This study was concerned with student transition from concrete to formal cognitive functioning. Results of training 32 fifth-grade and 32 seventh-grade students indicated that instruction can effect the desired transition of ability to isolate and control variables. (SL)

This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of one semester's instruction in science and mathematics, using an inquiry-based methodology, in facilitating cognitive growth in first year college students. Results indicated the inquiry approach did not promote cognitive growth in comparison with a more didactic or expository teaching…

Students who viewed demonstrations or manipulated apparatus understood the relational concepts (of the form a/b = a'/b') of speed, force, and work better than a control group, but did not differ significantly from each other. (AL)

This commentary refers to a recent paper (1975) by Sayer and Ball in this journal concerning the relationships between formal operational thought and science achievement, and requests additional information on the representativeness of the sample and the performance of boys and girls on the Piagetian tasks. The requested information is provided.…

Reviews Piaget's theory of cognitive development and discusses how science concepts can be taught to secondary school students at different cognitive levels. (MLH)

A pretest-posttest research design was used with 104 first-grade children to determine if discrimination and classifactory activities would affect transition from preoperational to concrete stages. Findings showed the experimental group exhibited significantly greater transition than did the control group. (CP)

Examines the effect of relevant group instruction on various children's developmental stages regarding the conception of space. (Author/GA)

Reports a study to determine whether the level of logical thinking, as indicated by performance on a task requiring control of variables, of a group of low SES urban students could be increased through a series of instructional exercises carried out under ordinary classroom conditions. (Author/CP)

Studied classroom behaviors and conservation ability of elementary school science students taught by either Student-Structured Learning in Science (SSLS) or Teacher-Structured Learning in Science (TSLS). Reports on how behavior of conservers and nonconservers differs in SSLS and TSLS with respect to observing, following directions, and inventing…

Flander's interaction analysis techniques were used to identify direct" and indirect" junior high school teachers. Students of indirect teachers were superior on affective and cognitive measures. (AL)

Cites 124 references to science education research literature and summarizes research on instruction, curriculum, teacher education, developmental studies, teacher characteristics, and instrument development. (AL)