1. Brief history of science education
I Beginnings of Modern Science Ed. ( )
II Progressive Education ( )
III Golden Age ( )
IV Back to Basics ( )
V A Nation at Risk (1980s)
VI Science for All (1996 to today)

2. Inquiry teaching methods
…traced back to mid 19th century college science instruction.
Ben Sillman – visual aids
Louis Agassiz – object lessons
Asa Gray – botany as a related system

3. Inquiry teaching methods
Summarize your earliest memories of inquiry teaching methods
What does it mean to “teach science by inquiry?”
Describe teaching of this sort that we might find in your school.

4. I The Beginnings of Modern Science Education (1900-1930)
Original U.S. Science Curriculum, 1899
Elementary School (K-8)
Nature Study (2 lessons per week)
High School (9-12, 4 lessons per week)
Grade 9: Physical Geography
Grade 10: Biology (botany & zoology)
Grade 11: Physics
Grade 12: Chemistry

5. I The Beginnings of Modern Science Education (1900-1930)
Nature study
--child-centered approach
--interdisciplinary study of plants, animals & ecology
--dominant to 1910, faded by 1930s
Elementary Science Movement – continuous K-8 program that added physical science

6. Secondary School Science around 1920:
One semester courses in many different subjects (astronomy, botany, geology, physiology, zoolog
Grade 9-12 science curriculum of year-long courses in general science, biology, chemistry and physics

7. II Progressive Education (1930-1950)
1932 A Program for Science Teaching published NSSE
emphasized organization of sciences courses around general principles
involve students in observing, hypothesizing, and experimenting

8. II Progressive Education (1930-1950)
1938 Science in General Education published by PEA, cited 4 aims of science teaching
John Dewey appeal to educators regarding progressivism’s congruence with democratic ideals of the U.S.

9. II Golden Age of Science Education (1950-1977)
Cold War anxiety in the U.S.
Federal intervention in science education
Curriculum development
Teacher training

10. II Golden Age of Science Education (1950-1977)
NSF responds with Summer Institutes
Personnel shortages in science & engineering
High school science courses inadequate
Science teacher training & better methods
Textbooks outmoded

11. II Golden Age of Science Education (1950-1977)
A shot that had reverberating effects on U.S. science and mathematics education like no other event in the 20th century.

12. II Golden Age of Science Education (1950-1977)
High School
Junior High
Elementary
PSSC 1956
CPB
ESCP
SCIS
BSCS 1958
ISCS
SAPA 1963
ChemStudy ’59
IPS
ESS
Proj Physics ’62
ECCP
ISIS

13. IV Textbook Controversies & Back to Basics, (1975-1983)
Man: A Course of Studies
April 1975 Congress terminated funds for this and other curriculum projects
1980s NSF role in science education was limited to college faculty improvement

14. IV Textbook Controversies & Back to Basics, (1975-1983)
1960s BSCS in Texas & Rev. Lemmons
Henry Morris and Creation Science
1972 CA Board of Education approved statement proposing neutrality in science textbooks. Texts dealing with evolution would include a printed statement
Science cannot answer all questions about origins
Evolution is a theory, not a fact

15. V A Nation at Risk (1980s)
National Commission on Excellence cries U.S. is being taken over as the leader in science, technology, commerce, industry and innovation by Japan…due to the rising tide of mediocrity in our schools.
Five New Basics

16. VI Science for All (1996 to today)
Four developments of the 1990s:
Scientific Literacy Movement
National Science Education Standards
Constructivist view of Learning
Emergence of the Internet