Recent national reforms focus on learning disciplinary core ideas through engaging in science and engineering practices. These reforms also call for students and teachers to use crosscutting concepts (CCCs), or analytical lenses, that support scientific sensemaking and connections across disciplines. The "Framework for K-12 Science…

This article centers on the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS) and their implications for teacher development, particularly at the undergraduate level. After an introduction to NGSS and the influence of standards in the educational system, the article addresses specific educational shifts--interconnecting science and engineering…

Explains that many preconceptions and misconceptions ethnically different children bring to science instruction originate in their particular cultural heritage. In many cases these conceptions inhibit or interfere with the learning of scientific concepts. It is advised to impart to teachers with information about this source of difficulties in…

Describes Pedagogical Content Knowledge and focuses on the empirical research directly concerned with the relationship between science teachers' subject matter knowledge or structures and actual classroom practice. Concludes there is little evidence that a relationship exists. (PR)

Analyzes problems with traditional teacher education, reviews the basic elements of the constructivist learning views, and discusses the advantages of a constructivist approach to science teacher education. (PR)

Describes a lesson on pseudoscience for a teaching methods course that promotes active student participation, is not a laboratory activity, and follows the sequence of the three phases associated with the learning cycle model. Contains a true-false science questionnaire to be administered to students as a bridge to discussion. (PR)

Describes the following seven approaches to integrating technology with science education: (1) instructional technology, (2) technology as a method of inquiry, (3) technology as cultural knowledge, (4) technology as vocational training, (5) technological literacy as process and manipulative skill, (6) science-technology-society, and (7) design and…

Presents examples of evaluation studies of visitor interactions with science museum exhibits. Example one involves application of existing findings about naive notions of motion to task of engineering a novel encounter with parabolic trajectories. Example two is a student project evaluating a prototype exhibit on light pipes and concludes that…