Malathion is an organophosphorus insecticide, which is often sprayed to control mosquitoes. When applied to aquatic habitats, malathion can also influence the embryogenesis of non-target organisms such as frogs and fish. We modified the frog embryo teratogen assay in "Xenopus" (FETAX), a standard toxicological assay, into an investigative…

Concept learning in science and mathematics had often times been taught based on assumptions of alternative concepts or even in some instances based on misconceptions. Some educational researchers favour a constructivist approach in teaching science and mathematics. The constructivist literature existing makes use of alternative conceptions as…

This study explores changes of the tenth-grade students' conceptions about acids and bases by using conceptual change text oriented instruction accompanied with analogies. Since conceptual change is viewed not only as a process of replacement of old concepts but also a process of learning to relate ideas to appropriate contexts, the instruction…

This article describes how a traditional biology lecture course was transformed into an interactive class. A review the activities used, changes made to grading policy, and practical tips for integration of active learning in the classroom are provided. Analysis of student responses to course assessments indicated that active learning experiences…

This article describes the influence of recently adopted high-stakes testing on the curriculum and instruction of 12 secondary science student teachers (or interns). The study, which used a postpositivist, qualitative method with researcher as participant as the university supervisor, focused on interns' abilities to implement hands-on,…

This study focuses on the relationship between teacher-student interpersonal behaviour and students' attitudes toward science. To investigate this relationship, student perception data have been gathered with 1021 secondary science students, located in 31 classes in Kashmir, India. Teacher interpersonal behaviour was conceptualised in terms of two…

This experiment was designed to help students improve the critical thinking skills that are required to analyze and discuss the results of an organic chemistry experiment in an effective manner. The initial objective indicated in the prelab handout for this puzzle experiment was the synthesis of methyl 4-bromobenzoate using the Fischer…

In contrast to most other thermodynamic data, entropy values are not given in relation to a certain--more or less arbitrarily defined--zero level. They are listed in standard thermodynamic tables as absolute values of specific substances. Therefore these values describe a physical property of the listed substances. One of the main tasks of…

The development of beginning teachers' practice during a school placement is a multiplicity of mediated interaction between university and school based systems. Both systems have the common aim of training effective teachers. However day-to-day internal institution matters can cause tension between the learning goals set out for the beginning…

The spaces and structures used for undergraduate science often work against new teaching methods and fail to provide environments that attract the brightest students to science. The undergraduate science building often offers little to inspire the imaginations of young minds. The typical undergraduate science building also tends to work against…

This study reviews allied literature and specific teacher educator behaviors that promote preservice teachers' development of a personalized, research-based elementary science teaching rationale (STR). Declaring absolutes is not the goal of the rationale. Rather, the goal is to initiate, among preservice teachers, the lifelong professional…

Middle-school students should develop and refine their understanding of the interrelationships among science, technology, and society while they are studying content. Several strategies to accomplish teaching the history and nature of science can easily be integrated into the science class with a little planning and research. Incorporating the…

The nature of science is a vital part of students' educational experience. It includes understanding what science is and how it works, in accordance with Content Standard G of the "National Science Education Standards" (NRC 1996). Effective science instruction requires incorporation of science content, science processes, and the nature of science.…

The main distinction between the overlapping fields of molecular biophysics and biochemistry resides in their different approaches to the same problems. Molecular biophysics makes more use of physical techniques and focuses on quantitative data. This difference encounters two difficult pedagogical challenges when teaching molecular biophysics to…

This study has two purposes: (a) methodological--to design and test a new instrument able to reflect changes in attitudes toward science over time, and (b) investigative--to find out the effect of two similar curricular treatments on the attitudes of two classes. Items about the relevance of science to students' lives were developed,…