues and topics in the fields of mathematics and science. The scope of the guide is meant to encompass a year's study of a set of topics which apply mathematics to science and…

Small Schools Science Curriculum, K-3: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Learning objectives and suggested activities, monitoring procedures and resources for the Washington K-3 Small Schools Science Curriculum are based on the rationale that "young children need the opportunity to observe, classify, predict, test ideas again and again in a variety of contexts, ask questions, explain, discuss ideas, fail, and succeed.…

Utilizing an Early Childhood Science Curriculum: Factors Influencing Implementation and How Variations Affect Students' Skills and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shamas-Brandt, Ellen

2012-01-01

Early childhood is a ripe time for students to begin learning science, but due to certain constraints, this instruction is not happening as frequently as it should. This mixed-methods, multiple case study examined how two teachers implemented an early childhood science curriculum, the "Young Scientist Series." The teacher participants…

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…

Introducing Curriculum Innovations in Science: Identifying Teachers' Transformations and the Design of Related Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinto, Roser

2005-01-01

This paper introduces the four research papers in this paper set, which all derive from a European research project, STTIS (Science Teacher Training in an Information Society). The central concern of the project was to study curriculum innovations in science, and to investigate ways in which teachers transform these innovations when putting them…

A Study of the Curricular Organization of Intermediate Sciences in a County in New York State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nettuno, Thomas

2012-01-01

This study of a County in New York State gathered information about the means for teaching the intermediate science curriculum in middle schools. The study collected 43 surveys and conducted ten follow-up interviews with administrators responsible for curriculum. Data included the division of content among grade level, starting grade level,…

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Teacher's Edition: Investigating Variation. Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the teacher's edition of one of the eight units of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). This unit focuses on diversity in human populations, measurement, and data collection. Optional excursions are described for students who wish to study a topic in greater depth. An introduction describes…

Examining Chemistry Teachers' Use of Curriculum Materials: In View of Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Bo; Wei, Bing

2015-01-01

This paper aimed to explore how pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of teachers influenced their adaptations of the curriculum materials of the new senior secondary chemistry curriculum, a standards-based science curriculum, in China. This study was based on the premise that the interaction of the teacher with the curriculum materials determines…

An Exploration of Teacher Learning from an Educative Reform-Oriented Science Curriculum: Case Studies of Teacher Curriculum Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marco-Bujosa, Lisa M.; McNeill, Katherine L.; González-Howard, María; Loper, Suzanna

2017-01-01

Educative curriculum materials provide teachers with authentic opportunities to learn new skills and practices. Yet, research shows teachers use curriculum in different ways for different reasons, and these modifications could undermine the learning goals of the curriculum. Little research, however, has examined the variation in teacher use of…

Faculty Perceptions Regarding the Infusion of Global Perspectives into the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Curriculum: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magtoto, Ronaldo Lising

2017-01-01

A comparative study was conducted to explore faculty perceptions regarding the infusion of global perspectives into the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) curriculum at Iowa State University. King (1991) provided the original base for the study which enabled a comparison with data recently collected. This study may fill a void in the…

Integrating Engineering into Delaware's K-5 Classrooms: A Study of Pedagogical and Curricular Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grusenmeyer, Linda Huey

2017-01-01

This study examines the personal and curricular resources available to Delaware's elementary teachers during a time of innovative curriculum change, i.e., their knowledge, goals and beliefs regarding elementary engineering curriculum and the pedagogical support to teach two Science and Engineering Practices provided by science teaching materials.…

Promoting Teachers' Collaborative Exploration of a New Science Curriculum: The Case of a Singapore Learning Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Yuen Sze Michelle; Nashon, Samson Madera

2015-01-01

Through a case study, we explore how four Grade 9-10 biology teachers in Singapore experienced their collaborative approach to curriculum and addressed challenges associated with newly prescribed science curricula, such as the perceived lack of clarity and pressure to complete teaching curricular content. With the teachers participating in a…

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Student Guide: Investigating Variation. Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the student's text of one unit of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). This unit focuses on diversity in human populations, measurement, and data collection. Numerous activities are given and optional excursions encourage students to pursue a topic in greater depth. Data tables within the…

The Perspectives of Elementary Teachers Regarding the Integration of the JASON Project into the Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Belinda Chantelle Richardson

2015-01-01

This phenomenological narrative study was to explore nine elementary teachers' perspectives of the integration of the JASON Project virtual field trip into the science curriculum. Study findings indicated that the teachers saw an increase in student participation when implementing the JASON Project virtual field trip. The most significant findings…

A Study of Changes in the Library and Information Science Curriculum with Evaluation of Its Practicality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noh, Younghee; Ahn, In-Ja; Choi, Sang-Ki

2012-01-01

Purpose: This study analyzed the process of changes in Korean Library and Information Science curriculum and evaluated the courses currently available by using a perception survey of librarians in the field. It also explored a possible demand for new courses, while suggesting compulsory, core, and optional courses for Bachelor's degree curriculum…

Anthropology and Openmindedness: A Restructuring of the Social Studies Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dynneson, Thomas L.

The potential use of anthropology for restructuring both the general curriculum and social studies is discussed. Anthropology could work as an organizer because it is a broad based discipline and relates to the natural sciences, fine arts, language arts, and humanities, as well as to the social sciences. By the beginning of the 21st century, major…

Elementary Core Curriculum Standards: Levels K-3: Arts, Information Technology, Science, Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Health, Lifestyles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utah State Office of Education, Salt Lake City.

Utah's 1987 minimum course description standards for students in kindergarten through third grade are provided in the required core curriculum areas of arts, information technology, science, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and healthy lifestyles. For each curricular area a rationale is given, followed by a brief course description…

Science Fiction across the Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kay, Andrew L.; Golden, Michael

1991-01-01

Presents ideas on integrating science fiction into language arts, science, social studies, and math. Suggestions include an interstellar journey, imaginative language lessons, futuristic social studies, extraterrestrial life studies, intergalactic math, and science fiction story writing. (SM)

Inquiry-Based Science Education: A Scenario on Zambia's High School Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chabalengula, Vivien M.; Mumba, Frackson

2012-01-01

This paper is aimed at elucidating the current state of inquiry-based science education (IBSE) in Zambia's high school science curriculum. Therefore, we investigated Zambian teachers' conceptions of inquiry; determined inquiry levels in the national high school science curriculum materials, which include syllabi, textbooks and practical exams; and…

The progress test as a diagnostic tool for a new PBL curriculum.

PubMed

Al Alwan, I; Al-Moamary, M; Al-Attas, N; Al Kushi, A; AlBanyan, E; Zamakhshary, M; Al Kadri, H M F; Tamim, H; Magzoub, M; Hajeer, A; Schmidt, H

2011-12-01

The College of Medicine at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) is running a PBL-based curriculum. A progress test was used to evaluate components of the basic medical and clinical sciences curriculum. To evaluate the performance of students at different levels of the college of medicine curriculum through USMLE-based test that focused on basic medical and clinical sciences topics. The USMLE-based basic medical and clinical sciences progress test has been conducted since 2007. It covers nine topics, including: anatomy; physiology; histology; epidemiology; biochemistry; behavioral sciences, pathology, pharmacology and immunology/microbiology. Here we analyzed results of three consecutive years of all students in years 1-4. There was a good correlation between progress test results and students' GPA. Progress test results in the clinical topics were better than basic medical sciences. In basic medical sciences, results of pharmacology, biochemistry, behavioral sciences and histology gave lower results than the other disciplines. Results of our progress test proved to be a useful indicator for both basic medical sciences and clinical sciences curriculum. Results are being utilized to help in modifying our curriculum.

Science of Alcohol Curriculum for American Indians (SACAI): An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Study of the Science of Alcohol for Upper Elementary and Middle Level Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Indian Science and Engineering Society, Boulder, CO.

This curriculum provides American Indian youth with a framework for learning about the effects of alcohol on the body and the community. The curriculum stresses the development of scientific thinking skills and was designed for upper elementary and middle level students. The guide consists of four units: How Does Alcohol Circulate through the Body…

Islamic values in the Kuwaiti curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alshahen, Ghanim A.

This study investigated the influence of Islamic values on the curriculum, in particular the Islamic studies and science curricula. Three questionnaires were developed, validated, and used to investigate teachers' and pupils' attitudes toward Islamic values in the curriculum. Four main sections deal with Islamic values in the Islamic studies and science curricula, namely: Islamic values in the textbook, teaching Islamic values, the relationship between Islamic values and the science curriculum, and the Islamic values model. Two instruments were used in this study: questionnaires and interviews. Both qualitative and quantitative data were generated from the sample, which consisted of Islamic studies and science teachers and supervisors in intermediate schools, and pupils studying in the eighth grade in intermediate schools. In the last case, the data were gathered by questionnaire only. The interviews and questionnaires provided explanatory data. The research was carried out in three phases, considering respectively 55 Islamic studies teachers, 55 science teachers who teach the eighth grade in intermediate schools, and 786 pupils who study in the eighth grade in 20 schools. In each school, the researcher selected two classes. This thesis consists of eight chapters. Chapter One provides a general introduction and highlights the general framework of this study. Chapter Two is concerned with the development of the education system in Kuwait and the objectives of the Islamic studies and science curricula in the intermediate stage. Chapter Three presents the conceptions of values, the Islamic values model, and Islamic values in the curriculum. Chapter Four describes the objectives of the study, and its research design methods and procedures used to develop the instruments. The sampling procedure, the data collection procedures, and the statistical methods used to analyse the data are also described. Chapter Five presents and interprets the findings of this study. Data analysis in this chapter deals with the Islamic studies and science teachers' questionnaires and both the teachers' and supervisors' interviews. The interview findings are dealt with according to the key themes. Chapter Seven discusses the main findings related to Islamic values in both curricula. Chapter Eight reflects on the main themes of the investigation as a whole. It gives a brief description of the aims and methods of the study and sets out the major findings, their importance, and limitations. Finally, the study concludes with several recommendations and suggestions for developing Islamic values in the curriculum.

Leading Change in the Primary Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waller, Nicky; Baker, Chris

2014-01-01

Nicky Waller and Chris Baker believe that change can be a good thing and explain how their training has helped others to adjust to the new science curriculum. In September 2013, teachers across England received the definitive version of the new primary curriculum "Leading Change in the Primary Science Curriculum." This course aimed to…

A Leader's Guide to Mathematics Curriculum Topic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keeley, Page; Mundry, Susan; Tobey, Cheryl Rose; Carroll, Catherine E.

2012-01-01

The Curriculum Topic Study (CTS) process, funded by the National Science Foundation, supports teachers in improving practice by connecting standards and research to curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Designed for facilitators, this guide provides a robust set of professional development tools, templates, and designs to strengthen mathematics…

Designing virtual science labs for the Islamic Academy of Delaware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AlZahrani, Nada Saeed

Science education is a basic part of the curriculum in modern day classrooms. Instructional approaches to science education can take many forms but hands-on application of theory via science laboratory activities for the learner is common. Not all schools have the resources to provide the laboratory environment necessary for hands-on application of science theory. Some settings rely on technology to provide a virtual laboratory experience instead. The Islamic Academy of Delaware (IAD), a typical community-based organization, was formed to support and meet the essential needs of the Muslim community of Delaware. IAD provides science education as part of the overall curriculum, but cannot provide laboratory activities as part of the science program. Virtual science labs may be a successful model for students at IAD. This study was conducted to investigate the potential of implementing virtual science labs at IAD and to develop an implementation plan for integrating the virtual labs. The literature has shown us that the lab experience is a valuable part of the science curriculum (NBPTS, 2013, Wolf, 2010, National Research Council, 1997 & 2012). The National Research Council (2012) stressed the inclusion of laboratory investigations in the science curriculum. The literature also supports the use of virtual labs as an effective substitute for classroom labs (Babateen, 2011; National Science Teachers Association, 2008). Pyatt and Simms (2011) found evidence that virtual labs were as good, if not better than physical lab experiences in some respects. Although not identical in experience to a live lab, the virtual lab has been shown to provide the student with an effective laboratory experience in situations where the live lab is not possible. The results of the IAD teacher interviews indicate that the teachers are well-prepared for, and supportive of, the implementation of virtual labs to improve the science education curriculum. The investigator believes that with the support of the literature and the readiness of the IAD administration and teachers, a recommendation to implement virtual labs into the curriculum can be made.

Impacts of a Place-Based Science Curriculum on Student Place Attachment in Hawaiian and Western Cultural Institutions at an Urban High School in Hawai'i

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuwahara, Jennifer L. H.

2013-01-01

This study investigates how students' participation in a place-based science curriculum may influence their place attachment (dependence and identity). Participants attend an urban high school in Hawai'i and are members of different cultural institutions within the school. Students are either enrolled in an environmental science class within the…

Investigating Consistency of Questions in Primary and Middle School Science Textbooks with Objectives in Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yaman, Süleyman

2017-01-01

Due to problems related their content and use; textbooks do not achieve the expected effect in learning although they are one of the most important elements of the science curriculum. Questions in textbooks are also important criteria in determining the effect of textbooks. In this study, it was aimed to compare questions in four different science…

Secondary Science Teachers as Curriculum Makers: Mapping and Designing Scotland's New Curriculum for Excellence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Carolyn S.; Priestley, Mark R.

2017-01-01

Scotland is one of several countries to have recently implemented a new national curriculum to highlight 21st century educational priorities. Teachers have been mandated to follow the new curriculum guidelines, known as Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), since the fall of 2010. The purpose of this study was to use a phenomenological lens to…

From Prescribed Curriculum to Classroom Practice: An Examination of the Implementation of the New York State Earth Science Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Contino, Julie; Anderson, O. Roger

2013-01-01

In New York State (NYS), Earth science teachers use the "National Science Education Standards" (NSES), the NYS "Learning Standards for Mathematics, Science and Technology" (NYS Standards), and the "Physical Setting/Earth Science Core Curriculum" (Core Curriculum) to create local curricula and daily lessons. In this…

An Annotated Bibliography of Teaching Bioethics in the Public Secondary School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jennings, Bruce D.

This study was conducted to identify bioethical topics of possible interest for a high school science curriculum, focusing on advantages and disadvantages of bioethical education and emphasizing the procedure to incorporate bioethics instruction into the secondary school science curriculum. Researched material is presented as an annotated…

A Curriculum for Preparing Science Teachers to Use Microcomputers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, James D.; Kuerbis, Paul J.

1991-01-01

ENLIST Micros, a project designed to improve quality and quantity of microcomputer use in science teaching, is described. Rationale and procedures behind its development; description of the pilot test model; results of the initial field test and an implementation study; description of the revised ENLIST Micros curriculum; and recommendations for…

Consumer Education in the Science Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kowalski, Stephen W.

In this monograph, the implementation of consumer education topics into the science curriculum of secondary schools is advocated. Not only is the need for such activities explained, but several suggested instructional topics are provided. One area of recommended study is that of product comparison. A model outline of operation is provided, along…

Science Teachers' Perception on Multicultural Education Literacy and Curriculum Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Hsiu-Ping; Cheng, Ying-Yao; Yang, Cheng-Fu

2017-01-01

This study aimed to explore the current status of teachers' multicultural education literacy and multicultural curriculum practices, with a total of 274 elementary school science teachers from Taitung County as survey participants. The questionnaire used a Likert-type four-point scale which content included the teachers' perception of…

Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Learning Science Methods through Hybridizing Asynchronous and Traditional Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Jeff

2011-01-01

This study addresses preservice teachers' perceptions toward online experiences, specifically, their perceptions about utilizing an online science methods curriculum versus a traditional methods curriculum. Thirty-eight senior level preservice teachers at a midwestern U.S. university completed surveys about their experiences during their methods…

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Teacher's Edition: Well-Being. Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the teacher's edition of one of the eight units of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). This unit focuses on hazards to the body from drug use. Activities are given that relate to the topic. Optional excursions are suggested for students who wish to study an area in greater depth. An…

What do primary students know about science, scientists and how they do their work?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartels, Selina L.

The teaching of scientific literacy is the primary goal of elementary science education. Scientific literacy is composed of the overall understanding of what science is and how scientific knowledge is developed. The purpose of this study was to see if elementary students' understandings of science, scientists and how scientists do their work changes from grade one to grade five of elementary school. Furthermore, the study attempts to determine whether there is a difference in scientific literacy between students taught using a textbook curriculum versus a kit-based curriculum. The study draws on a sample of 338 students from 18 different classrooms situated in six different schools in both urban and suburban areas of a large Midwestern city. Students' understandings of science, scientists and how they do their work was measured through a valid and reliable oral protocol entitled Young Children's Views of Science (YCVS) (Lederman, J., Bartels, Lederman, & Ganankkan, 2014). The YCVS assesses students' understandings of the aspects of scientific inquiry (SI) and the nature of science (NOS) that young elementary students are able to understand. These aspects are; science, scientists, multiple methods, observation/inference, begins with a question, empirical, subjectivity, tentativeness and creativity. The YCVS was administered orally for grade one students, and a paper-and-pencil version was given to grades three and five. Results indicated that there are very few gains in NOS and SI understandings between grades one and five in the schools included in this study. None of the schools in this study made significant gains for all of the nine aspects measured in this study. Examining curriculum's affect on NOS and SI understandings, understanding of only one aspect was significantly impacted by curriculum differences. Subjectivity understanding was impacted by kit-based instruction. Overall, students' understandings of science, scientists and how they do their work did not significantly change from grade one to grade five regardless of what type of curriculum they followed. This study shows that students' scientific literacy is not being developed throughout elementary school. Therefore, the teaching of scientific literacy in an explicit and reflective manner should be the focus of preservice elementary school education.

Interdependence and Management in Bilingual Classrooms. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Elizabeth G.; Intili, Jo Ann

Using a sociological conceptualization of curriculum implementation, this study looked at the relationship between implementation and learning outcomes. The specific curriculum examined was a complex math-science curriculum for language minority students in grades 2-4. The study looked particularly at the effect on learning outcomes of allowing…

Fort Benton Science Curriculum Outline.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fort Benton Public Schools, MT.

The science curriculum for the Fort Benton school system was developed with funds under Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to give students the background of a modern and forward-looking program in science taught in an imaginative, investigative, and inquiry-oriented fashion. The science curriculum guide outlines a planned…

Uncovering Portuguese Teachers' Difficulties in Implementing Sciences Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasconcelos, Clara; Torres, Joana; Moutinho, Sara; Martins, Idalina; Costa, Nilza

2015-01-01

Many countries recognize the positive and effective results of improving science education through the introduction of reforms in the sciences curriculum. However, some important issues are generally neglected like, for example, the involvement of the teachers in the reform process. Taking the sciences curriculum reform under analysis and…

Complementary Social Sciences Courses in the Alberta High School Curriculum: A Conceptual Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staszenski, Donna; Smits, Hans

2008-01-01

In keeping with Alberta Education's goals and responsibilities to develop and evaluate curriculum and to set standards and assess outcomes, the Ministry is reviewing the status and purpose of social sciences courses as part of the high school curriculum. The present social sciences curriculum was revised in 1985. As part of the social sciences…

The Effects of the Science Curriculum Improvement Study on a Child's Self-Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krockover, Gerald H.; Malcolm, Marshall D.

1977-01-01

Describes research undertaken to determine if Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) can be instrumental in helping children either maintain or develop a positive self-concept. A total of 189 students in grades 3-6 were assigned to treatment and control groups for a period of four and one-half months. Findings did not reveal overall…

The Impact of Curriculum Change on Health Sciences First Year Students' Approaches to Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Rebecca; Spronken-Smith, Rachel; Bond, Carol; McDonald, Fiona; Reynolds, John; McMartin, Anna

2010-01-01

This study aimed to use a learning inventory (the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students, ASSIST) to measure the impact of a curriculum change on students' approaches to learning in two large courses in a health sciences first year programme. The two new Human Body Systems (HUBS) courses were designed to encourage students to take a…

Modular Mayhem? A Case Study of the Development of the A-Level Science Curriculum in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayward, Geoff; McNicholl, Jane

2007-01-01

This article investigates the costs and benefits of the increased use of modular or unitized qualification designs through a case study of the GCE A-level science curriculum in England. Following a brief review of the development of modular A-levels, the various proposed advantages of modularity--short-term goals and regular feedback, flexibility…

Los Arboles Hablan: A Spanish Language Curriculum Unit Based on the Study of Latin American Rain Forests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zuman, John P.

"Los Arboles Hablan," a video-based curriculum that promotes the learning of Spanish as a second language through study of the Latin American rain forests is described. The 12-session unit was designed for use at the middle school level and integrates science, social science, and environmental education with content focusing on the…

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Student Guide: What's Up? Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the student's text of one unit of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). The chapters contain basic information about rockets, space, and principles of physics, as well as activities related to the subject and optional excursions. A section of introductory notes to the student discusses how the…

A Conceptual Framework for Determining Training Needs of Extension Agents Applied to Dairy Science. The Findings from Extension Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verma, Satish

A summary of an Extension Education dissertation on a study to develop a framework of curriculum and learning theory features, to determine needs of Extension agents, and to show its application to dairy science is presented. Tyler's rationale for deriving educational objectives (curriculum theory) and Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive behavior…

The effects of a new constructivist science curriculum (PIPS) for prospective elementary teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Ling L.

