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This study examined the effects of an extensive inquiry-based field experience on pre service elementary teachers' personal agency beliefs, a composite measure of context beliefs and capability beliefs related to teaching science. The research combined quantitative and qualitative approaches and included an experimental group that utilized the inquiry method and a control group that used traditional teaching methods. Pre- and post-test scores for the experimental and control groups were compared. The context beliefs of both groups showed no significant change as a result of the experience. However, the control group's capability belief scores, lower than those of the experimental group to start with, declined significantly; the experimental group's scores remained unchanged. Thus, the inquiry-based field experience led to an increase in personal agency beliefs. The qualitative data suggested a new hypothesis that there is a spiral relationship among teachers' ability to establish communicative relationships with students, desire for personal growth and improvement, ability to implement multiple instructional strategies, and possession of substantive content knowledge. The study concludes that inquiry-based student teaching should be encouraged in the training of elementary school science teachers. However, the meaning and practice of the inquiry method should be clearly delineated to ensure its correct implementation in the classroom.

The authors discuss environmental literacy in the United States and present a brief summary of the results of a major national study designed to attain a baseline measure of environmental literacy among middle school students in the United States. The authors include events that led up to the study and describe future directions for environmental literacy assessment. (Contains 2 tables and 1 note.)

This study evaluated the impact of an environmental education program on students, parents, and the community. The program, in place for 5 years in 5th and 6th grade classes, was designed to help learners take an in-depth look at environmental issues in their community, make data-based decisions about those issues, and participate in resolving those issues. Qualitative and quantitative methodologies were employed (including student, parent, school personnel, and community member interviews). The authors discuss program connections to students' critical thinking, environmental literacy, and participation in the community; reading, writing, and speaking skills; student and teacher characteristics; and parent and community viewpoints. (Contains 3 tables.)

This article includes a conversation with four environmental education classroom teachers. The author introduces the four classroom teachers, Marie Marrs, Barb Pietrucha, Vicki Newberry, and Dara Lukonen. In the interview, the four environmental education classroom teachers describe the environmental education in their classrooms. Three of these individuals have served as representatives of K-12 teachers on the National Environmental Education Advisory Council (NEEAC), the citizen advisory council to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Compares a qualitative study of teacher decision making during the first year of implementation of an environmental education curriculum. Examines perceptions of training, the program, administrative and peer support, and the manner in which the program was implemented in each classroom. Reports that teachers' perceptions stemmed from cognitive changes that the program stimulated. (Contains 13 references.) (Author/YDS)

Focuses on quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the training model for Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions (IEEIA). Investigates the relationship between IEEIA implementation rates and types of training; workshop participants' perceptions of support for their use of IEEIA; and the impact of the instructional approach on themselves, students, administrators, colleagues, parents, and community. (Contains 38 references.) (Author/YDS)

Features a conversation with Dr. Harold Hungerford, the president of the Center for Instruction, Staff Development, and Evaluation (CISDE), on the goals of environmental education and experiences in his career. (YDS)

Assesses the effects of an extended case study that focused on wetland issues with 7th and 8th grade students. (Author/CCM)

Examines the relative effectiveness of two different chemistry curricula. African American students enrolled in an inner-city high school who took ChemCom, a Science-Technology-Society-based science curriculum employing cooperative learning as an integral component, scored significantly higher gains on a standardized measure of chemistry achievement than similar students enrolled in a traditional chemistry course in the same school. (PVD)

Addressed is the effectiveness of environmental education for promoting responsible citizenship behavior. A model of environmental citizenship behavior is presented. Goals for instruction in environmental education are discussed. (CW)

This issue of The Journal of Environmental Education includes a conversation with four environmental education classroom teachers. When the Executive Editors asked me to interview several teachers, they suggested I [...]

ABSTRACT: This study evaluated the impact of an environmental education program on students, parents, and the community. The program, in place for 5 years in 5th and 6th grade classes, [...]

This conversation features Dr. Harold Hungerford, president of the Center for Instruction, Staff Development, and Evaluation, a not-for-profit educational foundation in Carbondale, Illinois. He is also a Professor Emeritus at [...]

ABSTRACT: In this study, the authors focus on quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the training model for Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions (IEEIA). The authors examined (a) [...]

ABSTRACT: The authors compared a qualitative study of teacher decision making during the 1st year of implementation of an environmental education curriculum. The authors examined perceptions of training, the program, [...]

Minority students will make up 48% of all students by 2020 and yet little attention is paid to the failure of traditional methods to generate scientific literacy. A comparison of student scores when one class was taught using traditional methods and the other using Science-Technology-Society (STS) methods, which integrate real world and community examples, found some improvement. However, the study's methodology was compromised because the two courses were taught by different teachers and so further study of STS methods needs to be performed.

Meeting the Challenges Facing the Environmental Education Community In the current sociocultural climate, one wonders if environmental education (EE) will ever help resolve the many serious issues that face humanity. [...]

Assessed perceived K-16 environmental education curriculum (EE) needs by questionnaires mailed to 169 environmental educators (58.6 percent response rate). Findings show a consensus that EE goals are important ones and that extensive needs exist for both goal-oriented curricula and teacher education. Includes implications based on these and other results. (Author/JN)

Assessed environmental educators' perceptions on four environmental education goals--ecological foundations, awareness of issues and human values, investigation and evaluation of issues and solutions, citizenship action--goal accomplishment, need for and anticipated use of goal-oriented curricula, and need for teacher education related to said curricula. Findings are reported and discussed. (BC)

Briefly describes Project Synthesis, a major recommendation which resulted from the effort, and a picture of K-12 science education that recommendation portends. Compares similarities between environmental education goal levels and Project Synthesis science education goal clusters, considering future directions for both science and environmental education. (JN)

Discusses two approaches to preparing students to deal with science-related social issues. Describes the investigative skill approach that allows students to critically examine important issues. Offers information concerning the case study approach that involves a teacher directed investigation. Notes that the investigative skills approach is more effective. (KO)

Presents a study of the influence of an investigative skills environmental education program upon the problem identification skills of junior high students. Members of the experimental group (N=43) consistently outperformed students in a general science course (N=40) on measures of skills in problem identification. (Author/WB)

The environmental literacy of middle school students in the US is measured using the environmental literacy assessment project. Students scored highest on ecological knowledge with a grand mean of 40.34 points. Implications for improving environmental literacy are also discussed.

ABSTRACT: The authors assessed the effects of an extended case study that focused on wetland issues with 7th and 8th graders. The extended case study is an instructional method that [...]

The article offers information about Project Synthesis, a comprehensive research effort on science and technology in the U.S. After the launching of Sputnik in 1957, Americans regarded technological supremacy as an important national goal. To prepare all their students to deal successfully with science and technology in their own, the government developed the research effort funded by the National Science Foundation. Norris Harms of the University of Colorado led a nationwide team of science educators to synthesize and interpret the combined data of four comprehensive studies.