Student attitudes about learning science and student ideas about the nature of science were compared at the end of two astronomy courses taught in Fall 2007, a course with a traditional astronomy curriculum and a transformed course, whose traditional astronomy curriculum was supplemented by an embedded curriculum that explicitly addressed the…

A cautious introduction of the dialogue between science and religion into a college astronomy course provoked diverse reactions from the 340 students in the course. Reports that approximately half of the students in the class engaged with the issue of science and religion to some extent and that there were few negative reactions to this…

Discusses theories about the possibility of the weakening or strengthening of the gravitational constant, and the cosmological effects of such a change. (MLH)

Describes the gravitational lens effect and the chance of observing it. The use of stars, galaxies, or quasars is recommended for alignment with an intervening lens mass. (Author/SA)

Outlines a way for instructors to teach astronomy and the nature of scientific inquiry. Highlights a discussion with students during coverage of the Earth-Moon system. (CCM)

Discusses the trigonometric or heliocentric parallax method of measuring distances to the stars. A description of how parallax distances are derived, the importance of this method, and the limitations of this method are also included. (DS)

Discussed is the lack of a scientific foundation and scientific evidence favoring astrology. Included are several research studies conducted to examine astrological tenets which yield generally negative results. (Author/DS)

Describes a study providing evidence of how students' talk and writing about the nature of science differs depending on the particular scientific topic under discussion. Describes the relationship between theory and evidence, warrants for belief, and nature of observation. (Contains 25 references.) (Author/YDS)

In science teaching, Aristotelian physics is often presented in a fragmentary and oversimplified way which distorts the true meaning of Aristotelian concepts. Discusses some mistakes that originate from a partial reading of Aristotle's work. Contains 32 references. (Author/WRM)

In the Discover Lab, a science education center at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, students learn to investigate, critique, and test big scientific questions and devise their own answers. Students are guided through cyclical processes of inquiry, logic and reasoning, testing and experimentation, and communication. (MLH)

This program guide is meant to help teachers assist their students in viewing the six-part public television series, "Stephen Hawking's Universe." The guide features program summaries that give background information and brief synopses of the programs; previewing activities that familiarize students with the subject; vocabulary that…