The research dimension of higher education programmes is usually discussed in association with doctoral studies. Against a background of scarce literature investigating research in a Master's degree, this article aims to analyse the place of research in Master's qualifications, first, as envisaged by official European and national documents acting…

Contemporary instructional approaches expect students to be active producers of knowledge. This leads to the need for creation of instructional tools and tasks that can offer students opportunities for active learning. This study examines the effect of a computational experiment as an instructional tool-for Grade 12 students, using a computer…

The use of handheld computers in educational contexts has increased considerably in recent years and their value as a teaching tool has been confirmed by many positive experiences, particular within collaborative learning systems (Mobile Computer Supported Collaborative Learning [MCSCL]). The cost of the devices has hindered widespread use in…

Internet extends the reach of existing laboratory and training infrastructure to beyond the walls of such facilities. Though nothing can replace the hands-on experience in a laboratory; a carefully developed web-based digital lab may be the next best thing. In some cases, there may be benefits associated with a "distance laboratory" that…

Extends the modeling system presented in Part I. This model is applied to two widely diverse educational processes: "Student Actions" and "Do Homework Problem." Its computational syntax imposes completeness criteria on the modeling and its uniformity. (AIM)

Presents a system for formally characterizing elements of an introductory science class, measuring class performance based on this characterization, and modeling the value of the class based on the measurements. The main components of this modeling system include educational engineering with a formal set of practices, the use of computational…

Described is a Dutch thematics physics curriculum recently developed for the average academic secondary student. Discussed are the structure, contents of units, and systematic units of the curriculum. (CW)

This study investigated whether the interaction of teacher, student, and classroom characteristics has a significant effect on classroom climate. Linear regression techniques were used to predict selected scales of "Anderson's Learning Environment Inventory" (LEI) from sets of orthogonal variables which are representative characteristics…

Presented in this report is a discussion of a model for developing modularized and behaviorized inservice materials that meet the needs of individual teachers for improving their background in science and for relating this knowledge directly to their classroom experiences. The model consists of four stages: (1) needs analysis of curriculum for…

Described is a study to determine the long-range impact of the Pennsylvania Nuclear Science Prolect. Findings include that fewer than one-half participants are still teaching the pilot program, that school/teachers who "dropped out" averaged three years from initial involvement, and that student interest and scheduling problems are two…

In evaluating whether the laboratory guides for Project Physics and for PSSC are consistent with the goals of their designers in demonstrating the interplay between experiment and theory in the development of physics, a system was developed for analyzing physics laboratory investigations, and the laboratory activities in the "PSSC Physics…

The need to impart technological literacy to youth is vital for a state such as Alabama, since it has historically received relatively low levels of Federal research and development funding (EPSCOR). Thirty five counties in the state of Alabama have less than 10% of the general population with college degrees. As our society becomes more and more…