Examines the rules of practice, practical principles, and images of teaching students that teachers constructed under the supervision of inservice teachers. Reports on the student teachers' seminar assessment as an opportunity for constructing practical knowledge about teaching. (Contains 16 references.) (YDS)

Points out the purpose of strengthening Aboriginal science education aimed at teaching Western science and enhancing students' cultural identity. Supports a curriculum designed for practical ends as defined by the Aboriginal community. Highlights the economic development, environmental responsibility, and cultural survival of the Aboriginal…

Discusses how the mining of gold has impacted the development of both Australia and Papua, New Guinea. Outlines the essential chemistry of small scale mining, the impact of gold on the economy, and the environmental effect of mercury on both the miners and the environment. (Author/CCM)

Elaborates on the concept of information going through a cultural revolution. Suggests that students require active intellectual skills such as the ability to scan, to make connections, and to manipulate many forms of information. Argues that science educators need to reconceptualize the theory and practice of learning in a digital age.…

Examines the principles of diffusion and how it may be confused with convection. Suggests that educators may be misleading students and clouding their understanding of the process. Provides two contemporary examples to explain the process of diffusion and how it differs from convection. (Author/CCM)

Explores the factors that influence teachers to organize field trips. Conducted a series of interviews with 28 secondary science educators. Data examined using an interpretivist methodology indicate a range of influences; these are described in detail. Reasons to avoid trips included discouragement from school administration, negative student…

Describes the use of the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI) which was designed for assessing senior science students' perceptions of aspects of their laboratory learning environment. Describes ways in which SLEI has been used in research studies and outlines ways educators could use the instrument for evaluating aspects of their own…

Describes a physics demonstration in which two-liter plastic bottles can be used to show how force relates to pressure and area. Identical drinking straws are launched out of similar plastic bottles with different-sized openings. This demonstration proves qualitatively that pressure is inversely proportional to the area exposed to an object when a…

Describes a field study in a local ecosystem which allows high school students to investigate the edge effect, where a meadow and a forest meet. Students measure soil moisture content, soil temperature, air temperature, relative humidity, wind intensity, and illumination level. Teachers can help students apply their findings to understand problems…

Presents an exercise in which an eighth-grade science teacher decorated the classroom with a periodic table of students. Student photographs were arranged according to similarities into vertical columns. Students were each assigned an atomic number according to their placement in the table. The table is then used to teach students about…

Describes some of the options for teaching basic physics that utilize the vast array of teaching resources now available. Claims that astronomy is an interesting and effective vehicle for teaching physics. (DDR)

Cites the Lysenko affair as a good illustration of the relationship between theory, ethics, and politics. Provides the historical background of the scientist Lysenko and information on the political system of his time. (DDR)

Describes a teaching resource designed to provide young Australians with a motivating science curriculum. Provides timely information and covers a variety of topics that are interesting to students. (DDR)

Describes the construction of a timer to determine reaction time for use in life science classes. Uses a computer program with a menu that suggests specific experiments. (DDR)

Reviews the requirements of the National Titration Competition and describes how a team in a local competition used the technique. Compares microscale titration to conventional titration. Outlines the benefits of employing microscale techniques. (DDR)