Compares the instructional objectives of teachers, supervisors and engineers in the field of statics, strength of materials and machine parts. (CP)

Investigates the wait-time after each question, the number of questions asked per minute, and the cognitive levels of questions asked by 10 preservice teachers. After initial data collection to determine subjects question-asking practices, one-half of the sample underwent instruction to change their question-asking practices. Results revealed the…

Debates as to the appropriateness of using the Karplus Islands Puzzle as an instrument to assess formal-operational thought. (CP)

Provides a review of research on scientific reasoning in persons between ages 14 and 18. For the application, the ability to separate variables or use the concept of "all other things being equal" is termed scientific reasoning. Over 50 studies are referenced. (CP)

The philosophical viewpoints of 56 preservice elementary school teachers were measured prior to and following a fourteen-week methods course. Following treatment, subjects viewed science as more tentative and uncertain than did those in a control group. (CP)

Compares student achievement in an upper-division college introductory course taught by the video-autotutorial method with that in two comparable courses taught by the lecture-discussion method. Pre-post tests of 623 students reveal that video-autotutorial students outperform lecture/discussion participants at all ability levels and that in…

Four types of proportionality problems were administered to: (1) secondary school students who were enrolled in Project Physics, and (2) students not enrolled in physics. Both samples were randomly selected. Groups were not found to differ significantly in problem solving ability but both revealed that the ability to solve certain problems was…

Describes the purposes, methods and results of a study involving 500 elementary and secondary science teachers. By factor analysis, responses on a 117 item needs assessment instrument were reduced to 11 final factors. (CP)

Compares student achievement and retention scores of secondary school chemistry students who were involved in: (1) learning-for-mastery, (2) personalized system of instruction and (3) control (independent study) modes of remediation work. Higher retention and more objectives were recorded by the learning-for-mastery group. (CP)

Interaction process analysis was used to study the verbal behavior patterns of 10 junior high science teachers. For each teacher, the highest and lowest ability intact classes with whom the teacher worked were studied. Findings revealed that teachers were significantly more indirect and asked more divergent and evaluative questions of the higher…

Investigates the effects of a humanistic teaching-learning environment on the attitudes of preservice teachers and attempts to determine whether activities designed to clarify attitudes are useful in improving attitudes toward science. Participants in the study were 134 preservice teachers. Findings revealed that the humanistic environment was…

Reports the construction and field testing of an electronic device intended to serve as a replacement for Piaget's first chemical task. Validity of the electronic task was established in testing 64 secondary school age students. Results obtained by the chemical and electronic tasks were highly correlated. (CP)

Investigates the relationship between dogmatism (inversely related to open-mindedness) and attitudes toward science of preservice elementary school teachers. Both groups had experienced an inquiry oriented science methods course. Significant negative correlations between dogmatism and attitudes were found for both groups. (CP)

Studies the effects of computer-managed self-paced (CMSP) and teacher-managed group-paced (TMGP) laboratory instruction on the attitudes toward science of ninth-grade students. All students were enrolled in an introduction to chemistry and physics course. Posttests revealed that groups did not differ significantly on achievement measures but the…

Studies elementary school childrens' abilities in (1) measuring and constructing angles, and (2) interpreting and constructing linear graphs as a result of instructional formats. Partitioned into instructional treatments of (1) science, (2) science-mathematics, (3) mathematics, and (4) control were 161 fourth- and fifth-grade children. Mathematics…