This publication contains 24 studies which focus on: the fostering of inquiry in secondary school science laboratories; realistic expectations for traditional laboratory work; a content-based, college-level science course for all students; understanding learning at the classroom level; transitions and student task involvement; a project to encourage metacognitive behavior; cognitive variables in problem-solving in chemistry; health attitudes and health awareness in high school students; students' perceptions of stress; attitude and knowledge of Tasmanian secondary students toward energy conservation and environment; students' intentions to study or not to study science (using Ajzen and Fishbein's theory of reasoned action) and a possible paradigm shift for science education. Other studies involve such areas as the importance of context in educational research; use of concept maps in assessing a computer-based biology activity; children's ideas about temperature and electric current; learners' response to the idea of environment; the long-term kinetics of conceptual development; circular motion concepts of first-year engineering students; teachers' concepts in science; effect of training in concept mapping on student achievement in traditional classroom tests; Australian general science; predicting tertiary academic performance in terms of student cognitive and non-cognitive variables; and the analysis of science curricula in Australia. (JN)