A Comparative Summary of Instructional Science Materials and Outdoor Experiences for Students in Iowa Elementary Schools from 1980-1987

Authors

Greg Stefanich, University of Northern IowaFollow
Mary Norton, North Cedar Elementary SchoolFollow
Jan Anderson, Cedar Heights Elementary SchoolFollow

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Following the development of the "new science programs" in the late 1960's, Iowa became a leading state in the adoption and implementation of activity-based science in elementary classrooms. A survey conducted by Anderson in 1980 indicated that approximately 40 percent of the school districts in Iowa were using NSF developed programs in their elementary buildings. Research on the NSF curricula indicates that the programs were more effective in raising student performance and attitudes than the traditional reading-based programs. Shymansky (1989) indicates that students using the NSF curricula showed significant gains in achievement, process skills, perceptions and analytic skills. They generally performed better on standardized tests as well, with only one performance area significantly lower (that being related skills).

Publication Date

Autumn 1989

Journal Title

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Volume

26

Issue

2

First Page

2

Last Page

13

Copyright

© Copyright 1989 by the Iowa Academy of Science

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Stefanich, Greg; Norton, Mary; and Anderson, Jan (1989) "A Comparative Summary of Instructional Science Materials and Outdoor Experiences for Students in Iowa Elementary Schools from 1980-1987," Iowa Science Teachers Journal: Vol. 26: No. 2, Article 2.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/istj/vol26/iss2/2