During the last 10 years, cognitive science researchers have produced research findings that have great potential for increasing students' understanding of science. However, commercial publishers continue to produce textbooks and teacher's guides in traditional ways. This project developed a prototype unit which used an alternative approach to…

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to understand the conceptual frameworks that sixth-grade students use to explain the nature and structure of matter and molecules; and (2) to assess the effectiveness of two alternate instructional units in helping students change those conceptions. The study involved 15 sixth-grade classes taught by 12…

This paper presents the results of an experiment which investigated elementary school children's concept of the earth's shape and the related concept of gravity. First, third, and fifth grade children were asked a series of factual, explanatory, and generative questions in an attempt to understand as clearly as possible the way they conceptualized…

This paper reports an action study of conceptual change in mechanics using an instructional strategy based on a constructivist view of learning. The aims of the study were to determine: (1) what effect the instructional strategy had on achieving conceptual change; (2) what devices or strategies students used in their attempts to understand…

Problem solving is an essential skill in the study of genetics. Genetics problems have traditionally come from laboratory activities and textbook situations. Recently computer-based problems have been available to complement these standard sources. This report focusses on the use of computer-based problems in the study of genetics. Discriptions…

In this study, the attitudes of Israeli children aged 6 to 15 years were surveyed regarding their conceptions of plants as living things. It was desired to find out whether children consider plants to be alive, the knowledge differences between the different age groups in the study, how children classify plants according to biological criteria and…

This study was designed to investigate the influence of a diversified instructional strategy to overcome misconceptions held by freshmen undergraduate students with respect to the nature of a scientific theory. The theory of evolution was selected because it is the most significant unifying theme within the discipline of biology. Two classes were…

This report presents a general framework for studying the acquisition and cognitive representation of biomedical concepts and analyzing the nature and development of misconceptions. The central approach of the report is a selective and highly concentrated analysis of the true nature of clusters of complex concepts and the manner in which they are…

Reviews a study which investigated children's predictions and explanations of the formation of images through pinholes by use of extended light sources. Interviews with 9- to 13-year-old children at a science center revealed that a prevalent model for image formation involved light that traveled from the sources as a whole. (ML)

Differentiates between chemical nomenclature and the common ways that substances are named and described. Students should learn the chemical nomenclature so that they will be more observant and objective. Cites examples of student misconceptions based upon their own imagination and logic. (TW)

The premise behind the cognitive approach to teaching is that understanding results when new learning is integrated with existing knowledge. But the goal of science instruction is to replace existing ideas with new theories. Current research in science education seeks to resolve these conflicting instructional approaches. (Author/VM)

Provides perspectives on information technology and science education. Reviews the major changes that have occurred during the last 20 years in the study of the mind that are relevant to science education. Focuses on the impact of computers and information technology. (ML)

Presents a method for representing students' knowledge about basic scientific concepts by classifying ideas produced in a free-writing task. Implies that those differences which exist can best be attributed to general fluency in the language of instruction rather than factors that are specific to the learning of science. (Author/CW)

Reports on the results of an investigation into the understanding of the concepts of basic electricity by French students from grade six up through the fourth year of college. Discusses the misconceptions formed and the challenges these present to physics educators. (TW)

Proposes the use of a relative atomic mass (RAM) scale in which hydrogen is assigned a value from one as a teaching aid for better understanding the concept of RAM. Helps to clarify the ideas and concepts about this topic. (CW)