Investigates how Swedish pupils address chemistry, physics, and technology in compulsory school. Findings show girls seek "connected knowledge," reject technology, and are more theoretical in their approach to science. Boys are more practical in their approach to science and tend to create disorder. Girls interested in science generally…

Describes the use of the black-box technique to explore electrical circuit design and circuit elements. (JRH)

Investigated a microcomputer-based system for the diagnosis and remediation of three Aristotelian alternative conceptions of force and motion held by eighth-grade physical science students. Reports that computer simulations exemplifying canonical conceptions facilitate alteration of students' naive conceptions to a significant degree. Suggests…

Describes a computer-based prelaboratory lecture to replace traditional lecture. Discusses how the CUPLE method was developed, the course structure, and a typical course day. (MVL)

Provides simple techniques for demonstrating and recording the effect of the changing shapes of moving objects when viewed through a moving slot. Includes a puzzle. A computer shareware program (IBM compatible) that simulates the distortions is available from the author. (MVL)

Examines whether and to what extent general education STS and physics courses helped college students build more informed, realistic views about the interactions among science, technology, and society. General education STS courses were found to be of value while the physics course had almost no impact on students' views. (LZ)

Describes a method to create holograms for use in different interferometry techniques. Students utilize these techniques in experiments to study the structural integrity of a clarinet reed and the effects of temperature on objects. (MDH)

Describes a photogate electronic flash trigger that synchronizes flash discharge with high-speed events. Presents a photographic study of a high-speed collision demonstrating the passage of a BB through an elastic strip. Provides the schematic of the delay circuit utilized in the trigger. (MDH)

Describes a homemade experimental chamber constructed to accurately measure the refractive index of a transparent liquid. (MDH)

Discusses the use of computers in physics education as a tool in individual student research projects for simulating both simple and more complicated phenomena. Reviews IBM compatible software associated with computer-assisted instruction in physics education. (PR)

In developing a physics course that would capture medical student interest at the University of Queensland (Australia), it was discovered that there is minimal correlation between students' interest in a subject and perceptions of its difficulty but strong correlation between interest and perception of its relevance to clinical studies.…

Reports a follow-up survey of 1,565 high school physics students in Oregon to determine whether and why they had taken physics in college. Results indicated that roughly half of the 590 students responding went on to study physics and that students from schools offering multiple physics courses had higher rates of continuation. (MDH)

Presents the theory of primary and secondary rainbow formation utilizing simple optics and geometric concepts. Describes an appropriate, waterless classroom demonstration and includes the relevant mathematical formulas and models. (JJK)

An extensive observational project of the movement of the moon is described. Directions for building a cross-staff used to measure the angle between specific stars and the moon and a copy of a stereographic projection of the celestial sphere used in data reduction are provided. (KR)

An activity in which students design and build an apparatus that can be used to rapidly determine the specific gravities of small substances is described. Calculations needed to determine the density of substances when using the Jolly balance are included. (KR)