National Association For Research In Science Teaching Research Articles

Narrating International and National Trends in US Science Education: An Autobiographical Approach Showcasing Dr. Robert Yager

This biographical piece is based on a conversation involving Bob Yager, Geeta Verma, and Lisa Martin-Hansen which took place at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) conference in March, 2008. The unique aspect of this autobiographical piece is that it highlights Dr. Yager’s account about the emergence of the science education field of study and his engagement with the field over a period of more than 50 years. The piece is organized using conversation topics through a biographical narrative format that starts at the beginning of Dr. Yager’s career, establishing science education at The University of Iowa, the emergence of Science, Technology, and Society (STS) ideas, existing intersections between STS and Socioscientific Issues (SSI) ideas, his reflections on work with doctoral students, and a consideration of the goals and aims for future directions in the field.

A study of student outcomes and teacher characteristics in exemplary middle and junior high science programs

AbstractRecent efforts of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) have encouraged collaborative “research partnerships” between university researchers and classroom science teachers. This research partners study, begun in 1987, examined student outcomes and teacher characteristics in middle/junior high exemplary programs identified by the NSTA's Search for Excellence in Science Education (SESE). A second year of the study has been completed involving SESE program teachers with similar instructional profiles. Using Iowa Test of Basic Skills and National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) items, key teachers in those SESE programs examined their seventh‐ and eighth‐grade student outcomes in three domains: (a) knowledge, (b) attitudes, and (c) applications/connections. Results were compared with national populations. A similar study was conducted during the second year, involving teachers from the first year and additional teachers with instructional practice profiles similar to those in SESE programs. Teachers were surveyed using a questionnaire from the Report of the 1977 National Survey of Science, Mathematics and Social Studies Education Teachers (Weiss, 1978a) and supplemental questions (Bonnstetter, 1985). This study found that in exemplary middle/junior high programs: (a) as a group, students achieve high scores in science knowledge and maintain or develop positive attitudes toward science; and (b) students need opportunities to make connections between what they learn in science and personal responsibility.

Priorities for research in science education: A survey

AbstractIn 1979, all members of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) were asked to list in order of priority what they believed to be the five most needed areas of research in science education. A total of 101 members−13% of the membership‐responded and listed 398 statements of needed research. Six general classes of research needs were identified from the 398 needed research statements. Those classes contained 31 unique categories of needed research. Three categories of needed research emerged as the greatest concern of the NARST members responding to the survey. Those categories are instructional strategy, learning, and student and teacher attitudes. Earlier work done on the identification of research needs was compared with the present work and many similarities were found. The research concluded that when research needs were identified by the membership of the NARST the results are different than when especially appointed ad hoc committees identifies research needs.