The Learning in Science Project established that children from a young age construct out of their everyday experiences views which they use to explain their world and that these views are remarkably resistant to replacement by scientifically more useful views. Although science lessons tend to be based upon activities which are designed by teachers…

The Learning in Science Project has adopted the view that science teaching might be improved if teachers can be given some appreciation of students' views of the world and the beliefs, expectations, and language that learners bring to new learning situations. This investigation looks at the topic of soil, one of the basic resources of New Zealand…

The Learning in Science Project (Primary--LISP(P)--designed to investigate the teaching and learning of science in New Zealand primary schools, arises from the work of the original Learning in Science Project (LISP). This paper is an attempt to clarify the direction of LISP(P) as it moves toward the central phase of the research. The ideas…

This thesis focuses on the definitional and cross-cultural processes involved in the development of an environmental education (EE) database of essential learnings, and the potential of the product in improving the effectiveness of international EE. Identifying the universal aspects of EE is crucial because EE is an evolving field, and is…

The Learning in Science Project established that children from a young age construct out of their everyday experiences views which they use to establish their world and that these views are remarkably resistant to replacement by scientifically more useful views. Although science lessons tend to be based upon activities which are designed by…

The first (exploratory) phase of the Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P)--focused on science teaching/learning in New Zealand primary schools. Previous information about science teaching/learning was obtained from interviews with children, teachers, principals, science advisers, teachers' college lecturers, and inspectors. To gain…

Learning in Science Project findings have highlighted the quality of interaction between students and teachers as the key to effective learning. Major aspects of this interaction include focusing attention, linking to children's science, encouraging discussion, guiding investigations, challenging ideas/findings, and helping the restructuring…

The first working paper of the Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P)--"Toward a Framework," outlined what was then seen (1982) as the major aim of the project and proposed a research plan that seemed capable of enabling the project to establish difficulties that teachers have teaching science, to identify difficulties children…

This paper proposes some possible areas of research and tentative theoretical guidelines for the Learning in Science Project (Primary)-- LISP(P). This new project, designed to investigate the teaching and learning of science in the primary school, arises from the work of the original Learning in Science Project (LISP). LISP(P) has two…

Two previous papers of the Learning in Science Project recorded the thinking of the project team at the outset of the exploratory and in-depth phases of the project. This paper briefly reconsiders the work done in the in-depth phase and then discusses some central issues and tentative ideas as the project moves into the third and final…

The first (exploratory) phase of the Learning in Science Project focused on science teaching/learning in the Form 1 to 4 level (ages 10 to 14) and sought to identify problems and difficulties in several areas. Provided in this paper are comments obtained during structured/unstructured interviews (from students, ex-students, teachers, headmasters,…

Many students, even after formal science instruction, have not developed a scientifically acceptable concept of "living,""animal," or "plant." Therefore, as part of the action-research phase of the Learning in Science Project, a working group was formed to explore (with teachers) some possible strategies aimed at…

In the action-research phase of the Learning in Science Project, four groups of people worked on problems identified in the project's second (in-depth) phase. The Chemistry Action-Research Group considered problems related to the teaching and learning of ideas associated with particles and physical/chemical changes. Based on findings during the…

In the action-research phase of the Learning in Science Project, four groups of people worked on problems identified in the project's second (in-depth) phase. The Physics action-research group considered problems related to the teaching and learning of ideas associated with force and motion, suggesting that children's ideas of these concepts might…