Results of a study involving 55 developmental studies college students indicate that regardless of reading competency levels, prior knowledge activation plus advance warning of possible inconsistencies in the text apparently facilitate students' comprehension of counterintuitive science text better than activation alone. (IAH)

Reports a study that examined the effects of conceptual orienting questions and differences in prior knowledge on factual learning and problem solving in biology. Tenth graders who participated in control or orienting questions groups completed posttests. Results indicated that question groups outscored the control group. (SM)

Examined the relationship between prior knowledge, learning-strategy use, interest, learning goals, and conceptual understanding among fifth-grade science students. Results of student knowledge tests and a self-report measure of learning goals, interest, and strategy use indicated that the study variables were positively related to each other and…