Abstract

The present situation of biology teaching in Australian secondary schools is described in Part-1 of the proceedings of the 1970 conference on "Biological Education in Australian Secondary Schools. " The six papers discuss the relationship of biology to other science and non-science subjects, enrollment trends, teacher qualifications, and assessment, practices used in each state. part 2 contains three papers which suggest some aims of biological education for Australian conditions, and a summary of the discussion of these proposed aims. Papers evaluating the Australian adaptation of the BSCS programs, the,biology component of the New.South wales "Science " courses, the,Queensland."Zoology" Course,.and the pilot course in "Human Biology " offered in Western Australia,..are contained in Part 3. Three background review papers, on diScussion as a teaching technique, on 'the value of laboratory work, and on research on "inquiry " teaching, are included, together with-reports of working groups that discussed evaluation techniques, teaching techniques, and the.approptiate content of future courses.. The report concludes with,a list of eight recommendations to the