Misinformation has been extensively studied as both maliciously intended propaganda and accidentally experienced incorrect assumptions. We contend that "conceptual contamination" is the process by which the learning of incorrect information interferes, pollutes, or otherwise disrupts the learning of correct information. This is similar…

Examines and discusses research findings regarding the degree to which physics texts aid in student's understanding of physics concepts. Found that teachers' questioning behaviors, inclusion of seductive details, and the incorporation of analogies may influence student learning. (ZWH)

The use of trade books in science instruction, particularly in the elementary and middle school grades, invites scrutiny into the ways in which trade books represent science and its practitioners to learners. Forty-four trade books were examined for their explicit and implicit representations of science. The majority of the sample was comprised of…

Learning using primary literature may be a way of developing a capacity for scientific ways of thinking among students. Since reading research articles is a difficult task for novices, we examined the possible benefits of learning using primary literature versus secondary literature, particularly with respect to their influence on the creation and…