Ameliorating gender differences in attitudes about science: A cross-national study

The outcomes of two studies reported here indicate that the teacher inservice workshops, combined with activity-based science lessons, affected students' attitudes and perceptions about electricity. Australian and U.S. studies produced different patterns explored and explained in the paper.This material is based upon research supported by the National Science Foundation under grant MDR-88-50570 in the United States and supported by a grant from the Special Projects Program of the Commonwealth Schools Commission in the Education of GirlsDD section of Projects of National Significance in Australia. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the Commonwealth Schools Commission.     

Students as observers of teacher techniques

Business administration students served as classroom observers of teaching models employed by their psychology instructors. As part of a larger study, five teachers (experimental) attempted to modulate from their traditional or typical style of teaching by implementing first one, and then a second, teaching model. A daily log, completed by students at the end of a class period, indicated the degree of success of model implementation. Daily logs were also completed by teachers. When compared to those logs completed by a trained observer, student logs were found to yield a reasonably accurate record of model implementation. It was recommended that student observations of teacher techniques be used more frequently for purposes of research and professional development in postsecondary education.     

A study of the effect of sustained,whole‐school professional development on student achievement in science

This longitudinal study of middle school science teachers explored the relationship, if any, between teacher participation in whole‐school, sustained, collaborative professional development and student achievement in science. Eleven teachers from Glendale Middle School participated in the Discovery Model Schools Initiative 2‐week summer institute, followed by monthly release day professional development sessions focused on implementing instruction outlined in the National Science Education Standards. Student achievement was assessed using the Discovery Inquiry Test in Science. The same students completed the test in grades 6–8. Students of teachers at Glendale Middle School significantly outperformed students at the control school. Findings in this study revealed the positive impact that whole‐school, sustained, collaborative professional development programs have on student achievement, indicating that programs of this nature could be a means to narrowing or eliminating achievement gaps in science. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 775–786, 2007     

MINITAB MACROS FOR RESAMPLING METHODS

This article describes a set of Minitab macros that perform randomization and bootstrap versions of basic statistical techniques, and suggests ways in which the macros might be used in teaching statistics.     

Measuring Life-Science Concepts of Elementary-School Pupils

This investigation sought information on the performance of high and low ability Ss on two measures of creativity, and the relationship between performance on the two measures. Forty-seven 13-year-old high school students comprised the sample. High and low ability students from the top and lower than average streams were given the A.H. 4 intelligence test, the Junior-Senior High School Personality Questionnaire, and a drawing test on a specific theme, which was assessed by five expert judges for creativity on the basis of certain criteria. Significant differences were found between the high and low ability groups both in the H. S. P. Q. test and the creativity drawing test. There was also a significant correlation between the A.H. 4 test and the judges’ ranking for creativity. However, there was no significant difference between the two creativity measures, nor between the H. S. P. W. and the A.H. 4 tests. The results confirm the view that there is a relationship between intelligence and creativity, that the relationship depends on types of intelligence tests and creativity measures used, and the need exists for a definition of creativity based on commonly accepted criteria.