A series of quantitative studies investigated undergraduate students' perceptions of their cognitive and affective learning in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory. To explore these quantitative findings, a qualitative research protocol was developed to characterize student learning in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory. Students (N = 13)…

Throughout countries such as Ireland, the U.K., and Australia, graduate students who fulfill teaching roles in the undergraduate laboratory are often referred to as "laboratory demonstrators". The laboratory demonstrator (LD) model of graduate teaching is similar to the more commonly known graduate teaching assistant (GTA) model that is…

Little research exists on college students' learning goals in chemistry, let alone specifically pertaining to laboratory coursework. Because students' learning goals are linked to achievement and dependent on context, research on students' goals in the laboratory context may lead to better understanding about the efficacy of lab curricula. This…

The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to better understand teaching assistants' (TAs') perceptions of training in a guided inquiry undergraduate general chemistry laboratory context. The training was developed using existing TA training literature and informed by situated learning theory. TAs engaged in training prior to teaching (~25…

Discusses the cognitive outcomes of physics laboratory exercises and suggests three types of experiments which should be added to those normally used in physics courses. (HM)

Reviews the objectives of laboratory work in chemistry education, current laboratory practice, and factors likely to impact on the nature of laboratory work in the future. Proposes that more investigation-style laboratory work be provided in order to foster the development of students' investigation skills. (Author/MKR)

Investigated the interaction between science teaching strategy (semideductive, structured inductive, hypotheticodeductive) and selected learner characteristics (Piagetian cognitive level and field independence) in terms of student achievement in science. Achievement of undergraduate elementary education majors (N=77) in a general science program…

Volume 8, No. 2 of Investigations in Science Education contains critiques of articles dealing with science education research about various aspects of instruction. Also included are five responses from authors of articles to critiques of their work as it has been reported in professional journals. In total, this volume contains 10 critiques and…

The purpose of this experiment was to compare an inquiry-oriented Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) style laboratory approach with a more directive traditional approach on student outcomes in the cognitive and affective domains of learning at two private, midwestern liberal arts colleges. Intact laboratory sections of students enrolled…