Explores what constitutes an explanation for a science teaching event, noting conceptual-analysis-of-teaching and task-analysis approaches. Examples of various categories and distinctions are provided, drawing on data from pre- and postlesson discussions of an experienced teacher's seventh grade science lesson. The Science Teacher Thinking…

Describes efforts in the reform of science education, noting the importance of changing preservice and in-service teacher education. The article examines three national systemic reform efforts and discusses implementation efforts in Iowa. It also discusses Iowa's teacher preparation and offers assessment information arising from Iowa's efforts.…

Discusses Joseph Schwab, a reformer who worked on the Biological Science Curriculum Study (BSCS), noting how BSCS texts implemented his ideas, and the reformer Gerald Holton's ideas, arguing for a science curriculum that includes social dimensions, attitudes associated with inquiry, and processes employed to construct scientific knowledge. (SM)

Indiana University college teacher discusses undergraduate science education and effective teaching in introductory courses. The method recommended by educator Arnold Arons trades passive lecture for hands-on learning and Socratic dialogue. Indiana University began a successful research program which brought Arons' method to large-enrollment…

A science education professor reflects on the help of his mentor throughout his career. The mentor provided support and confidence during his first semester, helped him establish a publishing and grant program, and offered guidance. The article recommends mentorship programs for new professors. (SM)

The research agenda of Ohio State University's National Center for Science Teaching and Learning focuses on five external influences on science teaching and learning and notes intellectual predispositions that guide its work. The article emphasizes the need for true intellectual interaction between educators, scientists, and policymakers. (SM)

Lydia Shattuck was responsible for the excellence in science instruction at Mount Holyoke Seminary. Shattuck graduated in 1851 and remained there as a faculty member, specializing in chemistry and botany. One of the first women to join scientific societies, she helped enlarge the sphere of women engaged in scientific research. (SM)

Tells the story of Brazilian science educator Myriam Krasilchik who, in 1990, became dean of the University of Sao Paolo's School of Education. She provided leadership in the creation of Science Teaching Centers in Brazil and has been active in international science education organizations. (SM)

Mary Lyon was the founder of Mount Holyoke College and a pioneer in science education. She was an early proponent of the laboratory method of teaching, disseminating it throughout nineteenth-century schools. Lyon established a distinguished chemistry faculty and founded an excellent department which has trained many women chemists. (SM)

Describes a secondary science and mathematics teacher education course at Cornell University which encourages students to think reflectively about their understanding of subject matter and question common schooling practices contributing to poor understanding of science. The course requires significant amounts of involvement through writing,…

Input from constructivist scholars and science teachers helps develop future biologists and biology teachers who better understand scientific investigation through their development and use of investigative software, as well as through laboratory and field activities. (SM)

Describes a mathematics and science course designed to inspire early childhood education preservice teachers. They learn to interest young children by engaging in the kinds of science and math activities used with young children. These activities arouse feelings, stimulate curiosity, and offer opportunity for engagement. (SM)

Describes a course, "History and Philosophy of Science for Science Teachers," at the University of New South Wales which focuses on the seventeenth-century scientific revolution and the nineteenth-century Darwinian revolution. The object is to provide background knowledge and promote an interest in the subject. (SM)

To provide students with interdisciplinary instruction, future teachers need a broad base of knowledge and skills enabling them to comprehend the interrelationships and dependencies among disciplines. The article describes how San Diego State University's teacher education program accomplishes this and offers planning guidelines. (SM)

A teacher reflects on the low status of people in the teaching profession, stressing the need for improved teacher education to improve teacher status. Several hopeful signs (e.g., institutions developing teacher education as a graduate specialty, emphasizing careful work with teachers) indicate teacher education may be gaining more respect. (SM)