The purposes of this study were to (a) gain an understanding of the views of inquiry held by faculty members involved in undergraduate science teaching and (b) describe the challenges, constraints, and opportunities that they perceived in designing and teaching inquiry-based laboratories. Participants included 19 college professors, representing…

Inquiry-based laboratories are acknowledged as the preferred method of instruction for development of research skills. Much has been written about changes in student performance associated with inquiry, but less is known about how students view the inquiry-based format or whether they perceive a benefit from this type of instruction. The Student…

This guide provides materials for a three-block curriculum to teach the Ada computer programming language to secondary and postsecondary vocational students. The curriculum design and strategy has the following components: lectures, audiovisual aids, computer-aided instructional training and reference materials, laboratory experiences, and…

This study utilized the flow theory of intrinsic motivation to evaluate the subjective experience of 78 academically talented high school sophomores participating in an 8-day summer research apprenticeship program in materials and nuclear science. The program involved morning lectures on such topics as physics of electromagnetic radiation, energy…

This course in electromechanical devices is one of 16 courses in the Energy Technology Series developed for an Energy Conservation-and-Use Technology curriculum. Intended for use in two-year postsecondary institutions to prepare technicians for employment, the courses are also useful in industry for updating employees in company-sponsored training…

A programmed instruction course was developed, consisting of fifteen experiments encompassing eleven separate pieces of equipment operational in a solar and energy conservation lab. The programmed instruction manual for the lab was evaluated and revised during a workshop. This evaluation indicated that both the lab and manual are valuable tools…

Discusses the development of concentration and organizational skills, patience, self-discipline, attention to detail, and appreciation for error analysis through an expanded titration project. Describes the various activities in the extended project and the materials and instructional support needed. Stresses the advantage to students in their…

This book attempts to reflect on the value and purpose of practical work as part of the science curriculum: why are practical exercises so necessary and what do they contribute to the science learning process? The chapters in this book examine issues such as: how practical work is perceived by students and teachers; the possibilities and perils of…

Discusses how computers can be applied in the science laboratory. Describes the hardware and software associated with the laboratory interface system. Outlines a three-and-a-half-day workshop to train secondary science teachers to apply computer interfacing in their laboratories. Lists 5 references. (YP)

Introduces three physics experiments for high school and college classes. Topics include measuring the ratio of heat capacities using a microcomputer and a glass syringe, producing large electric sparks using a variation of a Leyden bucket, and observing transmission line behavior using television signals. Includes descriptions of materials and…

Computerized simulation of physical phenomena is a growing area of high-performance computing, providing a new approach to scientific discovery and offering creative, efficient, and effective alternatives to laboratory experiments for teaching graduate and undergraduate science. The technique is a very important scientific and instructional tool.…

In this paper we present a simple set-up that illustrates the mechanism of sap ascent in plants and demonstrates that it can easily draw water up to heights of a few meters. The set-up consists of a tube with the lower end submerged in water and the upper one connected to a filter supported by a standard filter-holder. The evaporation of water…

This article describes and assesses the effectiveness of a 3-yr, laboratory-based summer science program to improve the academic performance of inner-city high school students. The program was designed to gradually introduce such students to increasingly more rigorous laboratory experiences in an attempt to interest them in and model what…

In a study to evaluate an approach for improving the critical thinking skills of middle school science students, 60 students were given the assignment of completing three guided laboratory activities and writing a report for each. In writing their reports, students were expected to identify the manipulated variable, identify the responding…

This project investigated patterns of parental authority among Berkeley preschool children and the processes by which these parents contributed to the development of children's social responsibility and individuality. Subjects were 140 families from city-sponsored, private cooperative, and university-operated nursery schools. Eight constructs were…