Earthbound manifestations of gravity in falling objects are distorted by the large mass and size of the Earth. Movement is also affected by air resistance. This article questions whether an approach based on everyday observations is necessarily the best starting point for introducing the idea of Newtonian gravity. Instead, a theoretical approach…

Presents materials to stimulate active learning through modified concept mapping activities designed to help students appreciate alternative perspectives by using cartoons as a stimulus and focusing on the links within a concept map fragment, and encouraging the probing of understanding by annotating the linking words. (Author/YDS)

Describes two studies investigating children's views of their internal body maps. Reports that the majority of 8-9 year old children did not connect tubes and organs in their drawings, and the majority of 7-11 year old children drew relatively small, unconnected, and freely suspended organs. (Author/YDS)

Describes a study of the ability of fourth-year university student-teachers to use their theoretical knowledge of redox concepts to interpret natural phenomena of everyday life. Uses word-association tests, multiple-choice and open questions and reports that the students have difficulties in recognizing the scientific nature of well-known everyday…

Focuses on the provision of meaningful counterintuitive experimental evidence for students while taking into account the relations of theory, instruments, and experimental data. Discusses the use of experiments designed to test pupils' conceptual framework during the teaching of introductory electricity. (JRH)

Investigates students' ideas, conceptions, and misconceptions about acids and alkalis before and after a teaching sequence in a small-scale research project. Concludes that student understanding of acids and alkalis is lacking. (DDR)

Outlines the basic principles of constructivist theory and discusses the limitations of the theory in terms of providing worthwhile science education. Advocates a shift from personal constructivism to social constructivism. Contains 24 references. (DDR)

States that the shift in meaning of the Periodic Table to represent regularities in the electron distribution in the shells of atoms can result in confusion between elements and atoms. (DDR)

Discusses the misconceptions revealed by the teachers' answers and outlines more accurate answers and explanations based on established evidence and uses these to provide a more complete understanding of plate tectonic process and the structure of Earth. (Author/YDS)

Explains how students' alternative conceptions about curriculum topics interfere with classroom learning. Describes the Royal Society of Chemistry's Teacher Fellowship Project entitled "Challenging Misconceptions in the Classroom," which develops classroom materials to diagnose and challenge specific alternative conceptions. Uses key…

Presents a review of research into alternative conceptions about the weather. Exposes the need for further research into secondary students' understandings. Argues that some misconceptions are the result of the imprecise use of terms. Contains 16 references. (DDR)

Argues that misunderstanding about the purpose of the salt bridge probably arises from a lack of explicit and adequate information in textbooks. Suggests a detailed teaching approach that describes the purpose of the salt bridge on the microscopic level. (DDR)

Argues that some common student misconceptions are perpetuated by teachers, textbooks, and rote-learning methods and that strategies to challenge and change these misconceptions are needed. Focuses on misconceptions related to the eye and how it works. (DDR)

A survey of adults that shows considerable misunderstanding of two major ideas--that there is no energy in fuels and burning involves two stages--is discussed. Proposed are fundamental changes in the way ideas about burning are introduced to children. (KR)

Advocates the accuracy of the common belief that the possession of energy drives, gives potential for, or accounts for change. Argues that the term "free energy" or entropy represents the possibility of change. Recommends that educators reexamine their use of these terms to prevent common misconceptions about energy. (TW)