Describes the development of an innovative, multimedia, interactive CD-ROM aimed at helping teachers tackle the problem that students have with evaluating science laboratory work. (Author/WRM)

Describes an experiment in which students determine the density of Coke and Diet Coke, consider density as an intensive property, and compare the accuracy and precision of different types of glassware. (WRM)

A biotechnologist-turned-teacher introduces a series of laboratory modules incorporating concepts from microbiology, cellular biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and evolution. The Amylase Project aims to distill the biotechnology process into a few short steps using amylase, the easiest enzyme to detect of those commonly produced by…

A goal of the PsychExperiments project was to reduce the financial burden on psychology departments for hardware/software used in their laboratories. In its third year, the PsychExperiments site now hosts 39 experiments. Over 200 classrooms worldwide have signed up as official site users and there have been nearly 10,000 data sessions conducted.…

Addresses the difficulty that teaching assistants and new faculty members may experience in finding a convenient outline of the task of preparing an experiment for undergraduates. Explains all phases of developing a laboratory exercise and includes a list of things to consider for each phase. (DDR)

Describes a computerized English-auction experiment that helps students to understand marginal cost and its interrelationships with supply and the efficiency of competitive markets. Explains that the English auction is in a market where there are many sellers (students) and one buyer (computer). States that this exercise offers a good introduction…

Describes unexpected experiences with student laboratory activities. Makes recommendations for addressing two types of lab disasters: (1) when lab preparations fail prior to the beginning of lab; and (2) when students produce unexpected results with the proper use of materials. (Contains 11 references.) (WRM)

Explains an online introductory biology course that applies the inquiry approach to hands-on laboratories. Evaluates learning objectives such as the knowledge of biology, reasoning, attitudes, and graphing skills. (YDS)

This article extends Simpson's (2003) research on sex differences in social dilemmas. To test the hypotheses that men defect in response to greed and women to fear, Simpson created Fear and Greed Dilemmas, but experiments using these games supported the greed hypothesis only. In this article I focus on why the fear hypothesis failed and suggest…

The colourful, vigorous territorial display behaviour of the Siamese fighting fish, "Betta splendens", has great appeal for both pet enthusiasts and animal behaviourists. Their beauty, longevity, easy maintenance and rearing make them a popular pet and an ideal science laboratory specimen. This investigation utilises "B. splendens" to test for the…

Science teachers continually search for effective ways to help students make sense of science concepts and principles. For students to learn to think more like scientists, science teachers must decrease the number of lectures and "follow-the-recipe" laboratory experiments and increase the use of activities that incorporate student inquiry.…

Over the past decade, apoptosis has emerged as an important field of study central to ongoing research in many diverse fields, from developmental biology to cancer research. Apoptosis proceeds by a highly coordinated series of events that includes enzyme activation, DNA fragmentation, and alterations in plasma membrane permeability. The detection…

The use of crude flower extracts to the principle of analytical chemistry automation, with the flow injection analysis (FIA) procedure developed to determine hypochlorite in household bleaching products was performed. The FIA comprises a group of techniques based on injection of a liquid sample into a moving, nonsegmented carrier stream of a…

Forty-eight new secondary science teachers participated in a study that required a listing, discussion, and application of criteria to rank three chemistry laboratory procedures. The three similar lab procedures involved synthesis of a compound from its elements. The top criteria noted by teachers focused on procedural issues (i.e., timeliness,…

During distributed virtual laboratory experiment sessions, a major problem is to be able to collect, store, manage and share heterogeneous data (intermediate results, analysis, annotations, etc) manipulated simultaneously by geographically distributed teammates composing a virtual team. The electronic notebook is a possible response to this…