Presented in both English and French, Science 20-30 is an integrated academic program in Alberta, Canada that helps students better understand and apply fundamental concepts and skills common to biology, chemistry, physics, and the Earth sciences. The major goals of the program are: (1) to develop in students an understanding of the…

The varying impacts of three instructional environments for introductory chemistry on the inquiry skills of undergraduate students were studied. The first two environments were traditional (TR) and guided-inquiry (GI) laboratory-based instructional situations, and the third was a separate lecture course for nonscience majors that emphasized…

This issue of ENC Focus highlights laserdiscs and CD-ROMs that encourage students to raise searching questions, enter debates, formulate opinions, and engage in problem solving and critical thinking. The laserdiscs and CD-ROMs were chosen based on the criteria of instructional design, content, and interest. Items featured include: The Chemistry…

Many have become aware of the need to assess both teachers' and students' perceptions of the learning environment. This study involved 1,592 tenth grade students and their teachers (n=56) in a study that investigated four aims: (1) to cross validate a slightly modified version of the actual and preferred versions of the Science Laboratory…

This guide includes complete installation descriptions of 30 exhibits. They include: the adjustable birthday cake, ball-in-tube, Bernoulli Box, chain wave, collapsible truss bridge, double wave device, eddy currents raceway, full-length mirror, geodesic domes, giant magnetic tangrams, harmonic cantilever, hyperboloid of revolution, lifting lever,…

This book is a guide to 669 science and technology reference books for children and young people (third grade through high school). It includes some older well-established titles that may be out of print, newer editions, and newer books that have not been completely tested by time. The entries for the books contained in this guide are arranged by…

The CHEM (Chemicals, Health, Environment, and Me) Project is a series of 10 units designed to provide experiences for fifth and sixth graders that help them to accomplish an understanding of: (1) the nature of chemicals and how they interact with the environment; (2) how to collect, process, and analyze information; (3) how to use scientific…

By linking a first-year writing class and an introductory chemistry class at Utica College of Syracuse University (Syracuse, New York) the instructor hoped to foster camaraderie among the students; help students see the connections between the two disciplines; and disrupt students' pattern of unquestioning acceptance of the authority of the…

Achievement in science depends among other factors on hypothetico-deductive reasoning ability; that is, on the developmental level of the students. Recent research indicates that developmental level of the students should be studied along with individual difference variables such as Pascual-Leone's M-capacity (information processing) and Witkin's…

Analogies are considered an effective method for providing a bridge between unfamiliar concepts and knowledge that students already have. This paper reports a critical analysis of analogies found in chemistry textbooks used by Australian senior high school students and is presented in three sections. The first section of the paper presents the…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the chemistry collection of the College of Wooster's Chemistry Library. In particular, the extent to which the library supports the curriculum of the chemistry and biochemistry program by providing additional sources to supplement course textbooks was evaluated. Focus was on materials present in the…

The concept of the mole and its relationship to chemical algebra is difficult for many high school chemistry students to master. This paper describes a study of the use of proportional reasoning when teaching mole relationships and its effect on developing critical thinking skills. The Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT) was used as a pre- and…

A computer-assisted instruction (CAI) module on polymers was used to introduce chemistry teachers (n=64) to the variety of possibilities and benefits of using courseware in the current chemistry curriculum in Israel. From an analysis of a pre-and post-attitude questionnaire regarding the use of computers in chemistry teaching, it was concluded…

Two studies were conducted to determine the effects of gender, reasoning level, and inductive and deductive computer-simulated experiments (CSE) on problem-solving abilities in introductory general chemistry. In the pilot study, 254 subjects were randomly assigned to control (computer-assisted-instruction tutorials), inductive or deductive CSE…

The three parts of this document are intended for a 3-semester course for pharmacy assistants. The course guide contains the following sections: occupational description; educational philosophy; general objectives; tasks/competencies for each unit; course organization; brief description of the topics; student standards; and evaluation methods.…