This literature review synthesizes the effects of technology-assisted instruction on the learning of students with mild and moderate disabilities for the 1988-95 period. Empirically based findings are discussed in the skill areas of reading, written expression, whole language, and mathematics, and in the content areas of social studies and…

Surveys of predominantly Asian students in college preparatory chemistry classes examined their views of themselves as scientists and readers and writers of science material. Results indicated that gender was related to students' views of themselves as scientists and writers of science. Family and extracurricular science activities were powerful…

Reviews evidence on gender inequities in science education and gender differences in "ways of knowing" and argues that making science instruction more effective can promote greater equity. Describes a conceptual change approach to science instruction that explicitly activates students' preexisting conceptions and misconceptions and helps students…

Describes research that documents the falsification of laboratory results by chemistry and physics students. Discusses some factors that encourage students to fabricate results and why some students do not feel the need to falsify data. Contains 16 references. (DDR)

Describes the application of a teaching model to the teaching of a science course entitled Changes in Matter. Discusses the teaching sequence and the outcomes of the unit in terms of students' conceptual development. Concludes that the approach requires a conceptual, methodological, and attitudinal change for teachers and students. (DDR)

Describes an activity that teaches a number of scientific concepts including indirect measurement, Newton's third law of motion, manipulating and controlling variables, and the scientific method of inquiry. Uses process skills such as observation, inference, prediction, mensuration, and communication as well as problem solving and higher-order…

Discusses strategies to make life science classes more fun by planning activities that include preserved and live specimens. Discusses field trips and collections. (JRH)

Proposes that chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and arithmetic form a base from which students can focus on consumer issues. Describes a hands-on science program that stresses real world topics and employs portfolios which consist of a term paper, a student designed experiment, lab reports, and tests. (DDR)

Asserts that traditional teaching methods are unintentionally biased towards the elite and against many non-traditional students. Outlines several easily accessible changes in teaching methods that have fostered dramatic changes in student performance with no change in standards. These approaches have proven effective even in the fields of…

Researchers at the University of Utrecht (Netherlands) examined preservice physics teachers' motives for attending an orientation course, noting how the motives developed and changed. Periodic surveys indicated that students had five motives, the most important being desire to learn whether they wanted to be secondary teachers (followed by…

An experimental lesson is described in which student teachers verbalized preconceptions about a natural object (mushrooms) and completed personal response activities about a poem entitled "Mushrooms." The approach stimulated enhanced awareness of mushrooms and more questions about growth and reproduction. Possible applications in…

Examines the scientific concept of evaporation. Attempts to show how students develop their understanding through the levels of the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy. Shows how designing learning experiences to suit the learners' developmental stages in understanding a concept is paramount to the overall growth of the…

Investigates the knowledge of elementary school teacher candidates on rock-cycle processes. Three different instructional interventions were used to improve their knowledge: (1) conceptual-change teaching; (2) traditional didactic teaching; and (3) microteaching. The conceptual-change group showed the most growth in understanding, supporting…

Examines some of the misconceptions about the nature of critical thinking. Focuses on the characterization of critical thinking in terms of processes or skills and the separation of critical thinking and knowledge. Offers a different conception of critical thinking. (Contains 46 references.) (DDR)

This article describes an inquiry-based science project, presents the professional development that supported it, gives recommendations to teachers of inclusive classrooms, and provides a practical checklist for program assessment. A list of teacher characteristics recommended for the inquiry approach is also provided, along with classroom design…