Perceptions of Science of Third, Seventh, and Eleventh Grade Students Enrolled in Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Schools

As a part of the Third Assessment of Science for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (National Assessment, Note 1.), an extensive battery of items dealing with the affective domain were included for the first time. Information for the National Assessment of Educational Progress is gathered from a stratified sample drawn from the entire United States. All questions are reviewed by education specialists (including science educators, measurement experts, and lay persons). The questions are administered to 2,500 persons selected to represent varying age levels. For NAEP studies, four samples are used, namely 9, 13 and 17-year-olds and a young-adult sample

The Attitudes of the Public Toward Science and Science Education

At the mid-point of the 1980\u27s, science has once again risen in public esteem a point parallel to that which existed in the mid 1950\u27s. David Yankelovich (1984) has recently presented data regarding changes in public attitudes toward science. This positive perception of science has continued to improve during the last fi years, as evidenced by follow-up studies at the University of Iowa

To Start with Impact

Many science educators and curriculum coordinators are now asking science teachers to plan their courses - perhaps their entire science curricula - around current issues and problems. Such procedures require identifying local concerns, regional problems, national controversies, and global crises to use as unit themes, application focuses and course titles for school science offerings

Instructional Outcomes Change with STS

Ideas and approaches central to Science/Technology/Society (STS) have been introduced via the Chautauqua program in classrooms of nearly 1,000 Iowa teachers of grades 4 through 9 since 1985-86. Assessment of the results of STS instruction has been central to the effort supported by the National Science Teachers Association, the Iowa Utility Association, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the University of Iowa. Some of the emerging results demonstrate the advantages of an STS focus for school science

Perspectives: Developing and Defining Both Science and Science Education as Disciplines

The six domains have been identified as features for the doing of science. These six are: Concept, Process, Creativity, Attitude, Application, and Worldview. They are offered to affect teaching, student learning, as well as a new way of defining science. Concepts and Processes often are the only two typically used to define school and college science content; Creativity and Positive Attitudes are added as two enabling domains; a fifth Domain is offered as a focus on the Application of typical concepts and process skills. It is the Domain where and how most people live and operate! The sixth Domain is the Worldview which includes on-lookers of the whole science process. This Domain focuses on the philosophy, history, sociology, economics, and psychology of science! Figure 1 is a display of the interactions of these Six Domains of science for needed reform efforts for teaching and assessing student learning - all are important for addressing the meaning of STEM for current reforms efforts. Recent studies indicate that only 0.00004% of all humans across the world are actually practicing scientists, adding to the understandings of the current content and use of process skills (Yager and McCormack, 1989). Unfortunately, most science teachers have never experienced real science themselves - especially with respect to the domains other than Concepts identified by teachers and books. Following is an elaboration of each of these Six Domains indicates the major changes which are needed for reforms of typical K-16 teachin

University of Iowa Model for Science Teacher Education

Teachers can learn to assess their teaching performance and to use such information for improvement. Several observations and experiments have led to the formulation of a model at the University of Iowa which continues to grow and to be modified as experiences with it dictate. The model has evolved from over two decades of efforts. However; it has matured as a result of the NSF supported Iowa-UPSTEP program (a teacher-education development effort which enjoyed ten years of support), and the NSTA Search for Excellence project which arose from a 1977-80 NSF research effort called Project Synthesis (Harms & Yager, 1981)

Abscission Zone Anatomy, Development, and Separation in Nicotiana tabacum

Anatomical differences between Lizard\u27s Tail and Little Turkish varieties of Nicotiana tabacum which exist during development of the separation zone and as floral abscission occurs are described. Cells are larger in Little Turkish by an average of 5 to 6 microns in the abscission zone and by 10 microns in the developing fruit. The separation layer in Little Turkish is located 5 to 7 tiers of cells distal to the groove and is usually composed of only 4 to 6 tiers. In Lizard\u27s Tail the separation layer is 8 to 12 tiers distal to the groove, and as many as 50 tiers of cells may be involved. Although there is a seasonal variation in the time required for the completion of the separation reactions, the process involves several additional days in Little Turkish. In both varieties abscission seems to occur as a result of the dissolution of the middle lamella. The cellulose walls appear to be unchanged after the completion of abscission

Upper layer hydrographic conditions at the Yucatan Strait during May, 1972

Average hydrographic conditions above 800m, including temperature, salinity, velocity, and volume transport, across the Yucatan Strait, during May, 1972, are presented. Direct current measurements at the surface are used as an absolute reference level for the geostrophic computations...

Factors That Do Not Separate Effective and Ineffective Science Teachers

With only two exceptions, no significant differences are found · the profiles of most effective and least effective teachers. Druva and Anderson (1983) recently reported the results of a meta analysis of significant research in science teacher education. Their findings suggest that most factors believed to impact the teaching performance of science instructors do not, in fact, play a very important role. Despite these findings, many science educators continue to accept the same old assumptions and beliefs concerning what is needed to improve science teacher education programs. As the National Science Foundation expands programs in response to new appropriations and directives from Congress, and the National Science Teachers Association suggests more stringent certification requirements and minimal standards (NSTA, 1984), perhaps an examination of the underlying assumptions and beliefs in light of the research evidence is in order

The STS-constructivist reform: some discordant notes

It would appear that as many more voices join in the advocacy for STS constructivist Reform in science teaching/learning, more discordant notes are emitted. The purpose of the paper therefore, was to spotlight some of these discordant notes emitted in the course of the on-going reform advocacy. Specifically, three of such discordant notes bordering on focus, status, and initiation of the reform are identified. After a critical examination of the seemingly conflicting views on these issues, and drawing from relevant underlying theoretical constructs, more rational, realistic and sustainable viewpoints are synthesized. African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences Vol. 2(1) 2004: 19-2