Two questionnaires were given to 38 students (16-18 year olds), in which they were asked to classify a list of different conceptual entities by several ontological features. The results suggest the form of a fundamental "ontological space" and locate some scientific concepts in this space. (Author)

Describes a study of how people use metaphors to make sense of scientific phenomena and ideas in a process of extended group discussion. Interviews that involved reading an edited scientific text on DNA then discussing a number of questions about various aspects of genetics provide the data for this study. Contains 16 references. (DDR)

Outlines the findings of the Science Teacher Training in an Information Society (STTIS) project concerned with describing the possible difficulties pupils have when reading science textbook pictures on energy. Concludes that reading science textbook pictures is not trivial for pupils and that teachers need to spend time and effort talking through…

Discussion of learners' prior knowledge focuses on a method for exploring common-sense reasoning by engaging secondary school students in the development of an expert system representing their own intuitive expertise. Students' intuitive concerns are discussed; patterns of reasoning are examined; and epistemic planes are described. (23 references)…