Background: In this era of rapid technical advancement, there are growing debates around the idea of nanotechnology, which are both timely and controversial. Nanotechnology materials are being utilized in our daily lives in many ways, often without consumer knowledge. Due to the explosion of nanotechnology applications, there is a necessity to…

Working memory capacity has been shown to be an important factor in controlling understanding in the sciences. Attitudes related to studies in the sciences are also known to be important in relation to success in learning. It might be argued that if working memory capacity is a rate controlling feature of learning and success in understanding…

Many of the explanations for girls' disinterest in physics focus on the role of the educational system in creating this situation. Here, we use evidence from free-choice science learning settings to study if this lack of interest is also expressed in non-school settings. Three sets of self-generated questions raised by children, adolescents and…

Indicates that the zoo considers that it has an important role in education and provides many opportunities for learning but that visitors' prime purpose is for entertainment. Concludes that science learning at the zoo is limited for general visitors, but is enhanced for school children by pre- and post-visit activities and strong curricular…

Reports on a study of two classroom learning environment questionnaires developed in a culturally diverse context, specifically the Pacific Islands. Concludes that females perceive their environment more favorably than males. (Contains 96 references.) (DDR)

Details a study of students' text usage that used observations and interviews. Concludes that retrieval strategies are not transferred to learning from texts during science lessons. (Contains 41 references.) (DDR)

Examines the results of The Draw-A-Scientist Test given to Hong Kong Chinese students (n=675) to explore their images of scientists. Focuses on differences across grade levels and between male and female students. (DDR)

Reports on a study that examined Malaysian science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. Concludes that trainee teachers' lack pedagogical content knowledge of conceptual change strategies. (Contains 23 references.) (DDR)

Discusses the lack of primary teachers' focus on explanatory understanding and explores whether primary science books show a concern for explanatory understanding. (Contains 69 references.) (DDR)

Reports on a study that explored the types of questions that students ask for open-ended science investigations. Discusses how teachers can help students identify problems and pose questions that are feasible for investigation. (Contains 55 references.) (DDR)

Investigates two school situations, one identified as being health-promoting and having a comprehensive policy and a defined program of health education, the other not health-promoting, having no policy, and an unstructured program of health education. Assesses students' knowledge and behavior with regard to nutrition and health. (Contains 46…

Reports on a study of the influence of different approaches to teaching units from the Jordanian science curriculum on over 600 students from grades 6, 9, and 10. Trains a small sample of male and female teachers in the use of cooperative learning and lecture-demonstration approaches to teaching. (Contains 17 references.) (Author/YDS)

Identifies the Nuffield Design and Technology Project which enlarges upon the national curriculum. Presents an investigation based on case studies of two teachers in separate schools, each using Nuffield publications with their classes. Explores how Nuffield materials were selected and adapted by the teachers. Suggests training to enhance…

Defines textbook genre as the manner of presentation of material and implied relationship between the author and reader. Describes a method of objectively dividing textbooks into moves separated by shifts in emphasis, and gives a genre analysis of an exemplar textbook to demonstrate how the technique might be useful in evaluating textbooks for…

Reviews collateral learning theory as a cognitive explanation for how pupils cope with disparate worldviews mediated by transcending cultural borders between their everyday culture and the culture of science. Proposes a new pedagogy in which teachers assume the role of culture broker in the classroom to achieve culturally sensitive curriculum and…