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Teachers' educational beliefs influence their decisions and actions before, during, and after class. Classroom actions are a result of decision-making processes wherein teachers judge how they can teach effectively. The early years of teaching profession is important in shaping new teachers' practices in accordance with their beliefs. This study identifies how the beliefs and classroom practices of a new science teacher change within the first three years of working. This study's participant was a new high-school science teacher in Midwestern United States. Changes were investigated by employing qualitative research methods. Data for this longitudinal case study were gathered from interviews, questionnaires, and classroom observations for three years. The findings show that teachers cannot practice their reformist beliefs without experiencing real class environments.

The purpose of this article is to provide a brief literature review and useful suggestions for using advertisements as tools for organizing and accomplishing science teaching and learning. Newspapers and advertisements can be used as a context for developing scientific literacy and for promoting the development of critical thinking skills, through questioning, creating flexible course content, and exploring science beyond the classroom.

It is important for students to learn concepts and using them for solving problems and further learning. Within this respect, the purpose of this study is to investigate students' abilities to apply science concepts that they have learned from Science-Technology-Society based approach or textbook oriented instruction. Current study is based on quantitative research methodology. The participants of the study are 609 students. Science classes were designed based on STS approach curriculum for 301 students, which is called as experimental group and textbook oriented instruction was followed with 308 students as a control group. The students were from sixth grade to ninth grade (age 12-15). The Iowa Assessment Handbook for the Chautauqua Program was used to collect data. The mean differences, standard divisions and t-values were calculated and used to assess pre- and post-test results. The results indicate that students, who experienced STS based curriculum through one full semester, are able to apply basic science concepts to new situations meaningfully better than students who exposed to textbook oriented instruction.

This study was conducted to investigate the extent to which preservice teachers held alternative conceptions in elementary science concepts. Eighty-six preservice elementary teachers participated in this study. Twelve preservice elementary teachers participated in follow-up interviews. Data were collected through the use of Alternative Conceptions in Science Instrument (Schoon, & Boone, 1998), a participant information form and utilization of interviews. The results indicated that the majority of preservice elementary teachers (67.4%) held a number of alternative conceptions, mostly in the physical sciences. Various sources of alternative conceptions emerged during the interviews. Findings from the study also confirmed that science courses completed do not seem to have influenced participants' alternative conceptions. Overall, the results of the study suggest that more consideration should be given to identifying and modifying of the alternative conceptions of science so that teachers can better help their students to arrive at more accurate conceptions.

There has been a wealth of research examining learning environments as one of the variables that contributes to academic success for students studying science. A constructivist learning environment has been explored as one way to assist students in achieving greater success with science learning. There is a lack of research concerning how and if successful teachers continue to change over time. This study was designed to address such research gaps. The teacher leaders involved served as staff members for Iowa Chautauqua and continue to develop and improve in their use of constructivist practices. There has been a lack of evidence focusing specifically on how participation in the Iowa Chautauqua Professional Development Program actually increases use of constructivist teaching practices. Results of the research indicate that the teacher leaders continue to develop further in their use of constructivist practices over time. The Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) scores were used to indicate improvement. There are implications for planning and improving classroom learning environments for enrollees in new efforts that were suggested by teacher leaders. (Contains 1 table.)

This article is the first in what will become a continuing series of articles highlighting the perspectives of renowned science educators. The first featured article is by Robert Yager, Science Education Center, University of Iowa, USA. Dr. Yager has directed over 100 NSF projects designed to improve K-16 science programs. He has served as president of seven national organizations which promote the visions central to the NSES Standards. His co-authors have studied with him for the past three years and will carry the knowledge they have gained here back with them to their universities in Egypt and Turkey. (Contains 1 figure.)

The National Science Education Standards emphasize a goal that students should achieve scientific literacy, which is defined as the knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts needed in daily living. Scientific literacy enables people to not only use scientific principles and processes in making personal decisions but also to participate in discussions of scientific issues that affect society. Understanding scientific knowledge and processes contributes in an essential way to these skills. The economic productivity of society is related to the scientific and technological skills of the people. The results of this study indicate that students in the student-centered STS sections achieved significantly better than students in the teacher-directed STS sections in terms of understanding and use of process skills, use of creativity skills, development of more positive attitudes; and the ability to apply science concepts in new contexts.

Fifteen 4th-, 5th-, and 6th-grade teachers from five school districts each taught two sections of science--one with a Science-Technology-Society (STS) approach and the other with a more traditional textbook approach in which basic science concepts were the major organizers. Local, current, and personally relevant issues provided the context and organizational scheme for the STS section. The two approaches were evaluated using six different domains: (1) Concept, (2) Process, (3) Application, (4) Creativity, (5) Attitude, and (6) Worldview. The results indicate no difference in results at any grade level in the Concept domain. However, significant differences in terms of learning with large effect sizes were found in the other five domains. STS provided an impressive teaching approach utilizing the features of the National Science Teachers Association's (NSTA) (2006) position paper regarding STS in all assessment domains. (Contains 4 tables.)

