Reviews science education research in grades 6-12 related to the constructs of student motivation, home or family environment, and peer-group environment. Science education literature (1964-1979) from several sources was examined and correlations made between construct variables and science learning. (CS)

Reports the proposed indicators of desired directions and future foci for science education. Lists indicators most frequently mentioned by persons involved in the 1979 annual meetings of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching and the National Science Teachers Association. Implications are discussed. (CS)

Reports results of a project focusing on the development of inquiry skills as a goal of science education. Specifies the "desired status" for effective inquiry learning; determines the "actual status" by analyzing four recently completed status studies; and compares desired and actual status to identify needs and recommend actions. (CS)

Summarizes positions regarding the role of the history of science in science education since 1950. Also considers the present state of research on attitudes toward science. Discusses data from Harvard Project Physics, a curriculum project making significant use of history of science materials. Makes recommendations regarding teaching, materials…

Reports results of a study examining reasons why scholastic science magazines for youth have developed only in a few countries and in small numbers. (CS)

Discusses ways in which the study of science is being popularized at all educational levels in Chinese society. Describes efforts of popularization through newspapers, gifted student programs, public schools, book publications, and audiovisual media. (CS)

Presents observations and comments regarding the present status of earth science education in China. (CS)

Reports results of a study of biology classes in Israel that includes describing transactions in a representative sample of biology classes (N=22) in the year 1973, comparing transactions in recitation with those of laboratory lessons, and studying the effects of subject matter on the classroom transaction. (CS)

Discusses in general terms the approaches necessary for effective dissemination and implementation of an educational program in a country and then relates these approaches to the cooperative relationship between the University of California at Berkeley and the Israel Science Teaching Center's MATAL and PELE Projects. (CS)

Examines questionnaire responses of ninth- and twelfth-grade students to investigate the level of knowledge possessed by high school students concerning cardiovascular disease. Results are summarized of student knowledge pertaining to personal life-style associated with smoking, obesity, exercise, and dietary habits. (CS)

Describes a competency assessment system developed for use with preservice and inservice teachers and reports the reliability and validity of the instrument. Presents data from a tryout of the assessment system with a group of preservice science teachers. (CS)

Describes a five-week course in animal behavior for parents and their middle-school-aged children offered at the Minnesota Zoological Garden. Course activities included discussions, film viewing, demonstrations, zoo observations, and home studies of gerbils or zebra finches. Results of the course are discussed. (CS)

Compares results of two studies, conducted in 1971 (N=2300) and 1977 (N=1300), investigating Illinois childrens' percepts of several quantitative measures. Includes findings of improved ability in estimating intervals and quantities and in identifying ratios in conventional and metric units of measures. Establishes some relationships with ability…

Compares critical thinking ability of pupils in scientific situations and in real-life situations by administering multiple choice tests to Israeli ninth graders (N=344). Results confirm that students do not react similarly when confronted with equivalent situations presented in different contexts. (CS)

Reports results of a naturalistic-type study of 12-year-olds' conceptions of science-related heat and temperature, duplicating an earlier study. Results confirm classroom appropriateness of a Conceptual Profile Inventory (CPI) with accompanying demonstrations developed to determine students' beliefs about heat and temperature. (CS)