Kindergarteners have plenty of opportunities to discover and investigate cause and effect in their own lives and in all subject areas. If it rains, they may not be able to go outside for recess. If they pump harder on the swing, the swing will go faster and higher. In science, they may investigate pushes and pulls; discover how exposure to…

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…

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) mathematicians have discovered how certain insects can climb what to them are steep, slippery slopes in the water's surface without moving their limbs, and do it at high speed. Welcome to the world of the tiny creatures that live on the surface of ponds, lakes, and other standing bodies of water. For the…

Human expert problem-solving in science is defined and used to account for scientific discovery. These ideas are used to describe BACON.5, a machine expert problem solver that discovers scientific laws using data-driver heuristics and "expectations" such as symmetry. Implications of BACON.5 type research for traditional science education…

Methods used to investigate problems in the sciences include building-up strategies, insight, and change (or serendipitous discovery). Discusses appropriate learning experiences for the undergraduate science students so they are more likely to benefit from the second method of scientific discovery as they make a career in their chosen field. (JN)

Discusses the development and use of flowcharts to involve students in the major stages of experimental design and hypothesizing. The progress of stages attempts to simplify the complexity involved during problem-solving in science investigations. Several illustrative flowcharts are included. (JN)

Provides historical examples of intuitive discovery applicable to the teaching of physics for majors. Cites details for the discovery of Coulomb's law, emphasizing the roles of Joseph Priestley and Henry Cavendish. Also discusses the career of Ivar Giaever, a Nobel Prize winner of 1973 in solid state physics. (CS)

Studies time intervals in a list of critical ideas in physics. Infers that the rate of growth of ideas has been proportional to the totality of known ideas multiplied by the totality of people in the world. Indicates that the rate of discovery in physics has been decreasing. (CW)

Historical reconstruction of Dmitrii Mendeleev's part in the creation of the Periodic Table of Elements illustrates how important the process of textbook writing was in this scientific development. A clear difference is seen between logical reconstruction of the discovery process and the insights provided by historical reconstruction of the same…

This article begins with a section entitled, "Involving Parents in Science Discovery" written by Carol Seefeldt. This section discusses staff workshop for exploring discovery science. Here, the author provides the staff workshop instructions. This is followed by a section entitled, "Exploring Science with Young Children" written by Peter Rillero.…

Argues that more attention should be given to teaching students how to learn the rudiments of specific metabolic pathways. This approach describes a unique way of learning the glycolytic pathway in stepwise fashion. The pedagogy involves clear rote components that are connected to a set of generalizations that develop and enhance important…

Many new directions for science teaching were developed during the post-Sputnik era. Hands-on science teaching remains a popular direction, yet may be seen as something complex or mysterious by those not familiar with some of the jargon which usually accompanies any discussion of science teaching. This paper responds to several questions teachers…

This publication is an extended essay by the president of Indiana University on the impact of the sciences at Indiana University (IU) and beyond. In several sections it addresses the nature of discovery, science and society, the research university, and learning and teaching. The essay often refers to past and present IU faculty in astronomy,…

Explains cognitive basis for change in science paradigms using Watson-Crick DNA model to illustrate concepts of "normal" versus "revolutionary" science. Examines these concepts in light of teacher preception of science, and discusses implications for the practice of science education. (JM)

Describes the teacher's guide made up of 125 student activities encompassing 1 year of high school physics instruction called Physics Resources and Instructional Strategies for Motivating Students (PRISMS). The learning cycle of each activity includes three phases: exploration, concept introduction, and concept application. Provides exploration…