Discusses the need for long-term field experiments in undergraduate ecology curricula, and describes a field experiment in long-term succession set up to address this need. Reports on findings from the first year of the project. Contains 25 references. (WRM)

Identifies the development of practical and investigative skills featured in science qualifications at all levels (foundation, intermediate, and advanced) and all types (general, general vocational, and occupationally specific). Reviews the debate over the purpose of practical experimental work in science education and training. (Author/CCM)

Responds to Eisner's discussion of the nature of research and the place of qualitative research. Advocates increased emphasis on the true experiment in educational research to provide evidence of the usefulness of educational practices. (SLD)

Explores the nature of educational research, replying to Knapp's comments on the role of qualitative research. Suggests that the "true" experiment is very hard to conduct in educational research and discusses what validity means in the educational research context. (SLD)

Philosophers' attempts to convincingly explicate the received view of an ad hoc hypothesis--that it accounts for only the observations it was designed to account for--have been unsuccessful. Familiar and firmer criteria for evaluating the hypotheses or modified theories so classified are characteristically available. Contains 41 references.…

Presents samples of publicly available materials related to the role of iron in the diet. Summarizes what nutritionists feel about iron in the human diet and suggests some experiments related to iron for the classroom. (AIM)

Investigates procedural understanding of university students at the freshman level, prior to instruction, in the context of experimental work in physics. Proposes two types of reasoning used by students in the laboratory. Indicates a high degree of consistency of these modes of reasoning across experimental phases of data collection and…

Describes an inquiry-based science activity in which students investigate the preferred food sources of sowbugs. Students design their own experiment, perform a first trial, and refine their procedure before conducting a second trial with more accurate results. (SAH)

Describes a series of simple and nontraditional experiments that enable students to discover the properties of infrared radiation by studying the propagation, reflection, diffusion, and refraction of infrared. The experiments rely on two modules, an infrared transmitter and an infrared receiver. (SAH)

Presents an embryology laboratory observing the development of Ginkgo biloba's embryos into trees. Explains the methodology for the lab and discusses research questions. (YDS)

Presents an inquiry-based science laboratory examining the effects of alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) on skin pigmentation in the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis). (YDS)

Describes a relevant, innovative laboratory exercise that promotes the construction of ideas that can be used to further science processing. Integrates technology in the form of digital photography, a portable computer, and a projection device. This activity fits well in a high school chemistry class. (SAH)

Presents an experiment that tests for spontaneous generation, or abiogenesis. Observes microbial growth in nutrient broth under seven different flask environments. Includes instructions for the methods. (YDS)

Describes an activity to give students experience with the variables and forces impacting a moving body on an inclined plane by observing a ball as it rolls down an inclined PVC pipe of fixed length. Includes a student worksheet. (MKR)

Presents an overhead projector demonstration that uses the idea of color fading to demonstrate reaction kinetics and diffusion controlled reaction kinetics. (JRH)