During the last quarter of a century, it became abundantly clear that the desired reforms in science teaching and learning could not be accomplished without significant professional development of in-service science teachers. Yet, there was a dearth of effective professional development models that could lead to the kind of instructional reforms desired. It was soon realized that professional development itself must undergo significant reform. New guidelines for professional development began to be developed in order to reform it. We trace the history of this reform and describe a model that emerged as an exemplar of the new guidelines. This model has been used extensively in the USA and in many other countries of the world. The characteristics of the model, research related to its effectiveness and impact, and its implementation around the world are presented. (Contains 1 figure, 2 tables and 1 note.)

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Science, Technology, and Society (STS) learning increases student concept mastery, general science achievement, use of concepts in new situations, and attitudes toward science in middle school classrooms. The study involved two teachers and fifty-two students in grades 6 through 8. Two sections of middle school science were taught by two longtime teachers where one used an STS approach and the other retained a typical use of the textbook as a class organizer. Each teacher administered the same pre- and post-assessments. Major findings indicated that middle school students experiencing the STS format with constructivist teaching practices: (1) learned basic concepts as well as students who studied them directly from the textbook, (2) achieved as much general concept mastery as students who studied in a textbook dominated way, (3) applied science concepts in new situations better than students who studied science in a more traditional way, (4) developed more positive attitudes about science, (5) exhibited creativity skills that were more individual and occurred more often, and (6) learned and used science at home and in the community more than students in the typical textbook dominated section. Further, the STS approach coincided well with the kind of teaching across the curriculum that is (recommended as) central to teaching in middle schools. (Contains 7 tables.)

In education, STS too often is viewed as a new kind of course--new material for use in teaching. However, this view of STS is fraught with the same kind of problems as traditional teaching of natural science and technology. This major problem is that information is merely transmitted to students by lecture, discussion, verification laboratories, or textbooks, and the other written materials. Nevertheless, good STS instruction captures more broadly the aspects of both science and technology.

The Iowa Chautauqua Program was developed in 1983 with support from National Science Foundation (NSF) which awarded the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) a major grant to study an inexpensive in-service model for stimulating reform in K-12 science classrooms. Iowa was one of the six Chautauqua sites which were modeled after a program for teachers from small colleges and operated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In Iowa this new Chautauqua effort focused upon Science-Technology-Society (STS) materials and teaching strategies with primary attention directed to teachers in grades 4 through 9. The program began with 30 teachers enrolled in a program in one center and increased annually to number 230 teacher enrolled in five centers across the state. The program was expanded with funds from various of private industries and Title II projects. Over 15,000 teachers have been enrolled during last two decades. The focus and unique feature was the STS teaching approach as reform in science education. This study investigates the effectiveness of the Iowa Chautauqua Professional Development Program. (Contains 7 tables and 1 figure.)

The early drafts of the National Science Education Standards (NSES) did not include any mention of staff development; it was not considered as part of the needed visions for changing school science. It was when the final draft was offered to the leadership in the National Academy of Sciences that a section on Staff Development was added in response to the argument that such visions for the continued education of teachers would be needed if any significant use of the Standards, any improvement of existing teachers, and any improved ways of preparing teachers were to be realized. In this article, the author argues that more actions are needed by more professionals in more schools if the visions of the National Science Education Standards are going to succeed in accomplishing the illusive reforms for which the science education community has so often strived. (Contains 4 figures.)

The National Science Education Standards (NSES) articulates four goals (justifications) for requiring science in K-12 schools. An argument is made that science leaders must take the goals of science education seriously and use them to frame their teaching and staff development efforts. In this article, the author discusses the four NSES goals for science education and describes what school leaders need to do to meet the goals. For many the first goal is the most important since it ensures that every student will have a firsthand personal experience with science. This means exploring nature with a natural curiosity, which all humans enjoy. It means asking questions, identifying the unknown, proceeding to knowing--even if it is a personally constructed answer or explanation of the original question arising from personal curiosity. The first and overarching goal for science education for the decade following the 1996 publication of the NSES provides a direction for the field--every school science coordinator, supervisor, curriculum leader, and department head must internalize and work diligently toward meeting it. The other three goals focus upon experiences in school science which will affect the daily lives of students that can help them make better scientific and societal decisions and lead them to increased economic productivity. (Contains 4 tables.)

