Presents an overview of the goals of the MindWorks program for science curriculum development. The project hopes to address student motivation, student understanding of the structure and workings of the physical world, and students' and teachers' ideas about the process and culture of scientific activity. Also discusses the progress of pilot…

Contends that the large vocabulary used for precise purposes in physics contains many words that have related but potentially confusing meanings in everyday usage. Analyzes the treatment of Newton's Laws of Motion in several well-known introductory textbooks for evidence of inconsistent language use. Makes teaching suggestions. (Contains 11…

A study of 17 charter schools in 10 California districts concludes that these schools have not lived up to the assumptions propelling them. Charters fell short on accountability, administrative autonomy, funding efficiency, choice and admissions, infusion of competition, and instructional innovation. Public school educators claim charters are…

Information technology is a cost-effective investment in public schools only with innovations in pedagogy, curriculum, assessment, and school organization. This article examines the impracticality of equipping every student with high performance computing and communication and proposes a "distributed learning" model, orchestrating…

Identifies the conceptions of energy of preservice high school biology teachers. Findings indicate that this group of preservice teachers holds alternate conceptual frameworks when describing physical situations. Contains 35 references. (DDR)

The dilemma of what to do with children who do not progress "normally" is not new, and did not arise because educators grew too timid to uphold academic standards. The problem is an unavoidable consequence of compulsory education. Advantages of social promotion still outweigh difficulties. Deterioration of school standards cannot be blamed on…

Integrates findings from qualitative and quantitative research in conceptual change that investigated text and text-based strategies. Emphasizes findings that have direct implications for instructional research and practice: (1) refutational text is not sufficient to produce conceptual change; (2) discussion of refutational text must be…

Examines reader and text variables related to conceptual change learning from science textbooks. Shows it is difficult to change readers' prior knowledge by reading texts that are inconsistent with that knowledge, but refutation text was shown to impact students' prior knowledge when that knowledge contained naive scientific conceptions. Addresses…

Examines conceptual change research to develop an instructional framework for science educators consonant with research on special education populations. Delineates a taxonomy of knowledge structures (classification, structure, process/mechanism, and concept/theory frames) derived from research that may be used to guide teaching strategy…

Do the "new economy" and "information age" really exist? Effects of the railroad and telephone fell far short of those predicted. The psychology of human behavior may not have changed much. One must maintain a healthy skepticism about predictions concerning any new technology's influence and long-range significance. (MLH)

Learning by using the lecture method based on memorization, students miss the opportunity to learn basic concepts. Uses animation and diagrams to teach key concepts. (Contains 14 references.) (YDS)

Reports on the procedure and results of the trial of support materials that were developed for primary teacher mentors to help trainee teachers improve their medium-term and individual lesson plans. Concludes that trainees' practice in science improved in subsequent unmentored lessons, but good practice was not transferred to other subjects.…

Because educators have unrealistic expectations about tests, they use them inappropriately and draw inaccurate conclusions from results. This article debunks five myths about test-score comparisons: valid measurement of school quality; declining international competitiveness; "fixing" schools with more tests; development of new, improved…

Schools have been criticized perennially for their profligate waste of taxpayer money. Currently, there are two separate myths about schools and money: the United States spends more than any other country; and money doesn't matter. U.S. schools have many nonteaching school employees because they provide services that other nations do not. (MLH)

Abolishing direct-instruction and skill-practice opportunities could have serious consequences for special-needs learners. Teachers should provide explicit and focused, even isolated instruction as needed and integrate it into the larger literacy context. This means conducting ongoing assessments of each student's abilities, skills, and progress…