Author argues that the field of science education needs the significant contributions of a variety of researchers, engaged in many types of inquiry, all seeking to advance knowledge in the field. Presents examples of the following three approaches to inquiry: technical, practical, and emancipatory. (PR)

This report synthesizes critical issues and questions associated with science curriculum reform for the purpose of establishing a research agenda. Section headings describing needed research are as follows: Science, Technology, and Cultural Needs; Schooling Needs; Science Education Needs; and Research in Science Education Needs. Contrasts and…

Author argues that education has increasingly become dominated by economic interest that can lead not to enhancing equality but to its opposite. Important ideological shifts are occurring in what education is for and in the content and control of curriculum, with an increased emphasis on making education an economic product. Author predicts a…

Author argues that constructivism is flawed because of its inability to come to grips with the essential issues of culture, power, and discourse in the classroom. Presents an account of a sociocultural approach to teaching based on the notions that learning is situated in contexts, students have their own cultural perspectives, and classroom…

This article covers the following: (1) contrasts several perspectives on science education reform by examining recommendations for introductory science courses; (2) identifies research finding that can guide reform; (3) discusses the impact of research on national precollege curriculum reform; and (4) offers a set of recommendations to guide…

Lays out an agenda for developing assessment tools and researching their effectiveness. Series of design tasks is proposed, with related research questions. Needed theoretical research includes studies of the effects of alternative assessment on policy and practice as well as the development of new psychometric techniques. Influences of new…

In this essay, the many facets of curricular reform are explored in terms of what scholarship from these many perspectives has to offer. Examples of research results are cited and promising research opportunities explored. (Author/PR)

In this article, implications for policy, development, and implementation of educational change are offered, along with suggested directions for research. The author contends that all involved need to work together; they need to develop a holistic view of the system and work with an approach that engages interactive partners in the educational…

Analysis of curriculum reform efforts of the 1960s is presented. Failure to state the problems and to engage all those interested, involved, and affected is noted by author. Instead of proceeding with the same tactics and using the same rationale for new reforms, a rationale for focusing upon instructional goals and enlarging the research and…

Reports a study of the relationship between learning science content in an elementary science methods course with videodisk-based instruction and attitudes toward science teaching. The experimental group (n=42) learned science concepts through interactive videodisk lessons. Results showed the experimental group had greater gains in science…

Reports a study of science classroom environments and student attitudes toward science. Cluster analysis of 27 high school science classes resulted in three clusters based on factors in the classroom environment. One cluster's classroom environment was significantly different from the others, and its students had more positive attitudes.…

Reports a study using the F-Sort of Biology Concepts to assess understanding of 37 concepts. Analyses indicated that college student biology majors and experienced secondary science teachers were separated from scientists by a dimension based on a deep-versus-surface structure understanding of the concepts. (over 40 references) (Author/PR)

Reports a study of 922 college students that classified the students based on performance on formal operational reasoning tasks. Students were also administered seven logic tasks. Response patterns were analyzed and found to be similar to patterns derived from the multiple-hypothesis theory of advanced scientific reasoning and different from those…

Evaluates a program that encourages elementary school students and their parents to study science in an inquiry-oriented fashion in their own homes. Findings indicate that the program is viewed positively by both the students and their parents, and there are gender and grade-level differences in the student perceptions. (Author/PR)

Reports descriptive study concerning student understanding of isomers. Sample of 7,441 senior high school students completed tests which contained 12 questions on isomerism. Results indicate students are inclined to restrict their concept of isomerism to compounds belonging to the same class. There was no evidence students expected molecular…