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…

Briefly reviews Piaget's theory of cognitive development and explains why students who are not formal operational have difficulty with chemical concepts. (MLH)

Cites reasons for the formation and continuance of the Intellectual Development Project ( IDP). The impact of IDP research is described. (CP)

Describes an experiment in which physics students were assigned to groups according to Piaget's stages of cognitive development and members of each group were asked to solve an elementary mechanics problem. Analysis revealed that the majority of students, those who were not operating at a formal level of development, may have done more harm than…

Supports the hypothesis that a student must engage a subject in a manner appropriate to his or her present stage of development if he or she is to advance to the next stage of development. Advocates the practice of having introductory physics students observe physical phenomena while they are manipulating equipment in order to foster cognitive…

Examines the assumption that students use a level of reasoning, when solving problems, that is substantially below their intellectual capacity. The study involved 466 college students enrolled in a general chemistry or a physical science course. The results include a comparison of science and non-science majors. (GS)

Discusses the implications of piaget's intellectual developmentmodel with respect to teaching at the college level. Many students operate at the concrete level and are incapable of abstract formal operations, however their interest and motivation can be maintained through active involvement with the representative ideas and materials of the…

Reviews Piagetian concepts, the identification of student cognitive level of development, and chemistry instruction. (SL)

Discusses instructor considerations to be made concerning student cognitive development in preparing and teaching introductory chemistry. (SL)

Discusses the learning cycle, a strategy developed by Karplus for incorporating Piaget's concepts into a pragmatic method for use in any classroom. The three facets to this strategy, exploration, invention, and application, are described. Includes an exercise that can be used for high school and college classrooms. (CS)

Investigates the prevalence of developmental cognitive differences among college students and the relation of scores on cognitive tests to an objective form of assessment of achievement, namely, the final grade in a conventional physics course. (GA)

This paper summarizes what the author considers to be the best advice available at this time for applying Piaget's theory in the chemistry classroom to understand the difficulties that some students have. The identification of students who are operating at the concrete operational or formal operational level is discussed along with the actual…

Selected research studies that explore the assumption that college science students operate at a formal cognitive level are presented in this information digest. Studies are reviewed that relate to the areas of: (1) formal thought (examining the relationship between measured formal thought and that required to understand formal college physical…

Discusses research attempting to identify difficulties experienced by undergraduate chemistry students in performing specific logical operations at the formal level as described or implied by Inhelder and Piaget. (BT)

This study focuses on the relationship between formal operational reasoning, as defined by Piaget, and the success of physics students, defined by their final examination grades. (SA)