Research has revealed that a small percentage of weekly instructional time in the elementary grades is dedicated to teaching science. Additionally, elementary educators receive limited preparation to teach science concepts compared to math or literacy skills. Therefore, this study examined if utilizing poetry to teach science concepts had a…

Conceptual change views of teaching and learning processes in science, and also in various other content domains, have played a significant role in research on teaching and learning as well as in instructional design since the late 1970s. An important issue is whether conceptual change can provide a powerful framework for improving instructional…

In this article, the authors explore the question, "Does the Moon spin?", and show how the question is investigated. They emphasise the importance of the process by which people work out what they know, by "learning from the inside out." They stress that those involved in science education have to challenge current conceptions and ideas, making…

A study is described which demonstrates that children create naive theories of science that are highly resistant to change, even when other concepts are seemingly understood. Ways of promoting conceptual change in children's understandings of how the world works are suggested. (MT)

Discusses the constructivist view of learning which emphasizes, among others, learning outcomes which depend not only on the learning environment but also on the knowledge of the learner. Implications for science instruction are also addressed. (JN)

A variety of problems, ranging from vocabulary to pre-existing belief structures, prevent efficient learning among biology students. Several of these problems are discussed, with implications for teaching college level biology addressed. (JN)

Children in years three, four, and five of physics study were tested to determine their intuitive preconceptions about forces and equilibrium in the static case, as well as any changes in their conceptual framework that might have taken place as a result of maturity and instruction. (JN)

This fun and educational kit is designed specifically for elementary students. The "Kid's PACK" (Population Awareness Campaign Kit) entertains and informs children on the environment and human population growth through stories, games, and concrete ideas for making a difference. In three booklets, the "Kid's PACK" offers…

Identifies some of the major factors underlying common problems that students have in acquiring an understanding of chemistry concepts. Suggests and discusses the use of concept maps as an aid in ensuring that meaningful learning rather than rote learning has occurred among students. Contains 32 references. (ZWH)

Reviews a study which examined high school biology students' (N=58) understandings of the concepts of food chain and ecosystem. Discusses the evaluation scheme and relates how this approach can be used in classifying student responses. It was found that most of the students failed to understand the targeted concepts. (ML)

Misconceptions can be avoided by defining terms and concepts unambiguously, using them consistently with wide exemplification, and explaining their limits of applicability. Concepts used to illustrate these points include work, momentum change, bodies and experience, and bodies and particles. (JN)

Fourth-year students in eight classes were tested over a three-year period to determine the ease or difficulty with which they learned the conservation principle. A major focus was on ideas they held about the nature of energy before beginning the course. Results and implications for physics instruction are presented. (JN)

Describes main features of students' thinking about heat and temperature (developed before formal science teaching) and results of a study that shows that many notions about heat/temperature used by younger children are still apparent in the thinking of older students. The study involved interviews with 84 students in three age groups. (JN)

Presents and analyzes excerpts from an interview with one student to determine his conceptions of light (including the nature of light and of optical systems). Implications for instruction include taking students' initial beliefs seriously, approaching issues through actual experiences, and using intelligible, plausible, and fruitful…

Concept mapping, a technique based on David Ausubel's theory of meaningful learning, involves the organization of concepts into an hierarchical arrangement. Suggestions for incorporating this learning strategy into the biology classroom are presented and discussed. Steps in concept mapping include: (1) identifying important concepts in the study…