60 School Science and Mathematics

CONCLUSIONS

The 38 students in the minimum standard group had each met theminimum standard requirement during the students’ approximately twoyears in the program. Nevertheless, when these students completed theprogram, 27.3 percent of them could not demonstrate this science con-tent knowledge. Both null hypotheses were rejected and the evidenceshows that in both, the science content average of the groups and theproportion able to demonstrate competence at the minimum standard atthe time of graduation, the minimum standard requirement did not makeany difference. This seems to show a danger in the minimum standardapproach. This is that students will meet the minimum standard withoutany real learning taking place. The students in our minimum standardgroup had met this minimum standard but had not retained the knowl-edge gained. In any case, the. desire was to put out a better product, stu-dents with greater science content knowledge. Having failed in this at-tempt, our minimum standard program has been discontinued and weare trying other approaches.More research is needed as the schools seek answers to providing better

educational opportunities through the use of minimum standards. It is tobe hoped that these studies will test for long term gains and not just theimmediate result of meeting the standard.

1. Oberlin, Lynn. "Science Content Preparation of Elementary Teachers", School Science and Mathematics, Vol. 69

March, 1969, pages 207-209.2. Oberlin, Lynn, and Sanders, Lowell. "A Comparison of the Science Content Knowledge of Graduates from

Florida’s New Elementary Program and Graduates Who Had Their Science Education in a Traditional Course", Science

Education, Vol. 57, July/September, 1973, pages 331-334.

NOAA OCEAN CLIMATE STUDY BEGINSIN EQUATORIAL PACIFIC

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has begunthe first major study of how Pacific Ocean waters reflect changes in globalclimate.The Equatorial Pacific Ocean Climate Studies seeks to determine the driving

forces behind large variations in sea surface temperature, and how these varia-tions are linked to climatic changes.The study is a highly focused, multi-year program of experimentation and re-

search which it is hoped will provide useful new insights into how the "climatemachine" works.At the heart of the climate machine�and the research�is the relationship be-

tween the ocean and atmosphere; a kind of geophysical marriage of opposites.The atmosphere is the flamboyant, active partner, with a short memory. Theocean is the stable partner, long of memory, given to hoarding energy which issquandered by the atmosphere.