Trends in science education: some observations of exemplary programmes in the United States

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Abstract
The National Science Teachers Association in the United States undertook a major new project in 1982‐a Search for Excellence in Science Education. For the first year Project Synthesis desired state descriptions were used as criteria for searches conducted in each state. Subsequently, new task forces were at work defining excellence and developing search criteria from a variety of views. A total of 104 exemplary programmes have been selected to date. An analysis of the Focus on Excellence monographs reveals some national trends in school science. These major trends include: (1) significant involvement of local communities in programme development and instruction; (2) science/technology/society as a curriculum focus; (3) laboratories defined as the real world; and (4) a focus first on qualitative considerations and later on quantitative ones. These trends are discussed, analysed and exemplified with the exemplary programmes identified across the United States.

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