Describes a study of journalism students at Pennsylvania State University that investigated how they reacted to the use of computers in their classes, especially the electronic evaluation of written work. Topics addressed include newswriting instruction, including the use of computer labs; handwritten comments versus electronic comments; and…

Student test booklets, equipment and materials lists, directions for set-up, and directions for administration are given in English for the six countries participating in the science practical skills testing portions of the Second International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Improvement Science Study. (SLD)

Conclusions drawn from results of the practical skills testing of the Second International Association of Evaluation in Educational Assessment Science Study are presented for the six countries participating. Data analyses have indicated that the practical skills tests measured performance that differed from that measured by the paper-and-pencil…

Describes the integration of microcomputers and CD-ROMs into an elementary school in North Carolina. Topics addressed include computer networks; classroom computers; computer labs; printing capabilities; library and administrative access; phone systems; other building uses, including the lunch program and climate control; funding; and teacher…

A symposium that focused on the education of chemistry teachers in China at predominately the middle and high school levels is discussed. The topics of curriculum and textbook reforms, instructional uses of modern technology, science-technology-society, collaborative efforts with educational psychologists, hands-on laboratory work, and the…

A meta-analysis was conducted of 107 classroom and laboratory studies concerning the effects of expecting a recall, recognition, essay, multiple-choice, or true-false test on students' subsequent achievement. Laboratory studies did not generalize well to classrooms. In classroom studies, subjects performed better when they knew which test type to…

Presents views of integrated learning systems (ILSs) from a vendor's perspective, i.e., Jostens Learning Corporation. ILS implementation is discussed; the product development process is explained; ILS strengths and weaknesses are described, including instructional consistency, student monitoring, limited access, and lack of flexibility; and ILSs…

Explains how students can learn basic petrographic techniques by using a thin-section collection prepared from the rock units in a geological area under study. Each student defines a particular problem to investigate and is responsible for collecting samples in the field, making additional thin sections, and preparing formal written and oral…

Describes how students in grades 2-8 can make beakers from quart-sized oil containers and calibrate them in milliliters. In an second activity, students estimate the volume of water in four jars and use their beakers to measure the water in each. The estimates are compared to the true measurements. (PR)

Discusses the use of computers in college classrooms as presentation systems, as structured laboratories, to modify traditional lectures, and for self-paced instruction. Classroom dynamics are discussed, needed curricular modifications are considered, appropriate evaluation techniques are suggested, and problems are examined, including a lack of…

The purposes of this paper are (1) to demonstrate that medical microbiology laboratory exercises should be presented with a focus on medical applications, not just traditional microbiology and (2) that exercises devoted to differential diagnostic decision making can be used to enhance the problem solving of students. (PR)

Compared the laboratory method versus lecture method for Nigerian grade eight students (n=210). High achievers in both groups had identical achievement, but the low achievers in the laboratory sections performed better than students receiving the lectures. Females receiving lectures performed better than the males receiving lectures. (PR)

The development and validation of a new instrument, the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory, for assessing student perceptions of psychosocial environment in science laboratory classrooms are described. Results with 3,727 high school students and 1,720 college students at 53 sites in 6 countries support the scale's validity. (SLD)

Describes two studies that assessed decision-making skills using common cognitive errors and evaluated the impact of computer-based role-playing exercises on the development of these skills. Results with high school students, undergraduates, and earth science professionals are discussed which indicate that well-designed computer-based laboratories…

Identifies the problems associated with the use of dry laboratories in science education, presents design considerations for the use of such practicals in science education, and presents examples of innovative nontraditional practicals. Contains 23 references. (DDR)