Discusses research into problem-solving skills that have caused the theoretical methods of teaching and learning problem solving to evolve rapidly. Presents issues and questions that still need to be explored. (PR)

Outlines how a group of primary teachers developed a range of design briefs using textiles, and describes how students were taught explicit skills which enabled them to successfully solve the design tasks. (WRM)

Suggests that simple riddles can be used effectively to make students interact in science class. Proposed teaching methods require the student to provide answers to riddles in order to develop the discussion about a given topic. Presents sample riddles related to elements and their compounds. (WRM)

Describes the nature and existence of both model-data fit and conceptual problems in science, then examines two curricular projects--one in genetics and one in evolutionary biology--that attempt to integrate these problems into classroom instruction. (Author/SAH)

Evaluates an instructional method in general chemistry that attempts to bridge the gap between algorithmic problem-solving abilities and conceptual understanding of chemistry students and emphasizes conceptual problem solving in the initial phase of a concept. Concludes that using a conceptual focus for the chemistry courses had many positive…

Introduces the "Where are We?" software and lessons that are designed to help children in grades 2-4 learn to translate between the visually-perceived world that they sense around them, and the schematic representation of that landscape on a map. Evaluates the skills practiced in the software. (Contains 26 references.) (Author/YDS)

Describes a contest in which students attempt to build a device that produces a donut-shaped air pulse that will travel the greatest distance with the most accuracy. (WRM)

Describes an experiment undertaken to determine what relative electric charges would result if three or more pieces of transparent tape were placed on top of each other and then separated one at a time. Makes suggestions for using the project in high school and undergraduate classes. (WRM)

Discusses Newton's long struggle with the concepts of inertia and centrifugal force as an example of high-grade scientific thinking. Discusses the role of textbooks and how they largely emphasize memorization. Suggests that the historical approach can be more time-consuming than textbook-based teaching and that it requires a good understanding of…

Presents an activity that allows students to apply problem-solving skills and chemical principles to calculate the cost for converting a gasoline-powered vehicle to propane. (Author/ASK)

How can teachers make science learning relevant to today's technology savvy students? They can incorporate the Internet and use it as a tool to help solve real-life problems. A group of university professors, a field biologist, and classroom teachers teamed up to create an exciting, interactive Web-based learning environment for students and…

A simple circuit problem treating an inductor, resistor and battery in series has uncovered a basic misconception of first-year students. The misconception is not about circuits or electrical properties but concerns rather the meaning and interpretation of the rate of change (instantaneous slope or derivative) of physical quantities. Resolving the…

The third annual conference of the National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) was held at Trinity College Dublin on 11-12 November 2009, and was attended by over 300 delegates. The theme--"Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy"--was timely and generated some fascinating papers, workshops and…

Empirical correlations are a practical means of providing approximate answers to problems in physics whose exact solution is otherwise difficult to obtain. The correlations relate quantities that are deemed to be important in the physical situation to which they apply, and can be derived from experimental data by means of dimensional and/or scale…

A hands-on project was developed to educate new chemical engineering students about the types of problems chemical engineers solve and to improve student enthusiasm for studying chemical engineering. In this project, students studied the phenomenon of carbonated beverages going flat. The project was implemented in 2003 and 2004 at Kansas State…