• Facts about Science Education in the US
• Research on Hands-on Learning
• K-12 Hands-on Science Curricula
• K-12 Hands-on Science Materials (Software and Accessories)
• FAQ

Research demonstrates that when students are taught with hands-on instructional materials, they truly learn science. Studies also show this benefit extends to other subjects such as reading, writing, language development and math.

• Effectiveness of hands-on science programs
• English as a second language and hands-on science
• Learning theory
• National science education standards
• Professional development
• Scientific literacy for all

Effectiveness of hands-on science programs

Publications and Other Resources Resulting from a Synthesis of Research on the Impact of Inquiry Science Instruction

A recently completed four year study by the Center for Science Education (CSE) at Education Development Center, Inc (EDC) which compared student outcomes when taught by inquiry based science instruction versus other instructional approaches. As of November 2006, the report has been sent to the National Science Foundation (NSF), the funder of the study and articles summarizing the study are being written. For a current status of the study go to http://cse.edc.org/products/inquirysynth/.

Assessing outcomes of a secondary-postsecondary partnership model for biology education outreach.

Sharon M. Feldstein and Michael S. Benner The American Biology Teacher (Feb 2004): p 114(6).
Outcomes of Rider University's model of a secondary-postsecondary partnership are documented. The model was developed in response to school districts' need to provide students with hands-on experiences in the theory and practice of modern biology. It was observed that partnership models not only helped students to increase their knowledge, but also gave them valuable lessons in professional development.

Delaware Smithsonian Project Report: Building on Success to Improve Our Children's Future,

1995-2002 Update. G. Gaston, R. Wood, J. Collette (2002)
Delaware school districts base their elementary science instructional program almost entirely on the National Science Resources Center's elementary science curriculum, Science and Technology for Children (STC). In 2003, more than 88% of students in grade 4 met or exceeded the state's performance standards for science. The same year, nearly 75% of grade 6 students achieved that level (up from 61% in 2000).

The Effect of Inquiry-based Science Teaching on Standardized Reading Scores.

Jerry D. Valadez (March 2001)
Study results include the fact that students using FOSS for 4 years scored higher on SAT9 reading and science tests than students with less or no exposure to FOSS.

The Einstein Project's Cornerstone Study (Green Bay, WI) - Comparative Analysis of Science Achievement in Michigan School Districts Using Science and Technology for Children® (STC®).

Eric Dreier (July 2002)
67% of school districts involved experienced student achievement that was increasing faster than the state at large.

Hands-On Science and Student Achievement.

Allen Ruby (2001)
Dissertation that discusses the limitations on research done in the past in an effort to seek a connection between hands-on science and student ability.

Has Inquiry Made a Difference? A Synthesis of Research on the Impact of Inquiry Science Instruction on Student Outcomes.

J. R. Century, A. J. Levy, D. D. Miner (principal investigators). Education Development Center (July 2004; Updated April 2006)
Conceptualizing Inquiry Science Instruction - This report introduces and explains a structure for describing inquiry science instruction.

NSTA Position Statement: Elementary School Science (July 2002)

A position statement from the National Science Teachers Association supporting inquiry-based science as a basic source for science education.

Research on Foss and other hands-on science programs

(2001)
A bibliography from the FOSS project site at the University of California at Berkeley on past and present research on hands-on teaching. The effect of hands-on science learning on other subject areas is also covered.

Valle Imperial Project in Science (VIPS): Four-Year Comparison of Achievement Data, 1995-1999.

M. Klentschy, L. Garrison, O.M. Amaral (2002)
Achievement test results from the Valle Imperial Project in California indicate that students enrolled in inquiry-based science programs perform better on nationally normed science tests than students enrolled in programs that use a traditional textbook approach. The study shows that the longer students are enrolled in inquiry science classes, the better their test scores are, not only in science but also in reading.

English as a second language and hands-on science

Helping English Language Learners Increase Achievement Through Inquiry-Based Science Instruction.

Michael Klentschy. Bilingual Research Journal (July 2002)
Study outlining how hands-on science can benefit students from lower socioeconomic and rural backgrounds. The study also shows that there are indications that the program stimulates writing experiences which transfer to an overall improvement in writing.

Learning theory

The Biological Basis of Thinking and Learning.

Lawrence F. Lowery. (1998)
Summary of research on how the brain functions, and how we think and learn.

Changing the Metaphor.

Lawrence F. Lowery.
This paper discusses the paradigm shift from viewing the classroom as a workplace to viewing it as a learning place and explains how FOSS was designed to include social and cognitive constructivist perspectives.

Communities of Practice.

Lawrence F. Lowery.
This article explains how FOSS facilitates a dynamic classroom environment that resembles a scientific community. In inquiry base learning teachers are guides rather than fact-tellers, and students are active and engaged rather than passive learners.

How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice: Expanded Version.

John D. Bansford, Ann L. Brown, Rodney R. Cocking. National Academies Press (2000)
The revolution in the study of the mind that has occurred in the last three or four decades has important implication for education. A new theory of learning is coming into focus that leads to very different approaches to the design of curriculum, teaching, and assessment than those often found in schools today. Addresses the question of how to bring the insights of research on human learning into the practice of teaching. A follow-up on the 1998 report by the National Research Council's report, entitled How People Learn, that synthesized research on human learning.