This study examines the effectiveness of a new constructivist curriculum model (Powerful Ideas in Physical Science, PIPS) in promoting preservice teachers' understanding of science concepts, in fostering a learning environment supporting conceptual change, and in improving preservice teachers' attitudes toward science as well as their science teaching efficacy beliefs. The PIPS curriculum model integrates a conceptual change perspective with a hands-on, inquiry-based approach and other promising effective teaching strategies such as cooperative learning. Three instructors each taught one class section using the PIPS and one using the existing curriculum for an introductory science course. Their students were 121 prospective elementary teachers at a large mid-western university. ANCOVA and Repeated Measures Analyses of Variance were performed to analyze the scores on concept tests and attitude surveys. Data from videotaped observations of lab sessions and interviews of prospective teachers and their instructors were analyzed by employing a naturalistic inquiry method to get insights into the process of science learning and teaching for the prospective teachers. The interpretations were made based on the findings that could be corroborated by both methodologies. For the twelve prospective teachers interviewed, it was found that the PIPS model was more effective in promoting conceptual understanding and positive attitudes toward science learning for those with lower past science performance. The PIPS approach left more room for self-reflection on the development of understanding of science concepts in contrast to the lecture-lab type teaching. Factors that might have influenced the teacher trainees' attitudes and beliefs about learning and teaching science were identified and discussed. It was also found that better cooperative learning and a more supportive learning environment have been promoted in the PIPS classrooms. However, the differential treatment effects on learning outcomes for all participants of the study, as measured by the paper-pencil instruments, were not statistically significant. Both students' and instructors' perspectives of the PIPS approach are presented in the study. Limitations of the present study as well as recommendations for future revision of the PIPS curriculum and effective implementation of the constructivist teaching in general, are also included.

A Case Study of the Impact of a Reformed Science Curriculum on Student Attitudes and Learning in a Secondary Physics Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molotsky, Gregg Jeremy

2011-01-01

This case study examined the impact of the application of an inquiry-based concept related physics curriculum on student attitudes and learning in a secondary physics classroom in southern New Jersey. Students who had previously used a traditional physics curriculum were presented with a 10 week inquiry-based concept related physics curriculum on…

Investigating the Impact of a LEGO(TM)-Based, Engineering-Oriented Curriculum Compared to an Inquiry-Based Curriculum on Fifth Graders' Content Learning of Simple Machines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marulcu, Ismail

2010-01-01

This mixed method study examined the impact of a LEGO-based, engineering-oriented curriculum compared to an inquiry-based curriculum on fifth graders' content learning of simple machines. This study takes a social constructivist theoretical stance that science learning involves learning scientific concepts and their relations to each other. From…

Science in Hawaii/Haawina Hoopapau: A Culturally Responsive Curriculum Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galloway, L. M.; Roberts, K.; Leake, D. W.; Stodden, R. S.; Crabbe, V.

2005-12-01

The marvels of modern science often fail to engage indigenous students, as the content and instructional style are usually rooted in the Western experience. This 3 year project, funded by the US Dept. of Education for the Education of Native Hawaiians, offers a curriculum that teaches science through (rather than just about) Native Hawaiian culture. The curriculum focuses on the interdependence of natural resources in our ahupuaa, or watersheds, and helps students strengthen their sense of place and self to malama i ka aina, to care for the land. Further, the curriculum is designed to: engage students in scientific study with relevant, interesting content and activities; improve student achievement of state department of education standards; increase student knowledge and skills in science, math and language arts; respond to the learning needs of Native Hawaiian and/or at-risk students. The project will be presented by a curriculum writer who created and adapted more than a year's worth of materials by teaming with kupuna (respected elders), local cultural experts and role models, educators (new, veteran, Hawaiian, non-Hawaiian, mainland, general and special education teachers), and professionals at the Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii and ALU LIKE, Inc, a non-profit organization to assist Native Hawaiians. The materials created thus far are available for viewing at: www.scihi.hawaii.edu The curriculum, designed for grades 8-11 science classes, can be used to teach a year-long course, a unit, or single lesson related to astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, geology, oceanography, physical and environmental sciences. This project is in its final year of field testing, polishing and dissemination, and therefore this session will encourage idea sharing, as does our copyright free Web site.

Integrated Curriculum and Subject-based Curriculum: Achievement and Attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casady, Victoria

The research conducted for this mixed-method study, qualitative and quantitative, analyzed the results of an academic year-long study to determine whether the use of an integrated fourth grade curriculum would benefit student achievement in the areas of English language arts, social studies, and science more than a subject-based traditional curriculum. The research was conducted based on the international, national, and state test scores, which show a slowing or lack of growth. Through pre- and post-assessments, student questionnaires, and administrative interviews, the researcher analyzed the phenomenological experiences of the students to determine if the integrated curriculum was a beneficial restructuring of the curriculum. The research questions for this study focused on the achievement and attitudes of the students in the study and whether the curriculum they were taught impacted their achievement and attitudes over the course of one school year. The curricula for the study were organized to cover the current standards, where the integrated curriculum focused on connections between subject areas to help students make connections to what they are learning and the world beyond the classroom. The findings of this study indicated that utilizing the integrated curriculum could increase achievement as well as students' attitudes toward specific content areas. The ANOVA analysis for English language arts was not determined to be significant; although, greater growth in the students from the integrated curriculum setting was recorded. The ANOVA for social studies (0.05) and the paired t-tests (0.001) for science both determined significant positive differences. The qualitative analysis led to the discovery that the experiences of the students from the integrated curriculum setting were more positive. The evaluation of the data from this study led the researcher to determine that the integrated curriculum was a worthwhile endeavor to increase achievement and attitudes in fourth grade students.

Into the Curriculum. Art/Language Arts: Find the Poetry in Art. [and] Reading/Language Arts: Rodeo Pup: Integrating Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum with Technology and Literature [and] Reading/Language Arts: Reading and Understanding Genre Fiction [and] Reading/Language Arts: Grandparents: Memories [and] Science/Social Studies: Ocean Topography [and] Science: Devastating Disasters! [and] Social Studies/Mathematics: Which Way Do I Go? [and] Social Studies: Comparing Sources of Biographical Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plank, Kristie J.; Snyder, Maureen M.; Santeford, Deborah; Bautz, Kim; Repka-Peters, Margie; Thornburgh, Roberta; Bistricky, Stacey; Buse, Anne

1999-01-01

Provides a library media activity designed for social studies and focused on retrieving and comparing bibliographic information from print and nonprint sources. Describes library media skills objectives; curriculum (subject area) objectives; grade levels (7 through 9); print, CDROM and other resources; instructional roles; procedures; evaluation;…

A Case Study of the Alignment between Curriculum and Assessment in the New York State Earth Science Standards-Based System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contino, Julie

2013-02-01

In a standards-based system, it is important for all components of the system to align in order to achieve the intended goals. No Child Left Behind law mandates that assessments be fully aligned with state standards, be valid, reliable and fair, be reported to all stakeholders, and provide evidence that all students in the state are meeting the standards. This study reports an analysis of the alignment between the National Science Education Standards (NSES), New York State Physical Setting/Earth Science Core Curriculum (Core Curriculum) and New York State Physical Setting/Earth Science Regents Examination (Regents Exam)—the sources teachers use for creating Earth Science curricula in New York State. The NSES were found to have a 49 % overlap with the Core Curriculum and a 27 % overlap with the Regents Exam. The Core Curriculum and Regents Exam, represented by matrices consisting of performance indicators and cognitive demands, were compared using the Porter Alignment Index. The alignment was 0.35, categorized as slightly aligned, due to the different emphases on cognitive levels. The Core focused on cognitive skills of Understand and Apply while the Regents concentrated more on Apply followed by Understand and Remember. It is suggested that the NSES be revised and the Core updated to include quantifiable emphasis on the major understandings such as percentage of time.

Environment in the science curriculum: the politics of change in the Pan-Canadian science curriculum development process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, Paul

2002-11-01

This paper draws on the experience of the Pan-Canadian science curriculum development process as an instance of the more general problem of integrating science and environmental education. It problematizes the issue of incorporation of social and environmental dimensions within the science curriculum in terms of both policy and practice. The agenda of environmental education, as eco-philosophical and eco-political, provides a radically different base from which to explore the impact of change on science teachers and schools. Thus, the very idea of environmental education as an educational policy goal must be examined in light of conflicting agendas of science and environmental education. This paper argues that transforming structures and processes of school science to enable different teacher and student roles involves closing the gap between curriculum (policy) development and professional development as well as reconceptualizing science education, but from more overtly open moral value and political perspectives than have been considered in the literature of science education.

Community-based science education for fourth to sixth graders: Influences of a female role model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acklie, Deanna S.

Women in the United States are underrepresented in science related careers. The Wonderwise curriculum was designed to encourage young women to become more involved in science and science careers. The Wonderwise kits have won numerous awards for quality science curriculum for formal educational environments. In 2000 the kits were adapted and new kits were developed to meet the needs of a nonformal Teaming environment (i.e., 4-H). The kits contain a video field trip with a featured female scientist demonstrating her work, an activity guidebook with five activities based on this scientist's work, and a CD-Rom serving as an additional resource. This study contributes to our understanding of a group of 4H youth who used the Wonderwise curriculum. It describes their view on science, their perspective about people who do science, the importance of role models within their lives, and their career visions. This study was a multi-method case study design. The subjects were youth ages 9--11 involved in 4H events in a three state area. Events such as overnight camps, day camps, special events and after school programs featuring the Wonderwise curriculum were used as sites for this study. The subjects studied in the Wonderwise 4-H project were primarily female youth who had some interest in science. Nearly half were Caucasian; the remainder were Hispanic, African American and Native American. The 25 youth involved in this study took part in a semi-structure interview process including four research methodologies: open-ended questions, drawing or writing a story about the featured scientist, a card sort activity and a relationship map drawn by the youth. Youths' prior experiences in formal, informal and nonformal settings impacted how they made sense of and incorporated Wonderwise experiences in their frame of reference. Through the experiential learning process youth experienced science activities and connected to individuals with science backgrounds, particularly those individuals within their relationship network such family members, and teachers who "do" science. Girls within this study related to and identified with the female role models presented in the Wonderwise 4-H curriculum. Native American youth related to a Native American scientist based on a similarity in culture.

Questioning Questions: Elementary Teachers' Adaptations of Investigation Questions Across the Inquiry Continuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biggers, Mandy

2018-02-01

Questioning is a central practice in science classrooms. However, not every question translates into a "good" science investigation. Questions that drive science investigations can be provided by many sources including the teacher, the curriculum, or the student. The variations in the source of investigation questions were explored in this study. A dataset of 120 elementary science classroom videos and associated lesson plans from 40 elementary teachers (K-5) across 21 elementary school campuses were scored on an instrument measuring the amount of teacher-direction or student-direction of the lessons' investigation questions. Results indicated that the investigation questions were overwhelmingly teacher directed in nature, with no opportunities for students to develop their own questions for investigation. This study has implications for researchers and practitioners alike, calling attention to the teacher-directed nature of investigation questions in existing science curriculum materials, and the need for teacher training in instructional strategies to adapt their existing curriculum materials across the continuum of teacher-directed and student-directed investigation questions. Teachers need strategies for adapting the teacher-directed questions provided in their existing curriculum materials in order to allow students the opportunity to engage in this essential scientific practice.

Investigating the role of educative curriculum materials in supporting teacher enactment of a field-based urban ecology investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houle, Meredith

2008-10-01

This multiple case study examined how three urban science teachers used curriculum materials designed educatively. Educative curriculum materials have been suggested as one way to support science teacher learning, particularly around new innovations and new pedagogies and to support teachers in evaluating and modifying materials to meet the needs of their students (Davis & Krajcik, 2005). While not a substitute for professional development, educative curriculum materials may provide an opportunity to support teachers' enactment and learning in the classroom context (Davis & Krajcik, 2005; Remillard, 2005; Schneider & Krajcik, 2002). However, little work has examined how science teachers interact with written curriculum materials to design classroom instruction. Grounded in sociocultural analysis, this study takes the theoretical stance that teachers and curriculum materials are engaged in a dynamic and participatory relationship from which the planned and enacted curriculum emerges (Remillard, 2005). Teaching is therefore a design activity where teachers rely on their personal resources and the curricular resources to construct and shape their students' learning experiences (Brown, 2002). Specifically this study examines how teacher beliefs influence their reading and use of curriculum and how educative features in the written curriculum inform teachers' pedagogical decisions. Data sources included classroom observation and video, teacher interviews, and classroom artifacts. To make sense how teachers' make curricular decisions, video were analyzed using Brown's (2002) Pedagogical Design for Enactment Framework. These coded units were examined in light of the teacher interviews, classroom notes and artifacts to examine how teachers' beliefs influenced these decisions. Data sources were then reexamined for evidence of teachers' use of specific educative features. My analyses revealed that teachers' beliefs about curriculum influenced the degree to which teachers relied on their own personal resources or the curricular resources in designing the taught curriculum. Teacher experience was also found to influence the degree to which teachers relied on their personal resources. Implications for teacher learning, professional development and curriculum development are discussed.

Course and Curriculum Improvement Materials: Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences - Elementary, Intermediate, Secondary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Foundation, Washington, DC.

This is a list of curriculum improvement materials produced by major course and curriculum projects supported by the National Science Foundation's Division of Pre-College Education in Science. The materials are grouped by educational level (elementary, intermediate, and secondary) and within each level by broad discipline groupings (mathematics,…

Some Trends in the Evolution of Science Curriculum Centres in Asia. Occasional Papers No. 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maddock, M. N.

Recent trends in science education associated with the evolution of science curriculum development centers in the Asian region are reviewed. These trends, and factors influencing them, are discussed under the following headings: science education and curriculum development centers; adaptation phase; shifts toward indigenous programs; science…

Primary Science Curriculum Guide, A. Beginning Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Victoria Education Dept. (Australia).

Suggestions for providing science experiences for children in kindergarten and grades one and two are given in this first part of the Victorian Education Department (Australia) guide to the elementary school science curriculum. (See SE 012 720 and SE 012 721 for additional guides to this curriculum.) The suggestions are illustrated by brief case…

Into the Curriculum. Art: Elements of Art: Vincent Van Gogh [and] Health/Reading/Language Arts: What Makes Goosebumps [and] Reading/Language Arts: African Folktales: An Interdisciplinary Project [and] Science: What's in our Skulls? [and] Science: Hidden Animals in a World of Camouflage [and] Social Studies: Early Primates and Prehistoric Man [and] Social Studies: Native Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Library Media Activities Monthly, 1996

1996-01-01

Provides seven library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in art, health, reading and language arts, science, and social studies. Library media skills, objectives, grade levels, instructional roles, procedures, evaluations, and follow-up are described for each activity. (LRW)

The Challenge of Learning Physics before Mathematics: A Case Study of Curriculum Change in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiu, Mei-Shiu

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify challenges in implementing a physics-before- 10 mathematics curriculum. Obviously, students need to learn necessary mathematics skills in order to develop advanced physics knowledge. In the 2010 high school curriculum in Taiwan, however, grade 11 science students study two-dimensional motion in physics without…

Exploring preservice elementary teachers' critique and adaptation of science curriculum materials in respect to socioscientific issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forbes, Cory T.; Davis, Elizabeth A.

2008-09-01

The work presented here represents a preliminary effort undertaken to address the role of teachers in supporting students’ learning and decision-making about socioscientific issues (SSI) by characterizing preservice elementary teachers’ critique and adaptation of SSI-based science curriculum materials and identifying factors that serve to mediate this process. Four undergraduate preservice elementary teachers were studied over the course of one semester. Results indicate that the teachers navigated multiple learning goals, as well as their own subject-matter knowledge, informal reasoning about SSI, and role identity, in their critique and adaptation of SSI-oriented science instructional materials. Implications for science teacher education and the design of curriculum materials in respect to SSI are discussed.

Marine Activity Dynamics (M.A.D.). Unit S.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhode Island State Dept. of Education, Providence. Education Information Center.

This curriculum guide describes an activity-oriented marine study program, designed for use with middle school children (grade 5). The content focuses primarily upon the life sciences, with some emphasis on chemistry and geology. Following the development of a rationale for the inclusion of marine sciences in the school curriculum, a middle…

Science. A Guide to Curriculum Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Dept. of Education, Hartford.

The purpose of this guide is to aid K-12 curriculum planners in the development and implementation of well-defined programs of study in science suitable for their local school districts. Among the national trends reflected in this guide are the interdisciplinary approach; the use of performance-based student assessments; the utilization of diverse…

Exploring the Associations among Nutrition, Science, and Mathematics Knowledge for an Integrative, Food-Based Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stage, Virginia C.; Kolasa, Kathryn M.; Díaz, Sebastián R.; Duffrin, Melani W.

2018-01-01

Background: Explore associations between nutrition, science, and mathematics knowledge to provide evidence that integrating food/nutrition education in the fourth-grade curriculum may support gains in academic knowledge. Methods: Secondary analysis of a quasi-experimental study. Sample included 438 students in 34 fourth-grade classrooms across…

Science, Levels 7-12. Secondary Core Curriculum Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utah State Board of Education, Salt Lake City. Div. of Curriculum and Instruction.

This document presents the core science curriculum standards which must be completed by all students as a requisite for graduation from Utah's secondary schools. Contained within are the elementary and secondary school program of studies and high school graduation requirements. Each course entry for grades 7-12 contains: course title, unit of…

A Learning Research Informed Design and Evaluation of a Web-Enhanced Object Oriented Programming Seminar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgantaki, Stavroula C.; Retalis, Symeon D.

2007-01-01

"Object-Oriented Programming" subject is included in the ACM Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Programs in Computer Science as well as in Curriculum for K-12 Computer Science. In a few research studies learning problems and difficulties have been recorded, and therefore, specific pedagogical guidelines and…

Principles versus Artifacts in Computer Science Curriculum Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Machanick, Philip

2003-01-01

Computer Science is a subject which has difficulty in marketing itself. Further, pinning down a standard curriculum is difficult--there are many preferences which are hard to accommodate. This paper argues the case that part of the problem is the fact that, unlike more established disciplines, the subject does not clearly distinguish the study of…

Infusing Alcohol and Drug Prevention with Existing Classroom Study Units: Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valencia Community Coll., Orlando, FL.

This curriculum module, one of seven developed by the "Infusion Project," offers information and lessons on drug use prevention for integration into an existing seventh-grade middle school science curriculum. The module, based on a type of interactive learning called infusion learning, contains 12 lessons, each providing objectives, a…

Perspective of Lecturers in Implementing PISMP Science Curriculum in Malaysia's IPG

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yahya, Fauziah Hj; Bin Hamdan, Abdul Rahim; Jantan, Hafsah Binti; Saleh, Halimatussadiah Binti

2015-01-01

The article aims to identify lecturers' perspectives in implementing PISMP science curriculum in IPG Malaysia based on teaching experience with KIPP model. The respondents consisted of 105 lecturers from 20 IPG Malaysia. The study used a questionnaire consisting of 74 items covering the four dimensions (Context, Input, Process and Product). Data…

Introduction to Vocations: Career Exploration Curriculum Guides for Ninth Grade Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Bruce; And Others

These career exploration curriculum guides are designed to provide infusion activities for entry-level academic courses at the high school level. Guides are provided for the areas of art, English, foreign language, mathematics, biological science, physical science, and social studies. Each guide is related to an occupational cluster and specific…

A Comparative Study on Student Perceptions of Their Learning Outcomes in Undergraduate Science Degree Programmes with Differing Curriculum Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Kelly E.; Firn, Jennifer; Schmidt, Susanne; Whelan, Karen

2017-01-01

This study investigated students' perceptions of their graduate learning outcomes including content knowledge, communication, writing, teamwork, quantitative skills, and ethical thinking in two Australian universities. One university has a traditional discipline-orientated curriculum and the other, an interdisciplinary curriculum in the entry…

PROPOSED CURRICULUM PROGRAM FOR TEXAS MIGRATORY CHILDREN.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Education Agency, Austin.

A SPECIAL CURRICULUM IS ENVISIONED WHICH WOULD INCLUDE AN 8-HOUR SCHOOL DAY FOR 6 MONTHS OF THE YEAR. EMPHASIS WOULD BE PLACED ON ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS, AND SOCIAL STUDIES. STUDENT PROGRESS WOULD BE DETERMINED BY STANDARIZED TESTS, OR TESTS DESIGNED FOR THE SPECIAL CURRICULUM. GRADE PLACEMENT WOULD BE USED IN SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, PHYSICAL…

Exploring Teacher Design Team Endeavors While Creating an Elementary-Focused STEM-Integrated Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFadden, Justin R.; Roehrig, Gillian H.

2017-01-01

Background: This study presents two teacher design teams (TDTs) during a professional development experience centered on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-integrated curriculum development. The main activity of the study, curriculum design, was framed as a design problem in order to better understand how teachers engaged…

The Science Curriculum. The Report of the National Forum for School Science (Crystal City, Virginia, November 14-15, 1986). This Year in School Science 1986.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Champagne, Audrey B., Ed.; Hornig, Leslie E., Ed.

The outgrowth of a conference on how science education can best meet the needs and expectations of society, this volume is designed to provide a source of information and ideas about the future of the school science curriculum. It contains 15 papers, including: "Critical Questions and Tentative Answers for the School Science Curriculum" (Audrey B.…

The Effects of Georgia's Choice Curricular Reform Model on Third Grade Science Scores on the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phemister, Art W.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Georgia's Choice reading curriculum on third grade science scores on the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test from 2002 to 2008. In assessing the effectiveness of the Georgia's Choice curriculum model this causal comparative study examined the 105 elementary schools that…

Use of the NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Examination as a Progress Test in the Preclerkship Curriculum of a New Medical School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Teresa R.; Khalil, Mohammed K.; Peppler, Richard D.; Davey, Diane D.; Kibble, Jonathan D.

2014-01-01

In the present study, we describe the innovative use of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE) as a progress test during the preclerkship medical curriculum. The main aim of this study was to provide external validation of internally developed multiple-choice assessments in a new medical…

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Record Book, Student Guide: What's Up? Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the student's edition of the Record Book for the unit "What's Up" of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). Space is provided for answers to the questions from the student text as well as for the optional excursions and the self evaluation. An introductory note to the student explains…

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Record Book, Teacher's Guide: What's Up? Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the teacher's edition of the Record Book for the unit "What's Up" of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). The correct answers to the questions from the student text are recorded. An introductory note to the teacher explains how to use the book. Answers are included for the activities…

Into the Curriculum. Art: The Z Was Zapped [and] Art: Friendly Plastic [and] Music: American Composers [and] Reading/Language Arts: Chocolate Day [and] Science: Moose [and] Social Studies: Women's History Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rossi, Marie; And Others

1995-01-01

A group of six articles describes activities for art, music, reading/language arts, science, and social studies. Each article includes library media skills objectives, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activity and procedures for completion, evaluation, and follow-up. (AEF)

Women's Studies and the Curriculum. Proceedings of the Conference on "Scholars and Women" (College Park, MD, March 13-15, 1981).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Triplette, Marianne, Ed.