The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of a Science Technology and Society (STS) approach in terms of student understanding of major processes of science. Participants included twelve teachers who agreed to participate in an experimental study where Science, Technology, and Society (STS) strategies were utilized with one class section and in a school class where the teacher determined the course structure and the form of instruction (textbook-oriented) that is typically used by most science teachers. A total of twenty-four sections of students were in STS sections (199 students) and a similar number in textbook-oriented sections (204 students). The data collected were analyzed using quantitative methods. The results indicate that students in the STS sections achieved significantly better than students in the textbook-oriented sections in terms of understanding and using science process skills. Differences in success by male and female students of varying ability levels were examined as well.

The purpose of this study is to compare changes in attitudes of students about their study of biology in the classes thought by five biology teachers who experienced an Iowa Chautauqua workshop with and two non-Chautauqua teachers who had no experience with any professional development program. The results indicated that there are significant differences in student attitudes in favor with students of the five biology teachers who experienced of a full year of experiences an Iowa Chautauqua workshop.

Science/Technology/Society (STS) as a reform effort has been active in Iowa for three decades. A program called Iowa Chautauqua has evolved over the four decades to promote K-12 STS teaching in Iowa's 300 school districts. This is a study of how teachers have become Teacher Leaders of the reforms and lead other teachers who enroll as new teachers and schools each New Year. All were involved with Action Research projects each year while also assisting graduate student teams who serve as research associates. In this study, students were asked to identify specific teacher actions that were designed to make student learning more successful. The study examines general student views of teacher actions as well as specific examples of how students interact with the teacher and how the teachers encourage greater student/student involvement. The results show success with STS and how it defines science and affective actions of teachers in classrooms. Student views of Teacher Leaders, new Chautauqua teachers, and Control Teachers with no STS or Chautauqua experiences provide ways of recognizing successes of current reform efforts.

The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the Chautauqua Professional Development Program in terms of the mastery of basic science concepts, understanding major science processes, use of creativity skills, improvement of student attitudes toward science, and the ability to apply science concepts and processes in new situations. Participants included twelve teachers who agreed to participate in an experimental study where Science, Technology, and Society (STS) strategies were utilized with two class sections where in one class the teacher determined the course structure and the form of instruction that was typically used. Conversely, the experimental class was almost exclusively student-centered. A total of twenty-four sections of students were in STS sections (365 students) and a similar number in control sections (359 students). The data collected were analyzed using quantitative methods. The results were tabulated and contrasted for students enrolled in the two sections for all the teachers. The results indicate that students in the student-centered STS sections achieved significantly better than students in the teacher-directed STS sections in terms of understanding and use of process skills, use of creativity skills, development of more positive attitudes; and the ability to apply science concepts in new contexts. However, there were no significant differences noted with respect to mastery of basic science concepts. Apparently student-centered STS approaches result in students with conceptual understandings but it is no better than the situation where teachers guide and direct inquiry STS approaches which focus much more exclusively on specific concepts and their definitions. (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.)

The study reports on an investigation of the impact of a Science-Technology-Society (STS) approach in promoting more positive student attitudes toward science that are recommended by current reform documents. A total of 609 students from grades six through nine were selected for a survey of attitudes in two class sections assigned as either experimental (STS oriented class) or control group (textbook oriented class). The results indicate that students in classes taught with an STS approach develop more positive attitudes toward science when compared to students in classes taught with a textbook-oriented approach. The STS approach to science teaching works equally well for male and female students regarding student attitudes toward science. Significant differences were not found between male and female students in terms of improving positive attitudes concerning science study. (Contains 2 figures and 8 tables.)

The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the Iowa Chautauqua Professional Development Program in terms of changes in concept mastery, use of process skills, application of science concept and skills, student attitudes toward science, student creativity, and student perceptions regarding their science classrooms. Participants were 12 teachers who agreed to participate in an experimental study where an inquiry approach was utilized with one section and traditional strategies in another section. A total of 24 sections of students were enrolled in inquiry sections (365 students) and traditional sections (359 students). The data collected were analyzed using quantitative methods. The results are tabulated and contrasted for students enrolled in the two sections for each teacher. The results indicate that student use and understanding of science skills and concepts in the inquiry sections increased significantly more than they did for students enrolled in typical sections in terms of process skills, creativity skills, ability to apply science concepts, and the development of more positive attitudes. (Contains 7 tables.)

The major advantage of STS is the kind of teaching it allows and demands. Twelve middle school teachers who were enthused with STS teaching selected two sections for a research study. One section was the experimental STS section; the other followed the course syllabus and textbook closely. The major findings indicate the advantages for STS as a teaching approach. Students at the STS approach learned as many science concepts as students who were taught such concepts directly. But the students in the STS sections were superior in all other aspects, including understanding and use of 14 process skills, use of creative thinking skills, development of more positive attitudes, better ability to apply and connect ideas and skills to other situations, and developing a better understanding of the nature and history of science. (Contains 5 tables.)

