This article describes key facets of the Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education (CASE), a curriculum that emerged in the United Kingdom, enabling teachers to accelerate the process of cognitive development so that more students could attain the higher-order thinking skills (formal operational thinking) required (Lecky, 2012). CASE, also…

In his last book, "Toward a Logic of Meanings" (Piaget & Garcia, 1991), Jean Piaget describes how thought can be categorized into a form of propositional logic, a logic of meanings. The intent of this article is to offer this analysis by Piaget as a means to understand the language and teaching of science. Using binary propositions, conjunctions,…

Science requires imagination nourished by knowledge, experience and sustained critical thinking. Science teaching has the same requirements, but metacognition is even more important to a teacher than it is to a practitoner of science. Critical thinking is essential to both science and science teaching: in either domain, imagination relies on…

Describes initial steps to determine characteristics of students and teachers with award-winning marine science projects selected by the National Marine Education Association. Thirteen student/sponsor pairs (1 zoo employee, 1 marine research employee, 11 high school teachers) completed instruments assessing learning/teaching styles, attitudes, and…

Misconceptions associated with the origins of force and the effectiveness of a bridging strategy for developing correct conceptual models in mechanics are identified for high school physics teachers in this paper. The situation investigated was whether a table exerts an upward force on a book. Student misconceptions related to this phenomenon as…

Discusses the problem of mastering terminology, the role of language, and the structure of terminology in biology education. Provides a checklist for the presentation of science terms. Describes complexity of biological terminology and the difficulties often encountered by students. (CW)

Defines one approach to problem solving in terms of student use of algorithms to find their solutions and gives examples. Discusses how problems and algorithms relate to each other. Describes strategies for teaching problem solving using algorithms. (CW)

Presents an overview of a genetics course including explanations of major concepts, principles, and sequencing methods. Describes the typical participating student's background and prior knowledge level. Appendices contain a list of terms and three concept maps. (ML)

This book is intended to give teachers and student teachers a better understanding of the thinking of adolescent students in science lessons and to indicate the difficulties such students have in understanding the more abstract or formal ideas with which they are presented. It is practical in its orientation as the issues discussed are illustrated…

Discusses advantages and disadvantages of standard high school biology and chemistry course sequences. Relates these sequences to Piagetian developmental levels as well as to David Ausubel's cognitive theory. Suggests that the sequences be reexamined in light of issues considered. (JM)

Determined that males (N=70) demonstrate higher level of intellectual development than females (N=70), that males mature intellectually earlier than females, and that there appear to be factors other than age and sex that are related to development of formal operational reasoning. Implications of these and other results are discussed. (JN)

Describes five stages of children's understanding about energy, reflecting an interaction between what they learn at school and their outside knowledge. Suggests a new approach for teaching the second law of energy, comparing it with the more traditional approach. (DC)

Explains the differences between successful and unsuccessful problem solvers' exploration of a problem, translation of information into different forms, approach to devising and executing a plan, and rechecking work. (RT)

Presents criteria that science teachers can use to decide where a given classroom activity falls in a continuum from concrete to abstract. The system is intended as a way of selecting appropriate tasks for children based on their previous experiences and their level of development. (JM)

Reviewed are studies dealing with cognitive learning in the environment, investigating the advantages of field instruction for the purposes of concept and content learning. Biological and earth sciences are emphasized because instruction in these areas often focus on the environment. (CW)