Implications of Brain Research for Teaching Young Adolescents.

Lucinda M. Wilson, Hadley Wilson Horch. Middle School Journal (Sept 2002)
Curriculum implications for cognitive development of adolescents.

The Importance of Understanding Child Development in Curriculum Development.

Lawrence F. Lowery. (1993)
Research shows the power of inquiry-based learning by understanding student development as it relates to curriculum. Tells how FOSS was created to provide a competitive, viable alternative to textbook-driven science programs at the elementary level.

Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards: A Guide for Teaching and Learning.

National Academy Press (2001)
The National Science Standards released by the National Research Council in 1995 provide valuable insights into the way that teachers might sustain the curiosity of students and help them develop the sets of abilities associated with scientific inquiry. This guide builds on the discussion of inquiry in the National Science Education Standards to demonstrate how those responsible for science education can provide young people with the opportunities they need to develop their scientific understanding and ability to inquire.

Intelligent teaching: using the theory of multiple intelligences in the inquiry classroom.

Barry R. Thompson, Gregory D. MacDougall. The Science Teacher 69.1 (Jan 2002): 44-48.
Applying the theory of multiple intelligences to inquiry based education can improve accessibility to learning since students learn according to their individual capabilities.

Knowing What Students Know: The Science and Design of Educational Assessment

James W. Pellegrino, Naomi Chudowsky, Robert Glaser. National Academies Press (2001)
This report addresses assessments used in both the classroom and large-scale contexts for three broad purposes: to assist learning, to measure individual achievement, and to evaluate programs. The central problem addressed by this report is that most widely used assessments of academic achievement are based on highly restrictive beliefs about learning and competence which are not fully in keeping with current knowledge about human cognition and learning.

National science education standards

Then and now: science assessment 1996-2006.

Audrey Champagne. School Science and Mathematics 106.3 (March 2006): p113(11).
A retrospective examining the influence of the National Science Education Assessment and System Standards in efforts to achieve the vision that the standards established ten years ago.

National Science Education Standards.

National Academy Press (1996)
The National Science Education Standards present a vision of a scientifically literate populace. They outline what students need to know, understand, and must be able to do to be scientifically literate at different grade levels. They describe an educational system in which all students demonstrate high levels of performance, in which teachers are empowered to make the decisions essential for effective learning, in which interlocking communities of teachers and students are focused on learning science, and in which supportive educational programs and systems nurture achievement.

Professional development

Effective professional development and change in practice: barriers science teachers encounter and implications for reform.

Carla C. Johnson. School Science and Mathematics 106.3 (March 2006): p150(12). (8287 words)
Study finds that even when supported through professional development efforts science teachers encounter barriers when trying to implement learning reforms. Discusses ways to support implementation.

Project Inquiry: Effects of Professional Development on Science Achievement. (National Science Foundation's Charleston and Berkeley County Schools Study).

Carol Tempel (May 2003)
A report on 2001-2002 evaluation of the Local Systemic Change Initiative (LSC). Charleston and Berkeley schools received a grant from the National Science Foundation for the 2000-2005 project which focuses on the improvement of science literacy by changing teaching practices, strengthening teacher content knowledge and providing hands-on science materials for classrooms. This evaluation was an investigation of the relationship between components of teacher instruction and student achievement in science.

Scientific literacy for all

AAAS Project 2061: Science Literacy for All in the 21st Century.

George D. Nelson. Educational Leadership (October 1999)
This paper takes a look at the growing role science, math and technology are taking in today's society and how the curriculum should emphasize the depth of these topics.

Academic Excellence for All Urban Students. Their Excellence in Science and Mathematics.

J. Kim, L. Crasco, R. Smith, G. Johnson, A. Karantonis, D. Leavit. (April 2001)
Since 1993, the National Science Foundation's Urban Systemic Initiative (USI) program has been a catalyst for large-scale systemic change directed towards improving the science and mathematics achievement of ALL urban students. This report presents preliminary findings from an evaluative study of NSF's USI program among 22 large urban school districts. NSF's Six Drivers of Systemic Reform provided a framework for USI implementation, focusing on standards-based curriculum and instruction, aligned assessment, policies, professional development, convergence of resources, leadership, and partnerships.

Every Child a Scientist: Achieving Scientific Literacy for All.

Is Your Child's Science Education What It Should Be? Ten Questions to Ask Your Local School.

AAAS Project 2061. (1998)
Schools are back in full swing, but how can parents know if their child's education is up to par? Scientists and educators with Project 2061, a long-term reform initiative to improve science, mathematics, and technology education, worry that today's students aren't being prepared well enough to live in tomorrow's science-oriented world.

What America Thinks About Science Reform.

Michael Templeton. Bayer Corporation. (1999)
This paper is an analysis of the Bayer Facts of Science Education I-V, the Bayer Corporation's science literacy initiative which advocates hands-on teaching. Bayer Corporation is a life science and healthcare focused company.