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This paper describes recent developments in Ireland to promote a greater interest in science among students in the 12-15 age group by means of practical work involving Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE). The tasks, know as Investigations, are a component of the assessment of the subject Science which is studied as part of the Junior Certificate examination for 15 year-old students. The introduction of Investigations has been one of a number of responses to the 2002 report of a government Task Force on the Physical Sciences, set up to consider the problems facing the teaching of the physical sciences in second-level schools in Ireland. This report has resulted in rapid reform of the science curriculum at both junior and senior secondary school level. Whilst practical work has a long and varied history in science education in Ireland, it was only in 2003 that practical work became compulsory with the introduction of a new Junior Certificate science syllabus for students in the 12-15 year old age group. The paper describes the two types of practical work introduced in the syllabus and discusses the results of a survey carried out by the Irish Science Teachers' Association to ascertain the response of teachers to this practical work and the role of Investigations in promoting IBSE in Ireland.

There is increasing evidence that zoos and aquariums do, as intended, educate their visitors. However, even though most zoos offer a wide array of educational experiences, few studies have considered if the duration of an educational experience affects learning or whether learning lasts beyond the immediate visit. The current study used matched-pairs surveys to investigate children's knowledge, attitude and knowledge of positive behavior during both a five-day zoo camp and six months after an aquarium visit. The participants of the study included children aged 9-12 years some of whom had participated in a purposefully designed educational intervention. First, the impact of a five-day zoo camp experience on children's learning was investigated. Second, learning retention was investigated six months after a school tour at an aquarium. Results showed that during the camp learning was positively affected by participation in the educational intervention and by previous zoo experience. Girls were more likely than boys to have an increase in learning six months after an aquarium visit. The study demonstrates that learning persists, but that education can be enhanced with longer programs. Thus, zoos can play an increasingly important role in igniting pro-environmental behavior.

Children comprise many of the visitors to zoos every year, yet few studies have explored the impact of a zoo visit on children's learning. This study employed a repeated measure design using data gathered from 500 questionnaires to investigate students' knowledge, attitude, and behavior before and after visiting a zoo or aquarium in Ireland. A treatment group participated in a purposefully developed educational intervention, which included a hands-on activity, intended to enhance learning. Results indicate that learning does occur after a zoo or aquarium visit. However, students visiting the zoo and those who participated in the educational intervention showed the greatest increases in learning. A zoo visit has educational benefits for children, but to maximize this benefit an educational intervention should be offered.

The signing of the Bologna Agreement in 1999 has major implications for all involved in third level education throughout the world. By 2010 in the 45 countries that have signed up to the Bologna process, all modules and programmes in third level institutions will be written in terms of learning outcomes. In addition, many countries outside the Bologna process are aligning their third-level educational systems to be compatible with the Bologna process in order to facilitate description of qualifications, mutual recognition of degrees, and mobility of students. This paper covers the background to the concept of Learning Outcomes, the use of Bloom's Taxonomy to write learning outcomes, the relationship between learning outcomes and competences, and the linking of learning outcomes to both teaching and learning activities as well as to assessment. In addition, the author discusses the effects of the introduction of learning outcomes into the teacher-training programme for science teachers in his own university with particular reference to the assessment of student learning. (Contains 2 figures and 4 tables.)

Science Across the World is an exchange programme between schools world-wide. It has two main components: existing resources for students (age 6-10) and a database with all participating schools. The programme exists since 1990. It is carried out in partnership with the British Association of Science Education (ASE) and international pharmaceutical industry GlaxoSmithKline and is growing rapidly. This paper deals with the Science Across the World programme in Teacher Training in three countries: the Netherlands, Ireland and Germany. It shows how international collaboration can be fostered by participation in the programme. Amsterdam Teacher Training College in the Netherlands offers Science Across the World as an elective course to Dutch and European Erasmus students, who work in international interdisciplinary groups. They study the Science Across the World website and choose a topic to study in more detail. Later they write an implementation plan for their teaching practice school. At University College Cork in Ireland Science Across the World is part of a (Higher Diploma in Education) course on Science teaching methodology. Participating students implement the programme in their teaching practice schools. An elaborate research was carried out to investigate the success of this implementation. Teachers are enthusiastic about possibilities the programme offers and suggest an in-service training course on the programme and methodology. The government of the State of Hessen, Germany has just started a new concept in Biology methodology. The government decided to base Teacher Training in Biology on "Competencies and Standards." With increasing globalisation in the next decades the largest, easy to use, global exchange programme Science Across the World can help to achieve aims if modern education in all countries. Teacher Training can help with training student teachers in international collaboration on school level. The triangle Teacher Training--Science Across the World--Research should be promoted.

This paper describes and discusses the role of practical work in science education in Ireland. The 2002 report of a government Task Force on the Physical Sciences, set up to consider the problems facing the teaching of the physical sciences in second-level schools in Ireland, has resulted in rapid reform of the science curriculum at both junior and senior secondary school level. Whilst practical work has a long and varied history in science education in Ireland, it was only in 2003 that practical work became compulsory with the introduction of a new Junior Certificate science syllabus for students in the 12-15 year old age group. The paper describes the two types of practical work introduced in the syllabus and discusses the results of a survey carried out by the Irish Science Teachers' Association to ascertain the response of teachers to this practical work. Compulsory practical work has also been introduced into physics, chemistry and biology at senior secondary school level (ages 16-18). The paper reports on a research study to evaluate the effectiveness of a proposed new assessment model for practical work involving the use of a visiting examiner to interview students and examine their ability to carry out tasks in the school science laboratory. The main finding was that the new model provided a more valid and fairer assessment of students' ability in the area of practical work. (Contains 4 tables and 3 figures.)

Reports on a research study into the assessment of practical work at the upper high school level in Ireland which involved the use of a visiting examiner. Indicates that the new model provided a reliable and valid assessment of a range of practical abilities. (Contains 20 references.) (Author/ASK)