Discusses the need and the advantages of using conceptual change strategy in science classrooms. Describes three steps of the strategy: diagnosis; challenging conceptions; and applying the new concepts. Lists seven references. (YP)

Students use their preschool experiences to form personal theories about the world and rarely correct misconceptions even when new information is presented. This article describes an elementary science teacher's efforts to help fifth and sixth graders revise personal electricity theories, based on experimentation. There is no simple way to…

Investigates South African teachers as a possible source of pupils' erroneous ideas about respiration. The views of 136 teachers were elicited by means of an analysis of how teachers marked an essay containing errors commonly found among year-12 students. Teacher responses suggest that many of them as well might have erroneous ideas. (PR)

Data were collected via semistructured interviews on female college students views about the natural world. Fundamental beliefs are presented as a concept map and characterized by bipolar descriptive codes. The most intriguing observation of the study was science's apparent lack of influence on students' beliefs about nature even though these…

This paper provides an overview and discussion of a study of young children's knowledge and understanding of the management of waste materials. It describes a semistructured interview and discussion methodology used to ascertain details of children's knowledge and misconceptions about this key environmental issue. (LZ/Author)

Adolescents (n=151-158), adults (n=18), and scientists (n=5) were involved in two studies conducted to identify concepts of heat energy and temperature held by each of the participants and investigate the impact of a middle school science curriculum designed to help students understand everyday thermal events. Results indicate that each group had…

Analyzes the cognitive processes and kinds of knowledge needed to work in a scientific domain like physics. Discusses the processes needed to interpret scientific concepts, uses of quantitative and qualitative descriptions, hierarchical ways of organizing scientific knowledge, and processes facilitating problem solving. Describes the use of these…

Describes the activities of the Physics Teachers Action Research Group in which college physics teachers work together in planning, revising, and evaluating student projects that foster greater conceptual understanding and address student misconceptions. Presents the details of a project in which students were asked to build an accelerometer. (JRH)

A parent of two young children who received cochlear implant surgery addresses common myths about this procedure including "deaf people don't support the use of cochlear implants,""if you choose cochlear implant surgery, you are choosing the hearing world,""hearing parents are not qualified to decide," and "the deaf child him/herself should…

Education can benefit from knowledge derived from cognitive and developmental psychology. Family demographics have actually improved between 1970 and 90 and so have NAEP scores. Three innovative programs demonstrating cognitive science applications include the Teaching Number Sense elementary math program, reciprocal teaching (reading strategy),…

Strips away advertising hyperbole to explain multimedia CD-ROM technology and its place in today's classrooms. Only the newest computers are adequate for multimedia CD-ROM; only 10% of all computers in schools have CD-ROM drives attached. CD-ROM drives' performance varies, installation hassles abound, and the "edutainment" market directs…

Devolution is rapidly becoming a tangled web of misunderstandings, distortions, and lies. It is time to unravel some of the complex issues, undisclosed interests, and manipulation masquerading under the devolution rubric. Most current redefinitions of schooling are probusiness and serve "big-town" interests. Schools should not reorganize…

Survey results reveal trainee primary teachers are well informed about the nature and location of the ozone layer and appreciated that it screens the earth from ultraviolet (UV) rays, although some thought that it protects the earth from acid rain. Identifies themes in students' thinking and groups of students with different concepts. (LZ)

Provides two experiments that do not give the expected results. One involves burning a candle in an air-filled beaker under water and the other burns the candle in pure oxygen. Provides methodology, suggestions, and theory. (MVL)

Reviews the research on cocaine use and its effect on newborns; examines the popular misconceptions, including the background of children who are exposed; and discusses interventions. The author concludes with a discussion about looking beyond prenatal drug exposure and focusing on the child. Studies looking at these children longitudinally are…