Students of reasoning have long tried to understand how people revise systems of beliefs. This paper maintains that people often change their beliefs in ways driven by considerations of explanatory coherence. In this report, a computational model is described of how experimental subjects revise their naive beliefs about physical motion. First,…

One area explored in the second (in-depth) phase of the Learning in Science Project was "children's science," defined as views of the world and the meanings for words that children have and bring with them to science lessons. The investigation reported focuses on the concept of "electric current" held by 43 elementary school…

Planning major research programs requires accurate information about funding and personnel. Since reliable baseline data for plant biology have not been available, a study was conducted to provide such data by measuring the total plant biology effort at major doctorate-granting institutions with graduate programs in botany during fall 1982.…

Locus of control, a generalized belief about causality in one's personal life, was identified as a potential variable impinging upon the acquisition of science-related attitudes in classes of high school students from 10th grade biology, and 11th and 12th grade chemistry, and of college elementary education majors. Correlations of the…

The emphasis on writing in the teaching of mathematics and science can empower teachers to reach all sectors of the pupil population. The use of ordinary language can help break the cultural barriers that have prevented minorities and women from achieving well in proportionate numbers in these fields. This volume focuses on pedagogical issues of…

A study was conducted on the enrollments of students (N=13,856) in first and second year science courses at Pima Community College, Arizona, over a 5-year preiod. Of those students who passed these courses with a C grade or better (N=5,974), frequency distributions by sex were made. It was found that the distribution of male/female registered as…

Many believe that whether teachers teach students to "do" science, teach about science, or teach about technology instead, science teachers should be as culturally literate about science as possible. Also, it is believed that a philosophy of science course which uses history of science, some normative epistemologies, practical examples, and…

A systematic evaluation was conducted to judge the worth of an environmental investigations course which was designed to increase scientific knowledge, self-concept, and attitude toward science and science teaching. Five categories were examined: consistency between concepts, activities, and test items; effect on scientific knowledge,…

Designed to provide easy access to information pertaining to science and technology, this data book provides indicators on: (1) funding for research and development; (2) human resources utilization and supply; and (3) international science and technology efforts. Graphs and charts are used to note research and development efforts from a nationwide…

This study evaluated a college level Introductory Psychology course taken by 23 precocious adolescents during a three-week summer residential program. This evaluation measured not only knowledge gain, but also understanding, generalization, and application of that knowledge. Immediate post measures of participants' knowledge, understanding, and…

One factor which limits efforts to increase the number of black health professionals is performance in science courses at the college level. This study is one of several designed to identify factors which lead to success in the sciences at Xavier University of Louisiana, a small, historically black institution in New Orleans. The current…

Average salary increases for 912 faculty in the field of physical sciences are reported for 1983-1984 and 1986-1987, as part of the College and University Personnel Association's annual faculty salary studies. Included are comparative data for 120,580 faculty at 167 public colleges and 235 private colleges, representing 44 academic disciplines. In…

Human engineering guidelines for the design of instructor/operator stations (IOSs) for aircrew training devices are provided in this handbook. These guidelines specify the preferred configuration of IOS equipment across the range of the anticipated user sizes and performance capabilities. The guidelines are consolidated from various human…

At the present time, Florida ranks fourth among the states in volume of high-technology industry, which includes information processing and computer-oriented activity. For this reason, a statewide review of computer science programs underway at the nine campuses of the State University System (SUS) of Florida was recently conducted. This report…

This document is a transcript of hearings held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (February 11, 1982), which focused on the "National Engineering and Science Manpower Act of 1982," H.R. 5254. The bill, introduced into Congress by Doug Walgren and Don Fuqua, would establish a fund to develop United States technical, engineering, and scientific…