Presents a study to determine whether biology students in preservice training to become high school teachers hold correct scientific views that will eventually allow them to plan and implement instructional strategies which in turn will lead their future students to achieve a correct scientific concept of force. (Author/DKM)

Described in this study are student teachers' frameworks of purity and the related concepts of the states of matter. The concept of natural versus pure substances, classifying states of matter, and implications for teaching drawn from the results are discussed. (Author/KR)

Presents findings from a case study into the development of student understanding of chemical bonding. Reveals significant progression in student understanding but also highlights issues of how such progression should be addressed. Emphasizes factors associated with blocks to appropriate concept development. (33 references) (Author/MKR)

Points out the importance of writing, trialling, and using curriculum materials that are illustrated in the teaching and learning of what is widely recognized as the most recent revolution in scientific knowledge. Outlines events and factors related to the ways in which scientific knowledge was gained. (Contains 69 references.) (Author/YDS)

Examination of senior secondary and tertiary level chemistry students' descriptions of their mental models for chemical bonding revealed prevalent alternative conceptions. Some 20 alternative conceptions were revealed, the most common being belief that continuous ionic or metallic lattices were molecular in nature, and confusion over ionic size…

The ideas of Year I undergraduate biology students about the consequences, causes, and cures of the 'greenhouse effect' was determined using a closed-form questionnaire, and results were compared with a parallel study undertaken nearly 10 years ago. Many of the students in the present survey were unaware of the potential effect of global warming…