IBSE Final

Prologue Connecting the Past and Future

THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE: 21 st-CENTURY PERSPECTIVES xix

for MINNEMAST, a mathematics and science program at the University of

Minnesota, Minneapolis.

In the course of these experiences as a teacher and curriculum developer,

Karplus pondered several insightful questions. First, how can one create learning

experiences that achieve a connection between the pupil’s intuitive attitudes

and the concepts of the modern scientific point of view? Second, how can one

determine what the children have learned? Third, how can one communicate

with the teacher so that the teacher can in turn communicate with the pupils

(Karplus and Thier 1967, p. 11)? Such questions led Karplus to a personal study

of psychology, in particular, the work of Jean Piaget. Embedded in these ques-

tions are ideas that anticipate the contemporary science of learning and curric-

ulum development by extension.

By 1963, Robert Karplus had the professional experience with science,

students, and curriculum study; the personal time to reflect on fundamental

questions about curriculum and instruction; and the opportunity to develop his

ideas in the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS).

I truly appreciated the opportunities these lectures provided to reflect on the

leadership and contributions of Paul F-Brandwein, Robert Carleton, and Robert

Karplus. The ideas they shared about science concepts and processes, curric-

ulum, instruction, assessment, professional development, and management of

projects and organizations were formative at the time and continued to develop

as I grew as a professional. The chapters in this book both honor their legacies

and connect their ideas formed in the 20th century to 21st-century perspectives.