Poor behavior in one of 12 mixed-ability chemistry classes led to a stigma attached to it by school staff. Analysis of examination marks indicates the reputation was not justified in terms of academic achievement, demonstrating the ease with which academic achievements can be hampered unwittingly by teacher prejudices. (Author/JN)

Examines status of quantitative treatment verification, presents arguments for its use, and describes a study examining differences between two laboratory approaches in high school biology. Suggests the ability to demonstrate quantitatively that specific classroom events contribute to measured changes in students productivity will aid researchers…

Science curriculum evaluation studies (1963-1978) were examined to assess impact of innovative curricula compared with traditional curricula on student learning outcomes. Results suggest students in secondary school science courses scored moderately better than students in traditional courses on innovative and neutral tests and negligibly lower on…

Science educators (N=28) were asked to indicate whether 23 policy statements and 24 corresponding statements of needed research (appearing in "Crisis in Science Education") represented a critical need, a definite need or a low priority need. Statements seen as critically important by one-half or more respondents are listed and discussed. (JN)

Evolution education is of increasing interest to the science education community. This special issue of the "Journal of Research in Science Teaching" has been devoted to the subject of evolution. The following articles are included: (1) "Evolution: Biological Education's Under-Researched Unifying Theme" by Catherine L. Cummins, Sherry S. Demastes,…

Indicates that a large section of general education biology students can be divided into smaller groups, each receiving different amounts and kinds of instruction, with no apparent effect on their achievement, their attitudes toward the course, or their attitudes toward science. (LS)

Describes a study which used fourth and sixth grade children who had used Science - A Process Approach" and compared their performance with that of a control group on two conservation-of-volume tasks. Performance of the volume tasks was found to be related to age and score on the Learning Hierarchies Test and not to previous science program…

Indicates that the use of verbal rewards which are not congruent with behavior will result in less efficient problem-solving than either a neutral, no-reward situation, or the use of rewards which are congruent with the problem-solving behavior. The giving of congruent rewards improved the problem-solving efficiency of girls but not of boys. (LS)

Twenty-eight secondary science student teachers were included in a self-evaluation study. The instrument consisted of 89 statements describing observable teaching behavior. PGR was found to be useful in teacher evaluation when used with video tape observations. (LS)

Indicates that the Nuffield Science programs had only limited success in improving scientific attitudes and interests of boys, but had marked success in improving the attitude of girls. Several tentative conclusions are stated. (LS)

Indicates that teachers see a need to include scientific method in their teaching. However, facts and not the scientific method are presented on the General Certificate of Education examinations for which they must teach. (LS)