Describes a study of textbooks and classroom practice that examines how science is portrayed to high school students. Concludes there is an overemphasis of the factual base of science. Failure of teachers to characterize scientific knowledge as tentative, and scientific work as creative, are identified as problems. Suggests changes be made in…

Two groups of four children each were involved in a qualitative study designed to interpret the nature of fourth graders' understandings of electric circuits. Conclusions regarding knowledge restructuring are presented as well as implications for teaching, assessment, and research. (ZWH)

The time between asking a question and accepting an answer or proceeding with the lesson is reported for five lessons for four instructors. There was little change during four weeks of instructor-supervisor conferences intended to alter questioning techniques. (AL)

Fifteen students participated in a study designed to document the curriculum processes that influenced the meanings associated with the content studied by a secondary environmental science class. Uses entropy to illustrate what was learned about the curriculum processes that shaped the meaning of content in the science class studied. (ZWH)

Describes the thoughts of a secondary science teacher faced with the dilemmas experienced while teaching an environmental science class (n=15). Some of the dilemmas identified were the following: (1) curriculum control and intellectual engagement; and (2) conflict confidence and successful discourse management. An implication of the work is that…

Synthesizes the key aspects of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of learning. Interprets classroom vignettes and child interviews from a first-grade science activity in light of Vygotsky's theory. (Author/CCM)

Forty-six students enrolled in a high school physics course participated in a study designed to portray student views on, and understanding of, collaborative concept mapping. Students demonstrated a good understanding of concept maps and emphasized their usefulness as a learning tool. (56 references) (ZWH)

Describes the Iowa science-technology-society (STS) models and goals. Characterizes and gives examples of using the STS approach in classrooms. Reports the results of four studies that have assessed the outcomes of learning with STS instruction. Identifies some problems concerning the future use of STS in schools. (PR)

The underrepresentation of women in science and engineering might be caused by certain differences in science training processes. This study investigated sex differences in classroom atmosphere and classroom behaviors of science teachers and students. Males were dominant in working on classroom displays and classroom activities. (YP)

Describes a vignette of an American white teaching successfully in the Philippines and an American white teaching unsuccessfully in a Washington, DC, school. Although the lesson is the same, successful teaching comes from cultural preparation while in the second situation, the teacher did not recognize he was teaching in a different culture.…

Presents a teacher's reflection on his teaching using two different perspectives. The first perspective uses the cognitive apprenticeship metaphor as a tool for analyzing and understanding teaching. The second, a methodological perspective, uses conversational analysis to arrive at microanalytic descriptions and conceptualizations of teaching. (PR)

Three themes emerged from interviews with 149 elementary through secondary students: instructional strategies, cognitive demands, and students' ideas about how science should be taught. Elementary students enjoyed the messing around quality of their activities. Junior high school students were becoming uncomfortable with open-ended activities. In…

Describes a theoretical frame for understanding cognitive development to outline the planning and performance of a unit on electrostatics. Analyzes a female student's learning process and the development of the complexity of her cognitive skills. (PR)

Discusses some of the definitions of successful instruction stated or implied by researchers in science education and examines reasons for the diversity of definitions. Describes how a high school chemistry teacher decides whether his or her instruction is successful and how these assessments influence instructional practices. (PR)