A study (n=631) of children's ideas on motion of objects is reported. On three items of a four-part questionnaire, responses changed as the children matured, passing through distinct, successive stages with respect to their conceptual understanding. If teaching strategies to overcome misconceptions are to be effective, they must be appropriate to…

Graduate students in a school leadership class developed an action plan that encourages women to become and remain administrators and challenges societal assumptions regarding women in leadership. Strategies are advised for identifying and encouraging potential candidates; supporting female administrators; sensitizing the public, school staff, and…

Although Alfie Kohn is a first-rate thinker, his article in the same "Educational Leadership" issue confuses adopting Total Quality Management methods with intelligently adapting them. Kohn wrestles too hard with the "worker/student" metaphor and wrongly disparages Deming's emphasis on data and performance. Schools can definitely benefit from…

A range of alternative approaches to student work in science is presented. The approaches are illustrated by examples of students' work including cartoons, cards, poems, and posters. A number of audiences other than the teacher is identified as a potential focus for students' written work. (KR)

The abundance of life, the highly varied geologic formations, and climatic variations found in a wide range of deserts is presented. Misconceptions held about the desert are discussed. A list of resources and activities are included. (KR)

To make elementary science students grasp the scientific concepts being taught, teachers must not ignore their preconceived ideas. Instead, teachers must identify misconceptions then help the students test them. The article presents a step-by-step approach that can serve as a model for teaching any science concept. (SM)

Presents a study where astronomy teachers (n=66) try to predict student (n=330) outcomes on astronomy and related topics pre- and posttest. Suggested findings include a course in astronomy did not result in an overall knowledge gain, teachers fared well at predicting prior student knowledge, and teachers vastly overestimated student gain in…

Summarizes the results of three related studies whose overall purpose was to determine elementary students' conceptions about earthquakes at two widely separated locations in the United States. Certain topics, such as the cause of earthquakes, seemed to cause difficulty for students. New definitional responses emerged in the studies that took…

Provides findings of a study designed to explore ways in which changes in students' conceptual knowledge of photosynthesis are related to their study strategies and achievement and to course content. The authors ask teachers to consider these results and implications when facilitating students' learning. (ZWH)

Argues that intuitive and computational knowledge can be combined by focusing more explicitly on referential and quantitative meanings in division of fractions problems. Recommends teaching mathematics as problem solving, communication, reasoning, and connections to help students overcome misunderstandings and connect their intuitive knowledge…

Describes an award-winning bulletin board for introducing a unit on reptiles. This interactive bulletin board contains fun facts and counters common misconceptions about reptiles. Twelve true-false statements are hidden behind pull-up flaps. Four pictures ask students to identify the difference between often-confused animals. (PR)

Describes the use of concept cartoons as a teaching strategy. The cartoons represent scientific ideas in everyday situations and use published research to identify common areas of misunderstanding which then provide a focus for the concept cartoons. Cartoons provide teachers with good access to children's ideas, promote conceptual change,…

Environmental education is often characterized by a concern with developing attitudes and behavior rather than developing environmental knowledge and concepts. Students may thus unknowingly hold and later teach environmental misconceptions. Discusses the use of interactive worksheets to provide a time-effective means of developing students'…

Reports on a study that uses psychometric modeling to rank the appeal of a variety of children's astronomical ideas on a single uniform scale. Findings support the view that alternative conceptions may be markers of progress toward understanding. Contains 82 references. (DDR)

Describes a study of Indian and Fijian pre-service primary teachers that reveals how many hold alternative conceptions of fundamental scientific concepts. Focuses on conservation of matter. (DDR)