Learning Science in the Schools: Research Reforming Practice

Science -- and the technology derived from it -- is having a dramatic impact on the quality of our personal lives and the environment around us. Science will have an even greater impact on the lives of our students. The lives of scientifically literate students will be enriched by their understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the natural world. To prosper in the near future, all students must become scientifically literate and embrace the notion of life-long learning in science. Without scientific literacy, it will become impossible for students to make informed decisions about the interrelated educational, scientific, and social issues that will confront them in the future.

Intended for science teachers, teacher educators, researchers, and administrators, this volume is concerned with the innovative research that is reforming how science is learned in schools. The chapters provide overviews of current research and illustrate how the findings of this research are being applied in schools. This research-based knowledge is essential for effective science instruction. The contributors are leading authorities in science education and their chapters draw clear connections among research, theory, and classroom practice. They provide excellent examples from science classes in which their research has reformed practice.

This book will help educators develop the scientific literacy of students. It bridges the gap between cutting-edge research and classroom practice to provide educators with the knowledge they need to foster students' scientific literacy.

We recommend this edited volume as covering a wide range of topics of current interest to researchers, science teachers, and teacher educators. Many chapters are relevant to all these groups as well as to mathematics educators. The book would be a valuable resource or text for undergraduate or postgraduate teacher education.
—Science Education

The book is very well written and illustrated and understandably quite academic, since it is a collection of research papers. ...the book is a valuable contribution to the knowledge base of science teacher educators and professional developers.
—Horizon Research, Inc.