Twenty-three conference papers related to the topic of women and curriculum are presented. Keynote addresses have been grouped together in the first section to provide an overview of the field of women's studies. Papers covering research about women in the sciences, social sciences, and the humanities are grouped together in Part II. The text…

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,…

Middle Level Science: A Mixed-Methodology Study of the Impact of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) on Curriculum and Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Britton, Patricia Sarappo

2013-01-01

Using a mixed methodology approach, this study examined the impact of the implementation of the science PSSA on the curriculum and instructional practice of eighth-grade teachers. It was hypothesized that despite the specter of PSSA influence on the academic climate, teachers are not necessarily influenced to change instructional practices, even…

An analysis of the New York State Earth Science Curriculum with respect to standards, classroom practices, and the Regents Examination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contino, Julie Anna

In a standards-based system, it is important for all components of the system to align in order to achieve the intended goals. In New York State, standards are provided to the teachers who then create individual curricula that will lead to student success on the state assessment. This mixed methods study presents an analysis of the alignment between the National Science Education Standards (NSES), New York State Physical Setting/Earth Science Core Curriculum (Core Curriculum), and New York State Earth Science Regents Examination (Regents)---the sources teachers use for creating Earth Science curricula in New York State. The NSES were found to have a 49% overlap with the Core Curriculum and a 27% overlap with the Regents. The Core Curriculum and Regents, represented by matrices consisting of performance indicators and cognitive demands, were compared using the Porter alignment index. The alignment was 0.35, categorized as slightly aligned, due to the different emphases on cognitive levels (the Core Curriculum focused on Understand and Apply while the Regents focused on Apply followed by Understand and Remember). Additionally, a purposeful sample of experienced and innovative teachers were surveyed and interviewed to gain insight on how NYS Earth Science teachers organize their scope and sequences, align their lessons with the Core Curriculum, establish internal lesson coherence, and prepare their students for the Regents Exam. Teachers' scope and sequences were well-aligned with the Core Curriculum and Regents but misalignment was found between their lessons and the Core Curriculum as well as between the stated objectives for their students and evaluation of those objectives. Based on the findings, it is suggested that the NSES be revised and the Core Curriculum updated to include quantifiable emphasis on the major understandings such as percentage of time, as well as an emphasis on alignment principles. Teacher professional development focused on alignment issues relative to the state standards and enhancing internal lesson coherence should also be provided. The insights gained from this analysis of the NYS system may be helpful to other states as they move toward standards-based systems.

Supporting Science Teachers in Alignment with State Curriculum Standards through Professional Development: Teachers' Preparedness, Expectations and Their Fulfillment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paik, Sunhee; Zhang, Meilan; Lundeberg, Mary A.; Eberhardt, Jan; Shin, Tae Seob; Zhang, Tianyi

2011-08-01

Since A Nation at Risk was released in the 1980s, standards-based reform has been the most dominant trend in American educational policy, and the No Child Left Behind Act pushed the trend further by requiring states to develop rigorous curriculum standards. Though much has been said about these new standards, less has been said about whether or how well professional development helps teachers link their instruction to these standards. This study examined the impact of a professional development program for K-12 science teachers in helping teachers meet state curriculum standards. Seventy-five science teachers in Michigan participated in a 2-week summer workshop that used Problem-Based Learning for improving teachers' content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. Researchers surveyed participating teachers about the change of teachers' preparedness for standards-based teaching, their expectations to meet state curriculum standards, and whether their expectations were met. In addition, the usefulness of workshop activities was examined. Data analysis showed that to align teaching with state curriculum standards, participating teachers expected to learn instructional strategies and enhance science content knowledge through professional development, and by and large their expectations were well met. Collaboration with colleagues and facilitators helped teachers achieve their goals in terms of teaching within state curriculum standards. These findings have important implications for designing professional development to help teachers align instruction with curriculum standards.

"A Sketch Is Like a Sentence": Curriculum Structures that Support Teaching Epistemic Practices of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enfield, Mark; Smith, Edward L.; Grueber, David J.

2008-01-01

This research reports on a study of curriculum materials development and use compared with the use of existing curriculum materials in an elementary classroom. The research explored the effect of explicit attention to epistemic practices in curriculum materials and the enactment of those materials. Epistemic practices include asking questions,…

How Social and Critical Constructivism Can Inform Science Curriculum Design: A Study from South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stears, Michele

2009-01-01

Background: The introduction of a new National Curriculum in post-apartheid South Africa heralded a different approach in education. This curriculum not only advocated the development of knowledge and skills, but also emphasised education for democracy and citizenship. It seeks to balance central control (and a single curriculum) with local…

Teaching Chemistry in a Spiral Progression Approach: Lessons from Science Teachers in the Philippines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orbe, Joymie R.; Espinosa, Allen A.; Datukan, Janir T.

2018-01-01

As the Philippines moves towards implementing the K-12 curriculum, there has been a mismatch in teacher preparation in science. The present teacher education curriculum prepares science teachers to specialise in a specific field (e.g. integrated science, biology, chemistry, and physics). However, in the K-12 curriculum, they are required to teach…

Science as the Center of a Coherent, Integrated Early Childhood Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

French, Lucia

2004-01-01

This article describes the ScienceStart! Curriculum, an early childhood curriculum that takes coherently organized science content as the hub of an integrated approach. ScienceStart! maps onto the typical preschool day and may be adapted for use in full-day or half-day preschool programs. It is designed to support the important developmental…

Science Teacher Decision-Making in a Climate of Heightened Accountability: A Rhizomatic Case Study Analysis of Two Science Departments in New York City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purohit, Kiran Dilip

Secondary science teachers make many daily decisions in the enactment of curriculum. Although curriculum materials are widely available to address science content, practices, and skills, the consideration that goes into deciding how and whether to use such materials is complicated by teachers' beliefs about science, their understandings of school-level accountability and testing measures, and their perspectives on the adolescent students they teach. This study addresses the need to understand how teachers consider multiple forces in their enactment of science curriculum. The purpose of this study was to explore the ways that discourses around accountability, science, and science education emerge in the narratives around teachers' decision-making in secondary science classrooms. Using a case study approach, I worked at two school sites with two pairs of science teachers. We established criteria for critical incidents together, then teachers identified critical decision-making moments in their classrooms. We analyzed those incidents together using a consultancy protocol, allowing teachers to focus their thinking on reframing the incidents and imagining other possible outcomes. Using post-structuralist rhizomatics, I assembled analyses of teachers' discussions of the critical incidents in the form of dramatization--scenes and monologues. I then developed two major interpretive strands. First, I connected teachers' sense of having "no time" to blocs of affect tied to larger discourses of national security, teacher accountability, and the joy of scientific discovery. Second, I demonstrated how teachers' concern in following logical pathways and sequences in science relates to the imposition of accountability measures that echo the outcomes-driven logic of the learning sciences. Across both interpretations, I found accountability to be complex, multidirectional, and unpredictable in how it works on and through teachers as they make decisions. Research in this area has important practical implications in the fields of professional development, curriculum development, and school change. As more states (including New York) adopt standards derived from the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the importance of privileging teachers' investment and critical decision-making in the process of new curriculum development is vital. I suggest that tools like video-based coaching and consultancy protocol discussions support this kind of thoughtful curricular change.

Curriculum Reviews.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science and Children, 1981

1981-01-01

Reviews four science curriculum materials. "Human Issues in Science" presents social consequences of science and technological developments. "Experiences in Science" contains duplicating masters to supplement basic science programs. "Outdoor Areas as Learning Laboratories" includes activities for local environments. "The Science Cookbook" uses…

Teachers' Sensemaking about Implementation of an Innovative Science Curriculum Across the Settings of Professional Development and Classroom Enactment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de los Santos, Xeng

Designing professional development that effectively supports teachers in learning new and often challenging practices remains a dilemma for teacher educators. Within the context of current reform efforts in science education, such as the Next Generation Science Standards, teacher educators are faced with managing the dilemma of how to support a large number of teachers in learning new practices while also considering factors such as time, cost, and effectiveness. Implementation of educative, reform-aligned curricula is one way to reach many teachers at once. However, one question is whether large-scale curriculum implementation can effectively support teachers in learning and sustaining new teaching practices. To address this dilemma, this study used a comparative, multiple case study design to investigate how secondary science teachers engaged in sensemaking about implementation of an innovative science curriculum across the settings of professional development and classroom enactment. In using the concept of sensemaking from organizational theory, I focused specifically on how teachers' roles in social organizations influenced their decisions to implement the curriculum in particular ways, with differing outcomes for their own learning and students' engagement in three-dimensional learning. My research questions explored: (1) patterns in teachers' occasions of sensemaking, including critical noticing of interactions among themselves, the curriculum, and their students; (2) how teachers' social commitments to different communities influenced their sensemaking; and, (3) how sustained sensemaking over time could facilitate teacher learning of rigorous and responsive science teaching practices. In privileging teachers' experiences in the classroom using the curriculum with their students, I used data generated primarily from teacher interviews with their case study coaches about implementation over the course of one school year. Secondary sources of data included artifacts such as teacher-modified curriculum materials, classroom observation notes, and video-recordings of classroom instruction and professional development sessions. Data analysis involved descriptive coding of the interview transcripts and searching for linguistic markers related to components of an occasions of sensemaking. Findings show that teachers engaged in sensemaking about curriculum implementation in multiple and different ways that were either productive or unproductive for their learning of rigorous and responsive science teaching practices. Teachers that had productive outcomes for teacher learning were engaged in sustained sensemaking that involved critical noticing of interactions between the curriculum, themselves, and their students, with the goal of bridging the gap between what the curriculum offered and what their students could do. In contrast, teachers that had unproductive outcomes for teacher learning were engaged in sensemaking that often involved critical noticing of only one aspect and were motivated by local obligations. Four themes emerged: sustained sensemaking over time, the influence of school communities, teacher learning of content, and the influence of teachers' beliefs. Using these findings and themes, I present a model for teacher sensemaking within the context of long-term professional development around implementation of an innovative curriculum, with a mechanism for how teacher learning could occur over time. Implications for science teacher professional development and learning and directions for future research are offered.

Learner-Centered Inquiry in Undergraduate Biology: Positive Relationships with Long-Term Student Achievement

PubMed Central

Ebert-May, Diane

2010-01-01

We determined short- and long-term correlates of a revised introductory biology curriculum on understanding of biology as a process of inquiry and learning of content. In the original curriculum students completed two traditional lecture-based introductory courses. In the revised curriculum students completed two new learner-centered, inquiry-based courses. The new courses differed significantly from those of the original curriculum through emphases on critical thinking, collaborative work, and/or inquiry-based activities. Assessments were administered to compare student understanding of the process of biological science and content knowledge in the two curricula. More seniors who completed the revised curriculum had high-level profiles on the Views About Science Survey for Biology compared with seniors who completed the original curriculum. Also as seniors, students who completed the revised curriculum scored higher on the standardized Biology Field Test. Our results showed that an intense inquiry-based learner-centered learning experience early in the biology curriculum was associated with long-term improvements in learning. We propose that students learned to learn science in the new courses which, in turn, influenced their learning in subsequent courses. Studies that determine causal effects of learner-centered inquiry-based approaches, rather than correlative relationships, are needed to test our proposed explanation. PMID:21123693

An Undergraduate Computer Science Curriculum for the Hearing Impaired.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkins, A. Louise

1995-01-01

Presents an example section from a computer-science-integrated curriculum that was originally based on the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) 1978 curriculum. The curriculum was designed to allow both instructors and students to move away from teaching and learning facts. (DDR)

Leading change: curriculum reform in graduate education in the biomedical sciences.

PubMed

Dasgupta, Shoumita; Symes, Karen; Hyman, Linda

2015-01-01

The Division of Graduate Medical Sciences at the Boston University School of Medicine houses numerous dynamic graduate programs. Doctoral students began their studies with laboratory rotations and classroom training in a variety of fundamental disciplines. Importantly, with 15 unique pathways of admission to these doctoral programs, there were also 15 unique curricula. Departments and programs offered courses independently, and students participated in curricula that were overlapping combinations of these courses. This system created curricula that were not coordinated and that had redundant course content as well as content gaps. A partnership of key stakeholders began a curriculum reform process to completely restructure doctoral education at the Boston University School of Medicine. The key pedagogical goals, objectives, and elements designed into the new curriculum through this reform process created a curriculum designed to foster the interdisciplinary thinking that students are ultimately asked to utilize in their research endeavors. We implemented comprehensive student and peer evaluation of the new Foundations in Biomedical Sciences integrated curriculum to assess the new curriculum. Furthermore, we detail how this process served as a gateway toward creating a more fully integrated graduate experience, under the umbrella of the Program in Biomedical Sciences. © 2015 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

The Proof of the Pudding?: A Case Study of an "At-Risk" Design-Based Inquiry Science Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chue, Shien; Lee, Yew-Jin

2013-12-01

When students collaboratively design and build artifacts that require relevant understanding and application of science, many aspects of scientific literacy are developed. Design-based inquiry (DBI) is one such pedagogy that can serve these desired goals of science education well. Focusing on a Projectile Science curriculum previously found to be implemented with satisfactory fidelity, we investigate the many hidden challenges when using DBI with Grade 8 students from one school in Singapore. A case study method was used to analyze video recordings of DBI lessons conducted over 10 weeks, project presentations, and interviews to ascertain the opportunities for developing scientific literacy among participants. One critical factor that hindered learning was task selection by teachers, which emphasized generic scientific process skills over more important cognitive and epistemic learning goals. Teachers and students were also jointly engaged in forms of inquiry that underscored artifact completion over deeper conceptual and epistemic understanding of science. Our research surfaced two other confounding factors that undermined the curriculum; unanticipated teacher effects and the underestimation of the complexity of DBI and of inquiry science in general. Thus, even though motivated or experienced teachers can implement an inquiry science curriculum with good fidelity and enjoy school-wide support, these by themselves will not guarantee deep learning of scientific literacy in DBI. Recommendations are made for navigating the hands- and minds-on aspects of learning science that is an asset as well as inherent danger during DBI teaching.

Small Schools Social Studies Curriculum, K-3: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Small schools will find this social studies curriculum guide for grades K-3 helpful in complying with Washington state education laws that require districts to identify student learning objectives and evaluate each student's performance relative to the attainment of the objectives. This curriculum, developed during 1975 and 1976 by teachers and…

A Structured Educational Curriculum Including Online Training Positively Impacts American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination Scores.

PubMed

Kelly, Dympna M; London, Daniel A; Siperstein, Allan; Fung, John J; Walsh, Matthew R

2015-01-01

To assess the effect of a structured postgraduate year 1 educational curriculum, including online surgical training, on American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) scores. This was a retrospective cohort study. The study was performed in an academic surgical residency program in a tertiary care hospital, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio. The participants were 140 surgical postgraduate year 1 residents from 2000 to 2009. Interns from 2000 to 2004 were grouped together and completed a self-directed learning curriculum. Interns from 2005 to 2009 participated in a structured educational curriculum that included lectures and the use of an online program. Lectures were based on the American College of Surgeons curriculum. The online program consisted of 8 to 12 hours of assigned tutorials and quizzes that corresponded to the lectures and 3 multiple-choice (MC) examinations. Use of a structured educational curriculum led to improved ABSITE scores (66 ± 9%) compared with that of those who had no curriculum (55 ± 10%, p < 0.001). Several variables positively correlated with the ABSITE score: United States Medical Licensing Examination step 1 score (p < 0.001), monthly quiz scores (p = 0.003), average MC examination scores (p = 0.005), lecture attendance (p = 0.02), and time spent online (p = 0.04). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that the step 1 United States Medical Licensing Examination score, time spent online, and MC examination score are predictive of total the ABSITE score. When ABSITE subscores (basic science and clinical science) were compared, the online curriculum had a greater effect on basic science subscores, whereas lectures had a greater effect on clinical science subscores. Providing surgery residents a structured curriculum with lectures and an online component positively impacts ABSITE scores. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Food Science 7075. Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh. Div. of Vocational and Technical Education Services.

This curriculum guide was developed as a resource for teachers to use in planning and implementing a competency-based instructional program on food science in the 11th and 12th grades. It contains materials for a 2-semester course, based on the North Carolina Program of Studies (revised 1992); it is designed to help students learn about the…

What Are the Teachers' Experiences When Implementing the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, Misty D.; Velez, Jonathan J.; Elliott, Kristopher M.

2014-01-01

This multiple case study was designed to understand the experience of implementing the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) for five teachers at four high schools. All teachers were in their first year of implementing CASE. Through the use of weekly journals, semi-structured interviews and a focus group, researchers attempted to…

The Impact of Word Processing on Office Administration in the Medical and Allied Health Professions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Platt, Naomi Dornfeld

The effect of word processing equipment on the future medical secretarial science curriculum was studied. A literature search focused on word processing and the medical and allied health professions, word processing and business education, and futuring of and changes in the secretarial science curriculum. Questionnaires to identify various aspects…

The Association between Preservice Elementary Teacher Animal Attitude and Likelihood of Animal Incorporation in Future Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagler, Ron

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the association between United States K-4 preservice teacher's attitudes toward specific animals and the likelihood that the preservice elementary teachers would incorporate these specific animals in their future science curriculum. A strong statistically significant association was found between the…

Living in Water: An Aquatic Science Curriculum for Grades 5-7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD. Dept. of Education.

"Living in Water" is a classroom-based, scientific study of water, aquatic environments, and the plants and animals that live in water. The lessons in this curriculum integrate basic physical, biological, and earth sciences, and mathematics. The integration of language arts is also considered essential to its success. These lessons do not require…

Outcomes of a Self-Regulated Learning Curriculum Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters-Burton, Erin E.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe connections among students' views of nature of science in relation to the goals of a curriculum delivered in a unique setting, one where a researcher and two teachers collaborated to develop a course devoted to teaching students about how knowledge is built in science. Students proceeded through a cycle of…

The Interaction of Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum, Science Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge, and Environmental Action Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvarado, Angelita P.

2010-01-01

One of the main goals of Environmental Education (EE) is to develop people's environmental stewardship, which includes people's capacity to take environmental action--their action competence (AC). The purposes of my study were to characterize the interactions found in an EE curriculum, science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and…

Mapping Physical Sciences Teachers' Concerns Regarding the New Curriculum in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gudyanga, Remeredzayi; Jita, Loyiso C.

2018-01-01

This article reports on a study investigating physical sciences teachers' stages of concern (SoC) profiles during the implementation of the curriculum and assessment policy statement (CAPS) in South Africa. Throughout reform implementation, it is conceivable that teachers go through different SoC, ranging from giving low priority to the reform…

The Effectiveness of the Geospatial Curriculum Approach on Urban Middle-Level Students' Climate Change Understandings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodzin, Alec M.; Fu, Qiong

2014-01-01

Climate change science is a challenging topic for student learning. This quantitative study examined the effectiveness of a geospatial curriculum approach to promote climate change science understandings in an urban school district with eighth-grade students and investigated whether teacher- and student-level factors accounted for students'…

Fostering Student Sense Making in Elementary Science Learning Environments: Elementary Teachers' Use of Science Curriculum Materials to Promote Explanation Construction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zangori, Laura; Forbes, Cory T.; Biggers, Mandy

2013-01-01

While research has shown that elementary (K-5) students are capable of engaging in the scientific practice of explanation construction, commonly-used elementary science curriculum materials may not always afford them opportunities to do so. As a result, elementary teachers must often adapt their science curriculum materials to better support…

Toward a Lived Science Curriculum in Intersecting Figured Worlds: An Exploration of Individual Meanings in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Jeremy F.; McNeill, Katherine L.

2013-01-01

As knowledge of and familiarity with science becomes an increasingly important aspect of contemporary life and citizenship, efforts have been made to make the science curriculum a “lived” curriculum (Hurd, 2000), one that reaches out to the lives, communities, and experiences of students. In this research around a high school urban ecology…

Infusing Quantitative Approaches throughout the Biological Sciences Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Katerina V.; Cooke, Todd J.; Fagan, William F.; Gulick, Denny; Levy, Doron; Nelson, Kären C.; Redish, Edward F.; Smith, Robert F.; Presson, Joelle

2013-01-01

A major curriculum redesign effort at the University of Maryland is infusing all levels of our undergraduate biological sciences curriculum with increased emphasis on interdisciplinary connections and quantitative approaches. The curriculum development efforts have largely been guided by recommendations in the National Research Council's "Bio…

Holt Social Studies Curriculum. Developed by Carnegie Social Studies Curriculum Development Center, Carnegie-Mellon University. Product Development Report 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanderson, Barbara A.; Kratochvil, Daniel W.

This report is the thirteenth of twenty-one reports dealing with the developmental history of a recent educational product: the Holt Social Studies Curriculum directed by Dr. Edwin Fenton. This series of courses stresses an inquiry approach to the study of history and the social sciences, specifically economic and political systems, world history,…

The Delphi Technique in Identifying Learning Objectives for the Development of Science, Technology and Society Modules for Palestinian Ninth Grade Science Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abualrob, Marwan M. A.; Gnanamalar Sarojini Daniel, Esther

2013-10-01

This article outlines how learning objectives based upon science, technology and society (STS) elements for Palestinian ninth grade science textbooks were identified, which was part of a bigger study to establish an STS foundation in the ninth grade science curriculum in Palestine. First, an initial list of STS elements was determined. Second, using this list, ninth grade science textbooks and curriculum document contents were analyzed. Third, based on this content analysis, a possible list of 71 learning objectives for the integration of STS elements was prepared. This list of learning objectives was refined by using a two-round Delphi technique. The Delphi study was used to rate and to determine the consensus regarding which items (i.e. learning objectives for STS in the ninth grade science textbooks in Palestine) are to be accepted for inclusion. The results revealed that of the initial 71 objectives in round one, 59 objectives within round two had a mean score of 5.683 or higher, which indicated that the learning objectives could be included in the development of STS modules for ninth grade science in Palestine.

