Tested were all-verbal or verbal-pictorial presentations followed by either pictorial practice or a control task with 96 undergraduates; results favored pictorial presentation with review. Also tested were effectiveness of pictorial review tasks to a read-twice control with 50 different undergraduates. Pictorial review facilitated performance and…

Thurstone's Scale No. 30, Form A was used to survey attitudes of introductory college biology students (N=120) toward evolution. Results indicate the majority of these students believe in the theory of evolution. In addition, two demographic variables, sex and church influence, produced a significant correlation with the attitude scores.…

An instrument was developed to measure conceptions of the language of science held by prospective Nigerian science teachers (N=106) relative to conceptions held by seven selected science philosophers (Carnap, Frank, Hempel, Kemeny, Nagel, Nash, and Popper). Subjects did not endorse the language of science associated with a particular philosopher.…

The relationship between elementary pupils' (N=583) attitudes toward science and science achievement when using residualized gain scores was investigated. Results indicated significant relationships between scores on the two tests used: multiple choice, fill-in science achievement test, and a six-statement attitude inventory. (Author/JN)

An instrument was developed to assess secondary school students' attitudes toward science using items based on Mead and Metraux's 1957 study. Instrument reliability (0.76 in a pilot study and 0.86 in a study with 251 ninth-grade students) and construct validity are discussed. (JN)

The concepts of distance, area, and the coordinate reference systems were investigated in relation to the displacement volume task among 300 randomly selected primary and high school children in Nigeria. Although results support Piaget's hypothesis, a developmental lag of about two years was observed in Nigerian students. (JN)

Compared the effect of a traditional "Star Show" program and a "Participatory Oriented Program" in a small, educational planetarium on elementary school students' (N=556) achievement and attitudes. Results indicate that the latter, activity-oriented program is superior to the "Star Show" program. (JN)

To determine responsiveness to instruction, matched concrete operational seventh-grade (N=50) and college (N=72) students were given identical classroom instruction in probabilistic and correlational reasoning using biological concepts. Field dependence/independence and fluid intelligence were examined. Reasons why college students are more…

Results of this study suggest that diagrams provide different types of information for ninth-grade students (N=273) and that learners process each type differently. Flow diagrams running across a page from either left to right or right to left, or with or without drawings of dinosaurs, were used. (JN)

Lists six problems related to descriptive data and to factor analysis performed in a previous research study reported in this journal. Includes the authors' response to the suggested weaknesses of their study. (JN)

Develops a way to conceptualize the complementarity of quantitative and qualitative research in science education, demonstrating through analysis of examples that qualitative and quantitative research reports follow the same pattern of argument, although the metaphysical roots behind their methodologies are obviously different. (Author/SK)

Evaluated attainment of Nigerian Primary Education Improvement Program's objectives in terms of students' ability to practice process skills, their interest, active participation in and understanding of science lessons, and the availability of materials and ease of preparing and teaching the lessons for teachers. (Author/SK)

To explain college students' (N=110) achievement in mechanics, a causal model consisting of three constructs (Newtonian physics, mathematics ability, and science experience) was proposed. Implications for physics instruction are discussed based on results indicating plausibility of the model. (Author/SK)

Based on Hovland's four-part statement, "who says what to whom with what effect," opinions were surveyed from preservice elementary teachers (N=139) and mathematics educators (N=45) to establish characteristics of metric educators (who) and content (what) of persuasive communication useful in influencing attitudes of preservice teachers toward…

A model of memory developed by information processing psychologists is described, illustrating how such a model could be used to guide science education research on learning and problem solving. (Author/SK)