Introductory science courses can be a struggle for instructors and students not only because of the challenging nature of the material, but also due to differences in the background knowledge of students. Provision of pre-lecture resources reviewing or introducing key concepts is recommended to support diverse students. In this paper, we describe…

In this study, we have explored the ways in which small-group work in science can contribute to strengthen multilingual students' subject language and conceptual development when working with language-oriented classroom activities in primary classrooms. The aim is to determine whether it is possible to identify factors in interactions in…

Comprehensive understanding of complex biological systems necessitates the use of computational models because they facilitate visualisation and interrogation of system dynamics and data-driven analysis. Computational model-based (CMB) activities have demonstrated effectiveness in improving students' understanding and their ability to use and…

Thoughtful implementation of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) (CCSSI 2010) presents an opportunity for increased emphasis on the development of mathematical understanding among students. Granted, ascertaining the mathematical understanding of an individual student is highly complex work and often exceedingly difficult.…

Authentic learning is conceptualised as an individualised experience learners undergo fulfilling their unique psychological as well as neurological needs. It provides a deep, more lasting experience and ideally assessed through generic attributes that are related to individual learners' intrinsic characteristics, spanning throughout the life.…

We report on responses to a series of four questions designed to identify pre-existing abilities related to debugging and troubleshooting experiences of novice students before they begin programming instruction. The focus of these questions include general troubleshooting, bug location, exploring unfamiliar environments, and describing students'…

The purpose of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Learning Style Profile is to provide educators with a well-validated and easy-to-use instrument for diagnosing the cognitive styles, perceptual response tendencies, and study/instructional preferences of middle level and senior high school students. The Learning Style…

The present study was an attempt to investigate the effects of two factors - number of defining attributes and the degree to which a student has learned those attributes (level of conceptualization) - on the difficulty of a concept. (Author)

Reports results of a study to assess ability of children from different age groups (N=144) to generalize two hierarchically related concepts (Insect and Animal) with and without instruction in the form of a mental set. Also examined effects of age, I.Q., and sex on ability to generalize these concepts. (Author/JN)

Experiment I was designed to demonstrate that young children fail to abstract the positive cue as the relevant stimulus event in a restricted concept-learning task. Sixteen kindergarten and 16 fourth grade subjects were trained to criterion on a Kendler-type task, whereupon each subject was presented a pair of new instances which contrasted only…

Reported is a study to determine the proper sequencing of the Conceptually Oriented Program in Elementary Science (COPES) on the basis of structure-of-intellect (SI) abilities, provide science teachers with some insight into the kinds of instructional strategies that could be used and help the teacher decide on the timing of particular…

This digest addresses principles of planning science programs for high ability learners. It notes various evaluation reports that have reviewed needs in science learning and teaching, identified essential science concepts and processes, and evaluated teacher enhancement programs and curricula. Research on gifted learners in science is briefly…

This paper explores the significance of experiential learning in promoting scholarship from a constructivist point of view. Chapter 1 examines the historical perspectives and educational theories that form the basis to experiential education. Chapter 2 explores the work of Jean Piaget, giving a description and explanation of his theories and how…

Mathematics in the primary schools is discussed. This bulletin puts forth some suggestions to assist individual teachers in reaching their own decisions about changes and developments in the curriculum. The bulletin is divided into nine chapters. Two factors described in Chapter 1 and 2 support views expressed in the introduction. First, the…

This paper describes a study to determine whether students can, with appropriate instructional materials, develop and apply a knowledge of art concepts. An opening section reviews research on concept acquisition. This study utilized a concept acquisition model developed in 1970 by R. Gagne. Gagne's model proposed that concepts are learned through…