Describes the Tardigrada as a group of animals suitable for close study in project work. Gives reasons for their suitability and an illustrated identification key. Discusses possible investigations into the ecology and physiology of tardigrades. (Author/CW)

Discusses responses to student questionnaires used to identify the effect of instructional strategies on study practices and attitudes towards biology. Concludes that while organized teaching has a stronger effect on study skills, teaching by enquiry has a stronger effect on curiosity and interest. (Author/CW)

Deals with the practical assessment of the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in Great Britain with regard to the requirements set forth in biology syllabi. Addresses the requirements of the British National Criteria for assessment of experimental skills, the assessment framework, and the principle of positive achievement. (TW)

Describes a multiple-choice instrument that reliably and validly diagnoses secondary students' understanding of photosynthesis and respiration in plants. Highlights the consistency of students' misconceptions across secondary levels and indicates a high percentage of students have misconceptions regarding plant physiology. (CW)

Reports that story-type chapters with dialogues, presented to lower secondary pupils (N=546) before they read a bio-technical text: (1) increased their objective understanding in terms, bio-technical instruction, and sequences in a process; and (2) enhanced their subjective assessment of the ease and attractiveness of the bio-technical text. (DH)

Investigated secondary-level students' (N=66) understanding of three-dimensional structures in biology. Results suggest that student performance is highly correlated with age, scientific ability, and sex. Suggestions for instructional improvement in spatial relationships are offered. (ML)

Investigated common belief patterns secondary school students (N=84) have about inheritance, noting the most prevalent misconceptions about genetics which occur at different age levels. Implications based on findings and suggestions for teaching lower secondary courses are included. (ML)

Examined the effectiveness of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic interaction patterns in promoting acquisition of science process skills during biology laboratory activities. Results (from 720 secondary students--352 girls and 368 boys) show that competitive interaction was superior to cooperative and individualistic interaction…

Over 600 students taking advanced level biology in more than 130 schools were surveyed to investigate the relationship between their attitudes toward fieldwork and factors associated with fieldwork teaching. Responses given by the students and their teachers are presented and discussed. (Author/JN)

Discussed are problems revealed in student responses to a practical task which formed part of an advanced level examination. The frequencies with which some misconceptions about cell reproduction and genetics occurred are presented. The nature of these misconceptions is analyzed and their implications discussed. (CW)

Investigated is the ability of high school pupils and university students to answer questions based on relationships within food webs using sound ecological principles. Research methods used and the results of this study are discussed. (CW)

The results of survey of secondary school biology students used to access misconceptions about cells are presented. A distinction between conceptions, misconceptions, and nonconceptions is drawn in terms of secondary school biology concepts. The resilience of misconceptions is discussed. (CW)

Presented are the results of an analysis of the cognitive stages of tenth-grade pupils using a six-week unit on the respiratory system. The research design, instruments, and data analysis are discussed. A variety of cognitive levels was found and may be related to learning outcomes. (CW)