Queensland schools are currently teaching with the first National Curriculum for Australia. This new curriculum was one of a number of political responses to address the recurring low scores in literacy, mathematics, and science that continue to hold Australia in poor international rankings. Teachers have spent 2 years getting to know the new…

The purpose of this research was to use a multidimensional theoretical framework to examine young children's knowledge about the Moon. The research was conducted in the interpretive paradigm and the design was a multiple case study of ten children between the ages of three and eight from the USA and Australia. A detailed, semi-structured interview…

There is growing concern about falling levels of student engagement with school science, as evidenced by studies of student attitudes, and decreasing participation at the post compulsory level. One major response to this, the Australian School Innovation in Science, Technology and Mathematics (ASISTM) initiative, involves partnerships between…

An outcome of science education is that young people have the understandings and skills to participate in public debate and make informed decisions about science issues that influence their lives. Toulmin's argumentation skills are emerging as an effective strategy to enhance the quality of evidence based decision making in science classrooms. In…

This paper reports part of a larger study which was designed to investigate current practices in initial teacher education programs in Australia. The main data collection was by telephone interviews, which were carried out with science education specialists and program coordinators at all institutions which offer primary teacher education or…

Explores the problems that a national strategy for the professional development of science teachers attempted to address, and reports on the theme of "loose connections" that emerged. Highlights the weak sense of professional community found among science teachers and their isolation from potentially beneficial influences on their work.…

Uses case studies to explore the pedagogical reasoning ability of second-year preservice primary teachers. Reports that the framework provided in a problem-based science education course enabled the teachers to refine their reasoning ability and to integrate their science knowledge, curriculum knowledge, and knowledge of learners. (Author/JRH)

Used a constructivist teaching/learning approach to improve first year preservice primary teachers' confidence in, and attitude to, teaching science. Benefits reported were ownership of knowledge, development of pedagogic skills, and the use of group work to develop ideas. Concerns raised included uncertainty when exploring knowledge for…

Conducted a study to show in an audiovisual form how technological activities can be planned and implemented successfully at the primary school level. Demonstrates how science and technology can be linked in the curriculum. Reports that designing a unit that takes advantage of the symbiotic relationship between science and technology can lead to…

Agriculture, industry and medicine are being altered by new biotechnologies. Biotechnology education is important because today's students and citizens will make decisions about the development and application of these new molecular biologies. This article reports an investigation of the teaching of biotechnology in an Australian state, New South…