Is Social Justice Found in Japanese Education? The Yutori Curriculum and After

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hosokawa, Mitsue

2016-01-01

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has implemented various curriculums, so-called the Course of Study, over the past few decades. The Yutori curriculum, which was introduced in the 1990's, aimed to improve flexible thinking by reducing the amount of study materials. After finding lowered scores on the PISA…

How a science methods course may influence the curriculum decisions of preservice teachers in the Bahamas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wisdom, Sonya L.

The purpose of this study was to examine how a science methods course in primary education might influence the curriculum decisions of preservice teachers in The Bahamas related to unit plan development on environmental science topics. Grounded in a social constructivist theoretical framework for teaching and learning science, this study explored the development of the confidence and competence of six preservice teachers to teach environmental science topics at the primary school level. A qualitative case study using action research methodologies was conducted. The perspectives of preservice teachers about the relevancy of methods used in a science methods course were examined as I became more reflective about my practice. Using constant comparative analysis, data from student-written documents and interviews as well as my field notes from class observations and reflective journaling were analyzed for emerging patterns and themes. Findings of the study indicated that while preservice teachers showed a slight increase in interest regarding learning and teaching environmental science, their primary focus during the course was learning effective teaching strategies in science on topics with which they already had familiarity. Simultaneously, I gained a deeper understanding of the usefulness of reflection in my practice. As a contribution to the complexity of learning to teach science at the primary school level, this study suggests some issues for consideration as preservice teachers are supported to utilize more of the national primary science curriculum in The Bahamas.

Outcomes of a Self-Regulated Learning Curriculum Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters-Burton, Erin E.

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to describe connections among students' views of nature of science in relation to the goals of a curriculum delivered in a unique setting, one where a researcher and two teachers collaborated to develop a course devoted to teaching students about how knowledge is built in science. Students proceeded through a cycle of self-regulated phases, forethought, performance, and self-reflection, during each segment of the curriculum: (a) independent research, (b) knowledge building in the discipline of science, and (c) a citizen science project. Student views were measured at the beginning and end of the course using epistemic network analysis. The pretest map reported student understanding of science as experimentation and indicated three clusters representing the durability of knowledge, empirical evidence, and habits of mind, which were loosely connected and represented knowledge generation as external to personal thinking. The posttest map displayed a broader understanding of scientific endeavors beyond experimentation, a shift toward personal knowledge generation, and indicated a larger number of connections among three more tightly oriented clusters: empirical evidence, habits of mind, and tentativeness. Implications include the potential to build curriculum that purposefully considers reinforcing cycles of learning of the nature of science in different contexts.

Small Schools Reading Curriculum, 7-8: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Designed to assist teachers in small schools with the improvement of curriculum and instruction and to help smaller districts which do not have curriculum personnel to comply with Washington's Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law, this guide contains reading curriculum materials for grades 7 and 8. The objectives listed are correlated to the…

Small Schools Reading Curriculum, 4-6: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Designed to assist teachers in small schools with the improvement of curriculum and instruction and to help smaller districts which do not have curriculum personnel to comply with Washington's Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law, this guide contains reading curriculum materials for grades 4-6. The objectives listed are correlated to the Goals…

Small Schools Reading Curriculum, K-3: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Designed to assist teachers in small schools with the improvement of curriculum and instruction and to help smaller districts which do not have curriculum personnel to comply with Washington's Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law, this guide contains reading curriculum materials for grades K-3. The objectives listed are correlated to the Goals…

Curriculum and Course Materials for a Forensic DNA Biology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elkins, Kelly M.

2014-01-01

The Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) requires accredited programs offer a "coherent curriculum" to ensure each student gains a "thorough grounding of the natural…sciences." Part of this curriculum includes completion of a minimum of 15 semester-hours forensic science coursework, nine of which…

Life Science Curriculum Guide. Bulletin 1614.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louisiana State Dept. of Education, Baton Rouge. Div. of Academic Programs.

This curriculum guide, developed to establish statewide curriculum standards for the Louisiana Competency-based Education Program, contains the minimum competencies and process skills that should be included in a life science course. It consists of: (1) a rationale for an effective science program; (2) a list and description of four major goals of…

Culture, food, and language: Perspectives from immigrant mothers in school science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagiwara, Sumi; Calabrese Barton, Angela; Contento, Isobel

2007-04-01

The article explores the role of immigrant parents in middle school science as both teachers and learners as part of an urban middle school curriculum, the Linking in Food and the Environment (LiFE) program. The curriculum engaged parents as partners with science teachers to teach science through food. Over a 2-year period, parents attended a series of bilingual workshops, collaborated with classroom teachers, managed activities, guided student inquiry, and assisted in classroom management. The following study analyzes the role of culture, language, and identity as four mothers navigated their position as `insiders' in a science classroom.

Earth and Life Science: Eighth Grade. Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harlandale Independent School District, San Antonio, TX. Career Education Center.

The guide is arranged in vertical columns relating curriculum concepts in earth science to curriculum performance objectives, career concepts and career performance objectives, suggested teaching methods, and resource materials. The course for eighth graders attempts to place the curriculum concepts in order of increasing difficulty. Occupational…

Science Curriculum Guide, Level 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newark School District, DE.

The third of four levels in a K-12 science curriculum is outlined. In Level 3 (grades 6-8), science areas include life science, earth science, and physical science (physics and chemistry). Conveniently listed are page locations for educational and instructional objectives, cross-referenced to science area (i.e., life science, animals, genetics)…

Integrating Ubunifu, informal science, and community innovations in science classrooms in East Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semali, Ladislaus M.; Hristova, Adelina; Owiny, Sylvia A.

2015-12-01

This study examines the relationship between informal science and indigenous innovations in local communities in which students matured. The discussion considers methods for bridging the gap that exists between parents' understanding of informal science ( Ubunifu) and what students learn in secondary schools in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. In an effort to reconcile the difference between students' lived experiences and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) taught in classrooms, this study presents an experiential iSPACES instructional model as an example of curriculum integration in science classrooms. The culmination is presentation of lessons learned from history, including Africa's unique contributions to science, theory, and indigenous innovations, in the hope that these lessons can spur the development of new instructional practices, standards, curriculum materials, professional and community development, and dialogue among nations.

Educational System for Enhancing the Creative Interest of Elementary School Students: A Case Study of a Science Class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soe, Kumi; Motohashi, Mitsuya; Niwa, Masaaki; Tamaki, Akira

Abstract Our research group engages in activities for promoting science education among children. A characteristic of our science curriculum is that it comprises two parts. To elaborate, a requirement of our science curriculum is that before proceeding to a handcrafting activity, students take part in experiments and observe the physical phenomena related to the object that they construct in the second part. We believe that our science class, which comprises two phases of education, can further stimulate students' interest in science because they not only engage in handcrafting of objects, but also learn the underlying principles and structures of these objects.

The Contribution of Environmental Studies Curricula to Environmental Decision Making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lord, Jean

Current studies indicate that college environmental-science curriculums are often inadequate and not meaningful to college students. Yet climate change, depletion of natural resources, and loss of habitat due to human activities are among critical environmental issues. It is important that college students are prepared to address these issues after graduation. This case study attempted to discover the ways that college students perceived how participation in environmental science courses contributed to their environmental decision making and ecological intelligence. The population consisted of 15 sophomore, junior, and senior students randomly selected from a list of science students provided by the registrar. The conceptual framework that guided this study includes 5 components of ecological intelligence: biodiversity, ecological literacy, decision making skills, understanding sustainability, and systems thinking. The data collected over a period of 3 months from focus groups, individual interviews, and student discussions were transcribed and coded using typological analysis to identify students' perspectives on environmental science courses. Findings showed that college science curriculums need to incorporate students' prior environmental experiences into science courses. They should also focus on providing hands on experiences that promote application of knowledge to address environmental problems. This study may promote the implementation of integrated college science curriculums that encourage environmental, interdisciplinary, and personalized learning experiences. Implications for positive social change include college environmental studies and curricula that motivate students and engage their interest in participating in environmental activities.

Into the Curriculum. "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" [and] Aboard the Titanic [and] Summarization [and] Public Speaking [and] Western Vocabulary [and] Acid Tests for the Library Media Center [and] Tasha Tudor, How Does Your Garden Grow? [and]"Baa-a-a-ck" to the Farm.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Library Media Activities Monthly, 1995

1995-01-01

Eight curriculum guides are provided for music and social studies; reading/language arts/social studies; reading/language arts; science; science/art; social studies. Objectives, resources, grade level, activity procedures, evaluation and follow-up suggestions are outlined for each activity. (JKP)

AIDS Elementary/Intermediate Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellogg, Nancy Rader

This Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Curriculum was developed for intermediate elementary (5th, 6th, and 7th grade) students. It is an integrated unit that encompasses health, science, social studies, math, and language arts. The curriculum is comprised of nine class activities designed to meet the following objectives: (1) to determine…

The Integrated Early Childhood Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krogh, Suzanne

This textbook provides an outline of an integrated curriculum for early childhood education. Part 1 discusses the human element in school: the child and the teacher and child development. Part 2 contains the curriculum itself and covers the subjects of language, mathematics, science, social studies, art, music, and movement. Guidelines provide…

An overview of conceptual understanding in science education curriculum in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widiyatmoko, A.; Shimizu, K.

2018-03-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss the term of “conceptual understanding” in science education curriculum in Indonesia. The implementation of 2013 Curriculum focuses on the acquisition of contextual knowledge in respective areas and environments. The curriculum seeks to develop students' evaluation skills in three areas: attitude, technical skills, and scientific knowledge. It is based on two layers of competencies: core and basic competencies. The core competencies in the curriculum 2013 represent the ability level to achieve the gradute competency standards of a students at each grade level. There are four mandatory core competencies for all educational levels and all subjects including science, which are spiritual, social, knowledge and skills competencies. In terms of knowledge competencies, conceptual understanding is an inseparable part of science concept since conceptual understanding is one of the basic competencies in science learning. This competency is a part of science graduation standard indicated in MoEC article number 20 in 2016. Therefore, conceptual understanding is needed by students for learning science successfully.

Interest-Based Curriculum for House Care Services: Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Natchitoches Parish School Board, LA.

The interest-based curriculum materials are designed to correlate the subjects of English, math, science, and home economics and infuse academic skills into the world of work. The House Care Science curriculum guide is divided into five units: (1) measurement, (2) household chemistry, (3) household electricity, (4) household machines, and (5)…

Science 25. Curriculum Guide. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Territories Dept. of Education, Yellowknife.

This science curriculum is an activity-oriented program in which an attempt has been made to provide sufficient information for non-science specialists to enable them to offer an effective course at the grades 10 and 11 levels. This curriculum offers a solution to the unique needs of life in the Canadian Northwest Territories. The role of…

MICHIGAN SCIENCE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT. (TITLE SUPPLIED).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VAN DEVENTER, W.C.

REPORTED ARE THE RESULTS OF A CURRICULUM RESEARCH PROJECT OF THE MICHIGAN SCIENCE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT FOR USE IN TEACHING JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL UNIFIED SCIENCE. THE COMMITTEE USED PREVIOUS RESEARCH DATA, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA OF INSTRUCTION AND INQUIRY TRAINING, TO DEVELOP 13 UNITS INCLUDING 55 OPEN-ENDED LABORATORY…

Improving Student Attitudes about Learning Science and Student Scientific Reasoning Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Douglas K.; Arthurs, Leilani

2012-01-01

Student attitudes about learning science and student ideas about the nature of science were compared at the end of two astronomy courses taught in Fall 2007, a course with a traditional astronomy curriculum and a transformed course, whose traditional astronomy curriculum was supplemented by an embedded curriculum that explicitly addressed the…

Exploring multiple intelligences theory in the context of science education: An action research approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodnough, Karen Catherine

2000-10-01

Since the publication of Frames of Mind: The Theory in Practice, multiple intelligences, theory (Gardner, 1983) has been used by practitioners in a variety of ways to make teaching and learning more meaningful. However, little attention has been focused on exploring the potential of the theory for science teaching and learning. Consequently, this research study was designed to: (1) explore Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences (1983) and its merit for making science teaching and learning more meaningful; (2) provide a forum for teachers to engage in critical self-reflection about their theory and practice in science education; (3) study the process of action research in the context of science education; and (4) describe the effectiveness of collaborative action research as a framework for teacher development and curriculum development. The study reports on the experiences of four teachers (two elementary teachers, one junior high teacher, and one high school teacher) and myself, a university researcher-facilitator, as we participated in a collaborative action research project. The action research group held weekly meetings over a five-month period (January--May, 1999). The inquiry was a qualitative case study (Stake, 1994) that aimed to understand the perspectives of those directly involved. This was achieved by using multiple methods to collect data: audiotaped action research meetings, fieldnotes, semi-structured interviews, journal writing, and concept mapping. All data were analysed on an ongoing basis. Many positive outcomes resulted from the study in areas such as curriculum development, teacher development, and student learning in science. Through the process of action research, research participants became more reflective about their practice and thus, enhanced their pedagogical content knowledge (Shulman, 1987) in science. Students became more engaged in learning science, gained a greater understanding of how they learn, and experienced a science curriculum that was more relevant and personalized. In addition, the action research process provided a feasible and effective forum for both curriculum development and professional development.

The Maps in Medicine program: An evaluation of the development and implementation of life sciences curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Malley, Jennifer

There has been a downward trend in both science proficiency and interest in science in the United States, especially among minority students and students of a disadvantaged background. This has led to a downturn in the number of individuals within these groups considering a career in the sciences or a related field. Studies have identified many potential causes for this problem including the current structure of science curriculum, lack of teacher preparedness, and the lack of quality education and support for those students currently underrepresented in the sciences. Among the solutions to this problem include redesigning the science curriculum, offering high-quality professional development opportunities to teachers, and creating programs to give support to individuals currently underrepresented in the sciences, so that they may have a better chance of pursuing and obtaining a science career. The Maps in Medicine program (MiM) has been designed to incorporate all of the aforementioned solutions and apply them to the current science education problem. The Maps in Medicine (MiM) program was established at the University of Missouri -- Columbia, and is funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Newly developed MiM curricula and student activities are intended to promote positive attitude changes in those students who are currently underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, with the program also providing professional development to high school science teachers. It was important to determine if the MiM program's solution to the science education problem has been successful, and so the program evaluation piece was integral. A mixed-methods approach was used to evaluate the MiM program. Formative evaluation results indicated a positive response from teachers and students regarding curriculum and professional development, and student activities. These results have also lead to the identification of appropriate improvements for the program, and will assist with the program's overall goal of national dissemination of MiM curriculum.

Did We Have Science before 1988?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peacock, Alan; Dunne, Mick

2014-01-01

In this "Primary Science" interview, science educators Alan Peacock and Mick Dunne reflect on their own experiences of what science was like in England before a National Curriculum was introduced. Among the topics covered are: earliest memories of science in school, teaching science before 1988 (pre-science curriculum for primary…

Combining Geography, Math, and Science to Teach Climate Change and Sea Level Rise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oldakowski, Ray; Johnson, Ashley

2018-01-01

This study examines the effectiveness of integrating geography into existing math and science curriculum to teach climate change and sea level rise. The desired outcome is to improve student performance in all three subjects. A sample of 120 fifth graders from three schools were taught the integrated curriculum over a period of two to three weeks.…

Indians of Northwest California: History/Social Science and Literature Based Curriculum Units.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Supahan, Sarah, Ed.

This curriculum guide was developed to provide material about the Indian culture of Northwest California for students in grades K-6. Many of the units were developed for a specific grade, but can be adapted for older or younger children. The material can be integrated with such curricular areas as language, literature, social studies, science, and…

Data Science Programs in U.S. Higher Education: An Exploratory Content Analysis of Program Description, Curriculum Structure, and Course Focus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Rong; Sae-Lim, Watinee

2016-01-01

In this study, an exploratory content analysis of 30 randomly selected Data Science (DS) programs from eight disciplines revealed significant gaps in current DS education in the United States. The analysis centers on linguistic patterns of program descriptions, curriculum requirements, and DS course focus as pertaining to key skills and domain…

Curriculum: Toward New Identities. Critical Education Practice, Volume 12. Garland Reference Library of Social Science, Volume 1135.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinar, William F., Ed.

This collection of essays draws upon research in political, feminist, theological, literary, and racial theory to examine research methodologies relating to curriculum studies. The essays are: (1) "Storying the Self: Life Politics and the Study of the Teacher's Life and Work" (Ivor F. Goodson); (2) "Curriculum, Transcendence, and Zen/Taoism:…

Challenging traditional assumptions of high school science through the physics and Everyday Thinking Curriculum(TM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, Michael J.

Science education in the U.S. has failed for over a century to bring the experience of scientific induction to classrooms, from elementary science to undergraduate courses. The achievement of American students on international comparisons of science proficiency is unacceptable, and the disparities between groups underrepresented in STEM and others are large and resistant to reform efforts. This study investigated the enactment of a physics curriculum designed upon the inductive method in a high school serving mostly students from groups underrepresented in science. The Physics and Everyday Thinking curriculum was designed to model the central practices of science and to provide opportunities for students to both extract general principles of physics and to develop scientific models from laboratory evidence. The findings of this study suggest that scientific induction is not only a process that is well within the capacity of high school students, but they enjoy it as well. Students that engaged in the central practices of science through the inductive method reported a new sense of agency and control in their learning. These findings suggest that modeling the pedagogy of the science classroom upon the epistemology of science can result in a mode of learning that can lead to positive identification with physics and the development of scientific literacy.

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.

Examining occupational therapy education through faculty engagement in curriculum mapping and pedagogical reflection.

PubMed

MacNeil, Cheryl; Hand, Theresa

2014-01-01

This article discusses a 1-yr evaluation study of a master of science in occupational therapy program to examine curriculum content and pedagogical practices as a way to gauge program preparedness to move to a clinical doctorate. Faculty members participated in a multitiered qualitative study that included curriculum mapping, semistructured individual interviewing, and iterative group analysis. Findings indicate that curriculum mapping and authentic dialogue helped the program formulate a more streamlined and integrated curriculum with increased faculty collaboration. Curriculum mapping and collaborative pedagogical reflection are valuable evaluation strategies for examining preparedness to offer a clinical doctorate, enhancing a self-study process, and providing information for ongoing formative curriculum review. Copyright © 2014 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Small Schools Language Arts Curriculum, 4-6: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Designed to assist teachers in small schools with the improvement of curriculum and instruction and to help smaller districts that do not have curriculum personnel to comply with Washington's Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law, this guide contains language arts curriculum materials for grades 4-6. Learning objectives are correlated to the Goals…

Small Schools Language Arts Curriculum, 7-8: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Designed to assist teachers in small schools with the improvement of curriculum and instruction and to help smaller districts that do not have curriculum personnel to comply with Washington's Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law, this guide contains language arts curriculum materials for grades 7-8. Learning objectives are correlated to the Goals…

The Growing Classroom: A Garden-Based Science and Nutrition Curriculum for 2nd through 6th Grades. Book 2: Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appel, Gary; And Others

This guide for teaching science is Book Two in Project Life Lab's (Santa Cruz, California) three-part curriculum for a garden-based science and nutrition program for grades 2-6. The curriculum is designed for use as an integrated program, but the books can be used independently. It is suggested that the use of student journals can greatly enhance…

Disciplined knowledge: Differentiating and binding the elementary science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayes, Michael Thomas

The purpose of this research was to investigate elementary science curriculum differentiation at two schools with widely divergent student demographics. Historically, elementary school students of ethnic-minority and low-socioeconomic backgrounds have not performed on traditional assessments of academic achievement and progress in science education at the same level as their White and more affluent peers. This inequality has long been of interest to the proponents of science education reform who are concerned with the ability of students to participate successfully in a democratic society and in the labor market. Differentiating the curriculum such that students, because of their socioeconomic, ethnic, or racial backgrounds, receive different knowledge, skills, and experiences is a key component of school activity that supports social inequality. Participants in the study included the teachers and students of four classrooms in two schools with student populations that differed in their socioeconomic and ethnic demographics. Qualitative research methods, including fieldnotes, audiorecordings, and interviews, were utilized to gather data. The collection and analysis of data were articulated in a developmental research process in which theories and interpretations were continuously constructed and tested for validity. The results of this research show that the science curricula at the two schools were different, with differences being understood in terms of the populations served. The particular form of differentiation observed in this study was closely correlated to elements of social discipline, knowledge segmentation and reconfiguration, time and pacing, control of bodies, and testing. The elementary science curriculum at the two schools differed in the formality and intensity with which the curriculum was constructed in adherence to these elements of discipline. Such differences cannot be understood in traditional terms as supporting White middle-class students' academic and social progress while retarding that of students from low-socioeconomic and ethnic-minority backgrounds. Curriculum differentiation, when considered on a theory of discipline, is not simply a matter of placing students into inequitable social and educational positions. Instead, the curriculum is implicated in the construction of a stratified social system that at once constrained and provided for educational, social, and economic possibility.

The Effect of School Culture on Science Education at an Ideologically Innovative Elementary Magnet School: An Ethnographic Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meier, Lori T.

2012-11-01

This ethnographic case study investigated the science practices of teachers at one public elementary magnet school in light of how school culture influenced science curriculum design and instruction. The purpose of the study was to address how school culture impacted the school's overall treatment of science as a viable content area. Key informant teachers were interviewed to explore their personal beliefs and values, teaching, access to materials, and views of the adopted integrated thematic curriculum model and magnet structure. The resulting data, triangulated with informal observation and artifact collection, were analyzed using a theoretical framework that emphasized five interdependent school culture indicators (values, beliefs, practices, materials, and problems). Findings suggest that the school's culture adversely influenced the treatment of science.

