Examined were the relationships between three qualities: students' knowledge of chemical terms, the relationships they recognize between these terms, and their achievement. Used were an explanation test, an achievement test, and a connectivity test. Results indicated knowledge of terms was a necessary, but not sufficient, prerequisite for…

Develops an experimental teaching method emphasizing the nature of functions including graphical representation in an introductory college physics course (mechanics). Examines the effects of this method on student's problem solving and attitude toward physics. (YP)

Describes a laboratory activity "Observing Reactions in Solution." The activity can be used either as a laboratory or as a performance assessment for a high school chemistry class. (PR)

A recent study compared hands-on scientific inquiry assessment to assessments involving lab notebooks, computer simulations, short-answer paper-and-pencil problems, and multiple-choice questions. Creating high quality performance assessments is a costly, time-consuming process requiring considerable scientific and technological know-how. Improved…

Describes a way to enhance student/instructor communication through regular student feedback on key concepts. Argues that examinations also serve this purpose but are too infrequent and that anonymous quizzes can be used effectively. (DDR)

Compares the achievement in science for ninth grade students in China and the United States. Reveals a small difference between the two groups and presents a rationale for the comparison. Contains 31 references. (DDR)

Investigates variations in students' responses to lever problems across multiple assessment contexts and formats. Data sources include students' semantic maps, written responses to questions, and modeled solutions to practical problems. Contains 40 references. (DDR)

Distinguishes between science literacy and scientific literacy. Argues that the two approaches are often in contention and have different implications for education, testing, and the public funding of science. Suggests that both are needed for effective participation in the real world. (DDR)

Factors contributing to American students' declining scores on the TIMSS (Third International Mathematics and Science Study) between grades 4 and 8 include textbook size and U.S. educators' traditional views of middle-school years. Bad data probably invalidate claims about the grade 8 to 12 decline. International reading scores favor Americans.…

Theme-based tests provide an assessment tool that instructs as well as provides a single general context for a broad set of biochemical concepts. A single story line connects the questions on the tests and models applications of scientific principles and biochemical knowledge in an extended scenario. Theme-based tests are based on a set of…

The use of accommodations has been widely proposed as a means of including English language learners (ELLs) or limited English proficient (LEP) students in state and districtwide assessments. However, very little experimental research has been done on specific accommodations to determine whether these pose a threat to score comparability. This…

This paper describes an empirical study of fun, usability, and learning in educational software. Twenty five children aged 7 and 8 from an English primary school participated. The study involved three software products that were designed to prepare children for government initiated science tests. Pre and post tests were used to measure the…

Students who chose to enroll in a supplemental course associated with a large biology lecture performed better on lecture exams than those students who chose not to enroll in the supplemental course. Sections of the supplemental course were taught with instructor-centered methods prior to some exams, student-centered methods prior to other exams,…

This pilot study investigated the capacity of eye-gaze tracking to identify differences in problem-solving behaviours within a group of individuals who possessed varying degrees of knowledge and expertise in three disciplines of science (biology, chemistry and physics). The six participants, all pre-service science teachers, completed an 18-item…

States are establishing high stakes assessments to serve as a measurement tool of students' academic abilities. This study essentially explored and sought to understand some of Maryland's mathematics and science practitioners' perspectives on increase testing, and the No Child left Behind (NCLB) Act. Basically, the study sought to understand and…