Investigated a persistent error among introductory college biology and genetics students, namely, that amino acids are produced by genetic translation (protein synthesis). Contributors to this misconception were revealed through multiple-choice items and interviews. Implications for education are discussed with specific steps suggested to correct…

Examines the intersection of students' understanding and acceptance of evolution and their epistemological beliefs and cognitive dispositions. Hypothesizes that there would be a relationship between understanding and acceptance. Involves (n=93) undergraduate, non-major biology students in the study. Reports no relationship between students,…

Describes a case study of the social construction of knowledge when undergraduate students are engaged in collaborative analysis of repertory grids produced by themselves and their instructor. Results indicate that this approach motivates students to be responsible for their own learning, allows students to communicate their understanding, and…

Describes the evaluation of the characteristics and practicality of concept mapping as a technique for classroom assessment. Findings suggest that the time required to provide training in concept mapping, produce concepts, and score-concept maps is compatible with the adoption of concept mapping as a classroom-assessment technique. Contains 15…

Examines structural characteristics of university engineering students' conceptions of energy elicited through paragraph writing and their relations with categories of their conceptions specific to energy in solution processes identified through interviews. Reports that structures of students' conceptions are characterized primarily by…

Undergraduates (n=25) participated in a study designed to describe and evaluate the use of concept mapping in teaching a college course on evolution; determine whether students' concept maps reveal "critical junctures" in learning as the course unfolds; and assess the impact of concept mapping on students' study practices and on…

Explores and documents the frequencies of conceptual difficulties confronted by college students (n=200) seeking to understand the basic processes of cellular respiration. Findings suggest that novices harbor a wide range of conceptual difficulties that constrain their understanding of cellular respiration and many of these conceptual problems…

Focuses on many alternative conceptions and nonconceptions about material related to equilibrium and thermodynamics. Uses interviews and compares the concepts from these with those expressed by experts in textbooks. (DDR)

Preservice physics teachers in a British university completed a word association test by supplying five physical quantities which they associated with a number of electromagnetic stimulus concepts. Gives analysis of concept linking as it may occur in the students' cognitive structures. (MLH)

Describes the problem-solving behaviors of six novice subjects attempting to solve an electrostatics problem in calculus-based college physics. The level of qualitative thinking exhibited by these novices was determined. Sound procedural knowledge and problem representation were suggested as an integral part of skilled problem solving in physics.…

Extends prior theory and research by postulating the existence of an intermediate class of concepts called 'hypothetical'. Investigates the hypothesis that three kinds of scientific concepts exist by constructing and administering a test on concepts introduced in a college biology course. Supports the hypothesis that intellectual development…

Reports a study using the F-Sort of Biology Concepts to assess understanding of 37 concepts. Analyses indicated that college student biology majors and experienced secondary science teachers were separated from scientists by a dimension based on a deep-versus-surface structure understanding of the concepts. (over 40 references) (Author/PR)

Describes a study designed to identify the various reasoning procedures used by students (n=229) in comparing the average velocities of two moving bodies; compare the differences among the procedures used by students at different school levels; and analyze the relationship between automatic and human diagnoses to identify diagnostic errors of the…

Investigates whether students can use a series of self-generated analogies to bring about change in their understanding of a given scientific phenomenon and the nature of the change in the understanding. Eleven individuals in a teacher education program were audiotaped and videotaped as they attempted to understand a piston/cylinder device. (PR)

Concept-map construction was tested as a means of increasing the conceptual learning of first-year, non-major college chemistry students (n=32). No significant differences between the control (essay-writing) and treatment (concept-map-constructing) groups were found on post-lab multiple-choice achievement tests. Interviews with students indicated…