Change is something that both pre-service and practising teachers face regularly throughout their professional lives. Curriculum change and consequential implementation is a case in point. This paper investigates the perspectives of a number of schoolbased stakeholders in regard to the implementation of the C2C materials in Queensland schools and how this has potential consequences for teacher education programs. It shows that often contradictory spaces emerge in regard to curriculum enactment and argues that a 'one size fits all' approach is not the most effective way to implement new curriculum. A transformative third space is offered whereby teachers are accorded with a voice in the way in which implementation occurs; ultimately allowing pre-service teachers to learn important skills required to be effective teachers.

Health professionals and policymakers are asking educators to place more emphasis on food and nutrition education. Integrating these topics into science curricula using hand-on, food-based activities may strengthen students’ understanding of science concepts. The Food, Math, and Science Teaching Enhancement Resource (FoodMASTER) Initiative is a compilation of programs aimed at using food as a tool to teach mathematics and science. Previous studies have shown that students experiencing the FoodMASTER curriculum were very excited about the activities, became increasingly interested in the subject matter of food, and were able to conduct scientific observations. The purpose of this study was to: 1) assess 4th graders food-related multidisciplinary science knowledge, and 2) compare gains in food-related science knowledge after implementation of an integrated, food-based curriculum. During the 2009–2010 school year, FoodMASTER researchers implemented a hands-on, food-based intermediate curriculum in eighteen 4th grade classrooms in Ohio (n=9) and North Carolina (n=9). Sixteen classrooms in Ohio (n=8) and North Carolina (n=8), following their standard science curricula, served as comparison classrooms. Students completed a researcher-developed science knowledge exam, consisting of 13 multiple-choice questions administered pre- and post-test. Only subjects with pre- and post-test scores were entered into the sample (Intervention n=343; Control n=237). No significant differences were observed between groups at pre-test. At post-test, the intervention group scored (9.95±2.00) significantly higher (p=.000) than the control group (8.84±2.37) on a 13-point scale. These findings suggest the FoodMASTER intermediate curriculum is more effective than a standard science curriculum in increasing students’ multidisciplinary science knowledge related to food.

This study examines how care exists in one alternative high school for students at risk of dropping out. Specifically, this article empirically explores who is involved in caring relationships at the school, what those relationships look like, and how the organization of the school affects the existence of care. Data were collected during the 2000–2001 school year and included observations, faculty interviews, and in-depth interviews with 16 students. From these data, a construct of care was created that includes five caring relationships, pervasive elements that exist throughout these relationships, and specific structural and ideological aspects that enable the existence of care. Suggestions for how schools can organize to create caring communities and directions for further research are also discussed.

To increase scientific literacy in America, the National Science Foundation has implemented the Graduate Teaching Fellows in K‐12 Initiative (GK‐12). In these programs graduate level scientists, known as Graduate Teaching Fellows (GTFs), act as resources for science teachers (Partner Teachers). This research examines the influence of participation in this program on the GTFs involved in one GK‐12 sustained collaboration that emphasizes the codevelopment and co‐implementation of hands‐on, inquiry‐based activities. Qualitative data in the form of interviews and observations were collected from a single cohort of Partner Teachers, GTFs, and the academic advisors of the GTFs for one academic year. The GTFs identified three benefits they received from working in the GK‐12 program: enhanced understanding of science content, fuller understanding of the complexities of teaching science, and understanding of inquiry‐based science teaching and its value. At the same time the GTFs experienced tensions related to differing views of science and science teaching held by the GTFs and the Partner Teachers. The GTFs also experienced professional risks in at least two ways due to their involvement in this program. One risk was the result of the time commitment required to be a GTF. The other was the result of what was termed competing foci. Illustrated in this case by the difficulties encountered as GTFs attempted to learn how to teach in a secondary science classroom while still learning to become research scientists.

Reports published since 1977 indicate that African Americans are underrepresented among Ph.D.‐holding scientists. Although researchers have identified numerous factors that correlate with career choice, they have failed to address students' reasons for choosing or not choosing science and science‐related careers. This study examines the career decisions of three African‐American college students. All three students began college aspiring toward science‐related careers. However, by the end of data collection only one student was working toward a science‐related career. Data were collected by means of eight, open‐ended, 1‐hour interviews conducted over a period of 6 months. Findings indicate that students' interest in a science‐related career is directly related to the degree to which they perceive that career as being supportive of deep‐seated life goals; and that a deeper view of the nature of science better enables students to perceive a science‐related career as supportive of life goals. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 38: 599–621, 2001