Zoltan Dienes places great emphasis on the process of concept formation in the acquiring of an understanding of mathematical logic. Student motivation and interest are prime factors in this process. To assist students in the formation of mathematical concepts, teachers should rely on inductive methods. (CK)

Summarizes observations of differences in cognitive processes in college physics students. Provides examples of trains of thought and misconceptions exhibited by students and suggests procedures to help resolve the difficulties. (CS)

The ability of 47 EMR (educable mentally retarded) and 51 nonretarded children (ages 8 to 15) to maintain and generalize a sorting and retrieval strategy designed to facilitate recall and clustering was examined. Neither the far generalization data nor the near generalization data revealed any significant results. (Author)

The rules and concepts of basic moral reasoning can be taught without difficulty to quite young children; but educating them to prefer to use these rules is another matter. Kohlberg's stages are not likely to be stages of cognitive reasoning, but indication of the reasoning encouraged by the child's environment. (Author/SJL)

Two experiments were carried out in order to test the effects of task sequence on the speed of rule learning and problem solving. Experiment I involved numerical rule-learning tasks and Experiment II tested the effect of task difficulty and task precedence using problem-solving tasks. (Editor/RK)

Groups of formally educated and of uneducated rural Kpelle tribesman and children were given conceptual learning problems. The finding that education proved to have no significant effect on rule learning for either a conjunctive or a disjunctive rule is interpreted as indicating that formal education exerts its influence primarily on the way in…

Discusses a companion course designed to accompany an introductory chemistry course for preservice teachers. Includes examples of curricular materials and student work. (DDR)

Reports on a study of a pilot model of a laboratory training course that provides preservice secondary science teachers the opportunity to explore pedagogical possibilities and gain hands-on experience running a general chemistry lab. (DDR)

Explores connections between naive epistemology and everyday instructional practice. Reviews examples of naive epistemologies as made up of fine-grained, context-sensitive resources. Presents strategies designed to help students tap those resources for learning introductory physics. Reflects on this work as an example of interplay between two…

Argues, based on a constructivist view of learning, that if knowledge is constructed rather than recorded as received, instruction must be viewed as creating learning environments that enhance the process of knowledge construction, and should guide, support, and accompany students in constructing an increasingly sophisticated understanding of…

Describes similarities and differences between modeling cycles and stages of development. Includes examples of relevant constructs underlying children's developing ways of thinking about fractions, ratios, rates, proportions, or other mathematical ideas. Concludes that modeling cycles appear to be local or situated versions of the general stages…

Investigates student learning in a mathematics enrichment program offered via the Internet. Describes a course aimed at fostering students' capabilities to work like a mathematician. Examines students' correspondence and work for evidence of how students were working mathematically. Explains how to design both face-to-face and on-line teaching to…