An important goal of science education is for students to understand the nature of science. Science education has raised the question of what science is, how scientific knowledge is developed and how people participate in this process under the conceptual umbrella of 'nature of science' (NOS). This study aims to look at the effectiveness of the…

Children are natural scientists full of curiosity. This curiosity allows them to ask questions about and to investigate their surroundings. Since science is not just a collection of facts to be learned, but rather investigations that need to be made, teachers should encourage that natural curiosity in the classroom. Luckily, the "Next…

The authors collaborated on hosting a "Spring Inspire Day." planned and delivered by preservice elementary teachers as a social studies/science methods project. Projects that have authentic application opportunities can make learning meaningful for prospective teachers as well as elementary students. With the impetus for an integrated…

In this exploratory study, reading, writing, and discussion were examined within the context of a pen pal intervention focusing on authentic literacy tasks. The study employed a mixed-method design with a triangulation-convergence model to explore the relationship between authentic literacy tasks and the literacy motivation of elementary students…

AN INTERIM UNIT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO ASSIST TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN MAKING THE TRANSITION TO A CONTEMPORARY MATHEMATICS PROGRAM. EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT ANY INTRODUCTORY WORK DURING THE YEAR PRECEDING THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW PROGRAM HAS MADE THE FIRST YEAR CONSIDERABLY EASIER AND MORE PROFITABLE FOR BOTH TEACHERS AND PUPILS. EACH CONCEPT…

This paper describes the use of LOGOWriter with fifth grade boys as a means of developing programming procedures for computer games that they could use to simulate motion with acceleration, as well as techniques for controlling the direction of motion. The kinds of programs developed, student responses to this work, observations about teaching…

THIS STUDY SOUGHT TO DETERMINE IF HIGHLY DIRECTED (PROGRAMED) LEARNING IS SUPERIOR TO NONDIRECTED (DISCOVERY-TYPE) LEARNING. SPECIAL UNITS IN MATHEMATICS WHICH EMPLOYED A DISCOVERY METHOD WERE DEVELOPED AT THE FIFTH-GRADE LEVEL. NEXT, A PROGRAMED MODIFICATION OF THE BASIC UNIT OF INSTRUCTION WAS DEVELOPED. FINALLY, ANOTHER PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION…

Reports a study of 56 fifth graders that questioned whether the cognitive style of reflection-impulsivity could be measured by students' performance on 2 art-related tests. Found that cognitive style was not a strong predictor of artistic performance. (GG)

Over the past 10 years, numerous empirical investigations of learning in physics have been carried out at the Institute of Physics Education (IPE) at the University of Bremen in Germany. The objectives of these investigations were: (1) to describe in detail individual learning processes; (2) to construct theoretical principles of individual…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an instructional unit on inventing affected the inventive abilities of fifth and sixth graders and investigate the possible effects of the unit on students' creativity scores and attitudes towards science. Concomitantly, this study attempted to determine whether relationships existed between…

Reports that students from fourth and fifth grades, along with middle and advanced history students acting as mentors, planned and executed a five-month historical research field project. Student research teams carried out at a local site a two-week archaeological dig uncovering artifacts and discovering how their predecessors lived. (NL)