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,…

The Challenge of Learning Physics Before Mathematics: A Case Study of Curriculum Change in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, Mei-Shiu

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to identify challenges in implementing a physics-before- 10 mathematics curriculum. Obviously, students need to learn necessary mathematics skills in order to develop advanced physics knowledge. In the 2010 high school curriculum in Taiwan, however, grade 11 science students study two-dimensional motion in physics without prior learning experiences of trigonometry in mathematics. The perspectives of three curriculum developers, 22 mathematics and physics teachers, two principals, and 45 science students were obtained by interview. The results of qualitative data analysis revealed six challenges and suggested likely solutions. The national level includes political and social challenges, resolved by respecting teachers as professionals; the teacher level includes knowledge and teaching challenges, resolved by increasing teacher trans-literal capacities; and the student level includes learning and justice challenges, resolved by focusing on students' diverse developments in cross-domain learning.

Integration of Cognitive Skills as a Cross-Cutting Theme Into the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum at Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

PubMed

Soltani, Akbar; Allaa, Maryam; Moosapour, Hamideh; Aletaha, Azadeh; Shahrtash, Farzaneh; Monajemi, Alireza; Arastoo, Tohid; Ahmadinejad, Maryam; Mirzazadeh, Azim; Khabaz Mafinejad, Mahboobeh

2017-01-01

Nowadays, improvement of thinking skills of students is one of the universally supported aims in the majority of medical schools. This study aims to design longitudinal theme of reasoning, problem-solving and decision-making into the undergraduate medical curriculum at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). A participatory approach was applied to design the curriculum during 2009-2011. The project was conducted by the contribution of representatives of both basic and clinical faculty members, students and graduates at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The first step toward integrating cognitive skills into the curriculum was to assemble a taskforce of different faculty and students, including a wide variety of fields with multidisciplinary expertise using nonprobability sampling and the snowball method. Several meetings with the contribution of experts and some medical students were held to generate the draft of expected outcomes. Subsequently, the taskforce also determined what content would fit best into each phase of the program and what teaching and assessment methods would be more appropriate for each outcome. After a pilot curriculum with a small group of second-year medical students, we implemented this program for all first-year students since 2011 at TUMS. Based on findings, the teaching of four areas, including scientific and critical thinking skills (Basic sciences), problem-solving and reasoning (Pathophysiology), evidence-based medicine (Clerkship), and clinical decision-making (Internship) were considered in the form of a longitudinal theme. The results of this study could be utilized as a useful pattern for integration of psycho-social subjects into the medical curriculum.

Hydromania II: Journey of the Oncorhynchus. Summer Science Camp Curriculum 1994.

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

Moura, Joan; Swerin, Rod

The Hydromania II curriculum was written for the third in a series of summer science camp experiences targeting students in grades 4--6 who generally have difficulty accessing supplementary academic programs. The summer science camp in Portland is a collaborative effort between Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), the US Department of Energy (DOE), and the Portland Parks and Recreation Community Schools Program along with various other cooperating businesses and organizations. The curriculum has also been incorporated into other summer programs and has been used by teachers to supplement classroom activities. Camps are designed to make available, affordable learning experiences that are funmore » and motivating to students for the study of science and math. Inner-city, under-represented minorities, rural, and low-income families are particularly encouraged to enroll their children in the program.« less

Grade six students' understanding of the nature of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cochrane, Donald Brian

The goal of scientific literacy requires that students develop an understanding of the nature of science to assist them in the reasoned acquisition of science concepts and in their future role as citizens in a participatory democracy. The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe the range of positions that grade six students hold with respect to the nature of science and to investigate whether gender or prior science education was related to students' views of the nature of science. Two grade six classes participated in this study. One class was from a school involved in a long-term elementary science curriculum project. The science curriculum at this school involved constructivist epistemology and pedagogy and a realist ontology. The curriculum stressed hands-on, open-ended activities and the development of science process skills. Students were frequently involved in creating and testing explanations for physical phenomena. The second class was from a matched school that had a traditional science program. Results of the study indicated that students hold a wider range of views of the nature of science than previously documented. Student positions ranged from having almost no understanding of the nature of science to those expressing positions regarding the nature of science that were more developed than previous studies had documented. Despite the range of views documented, all subjects held realist views of scientific knowledge. Contrary to the literature, some students were able to evaluate a scientific theory in light of empirical evidence that they had generated. Results also indicated that students from the project school displayed more advanced views of the nature of science than their matched peers. However, not all students benefited equally from their experiences. No gender differences were found with respect to students' understanding of the nature of science.

The Effects of Activity-Based Elementary Science Programs on Student Outcomes and Classroom Practices: A Meta Analysis of Controlled Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bredderman, Ted

A quantitative synthesis of research findings on the effects of three major activity-based elementary science programs developed with National Science Foundation support was conducted. Controlled evaluation studies of the Elementary Science Study (ESS), Science-A Process Approach (SAPA), or The Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) were used…

Teacher Conceptions of Integrated STEM Education and How They Are Reflected in Integrated STEM Curriculum Writing and Classroom Implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ring, Elizabeth A.

There has been a nation-wide push for an increase in the use of integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the United States. With this shift in epistemological, pedagogical, and curricular content, there is a need to develop an understanding as to what integrated STEM education is, particularly among practitioners. In this dissertation, inservice science teacher conceptions of integrated STEM education were investigated to help understand what these conceptions are and how these conceptions influence curriculum writing and implementation of integrated STEM curricula in classrooms. Teacher conceptions and their influences were investigated through three separate but interrelated studies. First, K-12 inservice science teachers' conceptions of integrated STEM were investigated through the analysis of their sketched models of integrated STEM education. How these models changed throughout an intensive, three-week professional development was also explored. The goal of this first study was to identify conceptual models of integrated STEM education held by inservice science teachers and to understand how these conceptions might change over the course of a professional development. Second, photo elicitation interviews (PEIs) and curricular analysis were used to provide rich descriptions of the conceptual models of integrated STEM education held by inservice science teachers, determine what components of STEM inservice science teachers found fundamental to integrating STEM in the classroom based on their conceptions, and explore how teachers' conceptions of STEM were used in their development of integrated STEM curricula. The goal of this second study was to better understand inservice science teachers' conceptual models of integrated STEM and explore how these models were realized in the teachers' curriculum writing. Third, a multiple-case study was conducted with three teachers to investigate how the conceptual models held by inservice science teachers were enacted in their implementation of an integrated STEM curriculum unit in their classrooms. The goal of this third study was to determine how, if at all, teachers enact their conceptual models of integrated STEM education in the classroom when implementing a STEM curriculum. Together, these three studies helped to broaden the research related to integrated STEM education in the literature. The progressive nature of the studies in this dissertation, as well as the diverse use of methodologies and data analysis, helped to expand STEM education research.

Curriculum Trends: Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Edwin P.; Teumac, Karen

1984-01-01

Brief descriptions and addresses are provided for the following: four handbooks for elementary principals on science programs, a study on women in science, a renewal of National Science Foundation funding for precollege-level science teaching projects, and a report outlining proposals for educational improvement in science. (TE)

Something of Value. A Summary of Findings and Recommendations for Improving Elementary Science in Massachusetts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitla, Dean K.; Pinck, Dan C.

Presented is a summary of findings and recommendations provided by the Harvard Study Committee under the auspices of the Massachusetts Advisory Council on Education. The study is mainly concerned with the four National Science Foundation (NSF) programs: Elementary Science Study, Science Curriculum Improvement Study, Science - A Process Approach,…

The Basic Science Curriculum in the 21st Century: What Needs to Be Changed?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garant, Philias R.

1986-01-01

The basic science curriculum in dental education could be improved by adopting a curriculum containing only two integrated required science courses about (1) the structure and function of the human body and (2) disease and reaction to disease in the human body. Elective graduate-level predoctoral courses would allow specialization. (MSE)

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…

Revising and Updating the Animal Science Components of the Connecticut Vocational Agriculture Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mannebach, Alfred J.; And Others

This guide is intended for use in teaching Connecticut's revised animal science curriculum at regional vocational agriculture centers. Like its predecessor, this curriculum includes exploratory (intended for grades 9 and 10) and specialized (intended for grades 11 and 12) animal science units and is based on the following major areas of…

Investigating Purposeful Science Curriculum Adaptation as a Strategy to Improve Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debarger, Angela Haydel; Penuel, William R.; Moorthy, Savitha; Beauvineau, Yves; Kennedy, Cathleen A.; Boscardin, Christy Kim

2017-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the potential and conditions for using curriculum adaptation to support reform of science teaching and learning. With each wave of reform in science education, curriculum has played a central role and the contemporary wave focused on implementation of the principles and vision of the "Framework for K-12 Science…

Curriculum-Based Measurement in Science Learning: Vocabulary-Matching as an Indicator of Performance and Progress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espin, Christine A.; Busch, Todd W.; Lembke, Erica S.; Hampton, David D.; Seo, Kyounghee; Zukowski, Beth A.

2013-01-01

The technical adequacy of curriculum-based measures in the form of short and simple vocabulary-matching probes to predict students' performance and progress in science at the secondary level was investigated. Participants were 198 seventh-grade students from 10 science classrooms. Curriculum-based measurements (CBM) were 5-min vocabulary-matching…

The Pursuit of Humanity: Curriculum Change in English School Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donnelly, Jim; Ryder, Jim

2011-01-01

This paper is concerned with the recent history of science curriculum reform in England, though it traces these developments back to the mid-nineteenth century. It first reviews approaches to science in the curriculum until the mid-1960s, identifying the curricular settlement of the postwar years and the beginning of the so-called "swing from…

The Implementation of the New Lower Secondary Science Curriculum in Three Schools in Rwanda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nsengimana, Théophile; Ozawa, Hiroaki; Chikamori, Kensuke

2014-01-01

In 2006, Rwanda began implementing an Outcomes Based Education (OBE) lower secondary science curriculum that emphasises a student-centred approach. The new curriculum was designed to transform Rwandan society from an agricultural to a knowledge-based economy, with special attention to science and technology education. Up until this point in time…

Electromagnetic Spectrum. 7th and 8th Grade Agriculture Science Curriculum. Teacher Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Dept. of Agricultural Education and Mechanization.

This curriculum guide, the second in a set of six, contains teacher and student materials for a unit on the electromagnetic spectrum prepared as part of a seventh- and eighth-grade agricultural science curriculum that is integrated with science instruction. The guide contains the state goals and sample learning objectives for each goal for…

Carroll County hands-on elementary science

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

Herlocker, H.G.; Dunkleberger, G.L.

1994-12-31

Carroll County Hands-on Elementary Science is a nationally recognized Elementary Science Curriculum which has been disseminated in forty states, Puerto Rico, The Virgin Islands, Saipan, and Samoa. The curriculum is a non-textbook, process-based, constructivist approach to teaching science. Unique features of this curriculum include its teacher-written daily lesson plan format, its complete kit of science supplies, and its complete set of Spanish materials. In order to be included by the National Diffusion Network, Hands-on Elementary Science collected data to support the following claims: the program enhances teacher and student attitudes toward science; the program changes both the amount and themore » type of science instruction; the program is adaptable and transportable; the teacher training component is effective. The poster display will feature sample activities, data which demonstrates the effectiveness of the staff development plan, and samples which show the degree to which the program supports selected state curriculum frameworks.« less

46 CFR 310.59 - Courses of instruction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Academy. Three major curriculums are offered: Nautical Science, for the preparation of deck officers... science courses prescribed by the Department of the Navy. All curriculums include general education... incorporating material from the major segments of the Academy curriculums. ...

BIBLIOGRAPHY ON CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Graduate School of Education.

THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY LISTS MATERIALS ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT. FORTY UNANNOTATED REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED FOR DOCUMENTS DATING FROM 1960 TO 1966. BOOKS, JOURNALS, REPORT MATERIALS, AND SOME UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS ARE LISTED IN SUCH AREAS AS COGNITIVE STUDIES, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, SCIENCE STUDIES, AND…

Integrated Medical Curriculum: Advantages and Disadvantages

PubMed Central

Quintero, Gustavo A.; Vergel, John; Arredondo, Martha; Ariza, María-Cristina; Gómez, Paula; Pinzon-Barrios, Ana-Maria

2016-01-01

Most curricula for medical education have been integrated horizontally and vertically–-vertically between basic and clinical sciences. The Flexnerian curriculum has disappeared to permit integration between basic sciences and clinical sciences, which are taught throughout the curriculum. We have proposed a different form of integration where the horizontal axis represents the defined learning outcomes and the vertical axis represents the teaching of the sciences throughout the courses. We believe that a mere integration of basic and clinical sciences is not enough because it is necessary to emphasize the importance of humanism as well as health population sciences in medicine. It is necessary to integrate basic and clinical sciences, humanism, and health population in the vertical axis, not only in the early years but also throughout the curriculum, presupposing the use of active teaching methods based on problems or cases in small groups. PMID:29349303

The CHROME Honors Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Eleanor

2002-01-01

The CHROME Honors Program was designed as a two-week residential program for 9th and 1Oth grade students participating in CHROME clubs. The curriculum focused on the health sciences with instruction from: (1) the science and health curriculum of the Dozoretz National Program for Minorities in Applied Sciences (DNIMAS) Program of Norfolk State University (NSU); (2) the humanities curriculum of the NSU Honors Program; (3) NASA-related curriculum in human physiology. An Advisory Committee was formed to work with the Project Coordinator in the design of the summer program.

Changing Curriculum: A Critical Inquiry into the Revision of the British Columbia Science Curriculum For Grades K-9

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Searchfield, Mary A.

In 2010 British Columbia's Ministry of Education started the process of redesigning the provincial school curriculum, Kindergarten to Grade 12. Mandatory implementation of the new curriculum was set for the 2016/17 school year for Grades K-9, and 2017/18 for Grades 10-12. With a concerted emphasis on personalized learning and through the frame of a Know-Do-Understand curriculum model, the new curriculum aims to meet the needs of today's learners, described as living in a technology-rich, fast-paced and ever-changing world, through a concept-based and competency-driven emphasis. This thesis is a critical analysis of the BC K-9 Science curriculum as written and published, looking specifically at how science is treated as a form of knowledge, its claimed presentation as a story, and on whether the intentions claimed by the designers are matched in the curriculum's final form.

Attitudes of Early Adolescents toward Science, Women in Science, and Science Careers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erb, Thomas Owen

The study described is part of a larger project, Career Oriented Modules to Explore Topics in Science (COMETS), designed to integrate career education into the science curriculum. This study aimed to determine the attitudes of male and female students aged 10-16 toward scientists, science, women in science, careers in technical fields, and careers…

Food-based science curriculum yields gains in nutrition knowledge.

PubMed

Carraway-Stage, Virginia; Hovland, Jana; Showers, Carissa; Díaz, Sebastián; Duffrin, Melani W

2015-04-01

Students may be receiving less than an average of 4 hours of nutrition instruction per year. Integrating nutrition with other subject areas such as science may increase exposure to nutrition education, while supporting existing academics. During the 2009-2010 school year, researchers implemented the Food, Math, and Science Teaching Enhancement Resource (FoodMASTER) Intermediate (FMI) curriculum in 18 fourth-grade classrooms, whereas 16 classrooms served as comparison. FMI is a hands-on, integrative curriculum for children in grades 3-5 that uses food as a tool to teach mathematics and science. Researchers developed a 28-item multiple-choice questionnaire to assess students' nutrition knowledge in 6 content areas. Students were evaluated at baseline and post-intervention. Data were analyzed using independent t tests. Analysis of covariance was employed to control for differences at baseline when assessing the effectiveness of the FMI curriculum to increase nutrition knowledge. A significant improvement was observed in total nutrition knowledge at post-intervention (adjusting for baseline) between groups (F [1] = 128.95; p < .01) and in all content areas post-intervention. Findings from this study suggest teachers were successfully able to integrate science and nutrition to meet multiple academic standards. More specifically, results showed implementation of the integrative FMI curriculum effectively improved fourth-graders' nutrition knowledge compared with students not exposed to FMI. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Science Curriculum Components Favored by Taiwanese Biology Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Chen-Yung; Hu, Reping; Changlai, Miao-Li

2005-01-01

The new 1?9 curriculum framework in Taiwan provides a remarkable change from previous frameworks in terms of the coverage of content and the powers of teachers. This study employs a modified repertory grid technique to investigate biology teachers' preferences with regard to six curriculum components. One hundred and eighty-five in-service and…

Engineering Curriculum in the Preschool Classroom: The Teacher's Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagiati, Aikaterini; Evangelou, Demetra

2015-01-01

The study presented here focuses on the development of an early education Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum with emphasis on engineering. This article presents the teacher's experience as she undertook the task of familiarising herself with the new content and using the curriculum in a university based…

A study of the role expectations of the science supervisor and the fostering of collaboration within the high school science department

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Janet

2001-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of agreement among science supervisors and public high school science teachers regarding Actual and Desired role responsibilities for science supervisors in six categories, Curriculum, Methodology, Involvement in the Science Field, Staff Development, Procedural Duties, and Assessment and a seventh category measuring the supervisor's degree of Fostering Collaboration within the department. The Science Supervisor Questionnaire was developed specifically for this study and consisted of items that comprised the most current research on the roles of the science supervisor. The instrument was based on the responsibilities of department heads as delineated through a consolidation of the current research. Although the supervisors and the science teachers agreed among themselves to some extent on the seven subscales, the six role expectations of supervisors (Curriculum, Methodology, Involvement in the Science Field, Staff Development, Procedural Duties, and Assessment) and the Fostering of Collaboration, the amount and degree of consensus varied. There was more consensus in the desired roles of science supervisors suggesting that the groups understand and agree upon the expectations of the position. Those top priorities of science supervisor role expectations for both groups were Methodology, Curriculum, Procedural Duties and Staff Development. There was a difference in perceptions between the two groups of the actual role of the supervisor, indicating that what is actually happening in the science supervisor role conflicts with what is expected. Fostering Collaboration ranked lowest for both groups in both perceived actual and desired science supervisor performance. Fostering Collaboration was not seen as a priority by the supervisors and teachers in the teaching and learning environment. Teachers report that supervisors did not play a key role in fostering collaboration in this study.

Complex dilemmas of identity and practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enyedy, Noel; Goldberg, Jennifer; Muir Welsh, Kate

2006-01-01

Identity is a complex construct, yet extremely important if we wish to understand the practice of teaching as a profession. In this paper, we examine the ways two middle school teachers talk about their identity and teaching practices and coordinate these self-reports with our own observations of how they implement a new environmental science curriculum. More specifically, we compare the teachers' beliefs about learning, goals for the classroom community and for instruction, and their knowledge of science content, and pedagogy. Furthermore, we discuss teaching dilemmas, which arise for these teachers as their identities and practices intersect and at times conflict. We argue, however, that a focus on practice and outcomes is an important, but limited aspect of what we, as a field, need to consider when attempting to understand the complexities of teaching and learning. Therefore, we continue to expand our understanding of two science classrooms as we examine the teachers' multiple identities in relation to their implementation of a science curriculum. The identity portraits from this study provide a rich and complicated account of the implementation of a science curriculum and illuminate a number of potential obstacles and pitfalls, which may inform the way we as a field reflect on curriculum and professional development.

Teaching the Urban Student as a Whole: Utilizing Universal Skills in Science and Social Studies Interdisciplinary Curricula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berg, Christianna

The purpose for this project is to utilize interdisciplinary curricula to emphasize transferable skills across the four main subject areas: reading, mathematics, science, and social studies. This project aims to provide a background for the creation of an interdisciplinary curricula that can be adjusted to current instructional programs being used in any classroom. The proposed curriculum is intended for a science and social studies elementary classroom where students rotate to a different mathematics and language arts classroom, but it could be applied to older grades or to self-contained classes. The proposed curriculum emphasizes problem solving, reading, and writing skills.

Preservice elementary teachers learning to use curriculum materials to plan and teach science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunckel, Kristin Lee

New elementary teachers rely heavily on curriculum materials, but available science curriculum materials do not often support teachers in meeting specified learning goals, engaging students in the inquiry and application practices of science, or leveraging students' intellectual and cultural resources for learning. One approach to supporting new elementary teachers in using available science curriculum materials is to provide frameworks to scaffold preservice teachers' developing lesson planning and teaching practices. The Inquiry-Application Instructional Model (I-AIM) and the Critical Analysis and Planning (CA&P) tool were designed to scaffold preservice teachers' developing practice to use curriculum materials effectively to plan and teach science. The I-AIM identifies functions for each activity in an instructional sequence. The CA&P provides guides preservice teachers in modifying curriculum materials to better fit I-AIM and leverage students' resources for learning. This study followed three elementary preservice teachers in an intern-level science method course as they learned to use the I-AIM and CA&P to plan and teach a science unit in their field placement classrooms. Using a sociocultural perspective, this study focused on the ways that the interns used the tools and the mediators that influenced how they used the tools. A color-coding analysis procedure was developed to identify the teaching patterns in the interns' planned instructional approaches and enacted activity sequences and compare those to the patterns implied by the I-AIM and CA&P tools. Interviews with the interns were also conducted and analyzed, along with the assignments they completed for their science methods course, to gain insight into the meanings the interns made of the tools and their experiences planning and teaching science. The results show that all three interns had some successes using the I-AIM and CA&P to analyze their curriculum materials and to plan and teach science lessons. However, all three interns used the tools in different ways, and some of their ways of using the tools were different from the intentions for the tools. These differences can be accounted for by the variety of mediators that influenced the interns' use of the I-AIM and CA&P tools. These mediators were rooted in the Discourses at play in the various communities in which the interns participated during their teacher preparation program. Some of the practices and resources of these various Discourses interfered with or supported the interns' use of the I-AIM and CA&P tools. Each intern took a different trajectory through these Discourses and encountered different practices that mediated how each used the I-AIM and CA&P tools. The results of this study suggest that the goal of preparing preservice teachers to use the I-AIM and CA&P tools should be to provide preservice teachers with opportunities to use the tools and help them develop the metaknowledge about the tools necessary to critically analyze the affordances and weaknesses of different approaches to teaching science.

