CONSTRAINTS OR GUIDEPOSTS - DEVELOPMENTAL-PSYCHOLOGY AND SCIENCE-EDUCATION

Metz (1995) criticizes ''developmentally based'' science curricula as inappropriately constraining science instruction to activities that be ar little resemblance to authentic scientific inquiry, which she recom mends as a more productive model for science education. Here, I reflec t on Metz' recommendations, consider whether research and theory in de velopmental psychology stand' to inform science educators' pursuit of directions of the sort Metz advocates, and propose a ''guideposts'' ra ther than ''constraints'' model of how developmental psychology might inform science educators' efforts.