Astronomy has great potential to attract children toward science and improve their scientific literacy. However, it has a relatively small presence within the school curricula worldwide. In Chile, home of the world's largest telescopes, astronomy is even more relevant in science education, but the presence of astronomical content within the…

This systematic review is aimed to explore the researches that established students' conceptual change process, both studies that facilitate conceptual change and studies that determined learner characters influencing conceptual change. Overall, 50 studies were examined in this review. The current study focused on the common characteristics of the…

Curriculum-assessment alignment is a well known foundation for good practice in educational assessment, for items' curricular validity purposes. Nowadays instruments are designed to measure pupils' competencies in one or more areas of competence. Sub-competence areas could be defined theoretically and statistical analysis of empirical data by…

Describes how children switch from intuitive to scientific methods of explanation of motion when the numerical conditions in the presented problem are changed. Investigates a case study where significant numbers of students appear to draw on different models of motion. Indicates that many students exhibit combinations of Aristotelian-like…

Described is a technique for determining whether a student can conserve matter. This technique utilizes a square-triangle problem. Included are typical answers and Piagetian-type explanations for such answers. (DS)

Argues for the need for theoretical work on mental models in the field of science education. Considers relationships between both models and theories, and mental models and conceptions in order to improve the notions of "model" and "mental model" used in the literature. Contains 20 references. (Author/WRM)

Examines the usefulness and limitations of the notion of cognitive structure in science and the idea of mapping or charting it. Surveys several techniques for enumerating cognitive structure and explores possible classroom applications. (GS)

Presents the epistemology of scientific concepts from a schematic modeling perspective. Discusses students' initial cognitive states based on the level of commensurability between students' own concepts and their scientific counterparts. Contains 87 references. (DDR)

Describes a study that investigated whether scientific and nonscientific understandings in the same content area are linked. Finds that students' (n=107) explanations indicate that they were using an "if-then" type of reasoning which linked scientific and nonscientific conceptions. Contains 39 references. (Author/WRM)

Reviews science education research into representations constructed by students in their interactions with the world, its phenomena, and artefacts. Features discussions of mental models, conceptual models, and the activity of modeling. (Contains 30 references.) (Author/WRM)

Comments on the study of Mali and Howe (1979) which used the work of Nussbaum and Novak to examine the notions that Nepali children hold about the earth. (HM)

Describes the Science Concept-Vocabulary Acquisition (SCVA) model which promotes simultaneous cognitive construction of science concepts and the scientific nomenclature needed to understand and communicate those concepts. Contains 19 references. (DDR)

The thinking process does not always start with problem situations that produce cognitive conflict, and the confrontation of students' misconceptions is not always successful as a teaching approach. Contends that curiosity and mystery appear to excite human thinking and could therefore be considered to be the starting point in science teaching and…

Asks whether what is taught in science class only makes sense to someone who already understands science. Discusses school science in terms of four questions: (1) What is to be taught?; (2) What conditions promote learning?; (3) What do students learn?; and (4) What are the cognitive processes in learners' minds? (Contains 17 references.)…

Reviewed are several pertinent research articles dealing with cognitive development, Piaget's theories, and science instruction, especially those that relate to procedures that can be implemented by classroom teachers. The research findings on developmental levels of Piaget discuss: (1) tasks that indicate a change from preoperational to concrete…