Implementing a Science-Based Interdisciplinary Curriculum in the Second Grade: A Community of Practice in Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park Rogers, Meredith

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the role that a collaborative teaching approach, referred to as a community of practice (CoP), had on a team of four second grade teachers' implementation of a science-based interdisciplinary curriculum. Data was collected in the form of extensive observation notes gathered over 10-weeks of twice weekly…

Assessing Science Reasoning and Conceptual Understanding in the Primary Grades Using Standardized and Performance-Based Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Kyung Hee; VanTassel-Baska, Joyce; Bracken, Bruce A.; Feng, Annie; Stambaugh, Tamra

2014-01-01

Project Clarion, a Jacob K. Javits-funded project, focused on the scale-up of primary-grade science curricula. Curriculum units, based on an Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM), were developed for high-ability learners, but tried out with all students in Title I settings to study the efficacy of the units with all learners. The units focus on the…

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…

An Investigation of Measurement Invariance of the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum Science Sampling Test in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

He, Qingping; Anwyll, Steve; Glanville, Matthew; Opposs, Dennis

2014-01-01

Since 2010, the whole national cohort Key Stage 2 (KS2) National Curriculum test in science in England has been replaced with a sampling test taken by pupils at the age of 11 from a nationally representative sample of schools annually. The study reported in this paper compares the performance of different subgroups of the samples (classified by…

Urban high school students' perspectives about sexual health decision-making: the role of school culture and identity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brotman, Jennie S.; Mensah, Felicia Moore

2013-06-01

Studies across fields such as science education, health education, health behavior, and curriculum studies identify a persistent gap between the aims of the school curriculum and its impact on students' thinking and acting about the real-life decisions that affect their lives. The present study presents a different story from this predominant pattern in the literature. Through a year-long ethnographic investigation of a health-focused New York City public high school's HIV/AIDS and sex education program, this study illustrates a case in which 20 12th grade students respond positively to their education on these topics and largely assert that school significantly influences their perspectives and actions related to sexual health decision-making. This paper presents the following interpretation of this positive influence: school culture influences these students' perspectives and decisions around sexual health by contributing to the formation of students' identities. This paper further shows how science learning in particular becomes important for students in relation to decision-making when it is linked to issues of identity. These findings suggest that, in addition to attending to the design of classroom curriculum, HIV/AIDS and sex education researchers and curriculum developers (as well as those in science education focusing on other controversial science topics) might also explore the kinds of relational and school-wide factors that potentially influence students' identities, decisions, and responses to school learning.

Elementary teachers' ideas about, planning for and implementation of learner-directed and teacher-directed inquiry: A mixed methods study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biggers, Mandy Sue

Using a framework for variations of classroom inquiry (National Research Council [NRC], 2000, p. 29), this study explored 40 inservice elementary teachers' planning, modification, and enactment of kit-based science curriculum materials. As part of the study, a new observation protocol was modified from an existing protocol (Practices of Science Observation Protocol [P-SOP]) to measure the amount of teacher direction in science inquiry lessons (Practices of Science Observation Protocol + Directedness [P-SOPd]). An embedded mixed methods design was employed to investigate four questions: 1. How valid and reliable is the P-SOPd? 2. In what ways do inservice elementary teachers adapt existing elementary science curriculum materials across the inquiry continuum? 3. What is the relationship between the overall quality of inquiry and variations of inquiry in elementary teachers' enacted science instruction? 4. How do inservice elementary teachers' ideas about the inquiry continuum influence their adaptation of elementary science curriculum materials? Each teacher chose three lessons from a science unit for video-recorded observation, and submitted lesson plans for the three lessons. Lesson plans and videos were scored using the P-SOPd. The scores were also compared between the two protocols to determine if a correlation existed between the level of inquiry (measured on the P-SOP) and the amount of teacher direction (measured on the P-SOPd). Findings indicated no significant differences between planned and enacted lessons for the amount of teacher direction, but a correlation existed between the level of inquiry and the amount of teacher direction. In effect, the elementary teachers taught their science curriculum materials with a high level of fidelity for both the features of inquiry and the amount of teacher direction. A smaller group of three case study teachers were followed for the school year to give a more in-depth explanation of the quantitative findings. Case study findings revealed that the teachers' science instruction was teacher-directed while their conceptions of inquiry were student-directed. This study contributes to existing research on preservice teachers' learning about the continuum (Biggers & Forbes, 2012) and inservice teachers' ideas about the five features of inquiry (Biggers & Forbes, in press).

Revising and Updating the Plant Science Components of the Connecticut Vocational Agriculture Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut Univ., Storrs. Dept. of Educational Leadership.

This curriculum guide provides the plant science components of the vocational agriculture curriculum for Regional Vocational Agriculture Centers. The curriculum is divided into exploratory units for students in the 9th and 10th grades and specialized units for students in grades 11 and 12. The five exploratory units are: agricultural pest control;…

Space science curriculum design and research at NC A&T state university

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kebede, Abebe; Nair, Jyoti; Smith, Galen

2007-12-01

Recently, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCAT) won one of the largest awards from NASA to develop curriculum and research capability in space science in partnership with NASA centres, National Institute of Aerospace, the North Carolina Space Grant, the American Astronomical Society and a number of institutions affiliated with NASA. The plan is to develop curricula and research platforms that prepare science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students to be employed by NASA. The research programme initially focuses on the study of space and atmospheric physics, and the development of a general capability in atmospheric/space science.

Curriculum Design for Inquiry: Preservice Elementary Teachers' Mobilization and Adaptation of Science Curriculum Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forbes, Cory T.; Davis, Elizabeth A.

2010-01-01

Curriculum materials are crucial tools with which teachers engage students in science as inquiry. In order to use curriculum materials effectively, however, teachers must develop a robust capacity for pedagogical design, or the ability to mobilize a variety of personal and curricular resources to promote student learning. The purpose of this study…

The effects of integrated mathematics/science curriculum and instruction on mathematics achievement and student attitudes in grade six

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, Mary Denise

The purpose of this study was to determine whether integrating mathematics and science curriculum and teaching practices significantly improves achievement in mathematics and attitudes towards mathematics among sixth grade students in South Texas. The study was conducted during the 2001--2002 school year. A causal-comparative ex post facto research design was used to explore the effects of integrated mathematics and science classrooms compared to classrooms of traditional, isolated mathematics and science teaching practices on student achievement and student attitudes. Achievement was based on the Spring 2002 Mathematics portion of the standardized Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) Texas Learning Index (TLI) scores and individual student's mathematics Grade Point Average (GPA). Measurement of student attitudes was based on the results of the Integrated Mathematics Attitudinal Survey (IMAS), created by the researcher for this study. The sample population included 349 Grade 6 mathematics students attending one middle school involved in a pilot program utilizing integrated mathematics/science curriculum and teaching practices in a South Texas urban school district. The research involved 337 of the 349 sixth grade students to study the effects of mathematics/science curriculum and teaching practices on achievement and 207 of the 349 sixth grade students to study the effects of mathematics/science curriculum on attitudes concerning mathematics. The data were analyzed using chi square analyses, independent samples t-tests, and the analysis of variance (ANOVA). Statistical significance was determined at the .05 level of significance. Significant relationships were found when analyzing the proficiency of mathematics skills and individual growth of mathematics achievement. Chi square analyses indicated that the students in the integrated mathematics/science classrooms were more likely to exhibit individual growth and proficiency of mathematics skills based on the results of TAAS. Independent samples t-tests indicated that students in the integrated mathematics/science program scored significantly higher than the students in the traditional program in mean achievement scores and in mean growth of scores based on the results of TAAS. No significant differences were found when comparing mathematics anxiety scores between students in the integrated mathematics/science program and the traditional program. However, additional significant differences were identified when students in the integrated mathematics/science program scored higher than the students in the traditional program when analyzing the overall mean student attitude scores concerning mathematics and the mean scores of attitudinal values of mathematics in society.

Tanzania post-colonial educational system and perspectives on secondary science education, pedagogy, and curriculum: A qualitative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wandela, Eugenia L.

The development of technology and innovation in any country depends on a strong investment in science education from the lower to the upper levels of education. In most of the Sub-Saharan African nations, science education curriculum and teaching still faces many issues and problems that are inhibiting the growth of technology and innovation in these nations. In order to address these issues, an interpretive qualitative study that aims to examine how Tanzanian secondary science educators perceive secondary science education was conducted in the summer of 2013. The purpose of this study is to investigate problems and educational issues that might be limiting the growth of science, technology, and innovation in the Tanzanian society. Additionally, this research investigates the impacts of the colonial legacy that relates to language, politics, and economics, as they affect science education in Tanzania secondary schools. This study focuses on the governmental four-year ordinary level secondary science education; it took place in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. The researcher interviewed nine secondary science educators: three secondary science teachers and six secondary science education administrators. The researcher also conducted classroom observations. The data results from both interview and classroom observations were contextualized with data from existing documentation on Tanzanian secondary science education and data from previous research. The emergent themes from the study indicate that most of the problems and issues that are currently facing secondary science education are historically connected to the impact of the colonization period in 19th and 20th centuries. This study suggests that in order to improve science education in Tanzanian society, the people, especially the elites, need to break away from an "Orientalist" mindset and start integrating the Tanzanian culture and science into the still existing Eurocentric science curriculum. In addition, the Tanzanian government needs to invest in industries and economic initiatives that will support strong science education at all levels of education, as well as the graduates produced through this system.

The cultural production of "science" and "scientist" in high school physics: Girls' access, participation, and resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlone, Heidi Berenson

2000-10-01

For over three decades, the gender gap in science and science education has received attention from teachers, policy makers, and scholars of various disciplines. During this time, feminist scholars have posited many reasons why the gender gap in science and science education exists. Early feminist discourse focused on girls' "deficits," while more recent work has begun to consider the problems with science and school science in the quest for a more gender inclusive science. Specifically, feminist scholars advocate a transformation of both how students learn science and the science curriculum that students are expected to learn. This study was designed to examine more deeply this call for a changed science curriculum and its implications for girls' participation, interest, and scientist identities. If we reinvisioned ways to "do" science, "learn" science, and "be a scientist" in school science, would girls come to see science as something interesting and worth pursuing further? This question framed my ethnographic investigation. I examined the culturally produced meanings of "science" and "scientist" in two high school physics classrooms (one traditional and one non-traditional class framed around real-world themes), how these meanings reproduced and contested larger sociohistorical (and prototypical) meanings of science and scientist, and how girls participated within and against these meanings. The results complicate the assumption that a classroom that enacts a non-traditional curriculum is "better" for girls. This study explained how each classroom challenged sociohistorical legacies of school science in various "spaces of possibility" and how prototypical meanings pushed the potential of these spaces to the margins. Girls in the traditional physics class generally embraced prototypical meanings because they could easily access "good student" identities. Girls in the non-traditional class, though attracted to alternative practices, struggled with the conflicting promoted student identities that did not allow them easy access to "good student" identities. In neither class were girls' perceptions of what it meant to do science and be a scientist challenged. And, in neither class did girls connect to a legitimate scientist identity. These findings leave unanswered the question of whether changes in pedagogy and curriculum alone will produce more gender fair school science.

Electrical Energy. 7th and 8th Grade Agriculture Science Curriculum. Teacher Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Dept. of Agricultural Education and Mechanization.

This curriculum guide, the fifth in a set of six, contains teacher and student materials for a unit on electrical energy prepared as part of a seventh- and eighth-grade agricultural science curriculum that is integrated with science instruction. The guide contains the state goals and sample learning objectives for each goal for students in grades…

Boundary Interaction: Towards Developing a Mobile Technology-Enabled Science Curriculum to Integrate Learning in the Informal Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Daner; Looi, Chee-Kit

2018-01-01

This paper explores the crossover between formal learning and learning in informal spaces supported by mobile technology, and proposes design principles for educators to carry out a science curriculum, namely Boundary Activity-based Science Curriculum (BAbSC). The conceptualization of the boundary object, and the principles of boundary activity as…

Which Values Regarding Nature and Other Species Are We Promoting in the Australian Science Curriculum?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castano Rodriguez, Carolina

2016-01-01

Through a critical textual analysis of the content and structure of the new Australian science curriculum, in this paper I identify the values it encourages and those that are absent. I investigate whether the Australian science curriculum is likely to promote the attitudes needed to educate generations of children who act more responsibly with…

Science in the 21st Century: More than Just the Facts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Jeremy F.; Pimentel, Diane Silva; McNeill, Katherine L.; Barnett, Michael; Strauss, Eric

2011-01-01

The authors have worked to meet the demands of the 21st century by using the Urban EcoLab, an urban ecology curriculum based on the National Science Education Standards. This curriculum emphasizes the local and community-based nature of science and is freely available for teachers to view, download, and use. As part of the curriculum the authors…

Primary Students' Attitudes Towards Science. Paper Presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Science Teachers Association (Cincinnati, Ohio, March 27, 1977).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofman, Helenmarie Herbert

Comparison of the attitudinal responses of eight-year-old children who studied science in a National Science Foundation sponsored program, "Science Curriculum Improvement Study," with responses of eight-year-old children who studied science using a textbook series, "Concepts in Science," showed no differences. However, both programs did appear to…

Implementing an Imaginative Unit: Wonders of the Water Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hrennikoff, Margo

2006-01-01

The grade three curriculum set out by the British Columbia Ministry of Education has four categories for science: Processes of Science, Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth and Space Science. Within each of these categories there are numerous topics to teach. For example, the physical science curriculum requires students to learn about…

Evolution, Chaos, or Perpetual Motion? A Retrospective Trend Analysis of Secondary Science Curriculum Advocacy, 1955-94.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponder, Gerald; Kelly, Janet

1997-01-01

Analyzed 1,595 articles pertaining to secondary science-education curriculum and instruction published in "The Science Teacher" and "Science Education" between 1955 and 1994. For over four decades, science education has been in continual crisis. Instruction methods have changed little. Calls for reforming secondary science education, improving…

Marginalization of Socioscientific Material in Science-Technology-Society Science Curricula: Some Implications for Gender Inclusivity and Curriculum Reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Gwyneth

2000-05-01

Science education reformers have argued that presenting science in the abstract is neither motivating nor inclusive of the majority of students. Science-technology-society (STS) curricula that give science an accessible social context have developed in response, but controversy surrounds the extent to which students should be introduced to socioscientific debate. Using material from a case study of Salters' Advanced Chemistry in the United Kingdom, this article demonstrates how socioscientific material is marginalized through the structures and language of syllabus texts and through classroom practices. This means students are unlikely to engage with socioscientific aspects in their course. Socioscientific content is gendered through association with social concerns and epistemological uncertainty, and because gender is asymmetric, socioscience is devalued with respect to the masculinity of abstract science. Teachers fear that extensive coverage of socioscience devalues the curriculum, alienates traditional science students and jeopardizes their own status as gatekeepers of scientific knowledge. Thus, although STS curricula such as Salters' offer potential for making science more accessible, the article concludes that greater awareness of, and challenges to, gender binaries could result in more effective STS curriculum reform.

The evolution of science literacy: Examining intertextual connections and inquiry behaviors in the classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manocchi-Verrino, Carol J.

A call for a new perspective of science literacy has been marked as the impetus of change in science education, suggesting that a meaning-making approach to literacy and inquiry are central to learning science. This research study explored how science literacy evolved in a classroom where this reconceptualized view of science literacy guided curriculum design and instruction. The teacher/researcher incorporated Interactive Science Notebooks (ISNs) and Interactive Reading Organizers and Comprehension Strategies (IROCS) into instructional materials. In a class consisting of 20 mainstream and special education students, this 7-week study collected data using Likert scales, stimulated recall interviews, a teacher/researcher journal, and students¡¦ position papers. A systematic design framework was used for the three-phase analysis. Hyperresearch RTM software facilitated the identification of open codes, an axial code, and frequency graphs. In order to develop insight into the relationship between questions, methods, and curriculum design recent recommendations for quality research in science education were considered in the methodology. The hypothesis formulated from the data suggests that science literacy evolves on a continuum, and the degree to which science literacy evolves on the continuum seems to be contingent upon their uses of intertextual connections and inquiry behaviors. Several notable insights emerged from the data which were used to guide curriculum, instruction, and assessment that promotes the development of science literacy in the middle school classroom. The study suggests a possible correlation between the use of intertextual connections and inquiry behaviors, and the use of a continuum in measuring the emergence of science literacy.

Comparing Political Experiences (CPE).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillespie, Judith A.; Patrick, John J.

The rationale, goals, curriculum components, instructional strategies, and curriculum development process of a two-semester, secondary-level political science course, "Comparing Political Experiences," are described in this paper. Developed as part of the High School Political Science Curriculum Project at Indiana University, the major…

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…

Integrating Forensic Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Funkhouser, John; Deslich, Barbara J.

2000-01-01

Explains the implementation of forensic science in an integrated curriculum and discusses the advantages of this approach. Lists the forensic science course syllabi studied in three high schools. Discusses the unit on polymers in detail. (YDS)

Theme: Physical Science in Agriscience--The New Ag Mech.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buriak, Phil; And Others

1992-01-01

Seven theme articles discuss strategies for teaching mechanics, physical sciences in the study of foods, scientific principles in the agricultural curriculum, environmental issues in agriculture, and applied physical sciences. (SK)

The Nature of Science in Science Curricula: Methods and Concepts of Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferreira, Sílvia; Morais, Ana M.

2013-01-01

The article shows methods and concepts of analysis of the nature of science in science curricula through an exemplary study made in Portugal. The study analyses the extent to which the message transmitted by the Natural Science curriculum for Portuguese middle school considers the nature of science. It is epistemologically and sociologically…

Towards a Viable Curriculum: A Comparative Study of Curricula at the East African School of Library and Information Science and the Departments of Library and Information Studies of the Universities of Wales, Botswana, and Capetown

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kigongo-Bukenya, I. M. N.

2003-01-01

Applying a qualitative research design and using questionnaires, interviews, observation, focus groups, and debate, this study examines the phenomena and implications of change on LIS curricula, the stakeholders' perception of the current curriculum, the processes of curriculum design and review, and the impact of social, economic, political and…

Fostering pre-service teachers' views about nature of science: evaluation of a new STEM curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krell, Moritz; Koska, Johannes; Penning, Fenna; Krüger, Dirk

2015-09-01

Background: An elaborated understanding of Nature of Science (NOS) is seen as an important part of scientific literacy. In order to enable teachers to adequately discuss NOS in their lessons, various approaches have recently been employed to improve teachers' understanding of NOS. Purpose: This study investigated the effect of participating in a newly developed Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum at the Freie Universität Berlin (Germany) on pre-service teachers' NOS views. Program description: In the new STEM curriculum, two versions of explicitly teaching NOS, which are discussed in the literature, have been adopted: the pre-service teachers explicitly reflect upon nature and history of science (version one) as well as conduct own scientific investigations (version two). Sample: N = 76 pre-service teachers from different semester levels (cross-sectional study) who participated in the new STEM curriculum took part in this study (intervention group). As control groups, students who did not partake in the new curriculum participated (pre-service primary (N = 134), science (N = 198), and no-science (N = 161) teachers). Design and methods: In order to allow an economic assessment, a testing instrument with closed-item formats was developed to assess the respondents' views about six NOS aspects. Results: The intervention group shows significantly more elaborated NOS views than a relevant control group (p < .01, g = .48). Additionally, a one-way ANOVA reveals a positive effect of semester level on NOS views for the intervention group (p < .01; η² = .16) but not for the control groups. Conclusion: The findings support evidence suggesting that explicit approaches are effective when fostering an informed understanding of NOS. More specifically, a sequence of both versions of explicitly teaching NOS discussed in the literature seems to be a way to successfully promote pre-service teachers' NOS understanding.

Specifying a curriculum for biopolitical critical literacy in science teacher education: exploring roles for science fiction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gough, Noel

2017-12-01

In this essay I suggest some ways in which science teacher educators in Western neoliberal economies might facilitate learners' development of a critical literacy concerning the social and cultural changes signified by the concept of biopolitics. I consider how such a biopolitically inflected critical literacy might find expression in a science teacher education curriculum and suggest a number of ways of materializing such a curriculum in specific literatures, media, procedures, and assessment tasks, with particular reference to the contributions of science fiction in popular media.

Bridging the Gap: Embedding Communication Courses in the Science Undergraduate Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jandciu, Eric; Stewart, Jaclyn J.; Stoodley, Robin; Birol, Gülnur; Han, Andrea; Fox, Joanne A.

2015-01-01

The authors describe a model for embedding science communication into the science curriculum without displacing science content. They describe the rationale, development, design, and implementation of two courses taught by science faculty addressing these criteria. They also outline the evaluation plan for these courses, which emphasize broad…

Science CAP: Curriculum Assistance Program. [Multimedia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DEMCO, Inc., Madison, WI.

Science Curriculum Assistance Program (Science CAP(TM)) is a multimedia package developed to create a model for preserving classroom science activities that can be shared and customized by teachers. This program is designed to assist teachers in preparing classroom science activities for grades five through eight, and to foster an environment of…

Science Curriculum Design: Views from a Psychological Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linn, Marcia C.

