Socio-scientific decision-making necessitates reasoning from multiple perspectives and the use of trade-offs. This study examines how students decide on socio-scientific issues when they engage in an instructional intervention to enhance their socio-scientific decision-making towards consensus building that, in this study, emphasises generating…

Provides a method to help students understand problem-solving techniques used in introductory physics courses. (MVL)

The purpose of this study was to analyze the errors made by students solving genetics problems. A sample of 10 non-science undergraduate students was obtained from a private college in Northern New Jersey. The results support prior research in the area of genetics education and show that a weak understanding of the relationship of meiosis to…

Investigated methods science and nonscience majors use to make predictions about five situations involving the conservation of mechanical energy. Two findings, among others, show that subjects did not employ identifiable strategies in over 97 percent of the cases and show differences in the way majors and nonmajors worked the problems given.…

Authors discuss how computer laboratory interfacing has revolutionized their nonscience-major introductory chemistry course. Discusses the advantages of doing away with the "cookbook" approach to laboratory experimentation. Presents an evaluation of the course approach including the finding that over 75 percent of the students felt that…

This study examines undergraduate non-science majors' perceptions of a cooperative-collaborative science pedagogy employed in a course on global change that was one course in a pilot project of a newly-designed environmental science program. Non-traditional evaluation tools such as portfolios, focus groups, group assessments, and self-assessments…

Discusses the lack of study skills found among non-science majors. Provides examples of how science courses differ from other courses. Gives some methods to help students study more effectively. (MVL)

Examined is the predictive value of the cognitive variables of developmental level, mental capacity, cognitive style, short-term storage space, and numerical inductive reasoning for student achievement in college science. Included is a strategy for the development of materials which would allow students to develop problem-solving skills. (KR)

The objective of this study was to provide data related to learning styles and to learning environments, to identify appropriate experiences for the non-major biology student. Investigated was whether congruence existed between a measured amount of cognitive process or analytical skill and the resultant answer on a test question which required…

The earth sciences is an evolving set of disciplines encompassing more than 30 specialties; however, earth scientists continue to be trained within the traditional disciplinary structure. Earth science education should focus not only on student acquisition and retention of factual knowledge, but also on the development of higher-order skills…