Explains how the surface of a freshly sliced potato can be used for a variety of enzyme action experiments including the influence of pH on enzyme action, the enzyme denaturation potential of boiling water, the inhibition of enzymes by heavy metals, and the effects of salt concentration on enzyme effectiveness. (PR)

A dynamic measure (number of examples needed to reach mastery) predicted transfer but not maintenance of a learned strategy for 64 third graders trained by scaffolded (n=32) or nonscaffolded (n=32) methods. A static measure had some predictive utility in the nonscaffolded condition. The potential superiority of scaffolded instruction is discussed.…

Describes changes in scientific research methods that have been brought about by the use of computers. Presents an example of the falling of a body in a fluid to show students how computers can be used to experiment with mathematical models and to automate experiments. Contains 11 references. (Author/WRM)

Describes a laboratory protocol using clinical veterinary data that teaches the cognitive, analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills necessary for students in a biology core laboratory course. (WRM)

We have set out to investigate an approach to improve patients' ability to self-manage chronic illness. For effective health care in chronic disease, we believe patients need to work in partnership with their doctor; patient-centred consultations are one way to achieve this. This report describes our experience of training specialists in…

One of the signatures of scientific writing is its ability to present the claims of science as if they were "untouched by human hands." In the early years of experimental education, researchers achieved this by adopting a citational practice that led to the sedimentation of their cardinal method, the analysis of variance, and their standard for…

Recent research demonstrates that many issues related to the structure of natural numbers and the relationship among numbers are not well grasped by students. In this article, we describe a computer-based learning environment called "Number Worlds" that was designed to support the exploration of elementary number theory concepts by…

A non-informative cue (C) elicits an inhibition of manual reaction time (MRT) to a visual target (T). We report an experiment to examine if the spatial distribution of this inhibitory effect follows Polar or Cartesian coordinate systems. C appeared at one out of 8 isoeccentric (7[degrees]) positions, the C-T angular distances (in polar…

Behavioral studies have shown that while young infants can discriminate many different phonetic contrasts, a shift from a language-general to a language-specific pattern of discrimination is found during the second semester of life, beginning earlier for vowels than for consonants. This age-related decline in sensitivity to perceive non-native…

The National Science Foundation and others have made compelling arguments that research be incorporated into the learning of undergraduates. In response to these arguments, a two-hybrid research project was incorporated into a molecular biology course that contained both a lecture section and a laboratory section. The course was designed around…

REACH (Reaching Engineering and Architectural Career Heights) is a weeklong summer academy outreach program for high school students interested in engineering, architecture, or technology. Through module-­based instruction, students are introduced to various engineering fields. This report describes one of the modules focused on introducing…

Value-added models, which rate schools for effectiveness while taking into account the poverty and other socioeconomic status of the students, are generating increased interest. This paper describes the use of one such model to evaluate whether school ratings changed when three new programs were introduced: the "Target Teach" curriculum…

A communicating science module was introduced into an advanced undergraduate physical chemistry laboratory course. The module was integrated into the course such that students received formal instruction in communicating science interwoven with the chemistry laboratory curriculum. The content of the communicating science module included three…

Based on current theories of chemistry learning, this study intends to test a hypothesis that computer modeling enhanced hands-on chemistry laboratories are more effective than hands-on laboratories or computer modeling laboratories alone in facilitating high school students' understanding of chemistry concepts. Thirty-three high school chemistry…

This book helps teachers fulfill curriculum requirements by building both science content and process skills through hands-on exploration. Ten broad subject areas are covered: (1) Discovering Science, (2) Matter and Energy, (3) Humans, (4) The Environment, (5) Rocks, (6) Plants, (7) Living Creatures, (8) Weather, (9) The Heavens, and (10) Applying…