Discusses Novak's views that Ausubel's meaningful learning can become an alternative to Piagetian psychology and argues that Ausubel does not provide a theory that can be an alternative to Piaget's developmental psychology. (HM)

Presents a rationale for providing preschool children with experiences related to classification, seriation, and pattern recognition because they are means by which a child can organize the world around him. These are considered to be the early steps in the long developmental sequence leading to logical thinking and reflective observation. (GS)

Examines the relationships between mental maturity and achievement in three types of science concepts-classificational, correlational, and theoretical. (AL)

Analyzes the meaning of Piaget's concept of abstraction and provides discussion of some of its shortcomings. (HM)

Investigated the degree of relationship among the performance of 28 seventh grade students on the following three formal operations tasks: chemical combinations, bending rods, and balance beam. Results show that task performance ranged widely from early concrete operational to fully operational. (HM)

Discusses and refutes Novak's arguments against Piaget's theory of intellectual development in favor of Ausubel's theory of meaningful verbal learning. (GA)

Describes the use of interviews with children ranging in age from 6 to 13 to identify patterns of children's beliefs in the area of heat and temperature. Also discusses how this knowledge might be used in an instructional setting. (HM)

In this article a general model of mastery learning is developed and discussed using data gathered from operating applications of the mastery model in college classrooms. Suggestions for the implementation of the mastery model in the high school are also presented. (HM)

The authors employed the Raven Test of Logical Operations (RTLO) to assess development of cognitive structure for subjects of ages 8 to 19. Their conclusions support in part the development sequence described by Piaget. Lack of hierarchical order in some cognitive operations may indicate limitation of the instrument. (Author/EB)

Investigated the relationship between syntactical complexity of high school students' written language and their ability to reason formally. Format reasoning ability of 50 high school students was measured by a 15-item group-administered demonstration test developed by Lawson. (HM)

Investigates the development of the concept of heat by children aged four to nine. Analysis revealed 11 thought patterns classified into six categories underlying children's concept of heat. These categories are related to scientific knowledge of the physics of heat. (HM)

Presents a general theory of instruction which suggests that the teacher's function is to create a new environment in which effective instructed learning occurs. Illustrations for this theory with reference to science instruction and a review of prior statements identifiable as theory are also included. (HM)

Presents a summary of science education research for 1983. The 422 reports reviewed were placed into one of seven clusters for analysis/discussion: learning and instruction; curriculum development and evaluation; cognitive development studies; test development; teacher education; science education research completed in foreign countries; and…

Examines science education research studies concerned with the development of formal thinking in adolescents according to Piagetian theory. (Author/GA)

Presented is a broad perspective of the state of knowledge in science education, a description of existing trends, the areas where research is needed, and tentative answers to persistent problems that have been identified from the research. (CS)