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A system of interaction analysis, the Instrument for the Analysis of Science Teaching (IAST, Part 1), and an accompanying sign system (IAST, Part 2) were developed. Originally used to analyze teaching behavior observed in elementary school classrooms where "Science--A Process Approach" was being taught, IAST was later found to be applicable as a research tool and supervisory aid in other curriculum areas and at other levels. Part 1, a 26-category system based on the 10-category Flanders system, includes 10 student, 14 teacher, and two new categories. Data may be treated for the analysis of various tally records, graphs, ratios, matrices, and tactical findings. Part 2 is a 15-item check list designed to measure some of the characteristics considered to be important in teaching elementary science and "Science--A Process Approach" which could not be determined by part 1 alone. Training in using IAST entails approximately 12 hours of discussion and observation practice. Since the validity of the Scott coefficient PI, the customary statistic for calculating observer reliability, appears to decrease as the number of categories in a system increases, a standardized, nationally available recording of teaching behavior (the Suchman recording of an inquiry session available from Science Research Associates) was used in estimating reliability of observers, demonstrating the possibility of establishing a universal reference for estimates of observer reliability. (JS)

1Boy Crusoe

By Allan Eric

Also published as" A Yankee Crusoe" . A 15 year old hard working and studious farm boy finds the lure of adventure on the seas as a merchant seaman more than he can resist. This is his story. " I was born in a little town in the State of Maine, near the close of the Civil War. My boyhood life did not differ materially from that of the average farmer's son in the remote country districts of New England--except, perhaps, that I read more and thought more. Hard work on the rugged soil, two terms each year in the little yellow country schoolhouse, a day's fishing now and then filled the early years of my life full to over-flowing. " What he gets is enough excitement and adventure to overflow his wildest dreams. How he experiences disaster and uses his wits and knowledge to overcome every problem makes for a great read. - Summary by Phil Chenevert