The intellectual development of students as defined by Piagetian theory is discussed with the implications that the theory and recent research results may have for teaching science. Recommended is conducting small, carefully planned investigations that will lead to a better understanding of: (1) what concepts cause problems and why; (2) what…

Paper presents a two-fold operational partition of the structures involved in characterizing instructional knowledge. (Author)

Suggests that students who reason with only concrete thinking patterns may become formal thinkers through the use of the following instructional pattern: (1) the introduction of an undifferentiated whole, (2) differentiation of the whole through concrete experiences, (3) invention of symbolic notation, (4) application of concepts which lead to…

Tested was the hypothesis that science instruction based on task analysis will lead to the acquisition of the ability to perform certain Piaget volume tasks which have been characterized as requiring formal operations for their solutions. A Test on Formal Operations and a Learning Hierarchies Test were given to fourth- and sixth-grade students in…

Reviewed is research concerning cognitive development of entering college students; the implications for teaching biology and evaluating instructional materials are discussed. (SL)

Investigates several key statements from Piaget's cognitive psychology and their meaning for science education. Concludes that teaching must be conducted as reversibly as possible so that when the teacher presents his own assimilation schemata it will be equilibrated by the pupils' schemata. (GA)

This document reports the results of two studies performed to determine the effectiveness of special lessons in facilitating the attainment by children of the basic concept "tree." The first study, which utilized 103 fifth-grade students, also investigated the effects of pretesting. Results showed no significant effects of pretesting and…

Discusses the need to teach earth science material at the cognitive level of development of the student and presents examples of earth science related tests of formal and concrete operational competencies. (SL)

Describes a program being conducted within the chemistry department of Xavier University, New Orleans, Louisiana, to improve the abstract reasoning abilities of freshmen science majors. The project is based upon the philosophy developed by Jean Piaget. (SL)

This thesis reports a study of the effects of two types of advance organizer instruction, expository (EO) and guided self-discovery (GSDO), in teaching hierarchical classification or relations to preschool children. In the study, four experimental and one control group received three 25 minute instructional sessions. Using the same materials,…