This study investigated how students reason about the partial derivative and the directional derivative of a multivariable function at a given point, using different graphical representations for the function in the problem statement. Questions were formulated to be as isomorphic as possible in both mathematics and physics contexts and were given…

The authors outline some of the ways in which they teach student teachers to think about the challenges of abstract concepts in science. They ask the student teachers to think about abstract ideas in a non-science context first, and find they are enabled to discuss and engage (and then later apply) their thinking better. The authors think that…

In this paper, we seek to evaluate the extent to which students can follow a deductive reasoning chain when it is presented to them. A great deal of instruction in introductory physics courses is centered on presenting students with a logical argument that starts from first principles and systematically leads to a particular conclusion. This…

This research explored the interrelationship among Taiwanese high school students' conceptions of learning science (COLS), self-regulated learning science (SRLS), and science learning self-efficacy (SLSE). A total of 309 students participated in the study, and the self-report survey data were collected to measure these three constructs. Four COLS…

Newton's third law is one of the most important concepts learned early in introductory mechanics courses; however, ample studies have documented a wide range of students' misconceptions and fragmented understandings of this concept that are difficult to change through traditional instruction. This research develops a conceptual framework model to…

The present study investigates the effects that concreteness fading has on learning and transfer across three grade levels (4-6) in elementary school science education in comparison to learning with constantly concrete representations. 127 9- to 12-years-old elementary school students studied electric circuits in a computer-based simulation…

In this discussion I show that philosophy of science concepts, especially where examples and thought experiments are limiting, can be enriched with artistic examples. I argue that artistic examples show abstract components and relations that can then be used to engage with philosophical concepts. First, I discuss a useful representational model…

The main purpose of the study was to investigate pre-service teachers' perceptions of the criteria used to classify animals. In this regard, it was also aimed at exploring conceptual structures and reasoning patterns shaping the pre-service teachers' perceptions. The participants of the present study were 324 pre-service teachers attending science…

This dissertation aims to explore how students think about atomic absorption and emission of light in the area of introductory quantum chemistry. In particular, the impact of classical ideas of electron position and energy on student understanding of spectra is studied. The analysis was undertaken to discover how student learning can be…

Explores the effects of Roundhouse diagram construction on a previously low-performing middle school science student's struggles to understand abstract science concepts and principles. Based on a metacognition-based visual learning model, aims to elucidate the process by which Roundhouse diagramming helps learners bootstrap their current…

A Swedish interview study of how deaf pupils reason about phenomena in a science context revealed significant variation in the extent to which pupils used scientific principles for reasoning about science phenomena, which suggests that for some pupils, school science offers little as a framework for reasoning. (Contains references.) (DB)

Three task context factors that form obstacles to generalizing logical reasoning strategies for adolescents are discussed. The relationship between these obstacle factors and Piagetian theory is explored. Findings suggest that it is possible to make some predictions about how and when logical mechanisms will be generalized to new situations.…

Analyzes the meaning of Piaget's concept of abstraction and provides discussion of some of its shortcomings. (HM)

Investigated, within a Piagetian framework, was the degree of abstract preferences exhibited by five different grade levels of science students as they completed eighteen problem solving tasks. Three hundred twenty-nine randomly selected students from five grade levels, ranging from eighth grade to college seniors, were given the Shipley Test of…

A colliding spheres type of experiment is used with several hundred 4-12 grade students to test for knowledge of the concept of controlling variables. Results support the contention that the concept is developed gradually during the concept stage but not fully attained until around 14 years of age. (CP)