Reports on a study designed to examine students' understanding of certain aspects of heat, pressure, and evolution. Results indicated that little change was apparent over the two-year period of the study, with most of the students in the 12 to 14 age range at the same conceptual level as the 14 to 16 year olds. (TW)

Concept mapping leads students away from rote learning and toward true understanding of concepts and their relationships. Several sample and student maps on earth science topics are presented and discussed. Applications for science instructors, students, researchers, and teacher educators are also considered. (DH)

High school students of various ability levels were presented economics concepts lessons, varied according to their organization or structure. Test questions over concept ranged from simple recall of information to application of economics principles. Students scored generally higher when they were presented highly structured lessons. (LMO)

This paper considers what physics can offer students, both as physics majors and in other sciences. The recent increases in the technological character of the workplace appear likely to continue, leading to increasing numbers of individuals who should learn something about science. For many of these people, understanding the character of science,…

Reports on a study that addresses the implications of instructional strategies that are used to create cognitive disequilibrations to achieve conceptual change. Discusses several difficulties in the application of such conceptual change strategies. Contains 31 references. (DDR)

Presents a study that investigated relationships between gender, interest, and experience in electricity. Also explored the effect of conceptual change text manipulations on learning fundamental concepts of direct current. Suggests that conceptual change text manipulations are likely to be effective for both men and women. Contains 57 references.…

Informs teachers about using concept maps as a learning tool and alternative assessment tools in education. Presents research results of how students might use concept maps to communicate their cognitive structure. (Author/KHR)

Described is the relative complexity of commonly used diagrams in science instruction. Student interpretations of diagrams, implications for science instruction and the prevention of science misconceptions is discussed. (CW)

This article illustrates some problems faced by student teachers of biology when they try to realize the process of "didactic transformation" while planning their classes. To address these problems, a method of subject-matter analysis, utilizing hierarchical concept-maps, was introduced into the teacher training component at the Free…

Documents the patterns of coherence and persistence in energy conceptions. Describes the derivation of the Interview Vee technique and the procedure for putting an interview on the Vee. Discusses the production of Vee maps to help understand childrens' learning of concepts. (CW)

Describes a diagnostic evaluation to measure the idea of the living cell as the basic unit of life. Describes the classification of student knowledge as common knowledge, wide-spread lack of knowledge, inadequate alternatives, and contradictions. (YP)

Examines childrens' (age 8-14) conceptions of shadow formation through interviews. Identifies "the trigger model" of shadows and finds that there are multiple roles that children attribute to light. (YP)

Presents the results of three studies examining children's conception of the mind itself as an independent, active entity. Findings revealed a developing ability in children to interpret and produce statements personifying the mind and provided considerable evidence of children's movement toward a conception of the mind as an active agent…

Verbal and nonverbal classification tasks were administered in Spanish and English to 30 bilingual children, aged 6-7. Results indicate the positive influence of bilingualism on cognitive development and support a model in which bilingual children construct two representational systems--one, nonverbal and universal across languages; and a second,…

Reports a study designed to identify 9 and 11 year olds' ways of drawing nets of solids and to provide opportunities for them to reflect on their models in whole class discussions. Results indicated that children's views of solids' nets progressed from more global and holistic to more quantitative and analytic. (MDH)