It is now almost universally acknowledged that science education must be rejuvenated to serve the needs of American society. An emerging science of science education based on recent advances in psychological research could make this rejuvenation dramatic. Four aspects of psychological research relevant to science curriculum design are discussed:…

The Changing Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ediger, Marlow

2014-01-01

Science, as a curriculum area, has gone through many changes recently with the oncoming of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), as well as the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Science is a part of everyday life which individuals experience. Even the drying up of a puddle of…

Science, Math, and Technology. K-6 Science Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blueford, J. R.; And Others

Science, Math and Technology is one of the units of a K-6 unified science curriculum program. The unit consists of four organizing sub-themes: (1) science (with activities on observation, comparisons, and the scientific method); (2) technology (examining simple machines, electricity, magnetism, waves and forces); (3) mathematics (addressing skill…

The Concept Currency of K-12 Science Textbooks Relative to Earth Science Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janke, Delmar Lester

This study was undertaken to determine the degree of agreement between science textbooks and scholars in earth science relative to earth science concepts to be included in the K-12 science curriculum. The study consisted of two phases: (1) the identification of a sample of earth science concepts rated by earth scientists as important for inclusion…

The impact of the principal in the implementation of promoting science among English language learners (P-SELL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kittrell, Resma

School organizations are in a constant state of change. One of the major changes that all schools encounter is adopting new curriculum. It is important to look at the role of the principal during the implementation of a new curriculum so that we can identify specific strategies that might be useful in other areas of school change. This study focuses on the role of the principal during the adoption of a new science curriculum, Promoting Science Among English Language Learners (P-SELL), within six elementary schools. This multiple case study included teacher focus group interviews, principal interviews, and teacher and principal written surveys to identify specific roles and strategies that principals illustrated during implementation of P-SELL. The overarching themes uncovered included (a) distributive leadership, (b) clear communication, and (c) supportive conditions. These findings can be used to understand the process of change within an organization.

Do Facilitate, Don’t Demonstrate: Meaningful Engagement for Science Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelderman, Richard

2017-01-01

We are encouraged to hand over the learning experience to the students who must do the learning. After the 1957 launch of Sputnik it seemed that learning by discovery would replace lectures and other forms of learning by rote. The innovative Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC), Chemical Education Materials Study (ChEMS), and Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) provided teachers with hands-on, activity-based curriculum materials emphasizing problem solving, process skills, and creativity. Our current reforms, based on the Next Generation Science Standards, stress that learner-centered strategies need to become commonplace throughout the classrooms of our formal education system. In this presentation, we share tips on how to double check your style of interactions for science outreach, to ensure the audience is working with a facilitator rather than simply enjoying an expert’s entertaining demonstration.

Becoming Science Learners: A Study of Newcomers' Identity Work in Elementary School Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gamez, Rebeca; Parker, Carolyn A.

2018-01-01

This study investigates how two newcomer students, Elena and Martin, identified with and in science within the context of a classroom utilizing a reform-based science curriculum where instruction occurred only in English. Using ethnographic case study methods, we drew from anthropological theories on identity development and sociocultural…

Fitting It All In: How Sea Stars Taught Me To Integrate the Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonough, Nancy H.

2003-01-01

Explains an integrated curriculum in which science content is at the core of teaching. Contends that study in an integrated curriculum invites students to build their world knowledge by offering them the time and continuous focus to know a subject well. Details an integrated unit called "Oceans" which included: observation; whole group…

Benefits of a High School Core Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ACT, Inc., 2006

2006-01-01

Since the publication of "A Nation at Risk", ACT has recommended that students take a core curriculum in high school in order to be prepared for college-level work. ACT's recommended core curriculum consists of four years of English and three years each of mathematics, science, and social studies. The benefits to students of taking the right…

The Effect of Case-Based Curriculum on Cognitive and Affective Characteristics of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilhan-Beyaztas, Dilek; Özdemir, Burhanettin

2018-01-01

This study aims to determine the effect of case-based curriculum (CBC) on the cognitive and affective characteristics of the pre-service teachers. The case-based curriculum was developed within the scope of the "Introduction to Educational Science" course at the university level. It was applied to experimental groups by two different…

Addressing Health Literacy Challenges with a Cutting-Edge Infectious Disease Curriculum for the High School Biology Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacque, Berri; Koch-Weser, Susan; Faux, Russell; Meiri, Karina

2016-01-01

This study reports the secondary analysis of evaluation data from an innovative high school biology curriculum focused on infectious disease (ID) to examine the health literacy implications of teaching claims evaluation, data interpretation, and risk assessment skills in the context of 21st-Century health science. The curriculum was implemented…

Field Test of an Epidemiology Curriculum for Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaelin, Mark A.; Huebner, Wendy W.; Nicolich, Mark J.; Kimbrough, Maudellyn L.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a middle school epidemiology curriculum called Detectives in the Classroom. The curriculum presents epidemiology as the science of public health, using health-related issues that capture the interest of young students and help prepare them to make evidence-based health-related decisions.…

Development and Formative Evaluation of the "Educational Media In-Service Teacher Training Curriculum Standards"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoshida, Hiroki

2010-01-01

The first Japanese "curriculum standards" for educational media/ICT in-service teacher training was announced by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture in April 1973. Since then, the "curriculum standards" has been revised twice. The last revision was made in March 2006, based on the results of a preliminary study that…

Three Authentic Curriculum-Integration Approaches to Bird Adaptations That Incorporate Technology and Thinking Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rule, Audrey C.; Barrera, Manuel T., III

2008-01-01

Integration of subject areas with technology and thinking skills is a way to help teachers cope with today's overloaded curriculum and to help students see the connectedness of different curriculum areas. This study compares three authentic approaches to teaching a science unit on bird adaptations for habitat that integrate thinking skills and…

Horizontal integration of the basic sciences in the chiropractic curriculum.

PubMed

Ward, Kevin P

2010-01-01

Basic science curricula at most chiropractic colleges consist of courses (eg, general anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, etc) that are taught as stand-alone content domains. The lack of integration between basic science disciplines causes difficulties for students who need to understand how the parts function together as an integrated whole and apply this understanding to solving clinical problems. More horizontally integrated basic science curricula could be achieved by several means: integrated Part I National Board of Chiropractic Examiners questions, a broader education for future professors, an increased emphasis on integration within the current model, linked courses, and an integrated, thematic basic science curriculum. Horizontally integrating basic science curricula would require significant efforts from administrators, curriculum committees, and instructional faculty. Once in place this curriculum would promote more clinically relevant learning, improved learning outcomes, and superior vertical integration.

Horizontal Integration of the Basic Sciences in the Chiropractic Curriculum

PubMed Central

Ward, Kevin P.

2010-01-01

Basic science curricula at most chiropractic colleges consist of courses (eg, general anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, etc) that are taught as stand-alone content domains. The lack of integration between basic science disciplines causes difficulties for students who need to understand how the parts function together as an integrated whole and apply this understanding to solving clinical problems. More horizontally integrated basic science curricula could be achieved by several means: integrated Part I National Board of Chiropractic Examiners questions, a broader education for future professors, an increased emphasis on integration within the current model, linked courses, and an integrated, thematic basic science curriculum. Horizontally integrating basic science curricula would require significant efforts from administrators, curriculum committees, and instructional faculty. Once in place this curriculum would promote more clinically relevant learning, improved learning outcomes, and superior vertical integration. PMID:21048882

Reinventing the Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bybee, Rodger W.; Van Scotter, Pamela

2007-01-01

For many, the dominant model of curriculum development in science includes generating a topic, clarifying science content, identifying activities associated with the topic, and figuring out an assessment. Unfortunately, this approach tends to overemphasize activities and underemphasize mastery of science concepts and the process of scientific…

Innovations in human genetics education. Incorporation of genetics into a problem-based medical school curriculum.

PubMed Central

Swinford, A E; McKeag, D B

1990-01-01

There has been recent interest in the development of problem-based human genetics curricula in U.S. medical schools. The College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University has had a problem-based curriculum since 1974. The vertical integration of genetics within the problem-based curriculum, called "Track II," has recently been revised. On first inspection, the curriculum appeared to lack a significant genetics component; however, on further analysis it was found that many genetics concepts were covered in the biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, and clinical science components. Both basic science concepts and clinical applications of genetics are covered in the curriculum by providing appropriate references for basic concepts and including inherited conditions within the differential diagnosis in the cases studied. Evaluations consist of a multiple-choice content exam and a modified essay exam based on a clinical case, allowing evaluation of both basic concepts and problem-solving ability. This curriculum prepares students to use genetics in a clinical context in their future careers. PMID:2220816

Student memories: Insights for science reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaillie, Jane Hall

The purpose of this study was to examine the recollections pre-service teachers majoring in elementary education have of their science experiences during their elementary years and to explore the recollections in the context of science education reform efforts. At the beginning of science methods course work, pre-service elementary teachers reflected on their memories of their own elementary education experiences. Themes from 102 reflective essays collected in two settings and time periods were identified and compared. The themes remained consistent over both settings and time frames studied and fall into three general categories: curriculum and instruction, teacher traits, and student traits. The pre-service teachers expressed difficulty in recalling elementary science experiences and attributed their limited memories to what they perceived as a low priority of science content in the elementary curriculum. Teaching strategies played a prominent role in the memories reported. Hands-on and active learning strategies produced positive memories, while lectures, reading textbooks, and completing worksheets resulted in more negative memories. Furthermore, pre-service teacher essays often failed to connect the learning activities with concept development or understanding. Pre-service teachers were split nearly equally between those who liked and those who disliked elementary science. The attributes of elementary teachers received the least attention in the categories and focused primarily on passion for teaching science. Implications for science reform leaders, teacher education preparation programs, and school administrators and curriculum directors are identified.

Evaluating the Effects of Medical Explorers a Case Study Curriculum on Critical Thinking, Attitude toward Life Science, and Motivational Learning Strategies in Rural High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brand, Lance G.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was three-fold: to measure the ability of the "Medical Explorers" case-based curriculum to improve higher order thinking skills; to evaluate the impact of the "Medical Explorers" case-based curriculum to help students be self directed learners; and to investigate the impact of the "Medical…

A Transcript Analysis of Graduates of Three Community College of Philadelphia Curricula between the Years 1985 and 1992. Institutional Research Report #83.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terzian, Aram L.; Obetz, Wayne S.

A study was conducted at the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) to examine the course-taking patterns of 94 graduates of the associate in arts (AA) curriculum, 1,957 graduates of the association in general studies (AGS) curriculum, and 99 graduates of the associate in science (AS) curriculum. Using a computer-based approach to transcript…

A Project to Develop an Associate of Science Degree Curriculum in Renewable Energy Resources and Applications in Agriculture. Final Report, July 1, 1980-June 30, 1981.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Keith; Fielding, Marvin R.

A project was conducted at State Fair Community College (SFCC) in Sedalia, Missouri, to develop an associate of science degree curriculum in renewable energy resources and their application in agriculture. A pilot study, designed to verify and rate the importance of 138 competencies in fuel alcohol production and to ascertain employment…

Investigation of Environmental Topics in the Science and Technology Curriculum and Textbooks in Terms of Environmental Ethics and Aesthetics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lacin Simsek, Canan

2011-01-01

In order to solve environmental problems, it is thought that education should be connected with values. For this reason, it is emphasized that environmental issues should be integrated with ethical and aesthetic values. In this study, 6th, 7th and 8th grade science and technology curriculum and textbooks were investigated to find out how much…

Are Graphic Novels Always "Cool"? Parent and Student Perspectives on Elementary Mathematics and Science Graphic Novels: The Need for Action Research by School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nesmith, Suzanne; Cooper, Sandi; Schwarz, Gretchen; Walker, Amanda

2016-01-01

Often the stakeholders most affected by curriculum change are uninvolved in the change process, leading to curriculum reforms that fail. Thus, a group of university researchers conducted a small-scale study to explore the thoughts and opinions of parents and elementary students on the use of mathematics and science graphic novels to support the…

Multiple Aims in the Development of a Major Reform of the National Curriculum for Science in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryder, Jim; Banner, Indira

2011-01-01

In the context of a major reform of the school science curriculum for 14-16-year-olds in England, we examine the aims ascribed to the reform, the stakeholders involved, and the roles of differing values and authority in its development. This reform includes an emphasis on socioscientific issues and the nature of science; curriculum trends of…

Solar Energy. 7th and 8th Grade Agriculture Science Curriculum. Teacher Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Dept. of Agricultural Education and Mechanization.

This curriculum guide, the third in a set of six, contains teacher and student materials for a unit on solar energy prepared as part of a seventh- and eighth-grade agricultural science curriculum that is integrated with science instruction. The guide contains the state goals and sample learning objectives for each goal for students in grades 8-10…

A Blueprint of Pain Curriculum across Prelicensure Health Sciences Programs: One NIH Pain Consortium Center of Excellence in Pain Education (CoEPE) Experience

PubMed Central

Doorenbos, AZ; Gordon, DB; Tauben, D; Palisoc, J; Drangsholt, M; Lindhorst, T; Danielson, J; Spector, J; Ballweg, R; Vorvick, L; Loeser, JD

2013-01-01

To improve U.S. pain education and promote inter-institutional and inter-professional collaborations, the NIH Pain Consortium has funded 12 sites to develop Centers of Excellence in Pain Education (CoEPE). Each site was given the tasks of development, evaluation, integration, and promotion of pain management curriculum resources, including case studies that will be shared nationally. Collaborations among schools of medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, and others were encouraged. The John D. Loeser CoEPE is unique in that it represents extensive regionalization of health science education, in this case in the region covering the states of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho (WWAMI). This paper describes a blueprint of pain content and teaching methods across the University of Washington’s six health sciences schools and provides recommendations for improvement in pain education at the prelicensure level. The Schools of Dentistry and Physician Assistant provide the highest percentage of total required curriculum hours devoted to pain compared with the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work. The findings confirm paucity of pain content in health sciences curricula, missing International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) curriculum topics, and limited use of innovative teaching methods such as problem-based and team-based learning. PMID:24094694

Into the Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Library Media Activities Monthly, 1986

1986-01-01

Provides fully-developed library media activities designed to be used in connection with specific curriculum units in mathematics (consumer education); reading and language arts ("Foolish People in Folk Tales"); science (dinosaurs); and social studies (Roman cities and Third World countries). (Author/EM)

STEM Integration in Middle School Life Science: Student Learning and Attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzey, S. Selcen; Moore, Tamara J.; Harwell, Michael; Moreno, Mario

2016-08-01

In many countries around the world, there has been an increasing emphasis on improving science education. Recent reform efforts in the USA call for teachers to integrate scientific and engineering practices into science teaching; for example, science teachers are asked to provide learning experiences for students that apply crosscutting concepts (e.g., patterns, scale) and increase understanding of disciplinary core ideas (e.g., physical science, earth science). Engineering practices and engineering design are essential elements of this new vision of science teaching and learning. This paper presents a research study that evaluates the effects of an engineering design-based science curriculum on student learning and attitudes. Three middle school life science teachers and 275 seventh grade students participated in the study. Content assessments and attitude surveys were administered before and after the implementation of the curriculum unit. Statewide mathematics test proficiency scores were included in the data analysis as well. Results provide evidence of the positive effects of implementing the engineering design-based science unit on student attitudes and learning.

Moral Values and Science Teaching: A Malaysian School Curriculum Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Sok Khim

Implicit in teaching science has been the teaching of a set of values. However, its presence has remained unacknowledged because of assumptions made that its products are value-free and that work of science involves positive values. Malaysian schools have introduced a set of noble values to be taught as a subject called moral education while at the same time expecting all subjects, including the sciences to actively inculcate these noble values in their lessons. A search for values related to science included studies from science education curriculums, studies by scientists and philosophers of science, feminist and Indian critics of science. These values could be categorized into four categories representing epistemological values, supporting values, societal and moral values and power-oriented values. While some categories compliment each other, others are in contention. This paper argues for the inclusion of societal and moral values in the science classrooms. A compassionate scientist should be a reality. The task for Malaysian science educators is to find a way to raise awareness of these values.

Special series on "The meaning of behavioral medicine in the psychosomatic field" establishment of a core curriculum for behavioral science in Japan: The importance of such a curriculum from the perspective of psychology.

PubMed

Shimazu, Akihito; Nakao, Mutsuhiro

2016-01-01

This article discusses the core curriculum for behavioral science, from the perspective of psychology, recommended by the Japanese Society of Behavioral Medicine and seeks to explain how the curriculum can be effectively implemented in medical and health-related departments. First, the content of the core curriculum is reviewed from the perspective of psychology. We show that the curriculum features both basic and applied components and that the basic components are closely related to various aspects of psychology. Next, we emphasize two points to aid the effective delivery of the curriculum: 1) It is necessary to explain the purpose and significance of basic components of behavioral science to improve student motivation; and 2) it is important to encourage student self-efficacy to facilitate application of the acquired knowledge and skills in clinical practice.

A Qualitative Phenomenology of Christian Middle School Implementation of Inquiry-based Science Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrin, Patricia Ann

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenology study will be to explore curriculum coordinators, teachers, and principals' implementation of Inquiry-Based Instruction (IBI) in Christian middle school science classes in the central Virginia area. IBI will be referred to as "a teaching method that combines the curiosity of students and the scientific method to enhance the development of critical thinking skills while learning science" (Warner & Myers, 2008, p.3). A qualitative phenomenology study will be made to consider the requirements and implementation of IBI in the Christian middle schools as compared to the requirements and implementation of IBI in the National Science Education Standard (NSES). Curriculum coordinators, teachers, and principals, and participated in this study from five Christian middle schools in the central Virginia area. The guiding theories include John Dewey's (1948) Constructivism, Lev Vygotsky's (1998) Social Constructivism, and William Glasser's (2005) Choice Theory as they relate to the beliefs curriculum coordinators, teachers, and principals have regarding the implementation of IBI. A primary research question for this study is, "If research supports successful outcomes of IBI, then how and why do Christian CMSST, principals, and curriculum coordinators implement or not implement IBI?" Interviews, classroom observations, and document reviews were used for triangulation and data collection. The data analysis used in this study were completed by using Moustakas' (1994) seven step thematic coding derived from the observations, interview transcriptions, and school documents in the form of lesson plans and objectives (Merriam, 2009; Moustakas, 1994).

Integration of the primary health care approach into a community nursing science curriculum.

PubMed

Vilakazi, S S; Chabeli, M M; Roos, S D

2000-12-01

The purpose of this article is to explore and describe guidelines for integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum in a Nursing College in Gauteng. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was utilized. The focus group interviews were conducted with community nurses and nurse educators as respondents. Data were analysed by a qualitative descriptive method of analysis as described in Creswell (1994: 155). Respondents in both groups held similar perceptions regarding integration of primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum. Five categories, which are in line with the curriculum cycle, were identified as follows: situation analysis, selection and organisation of objectives/goals, content, teaching methods and evaluation. Guidelines and recommendations for the integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum were described.

Using a creativity-focused science program to foster general creativity in young children: A teacher action research study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomes, Joan Julieanne Mariani

The importance of thinking and problem-solving skills, and the ability to integrate and analyze information has been recognized and yet may be lacking in schools. Creativity is inherently linked to problem finding, problem solving, and divergent thinking (Arieti, 1976; Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Milgram, 1990). The importance of early childhood education and its role in the formation of young minds has been recognized (Caine & Caine, 1991; Montessori, 1967a, 1967b; Piaget, 1970). Early childhood education also impacts creativity (Gardner, 1999). The features of brain-based learning (Caine & Caine, 1991; Jensen, 1998; Sousa, 2001; Wolfe, 2001) have a clear connection to nurturing the creative potential in students. Intrinsic motivation and emotions affect student learning and creativity as well (Hennessey & Amabile, 1987). The purpose of this study was to discern if a creativity-focused science curriculum for the kindergarteners at a Montessori early learning center could increase creativity in students. This action research study included observations of the students in two classrooms, one using the creativity-focused science curriculum, and the other using the existing curriculum. The data collected for this interpretive study included interviews with the students, surveys and interviews with their parents and teachers, teacher observations, and the administration of Torrance's (1981) Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement (TCAM) test. The interpretation of the data indicated that the enhanced science curriculum played a role in enhancing the creativity of the children in the creativity-focused group. The results of the TCAM (Torrance, 1981) showed a significant increase in scores for the children in the creativity-focused group. The qualitative data revealed a heightened interest in science and the observation of creative traits, processes, and products in the creativity-focused group children. The implications of this study included the need for meaningful learning experiences, experiential learning opportunities, critical thinking and problem solving activities, and an emphasis on freedom, independence, and autonomy on the part of the learner. These elements, when combined with an integrated science curriculum, can foster creativity in young children.

Science Guide for Secondary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgia State Dept. of Education, Atlanta. Office of Instructional Services.

This six-chapter guide is designed to help Georgia teachers adopt or adapt various options into the local school's science curriculum. Major areas addressed in the chapters are: (1) secondary school curriculum development (focusing on performance objectives, sequencing the curriculum, evaluation, and scientific literacy); (2) teaching methods…

Multiple Aims in the Development of a Major Reform of the National Curriculum for Science in England

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryder, Jim; Banner, Indira

2011-03-01

In the context of a major reform of the school science curriculum for 14-16-year-olds in England, we examine the aims ascribed to the reform, the stakeholders involved, and the roles of differing values and authority in its development. This reform includes an emphasis on socioscientific issues and the nature of science; curriculum trends of international relevance. Our analysis identifies largely 'instrumental' aims, with little emphasis on 'intrinsic' aims and associated values. We identify five broad categories of stakeholders focusing on different aims with, for example, a social, individual, political, or economic emphasis. We suggest that curriculum development projects reflecting largely social and individual aims were appropriated by other stakeholders to serve political and economic aims. We argue that a curriculum reform body representing all stakeholder interests is needed to ensure that multiple aims are considered throughout the curriculum reform process. Within such a body, the differentiated character of the science teaching community would need to be represented.

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.

