The research described in this paper investigates one possible explanation for students' ability or inability to identify fallacious arguments. As students' ability to identify informal reasoning fallacies has been the subject of scant empirical investigation, the current study may broaden our knowledge concerning this phenomenon and locate it in…

Recent research has indicated a link between retrieval-induced forgetting and the production of misinformation effects (J. Saunders & M. D. MacLeod, 2002). The mechanism underlying this relationship, however, remains unclear. In an attempt to clarify this issue, the authors presented 150 participants with misinformation under conditions designed…

Teachers improve their presentation of materials and interactions with students when they are able to learn from their mistakes and misconceptions. While there are days that require "an act of survival," as the author writes, helping adolescents reach the maturity of adulthood keeps her from being "just a teacher." In this article, the author…

A comparison is made between the career decision making of secondary school students who are also elite athletes and a sample of non-athlete students. The 226 athletes (111 females, 115 males) in the study were on sporting scholarships with the Australian Institute of Sport or state/territory institutions. Measures used included the "Career…

In textbook treatments of enzyme inhibition kinetics, adjustment of the initial inhibitor concentration for inhibitor bound to enzyme is often neglected. For example, in graphical plots such as the Dixon plot for estimation of an inhibition constant, the initial concentration of inhibitor is usually plotted instead of the true inhibitor…

Balls made of modelling clay (Plasticine[TM]) can be used to generate a classroom discussion about the scientific evidence used to determine the structure of the Earth. This allows pupils to appreciate how evidence is used to support hypotheses and to distinguish fact from hypothesis. It also provides opportunity to correct misconceptions held by…

The Profession of Psychology Scale (Rosenthal, McKnight & Price, 2001) was used to investigate whether taking more psychology courses results in a more accurate understanding of what is required to become a psychologist. Data indicate that though misconceptions exist in both Naive students (those who had not completed any psychology courses) and…

In this article, the author talks about the concept underlying the term metal retardation and the effort to define it in a way that is scientifically accurate and in a way that promotes greater sensitivity to the needs of people described by the term which has been continuous for centuries. The author states that a scientifically sound and…

The authors provide activities for overcoming some fraction misconceptions using calculators specially designed for learners in primary years. The writers advocate use of the calculator as a way to engage children in thinking about mathematics. By engaging with a calculator as part of mathematics learning, children are learning about and using the…

There are many myths about why so few men work with young children. There are many more stereotypes about those men who do. These myths and stereotypes make it difficult for men to enter or remain in careers working with children. Consequently, most young children never experience having a man as a teacher or caregiver. In this article, the author…

Inaccurate and incomplete presentations of American education history in teacher education programs play a central role in the poor preparation of pre-service teachers. This article exemplifies how the praxis of late 19th and 20th century African descent educators--who viewed education as a vehicle for freedom and an affirmation of…

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether it was necessary, cost effective and practical to investigate Welsh children's fitness levels in order to promote active, healthy lifestyles. Design: A multi-method study comprising a comprehensive review of literature, a questionnaire survey and interviews. Setting: This was a feasibility study…

Persistent myths have lessened the impact of ICTs on education. Happily they are balanced by miracles of theory and practice that are gradually gaining the upper hand. We counter the myth that innovation in the application of ICTs is the preserve of industrialised countries by listing examples of innovations from southern Africa that have set…

This study aims to better understand the construction of the meaning of physics concepts in mechanics during a teaching sequence at the upper secondary school level. In the teaching sessions, students were introduced to the concepts of interaction and force. During this teaching sequence the models called "interactions" and "laws of…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) (In)formative Assessments: New Tests and Activities Can Help Teachers Guide Student Learning (Robert Rothman); (2) Recent Research on the Achievement Gap: How Lifestyle…