The aims of this study were considered under three headings. The first was to elicit misconceptions that students had about the terms "solute", "solvent" and "solution." The second was to understand how students' prior learning affected their misconceptions. The third was to determine if students were able to make a…

Inquiry training is a powerful teaching model for principals to know and teachers to implement. It is designed to teach students to engage in causal reasoning and to become more fluent and precise in asking questions. Further, inquiry training helps learners build concepts and form and test hypotheses in all curriculum areas. The current emphasis…

The study reported in this paper, combined qualitative (observation, interview and case study techniques) and quantitative (questionnaire and survey instruments) methods (n=3,182 Grade 10 students). The study (1) examined the relationship of current teaching practices to a number of variables that affected students' learning in science laboratory…

Previous research concerning the cognitive abilities of high school students has indicated that a substantial number of students enrolled in secondary science courses do not conceptualize at the formal-operational level. Further, results indicate that achievement levels in chemistry coursework are significantly affected by, not only cognitive…

Science and technology are often presented and taught as two separate essences. When this is done, students as well as teachers are forced to attempt to develop the appropriate linkages. This book is one of a series designed to help teachers develop their science and technological education in ways that are both satisfying to themselves and…

Doing Chemistry is a practical resource for high school chemistry teachers that ties the specifics of classroom chemistry content to teaching practice. This final evaluation focused on the evaluation of workshops for teachers. An 81% return on a survey of the 206 lead teachers who participated in the National Science Foundation-funded Doing…

This book is a collection of 66 "How Things Work" columns from the journal "The Physics Teacher," 1983-1991. All the devices and phenomena are ones that are met in everyday life, involve physics principles, and require explanations that are not immediately obvious. Topics include: touch panels in elevators, liquid crystal…

This research project was designed to evaluate the synergistic effects of linking workshops for science teachers with electronic conferencing. The rationale for this study was that these two methods of professional development and communication would have an impact beyond that which either would have alone. Included are the abstract, a description…

Research on teacher education has been shifting from the emphasis on changing teachers' behaviors to investigating how teachers' mental thinking influences their teaching behaviors. Teachers' beliefs and planning are two important components among teacher thinking research. The purposes of this study are to uncover preservice secondary science…

Presented in this course guide are seven units of study focusing on: (1) animal identification; (2) environmental testing; (3) ecological concepts; (4) wildlife abuse, depletion, and extinction; (5) water pollution; (6) air pollution; and (7) nuclear energy and the environment. Each unit includes a general objective, followed by specific…

This project used an "intrinsic models" approach to develop a sample of microcomputer materials on graphing linear and quadratic equations and on recognition of general functional relationships. The "intrinsic models" approach uses motivating activities which are direct expressions of the underlying mathematics. The area of…

The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the first 2 years of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. This teaching guide, designed to be read in…

This investigation of formaldehyde exposure in school laboratories, where its principal source is from preserved biological specimens, was undertaken because of concern over exposure levels reported in the literature. Information was obtained in two ways. A limited survey of schools was conducted to determine extent of students' use of preserved…

Various individuals have expressed the opinion that South African school children are insufficiently trained in environmental education. This study is an attempt to assess the situation in secondary schools under the control of the Transvaal Education Department. Special attention is paid to the teaching of biology and geography as vehicles for…

One area explored in the second (in-depth) phase of the Learning in Science Project was "children's science," defined as views of the world and the meanings for words that children have and bring with them to science lessons. The investigation reported focuses on students' (N=39) ideas on the concept of "animal." Data were…