NUCLEAR SCIENCE CURRICULUM PROJECT, PROJECT I, INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CAMAREN, JAMES

ON THE PREMISE THAT A KNOWLEDGE OF NUCLEAR SCIENCE IS ESSENTIAL FOR INTELLIGENT DECISION-MAKING REGARDING ITS USES, THE NUCLEAR SCIENCE CURRICULUM PROJECT WAS DEVELOPED. ITS OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE A PROGRAM THAT CAN BE EFFECTIVELY USED IN SCIENCE CLASSES TO PROVIDE AN UNDERSTANDING OF NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETY. THOUGH TEACHER…

Life Science Standards and Curriculum Development for 9-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Speece, Susan P.; Andersen, Hans O.

1996-01-01

Proposes a design for a life science curriculum following the National Research Council National Science Education Standards. The overarching theme is that science as inquiry should be recognized as a basic and controlling principle in the ultimate organization and experiences in students' science education. Six-week units include Matter, Energy,…

Practicing What We Teach: A Self-Study in Implementing an Inquiry-Based Curriculum in a Middle Grades Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, Michael; Eick, Charles J.; Brantley-Dias, Laurie

2011-02-01

A science teacher educator returned to teaching adolescents after more than 10 years in the professoriate. We studied his beliefs, practice and daily use of inquiry pedagogy while implementing a reform-based curriculum. Reflection on practice was evidenced by a weekly journal, classroom observations and debriefings, and extensive interviews. Newly developed practical knowledge from this experience shifted the science teacher educator's beliefs away from the Piagetian structuralism espoused in prescribed curricula towards a more culturally responsive, student-driven approach to teaching science to middle grades students. The merits and limitations of curricula attempting to follow traditional scientific practices are discussed.

Into the Curriculum: Reading/Language Arts/Art: Using Amelia Bedelia Books to Teach Figurative and Literal Meanings [and] Reading/Language Arts/Mathematics: Create an Internet Pizza Cafe that Serves Pizza, Poetry, Technology, and More! [and] Reading/Language Arts: Finding Secret Words: Beginning Dictionary Skills [and] Science: What Big Teeth You Have! Alligators All Around [and] Science: Rube Goldberg and Simple Machines [and] Social Studies: Folklore--An Integrated Unit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Eve; Maggi, Barbara Hall; Napier, Marion; Troisi, Andrea; Heiser, Pam; Rinehart, Sharon

1998-01-01

Provides six fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in reading and language arts, art, mathematics, science, and social studies. Library media skills, objectives, grade levels, instructional roles, evaluation, and follow-up are described for each activity. (LRW)

The Effects of Gender and Type of Inquiry Curriculum on Sixth Grade Students' Science Process Skills and Epistemological Beliefs in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaleta, Kristy L.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of gender and type of inquiry curriculum (open or structured) on science process skills and epistemological beliefs in science of sixth grade students. The current study took place in an urban northeastern middle school. The researcher utilized a sample of convenience comprised of 303 sixth grade students taught by four science teachers on separate teams. The study employed mixed methods with a quasi-experimental design, pretest-posttest comparison group with 17 intact classrooms of students. Students' science process skills and epistemological beliefs in science (source, certainty, development, and justification) were measured before and after the intervention, which exposed different groups of students to different types of inquiry (structured or open). Differences between comparison and treatment groups and between male and female students were analyzed after the intervention, on science process skills, using a two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and, on epistemological beliefs in science, using a two-way multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Responses from two focus groups of open inquiry students were cycle coded and examined for themes and patterns. Quantitative measurements indicated that girls scored significantly higher on science process skills than boys, regardless of type of inquiry instruction. Neither gender nor type of inquiry instruction predicted students' epistemological beliefs in science after accounting for students' pretest scores. The dimension Development accounted for 10.6% of the variance in students' science process skills. Qualitative results indicated that students with sophisticated epistemological beliefs expressed engagement with the open-inquiry curriculum. Students in both the sophisticated and naive beliefs groups identified challenges with the curriculum and improvement in learning as major themes. The types of challenges identified differed between the groups: sophisticated beliefs group students focused on their insecurity of not knowing how to complete the activities correctly, and naive beliefs group students focused on the amount of work and how long it took them to complete it. The description of the improvement in learning was at a basic level for the naive beliefs group and at a more complex level for the sophisticated beliefs group. Implications for researchers and educators are discussed.

Instituting a standards-based K--12 science curriculum supplement program at the National Institutes of Health: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witherly, Jeffre

Research on student achievement indicates the U.S. K-12 education system is not adequately preparing American students to compete in the 21st century global economy in the areas of science and mathematics. Congress has asked the scientific entities of the federal government to help increase K-12 science learning by creating standards-based learning tools for science classrooms as part of a "voluntary curriculum." One problem facing federal entities, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the need to create science-learning tools that conform to the National Science Education Standards (NSES) for curriculum materials and, therefore, are standards-based and applicable to the K-12 curriculum. This case study sought to better understand the change process at one federal agency as it went from producing K-12 learning tools that were educational in nature to a program that produced K-12 standards-based learning tools: the NIH Science Curriculum Supplement Program (NIH SCSP). The NIH SCSP was studied to gain insight into how this change in educational approach occurred, what factors enabled or inhibited the change process, and what the long-term benefits of the NIH SCSP are to the NIH. Kurt Lewin's three-step theory of change guided data gathering and data analysis. Semi-structured interviews and programmatic document review served as the major data gathering sources. Details describing the process of organizational change at the NIH were revealed during analysis of these data following the coding of interview transcripts and written record documents. The study found the process of change at the NIH proceeded in a manner generally predicted by the Lewinian change model. Enablers to the change were cost-sharing with individual institutes, support of senior leadership, and crediting the role of individual institutes prominently in each supplement. The cost of creating a supplement was reported as the single inhibitor to the program. This case study yielded a detailed description of the process of change at this federal institution that may offer valuable insights to similar federal organizations confronting educational change. The study may also contribute to the existing body of knowledge regarding the process of organizational change in a federal setting.

From FRA to RFN, or How the Family Resemblance Approach Can Be Transformed for Science Curriculum Analysis on Nature of Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaya, Ebru; Erduran, Sibel

2016-12-01

The inclusion of Nature of Science (NOS) in the science curriculum has been advocated around the world for several decades. One way of defining NOS is related to the family resemblance approach (FRA). The family resemblance idea was originally described by Wittgenstein. Subsequently, philosophers and educators have applied Wittgenstein's idea to problems of their own disciplines. For example, Irzik and Nola adapted Wittgenstein's generic definition of the family resemblance idea to NOS, while Erduran and Dagher reconceptualized Irzik and Nola's FRA-to-NOS by synthesizing educational applications by drawing on perspectives from science education research. In this article, we use the terminology of "Reconceptualized FRA-to-NOS (RFN)" to refer to Erduran and Dagher's FRA version which offers an educational account inclusive of knowledge about pedagogical, instructional, curricular and assessment issues in science education. Our motivation for making this distinction is rooted in the need to clarify the various accounts of the family resemblance idea.The key components of the RFN include the aims and values of science, methods and methodological rules, scientific practices, scientific knowledge as well as the social-institutional dimensions of science including the social ethos, certification, and power relations. We investigate the potential of RFN in facilitating curriculum analysis and in determining the gaps related to NOS in the curriculum. We analyze two Turkish science curricula published 7 years apart and illustrate how RFN can contribute not only to the analysis of science curriculum itself but also to trends in science curriculum development. Furthermore, we present an analysis of documents from USA and Ireland and contrast them to the Turkish curricula thereby illustrating some trends in the coverage of RFN categories. The results indicate that while both Turkish curricula contain statements that identify science as a cognitive-epistemic system, they underemphasize science as a social-institutional system. The comparison analysis shows results such as the "scientific ethos" category being mentioned by the Irish curriculum while "social organizations and interactions" category being mentioned by the Turkish curriculum. In all documents, there was no overall coherence to NOS as a holistic narrative that would be inclusive of the various RFN categories simultaneously. The article contributes to the framing of NOS from a family resemblance perspective and highlights how RFN categories can be used as analytical tools.

Behavioral Sciences in Secondary Schools: An Inquiry-Oriented Interdisciplinary Approach to the Human Behavioral Sciences in Social Studies. Professional Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Randall C.

Trends in secondary-level behavioral science curriculum development, informational background, and strategies for teaching behavioral science concepts are provided in this book. Chapters one through three define the behavioral sciences and examine their changing role and status in social studies education. Chapters four through six develop…

SSMA Science Reviewers' Forecasts for the Future of Science Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jinks, Jerry; Hoffer, Terry

1989-01-01

Described is a study which was conducted as an exploratory assessment of science reviewers' perceptions for the future of science education. Arrives at interpretations for identified categories of computers and high technology, science curriculum, teacher education, training, certification, standards, teaching methods, and materials. (RT)

Impact on Scientific Inquiry of a Backwards-Faded Scaffolding Approach to Inquiry-based Space Science for Non-Science Majoring Undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyons, D. J.; Slater, S. J.; Slater, T. F.

2011-12-01

Exploring the impact of a novel inquiry-based earth and space science laboratory curriculum designed using the Backwards Faded Scaffolding inquiry teaching framework on non-science majoring undergraduate students' views of the nature of scientific inquiry (NOSI), this study focused on two aspects of NOSI: The Distinction between Data and Evidence (DvE), and The Multiple Methods of Science (MMS). In the first stage, student participant views of NOSI were measured using the VOSI-4 research instrument before and after the intervention. In the second stage, the quantitative results were used to strategically design a qualitative investigation, in which the four lab instructors were interviewed about their observations of how the student participants interacted with the intervention curriculum as compared to traditional lab activities, as well as their suggestions as to how the curriculum may or may not have contributed to the results of the first stage. These interviews were summarized and analyzed for common themes as to how the intervention curriculum influenced the students' understandings of the two aspect of NOSI. According to the results of a Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, there was a significant shift in the distributions of both samples toward a more informed understanding of DvE after the intervention curriculum was administered, while there was no significant change in either direction for understanding of MMS. The results of the instructor interview analysis suggested that the intervention curriculum provided multiple opportunities for students to evaluate and determine the relevance of data in the context of producing evidence-based conclusions directly related to specific research questions, thereby supporting the development of more informed views of DvE.

Guidelines for Science Curriculum in Washington Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duxbury, Alyn, Ed.

This document contains guidelines for science curriculum in Washington State schools. Statements of philosophy and program goals are presented and explained. Four major program goals (which address societal demands) operationally describe science education toward the learning of: (1) factual and theoretical knowledge; (2) applied science skills;…

Exploring the Technical Expression of Academic Knowledge: The Science-in-CTE Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearson, Donna; Young, R. Brent; Richardson, George B.

2013-01-01

The Science-in-CTE pilot study tested a curriculum integration model that enhanced the science that oc-curs in CTE curricula. The study replicated the National Research Center for Career and Technical Ed-ucation's (NRCCTE) Math-in-CTE experimental research design (Stone, Alfeld, & Pearson, 2008) with applied science in secondary agricultural…

Science-based occupations and the science curriculum: Concepts of evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aikenhead, Glen S.

2005-03-01

What science-related knowledge is actually used by nurses in their day-to-day clinical reasoning when attending patients? The study investigated the knowledge-in-use of six acute-care nurses in a hospital surgical unit. It was found that the nurses mainly drew upon their professional knowledge of nursing and upon their procedural understanding that included a common core of concepts of evidence (concepts implicitly applied to the evaluation of data and the evaluation of evidence - the focus of this research). This core included validity triangulation, normalcy range, accuracy, and a general predilection for direct sensual access to a phenomenon over indirect machine-managed access. A cluster of emotion-related concepts of evidence (e.g. cultural sensitivity) was also discovered. These results add to a compendium of concepts of evidence published in the literature. Only a small proportion of nurses (one of the six nurses in the study) used canonical science content in their clinical reasoning, a result consistent with other research. This study also confirms earlier research on employees in science-rich workplaces in general, and on professional development programs for nurses specifically: canonical science content found in a typical science curriculum (e.g. high school physics) does not appear relevant to many nurses' knowledge-in-use. These findings support a curriculum policy that gives emphasis to students learning how to learn science content as required by an authentic everyday or workplace context, and to students learning concepts of evidence.

General Mechanical Repair. Minor Automotive Maintenance, Small Engine [Repair, and] Welding: Curriculum Guide and Lesson Plans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamlin, Larry

This document contains a curriculum guide and lesson plans for a general mechanical repair course with three sections: minor automotive maintenance, small engine repair, and welding. The curriculum guide begins with a matrix that relates the lesson plans to essential elements of math, science, language arts, and social studies and to Texas…

Finding the Connections between a High-School Chemistry Curriculum and Nano-Scale Science and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blonder, Ron; Sakhnini, Sohair

2017-01-01

The high-school chemistry curriculum is loaded with many important chemical concepts that are taught at the high-school level and it is therefore very difficult to add modern contents to the existing curriculum. However, many studies have underscored the importance of integrating modern chemistry contents such as nanotechnology into a high-school…

Genetically Modified Food in Perspective: An Inquiry-Based Curriculum to Help Middle School Students Make Sense of Tradeoffs. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seethaler, Sherry; Linn, Marcia

2004-01-01

To understand how students learn about science controversy, this study examines students' reasoning about tradeoffs in the context of a technology-enhanced curriculum about genetically modified food. The curriculum was designed and refined based on the Scaffolded Knowledge Integration Framework to help students sort and integrate their initial…

A Study of EFL Curriculum of China's Science and Technology Institutes under Graded Teaching Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

He, Chunyan; Han, Fei

2018-01-01

Recent years, most universities and colleges have been reforming the English as a foreign language (EFL) curriculum system in China. Some reformed EFL curriculum into English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses, for instance, while some conducted a graded teaching model in EFL teaching. However, the effect of this reform was not so good,…

Small Schools Mathematics Curriculum, Grades 7-8: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Developed during the 1976-77 school year to assist Washington grade 7-8 teachers in small school districts with the improvement of curriculum and instruction, this learning-objective-based curriculum suggests activities, monitoring procedures and resources for mathematics. Introductory materials describe the organization of Small School materials,…

Small Schools Mathematics Curriculum, 4-6: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

The Washington grade 4-6 mathematics curriculum is organized according to the Small Schools Materials format which lists the sequence of learning objectives related to a specific curriculum area, recommends a teaching and mastery grade placement, and identifies activities, monitoring procedures and possible resources used in teaching to the…

Mathematics as a Course of Study in Problem Solving: Then and Now.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Wade, Jr.

The mathematics curriculum in the first 2 years of college is a tool created to assist in solving problems. The current mathematics curriculum has changed little; the same topics, tied to the engineering and science curriculum, are taught as they were being taught in 1945. The problems that students need to solve have changed however. Both the…

Speaking of Science: Invite Speakers from Your Community to Bring the Science Curriculum to Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Karol

2012-01-01

Establishing relevant applications for the science curriculum can be a challenge. However, the key that opens science for students is within a teacher's grasp: It is as simple as bringing science connections into his or her classroom through community resources and taking the students to the science that is available. The author encourages…

The Impact of a Curriculum Course on Pre-Service Primary Teachers' Science Content Knowledge and Attitudes towards Teaching Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Cliona; Smith, Greg

2012-01-01

Many primary school teachers have insufficient content and pedagogical knowledge of science. This lack of knowledge can often lead to a lack of confidence and competence in teaching science. This article explores the impact of a year-long science methodology (curriculum science) course on second year Bachelor of Education (BEd) students'…

Translating Current Science into Materials for High School via a Scientist-Teacher Partnership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Julie C.; Bokor, Julie R.; Crippen, Kent J.; Koroly, Mary Jo

2014-04-01

Scientist-teacher partnerships are a unique form of professional development that can assist teachers in translating current science into classroom instruction by involving them in meaningful collaborations with university researchers. However, few reported models aim to directly alter science teachers' practices by supporting them in the development of curriculum materials. This article reports on a multiple case study of seven high school science teachers who attended an ongoing scientist-teacher partnership professional development program at a major Southeastern research university. Our interest was to understand the capacity of this professional development program for supporting teachers in the transfer of personal learning experiences with advanced science content and skills into curriculum materials for high school students. Findings indicate that, regardless of their ultimate success constructing curriculum materials, all cases considered the research grounded professional development supports beneficial to their professional growth with the exception of collective participation. Additionally, the cases also described how supports such as professional recognition and transferability served as affordances to the process of constructing these materials. However, teachers identified multiple constraints, including personal learning barriers, their classroom context, and the cost associated with implementing some of their curriculum ideas. Results have direct implications for future research and the purposeful design of professional development experiences through scientist-teacher partnerships.

Impact of the implantation of a new curriculum in the process of learning in a Faculty of Dentistry in Brazil.

PubMed

Junges, Roger; Stello, Ruggiero Silveira; Portella, Fernando Freitas; Rösing, Cassiano Kuchenbecker; Samuel, Susana Maria Werner

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate two dental curricula at a school of dentistry in southern Brazil. The study population included dentists trained in the last two classes of the institution's old curriculum (n = 98) and graduates of the first two classes of the new curriculum (n = 56). A questionnaire with open and closed questions was used for an overall evaluation of different aspects of the curricula, such as study methods, importance given to basic sciences, quality of theoretical and clinical guidance, perception about skills needed to perform different dental procedures, professional goals and an overall assessment. Students in the new curriculum reported more frequent use of the internet (69.6%) and scientific articles (50.0%). More importance was given to the basic sciences in the new curriculum. Graduates of the old curriculum alleged themselves to be more capable of both performing conventional (99%) and complex amalgam restorations (68.4%), as well as three-unit fixed prostheses (62.2%). Graduates of the new curriculum alleged higher capability with periodontal surgeries (48.2%), treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders (58.1%) and public health planning (78.6%). Regarding professional goals, the new curriculum was associated with an increase in the graduates' willingness to work in the public health system and to pursue an academic career. New curriculum graduates reported higher overall assessments regarding their educational, as well as theoretical and clinical, outcomes. A new curricular approach was associated with several changes from the perspective of the students.

Transformations in Kenyan Science Teachers' Locus of Control: The Influence of Contextualized Science and Emancipated Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, D.; Nashon, S.; Namazzi, E.; Okemwa, P.; Ombogo, P.; Ooko, S.; Beru, F.

2015-01-01

This study investigated Kenyan science teachers' pedagogical transformations, which manifested as they enacted and experienced a reformed contextualized science curriculum in which students' learning experiences were critical catalysts of teacher change. Twelve high school teachers voluntarily participated in the study and were interviewed about…

Gender, Science, & the Undergraduate Curriculum. Building Two-Way Streets.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Musil, Caryn McTighe, Ed.

In the essays in this book interdisciplinary groups of scholars and teachers explore ways to integrate the feminist science studies scholarship into the teaching of basic science and how to insert more basic science into the teaching of women's studies. The essays of part 1, New Courses and New Intellectual Frameworks: Transforming Courses in…

Indiana Social Studies Proficiency Guide: An Aid to Curriculum Development. 1996 Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Indiana State Dept. of Education, Indianapolis. Center for School Improvement and Performance.

This guide outlines the kinds of learning opportunities that should be available to Indiana students in high-quality social studies programs, but it is not intended as a prescribed curriculum. The guide defines social studies as the integrated study of the social sciences and the humanities to promote civic competence. Social studies education…

Learning Medical School Biochemistry Through Self-Directed Case-Oriented Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morley, Colin G. D.; Blumberg, Phyllis

1987-01-01

Describes an alternative medical school curriculum for the first two years of preclinical basic science studies. Discusses student and faculty selection for the program. Details the format for teaching biochemistry in the Alternative Curriculum, including program structure, content organization and exams. Evaluates the success of the program. (CW)

A Socioscientific Curriculum Facilitating the Development of Distal and Proximal NOS Conceptualizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schalk, Kelly A.

2012-01-01

This study reports the effects of an innovative introductory microbiology course for undergraduates that used a socioscientific issues (SSI)-based curriculum. The study illustrates how an SSI-based intervention provides learners with pragmatic opportunities for cultivating their scientific literacy subsuming the nature of science (NOS). Empirical…

GUIDE FOR SOCIAL STUDIES AND SCIENCE-HEALTH, FIRST YEAR. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL SPECIAL CURRICULUM.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

STINCHCOMB, KOMA D.; AND OTHERS

THIS CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR JUNIOR HIGH EDUCABLE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED STUDENTS PROVIDES INFORMATION ON TEACHING PROCEDURES, SUGGESTIONS FOR PLANNING SUPPLEMENTAL UNITS, TYPES OF LESSONS, AND EVALUATION. INDIVIDUAL UNITS INCLUDE THE INFORMATION CONTENT, SUGGESTIONS FOR BACKGROUND STUDY, SPECIFIC TEACHING PLANS, DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, ASSIGNMENTS,…

Engineering Curriculum as Affected by Corporate Giving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pettigrew, Chenits, Jr.; Hiatt, Diana Buell

This study investigated the effects of corporate financial support on the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) curriculum. The study evolved out of growing concerns that many university educators have related to the mushrooming of university efforts to secure corporate financial support…

A Case-Based Approach Improves Science Students' Experimental Variable Identification Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grunwald, Sandra; Hartman, Andrew

2010-01-01

Incorporation of experimental case studies into the laboratory curriculum increases students' abilities to identify experimental variables that affect the outcome of an experiment. Here the authors describe how such case studies were incorporated using an online course management system into a biochemistry laboratory curriculum and the assessment…

Science Curriculum. Kindergarten through Grade Twelve.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitchburg State Coll., MA. Dept. of Special Education.

This science curriculum guide provides a framework for science teachers of grades K-12 in the Leominster Public School System, Massachusetts. It represents the efforts of teachers and higher education faculty. An introductory section provides a philosophical statement on the nature of science and perspectives in the learning and teaching of…

Preparation Model of Student Teacher Candidate in Developing Integrative Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiyanto; Widiyatmoko, Arif

2016-01-01

According to 2013 Curriculum in Indonesia, science learning process in Junior High School is integrally held between physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science. To successfully implementing the 2013 Curriculum in school, the education institution which generates science teacher should prepare the student, so that they can develop integrative…