Explores teaching methods to improve students' understanding of quantitative chemistry and their ability to solve related problems using the Multidimensional Analysis System (MAS). Investigates the relationships between MAS-classified chemistry problems and student achievement in solving these problems. Shows that improvement in student…

Discusses schematic modeling and describes an experiment in which Lebanese high school and college students participated in problem-solving tutorials that followed a schematic modeling approach. Results indicate that both groups improved significantly in problem-solving performance and the course achievement of students in the college group was…

Explores relationships among school students' (n=189) meaningful learning orientation, reasoning ability and acquisition of meaningful understandings of genetics topics, and ability to solve genetics problems. Results indicate that meaningful learning orientation best predicted students' understanding of genetics interrelationships while reasoning…

Explores the performance of n=142 high schools students at the 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science test who are enrolled in a project based science (PBS) program as compared to a national sample of students. Recommends using inquiry-based approach such as PBS to implement reform in schools. (Contains 32 references.)…

Reports a study of the relationship between nonverbal analytical perception and performance on a standardized science achievement test among premedical and predental students. Hypothesized that students with above-average scores on the Embedded Figures Test would attain higher than average achievement scores, as compared with students with…

Reported the development and validation of an integrated model of performance on chemical concept-volumetric analysis. Model was tested on 265 chemistry students in eight schools.Results indicated that for subjects using algorithms without understanding, performance on volumetric analysis problems was not influenced by proportional reasoning…

Determined if providing feedback to students had any impact on the correlation between performance in physics and a test of simple, mechanistic mathematics skills. Also determined if students who drop out of the physics course demonstrated any identifiable difference in performance on tests involving a variety of reasoning and problem-solving…

Results of interviews with high school chemistry students (N=14) during equation-solving sessions indicate that those who were able to construct diagrams consistent with notation of their balanced equation possessed good concepts of subscript and the balancing rule. Implications for chemistry teaching are discussed. (DH)

Investigated effects of teaching an explicit approach to problem solving on the mathematical chemistry achievement of preparatory college students (with a control group being taught dimensional analysis as its problem-solving strategy). No difference in cumulative achievement between the groups was found. Interpretations of the results obtained…

University students given performance objectives, diagnostically tested, and given immediate feedback are compared with students who receive no objectives and are not diagnostically tested. Students' attitudes toward instruction are evaluated following diagnostic testing. (Authors/SA)

Discusses quasi-experimental and experimental research methodologies for investigating the relationships among teacher behavior, teacher competencies, student achievement, and student attitude outcomes. (MLH)

Examines the effect of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on students' understanding of chemical formulas and mole concept, and their attitudes toward chemistry and CAI. Reports that students who used the CAI accompanied with lectures scored significantly higher and demonstrated significant improvement in attitudes compared to the control group…

Reports on a study involving eighth grade earth science students (N=287) which indicates that a problem solving approach is useful in improving overall achievement, particularly in facilitating application of earth science subject matter. (CS)

Exposure of an experimental group of (n=33) college freshmen to teaching experiments dealing with stoichiometry problems based on the concept of limiting reagent showed greater improvement in posttests than the (n=39) student control group and observed that some students protect their core beliefs by ignoring conflicting data. (Author/MKR)

Investigated was the effect of concept mapping on science achievement. It was concluded that mapping concepts prior to, during, and subsequent to instruction led to greater achievement. (CW)