Lead teachers were a major part of a staff-development program first offered in 1983 for science teachers in Iowa. Later, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) reform project called Scope, Sequence, and Coordination (SS&C) involved 20 school districts and worked annually with new teachers involved during the 7-year funding period, 1990-1997. Eight lead teachers, who provided assistance to staff teams, were studied in 1998 and 2000 to determine how their teaching practices changed during the 3 years following funding. The results indicated that the eight teachers have continued to grow in terms of constructivist strategies beyond the funding period and in ways illustrating that the kind of teaching advocated by the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1996).

Two sections of middle school science were taught by two longtime teachers where one used an STS approach and the other followed the more typical textbook approach closely. Pre- and post assessments were administered to one section of students for each teacher. The testing focused on student concept mastery, general science achievement, concept applications, use of concepts in new situations, and attitudes toward science. Videotapes of classroom actions were recorded and analyzed to determine the level of the use of STS teaching strategies in the two sections. Information was also be collected that gave evidence of and noted changes in student creativity and the continuation of student learning and the use of it beyond the classroom. Major findings indicate that students experiencing the STS format where constructivist teaching practices were used to: (1) learn basic concepts as well as students who studied them directly from the textbook; (2) achieve as much in terms of general concept mastery as students who studied almost exclusively by using a textbook closely; (3) apply science concepts in new situations better than students who studied science in a more traditional way; (4) develop more positive attitudes about science; (5) exhibit creativity skills more often and more uniquely; and (6) learn and use science at home and in the community more than did students in the textbook dominated classroom.

The National Science Education Standards include suggested visions for changing staff development programs for preparing new teachers and working with inservice teachers. Analyzing the visions for the most successful programs precedes the identification of programs that best match the NSES visions. The National Science Teachers Association is publishing a new monograph that identifies 16 model programs that approach the visions while also providing actual evidence of the successes experienced. This manuscript is an attempt to provide a setting and a rationale for the national search and for informing science teacher educators in the features of the best programs nominated after a 4-year search. Instead of only describing science teacher education programs for new and inservice teachers, actual evidence establishing their validity is offered. Perhaps the examples will be more useful if the framework and procedures used in their selections are shared with Association for Science Teacher Education members.

The purpose of this study was to examine how different inquiry experiences affect in-service science teachers' performance in terms of their questions and classroom actions. Teachers in a workshop experience proceeded through structured, guided, and full inquiry stations where materials to make foam were provided. Participants were 26 in-service science teachers who were enrolled in an 8-day workshop learning about science-technology-society (STS) approaches to teaching. Those who experienced full inquiry first resulted in more curiosity, more questions, and more unique experiments than at the other two stations. Success in guided inquiry was observed when the guidance was provided by more open-ended questions posed by the leader teachers. The study raises questions concerning the limitations on student thinking when in structured and guided laboratories that characterize traditional science teaching. An analysis of this study may contribute important direction and information for science teaching and learning and encourage more moves for STS successes.

Social issues provide real life and motivational questions which are successful in engaging the minds of many people (especially students). When dealing with social issues, students see the importance of so-called basic concepts and skills in dealing with them. For most persons, real mind engagement rarely occurs in educational settings. One important effort in science education to illustrate the advantages of the use of social issues as organizers for instruction has been termed the science-technology-society (STS) approach. A history of this approach in the U.S. is presented along with a fifty year history of its discovery and development highlighting the experiences of the author. This history includes major happenings in science and technology education, the challenges encountered, milestones identified, and an envisioned future.

Investigates the difficulties that teachers experience in Japan and the United States when they attempt to move to a more constructivist approach in their teaching. (Contains 14 references.) (YDS)

Discusses current visions for reform in science education to be reached in 2005. Presents tables on changes in teaching, assessment, content, and situation and goals for 2005 by indicating less and more emphasis. Discusses what must be done, visions for 2025, how to achieve Vision 2025, and models for achieving the visions for science education in 2025. (Contains 52 references.) (ASK)

Investigates how Russian teachers interested in adopting aspects of the U.S. science education reform movement compared with two groups, traditional U.S. science teachers and constructivist U.S. science teachers. Analyzes the total rubric score and Russian/traditional U.S., and Russian/constructivist U.S. groups. (Contains 20 references.) (Author/YDS)

Describes the dissemination and implementation of the Iowa Chautauqua Program model of professional development for advancing science education reforms within the United States and in several settings abroad. Contains 15 references. (WRM)