Internationally there is concern that many science teachers do not address socioscientific issues (SSI) in their classrooms, particularly those that are controversial. However with increasingly complex, science-based dilemmas being presented to society, such as cloning, genetic screening, alternative fuels, reproductive technologies and…

Documents the ways in which one teacher from each school established successful classroom strategies for incorporating technology into classroom life using case studies from two Western Australian schools. Discusses implications in terms of leadership and collaboration. (Contains 26 references.) (DDR)

Reports on a large-scale study that investigated the quality of science teaching and learning in Australian schools. Purposes were to: (1) describe ideal practice in the teaching and learning of school science; (2) describe the nature of science teaching and learning in Australian schools; and (3) make recommendations to move the actual closer to…

Collected data from primary school children (n=1,059) to examine choice of drawings to communicate their understanding of technology. Reports that children hold a wide range of ideas about technology and although overall the drawings reflected this, sometimes they did not reveal the depth or breadth of an individual child's understanding. Contains…

Explores primary teachers' perceptions of technology. Findings indicate that the perceptions held by primary teachers ranged from technology as the application of science to designing and making artifacts, and many teachers appeared to be confused about the relationship between the National Curriculum view of technology and that held by general…

Reports an investigation of the perceptions of technology of teachers who are the heads of their school science departments. Relates these perceptions with those of a sample of 13-year-old pupils. Reveals that many teachers have a restricted view of technology. Discusses the implications of findings for curriculum change. (CW)

Writing/drawing activities, picture quizzes, and questionnaires of elementary school children in England and Australia found that the high profile of design and make in the England and Wales Technology National Curriculum was reflected by children's emphasis on model-making, an aspect generally ignored by Australian children. (34 references)…

This paper describes the evaluation of three curriculum models to teach technology. The three modules present technology as a design process involving problem identification and analysis; generation and evaluation of alternative solutions; planning and construction of models; and trialing, modification and evaluation. Participating pupil's…