Describes an investigation with the primary purpose of allowing students to generate and interpret a pressure/volume diagram of a Stirling engine. Explains how the Stirling engine can be used to demonstrate the principles of operation of a refrigerator and a heat pump. (DDR)

Describes a laboratory-constructed atomic emission spectrometer with modular instrumentation components and a simple Bunsen burner atomizer with continuous sample introduction. A schematic diagram and sample data are provided. (DDR)

Describes an approach to incorporating cooperative learning into the anatomy laboratory without diminishing the quality of instruction of the subject matter. Discusses the background, organization of groups and group tasks, evaluation of the approach, and potential disadvantages of cooperative learning. Contains 11 references. (JRH)

Describes ways that schools are equipping electronics labs to keep pace with technological developments, including using Electronics Workbench simulation software and developing partnerships with telecommunications companies to provide hands-on, real-world conditions for learning. (SK)

Describes experiments that illustrate a number of general principles such as pattern identification, displacement chromatography, and salting-out adsorption, plus an experiment that demonstrates that identification by chromatography alone is impossible. Illustrates that chromatography is still possible with quite simple means, notwithstanding the…

Describes a low-cost four-color LED photometer developed to overcome the rising cost of laboratory equipment used in general chemistry labs and introduce instrumentation at the undergraduate level. The photometer detects absorbance at selected wavelengths of visible light but retains the advantages of a dual-beam system. The unit is compact and…

Describes an activity on worms that investigates their anatomy and habitat and reactions to various environments. (Contains 12 references.) (YDS)

Found that in an introductory biology course at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, adoption of the Data Aggregation Project (free software that allows students in a course to aggregate a large body of data for some particular problem) resulted in an increase in the number of data points students analyzed per semester by a factor of almost…

Compares outcomes of open-inquiry and expository versions of a chemistry laboratory experiment at the university level. Investigates whether the two versions would result in different outcomes depending upon students' attitudes towards learning. Indicates that the open-inquiry version shows the most positive outcomes, and students with low…

Describes the importance of statistical reasoning in understanding modern science and critically evaluating information. Uses spreadsheet programs and the black box approach to teach basic concepts of statistical reasoning. Presents examples of the role of statistical thinking in the disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics, and geology.…

Examines computer based simulations of practical laboratory experiments in engineering. Discusses the aims and achievements of lab work (cognitive, process, psychomotor, and affective); types of simulations (model building and behavioral); and the strengths and weaknesses of simulations. Describes the development of a centrifugal pump simulation,…

Discusses processes for change that have been used to introduce innovative learning processes into laboratory courses. In one case the content of the course was not changed, just the order of presentation. In the second example cooperative learning processes were introduced in order to facilitate a change in the course content. (AIM)

Attempts to answer two research questions: (1) Does the use of a digital camera in laboratory activities increase student learning?; and (2) Does the use of digital cameras motivate students to take a greater interest in laboratory work? Results indicate that the digital camera did increase student learning of process skills in two biology…

Explores the differences between science students' and teachers' perceptions of laboratory environments. Surveyed more than 1000 junior high school students and their science teachers in Taiwan and concludes that students are more dissatisfied with approaches to laboratory activities than their teachers. Suggests epistemological views as one of…

Explains the benefits and risks of genetically-modified foods and describes methods for genetically modifying food. Presents a laboratory experiment using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to detect foreign DNA in genetically-modified food. (Contains 18 references.) (YDS)