Describes a project in which discussions were held between agriculturalists and elementary teachers in order to provide an opportunity for the participants to examine the ways in which science is developed and used in an occupational context integral to the community. Examines the views of science and school science expressed by the participants.…

Analyzes Australian students' public and private statements to themselves and their peers collected in the course of a multiyear study of teacher management of communication in cooperative learning groups. Data reflect how students perceived and responded to subtle features in the public enactment of the curriculum, the task, and the setting…

Evaluates the introduction of in-class cooperative learning in a large lecture college physics sequence. Results indicate that cooperative learning sessions helped the students achieve at a higher level than expected. Concludes that in-class cooperative learning addressed student concerns about the learning environment and was perceived as an…

Reports on the use of a HyperCard-based tool by preservice teachers to create and modify concept maps about science- related subject matter. Data gathered from interviews, journals, and concept maps indicate that the concept-mapping tool was easy to use and allowed teachers to organize their cognitive frameworks into more powerful integrated…

Reports on the purposes of the Australian National Chemistry Week's Short Story Competition. Analyzes narratives for the authors' views of the place and relevance of chemistry in their lives. Discusses some of the educational implications for the use of stories in the chemistry classroom. Contains 24 references. (Author/JRH)

A study used publication statistics to investigate the collaboration and research use of scientists in the computer equipment and aircraft industries. Results reveal that these industries are using research generated by university scientists, and that collaboration between sectors is occurring. Geographic proximity is linked to increased…

Using a model of undergraduate student socialization, a study investigated how the college environment and student interactions with peers and faculty influence their political orientation. Results indicate that these influences tend to be of equal magnitude and that students tend to change in the direction of institutional norms. (Author/MSE)

Freshman satisfaction survey, enrollment, and academic achievement data were used by one college to develop a database providing a comprehensive set of outcome indicators and a model for the freshman experience, including institution-specific models of freshman satisfaction and retention. A longitudinal database is under construction. (Author/MSE)

Using data from a national survey of faculty, a study examined the role of male/female wage differentials in a model of job satisfaction for full-time female faculty. Results indicated that as gender-based wage differentials increased, females' global job satisfaction decreased, with the effect mainly in faculty perceptions of the institution.…

A study of employment patterns and starting salary gaps among male and female business graduates during the 1980s found that while both employment conditions and earnings improved for women, the gender gap in starting salaries increased during the decade. Of college-acquired student characteristics, only academic achievement persisted as a…

A survey of 2,990 students, 520 faculty, and 270 administrators at 1 university investigated gender role preferences for "ideal woman,""ideal man," and perceptions of "most women,""most men," and "self". All groups preferred an androgynous "ideal woman" and a largely masculine sex-typed "ideal man". All described sex-typed perceptions of "most…

Explores the nature and extent of perceived challenge in learning and teaching science. Teachers (n=7) and students (n=37) in 5 secondary schools were the subjects of this study. Findings suggest that many students are insufficiently challenged by the science they learn in school and many teachers are insufficiently challenged by the task of…

Presents a study of science teachers (n=5) who serve as cooperating teachers. Discusses the impact of gender-sensitive cooperating teachers on student teachers' teaching strategies, questioning patterns, and interactions during their teaching practicum. Contains 47 references. (DDR)

Reports on a longitudinal study that mapped the transition between primary and secondary school from a student perspective. Explores how this transition impacts the way students think about, learn, and enjoy science at school. Describes the changes in organization, curriculum, and teacher-student relationships that occur at this time. Contains 52…

Describes a study that identifies what were considered new directions for science teaching and research in 1984 and compares those with actual developments. Considers possible future directions for research. One key implication drawn from the analysis is that science education researchers have tended to neglect working in collaboration with other…