This study examined Advanced Placement Calculus students' mathematical understanding of rate of change, after studying four years of college preparatory (integrated or single-subject) mathematics. Students completed the Precalculus Concept Assessment (PCA) and two open-ended tasks with questions about rates of change. After adjusting for prior…

Since research suggests that media pressure to be thin causes individuals to have negative feelings about their appearances, this research aimed to test whether exposing college students to some common myths about female images in the media may be part of the solution to fostering a healthier body image. In this study, a 2 (Group: Experimental or…

"Preventing Challenging Behavior in Your Classroom: Positive Behavior Support and Effective Classroom Management" focuses on practical strategies to prevent and reduce behavior problems and enhance student learning, particularly Positive Behavior Support (PBS). This book discusses the myths and facts of effective classroom management,…

Probabilistic misconceptions are common among students and teachers alike. This study involved 18 preservice secondary mathematics teachers and documents some of the common probabilistic misconceptions held by these preservice teachers. Data was collected through a survey involving eight probability problems and two semi-structured interviews.…

In this study, we investigated distinctions among the diversity of religious traditions represented by Lebanese and Egyptian Muslim high school students regarding their understanding and acceptance of biological evolution and how they relate the science to their religious beliefs. We explored secondary students' conceptions of evolution among…

Much reference has been made to Paul Ernest's "philosophy of mathematics education" to legitimise a strong fallibilist trend in mathematics education. This article presents the argument that: (1) This philosophy makes unwarranted assumptions that have been taken as "given". For example, that "absolutist" or "Platonist" views of mathematics…

The photoelectric effect is widely taught in schools and institutions. It is common knowledge that in order for photoelectrons to be emitted, the energy of the incoming photons must be greater than the work function of the irradiated metal (i.e. hv greater than [phi][subscript emitter]). However, what may not be as commonly known is that the…

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS 1993) states that by the end of fifth grade, students should understand that a model, such as those depicting the solar system, is a smaller version of the real product, making it easier to physically work with and therefore learn from. However, for students and even adults,…

Student understanding of biological representations has not been well studied. Yet, we know that to be efficient problem solvers in evolutionary biology and systematics, college students must develop expertise in thinking with a particular type of representation, phylogenetic trees. The purpose of this study was to understand how undergraduates…

Misconceptions of siphon action include assumptions that intermolecular attractions play a key role and that siphons will operate in a vacuum. These are belied by the siphoning of gaseous carbon dioxide and behaviour of siphons under reduced pressure. These procedures are suitable for classroom demonstrations. The principles of siphon action are…

The words used in the chemistry classroom often add to problems that students have in understanding complex concepts. This is particularly true when terms with specific scientific meanings are also used in colloquial speech with different meanings. This report discusses the results of student interviews that examine student comprehension of the…

A rationale for the removal of the hybrid atomic orbital from the chemistry curriculum is examined. Although the hybrid atomic orbital model does not accurately predict spectroscopic energies, many chemical educators continue to use and teach the model despite the confusion it can cause for students. Three arguments for retaining the model in the…

One broad-based solution that critics like Charles Murray favor to the problem of too many students going on to college is to direct more young people into relevant job-training and certificate programs. Murray's argument, articulated in "Real Education: Four Simple Truths for Bringing America's Schools Back to Reality," is based on the belief…

To improve instruction in computer engineering and computer science, instructors must better understand how their students learn. Unfortunately, little is known about how students learn the fundamental concepts in computing. To investigate student conceptions and misconceptions about digital logic concepts, the authors conducted a qualitative…

The fate of dimensions of dimensioned quantities that are inserted into the argument of transcendental functions such as logarithms, exponentiation, trigonometric, and hyperbolic functions is discussed. Emphasis is placed on common misconceptions that are not often systematically examined in undergraduate courses of physical sciences. The argument…