Reports about U.S. schools have indicated the need for improvement of science teaching and learning. One of the solutions advocated calls for classroom contexts that allow for authentic practice under the guidance of teachers who model pertinent skills as practitioners in the field of study. The metaphor used to describe such teaching-learning…

Information processing models do not account for much of human competence in everyday scientific and lay contexts. Situated cognition models account better for competence in widely differing situations. In situated cognition models, the purpose of science education must be reconceived as preparing citizens to participate in public enactments of…

The use of concept maps, Vee diagrams, flow charts, and productive questions to increase student understanding of laboratory exercises and to improve student attitudes toward lab classes is discussed. Examples of each are provided. Student responses to these teaching methods are described. (CW)