This article refers to a study that was cited at the National Summit on Science Education. That study compared "direct instruction" with "discovery." In "discovery" students were given items to experiment with, but essentially no real guidance before, during, and after. In "direct instruction" they were given the same materials but they also had instructions from the teacher before and after with guidance on what to do with the materials to investigate the behavior of balls on ramps. They also debriefed after their experimentation.
Guess what? Students who had this "direct instruction" did much better on subsequent tests than students who did "discovery." The article in Ed Week is disturbing mostly because it exemplifies the confusion that people have in using terms like "direct instruction," "inquiry instruction" (which in some parts of the article they say is similar to direct instruction and in other parts they indicate as being different), and "discovery."
In California, "direct instruction" is often interpreted as meaning reading and memorizing as opposed to hands-on investigating. The research cited in the Ed Week article has little or no relevance to that comparison. What the study shows is something most of us experience as being true: to master science, students need to investigate and they need to read, listen, and discuss.
The article also misses what I think is the main issue about the effect of NCLB on science instruction. Most states are implementing the NCLB accountability provisions via multiple choice testing that emphasizes remembrance of discrete pieces of information and test-taking skills. Teachers and school systems generally respond to this means of assessment by trying to teach those discrete pieces of information rather than by promoting a deeper understanding of the science (which, ironically, could very well lead to better remembering of facts and better performance even on multiple choice tests).
Dr. Art Sussman gave the Keynote performance at the 2002 Statewide AEOE Spring Conference at Hess Kramer in Malibu. His book, Dr. Art's Guide to Planet Earth, is highly recommended for science educators. Go to Dr. Art's Website for more information!
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