Investigates the association between attitude towards the philosophy of science and academic qualification professional training. Analyzes responses from 33 A-level biology teachers to a questionnaire and reports from teachers in Harare on their school contexts. Suggests that the differential distribution of facilities and resources across school…

Explores learning processes in 8th grade physics classrooms in Germany. Collects data with regard to cognitive, cognitive-emotional, and emotional variables. Shows that positive emotions are more important in acquisition than in practice, and anxieties play an ambiguous role in practice. Indicates that joy about learning is linked to successful…

Explores the attitudes and perceptions of Scottish girls and boys towards physics over the age range of 10-18 years. Discusses different attitudes between girls and boys in Standard Grade physics and the Higher Grade course. Indicates that the focus of attention should be on the structure and nature of the science course in the early secondary…

Provides an historical perspective of the popular topics that have influenced science education during the past quarter century and reviews current international debate on scientific literacy and science pedagogy. Suggests that there is still considerable cause for concern for school science curriculum and sociopolitical action needs to be taken.…

Discusses how conceptual change has developed over the past three decades, alternative approaches for analyzing it, multiperspective views of science learning and instruction, how conceptual change can be used to examine scientific literacy, and paths to a powerful framework for improving science teaching and learning. (Contains 91 references.)…

Reviews literature in the theoretical views of language arts; perceived roles of language in science education; and research approaches used to investigate oral and written language in science, science teaching, and learning. Suggests future research directions in critical listening and reading of various sources, multi-media presentations,…

Explores technology in science education in five paths: (1) science texts and lectures; (2) science discussions and collaboration; (3) data collection and representation; (4) science visualization; and (5) science simulation and modeling. (Contains 92 references.) (Author/SOE)

Outlines changes that have taken place in research methods that addressed the informal learning of science, particularly in the museum sector. Addresses perspective shifts, examines current issues, and suggests future directions for research. (Contains 63 references.) (SOE)

Analyzes student performance on solution calorimetry problems in an introductory university chemistry class. Includes data from written classroom exams for 207 students and an extensive longitudinal interview with a student. Indicates learning difficulties, most of which appear to originate from failure to understand, that net increases and…

Investigates student approaches to learning in a second year chemical engineering course by means of a qualitative research project which utilized interview and journal data from a group of 11 students. Identifies three approaches to learning: (1) conceptual; (2) algorithmic; and (3) information-based. Presents student responses to a series of…

Investigates the images of scientists held by Israeli preservice teachers, the majority of whom were female and either Hebrew- or Arabic-speaking. Uses the Draw-a-Scientist-Test (DAST) tool developed to test images of a scientist as perceived by the participants. Discusses different images in the two cultures. Includes recommendations for…

Explores the differences between science students' and teachers' perceptions of laboratory environments. Surveyed more than 1000 junior high school students and their science teachers in Taiwan and concludes that students are more dissatisfied with approaches to laboratory activities than their teachers. Suggests epistemological views as one of…

Investigates a group of women scientists' understanding of themselves and science. Uses a mixture of conventional qualitative research methods and techniques developed for use in psychotherapy. Discusses contradictory results to some of the assumptions on which past work on girls and science education is based. Explores implications of these…

Reports on a 4-year longitudinal case study of two Australian primary science teachers during transition from preservice to inservice teaching. Interprets teachers' change and professional growth as instances of sub-cultural border crossing and the role in their construction of the borders crossed by beginning teachers. Proposes ways of assisting…

Examines the existing relationship between the degree of structural coherence of 10th grade students' (n=155) preconceptions in mechanics and the viability of conceptual change both before and after teaching. Results show that students with the highest level of formal reasoning change their alternative conceptions more easily when they display a…