Describes science activities for home in terms of sociological theory to understand activities in the home. Demonstrates the existence of differences that cannot fail to affect children's learning in both home and school situations. Illustrates a variation in attitude affecting children as they daily cross boundaries from one culture to another,…

Develops an instrument for measuring secondary students' cognitive conflict levels as they learn science. Indicates that cognitive conflict consists of four constructs: (1) recognition of an anomalous situation; (2) interest; (3) anxiety; and (4) cognitive reappraisal of the conflict situation. Discusses implications for instruction and…

Investigates how students develop an understanding of chemical representations with the aid of a computer-based visualizing too called eChem that allows them to build molecular models and view multiple representations simultaneously. Involves 11th grade students (n=71) at a small public high school and examines the changes in students'…

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…

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)

In this article, we describe the results of a study of the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of preservice chemistry teachers in the context of a postgraduate teacher education program. A group of preservice teachers (n = 12) took part in an experimental introductory course module about the use of particle models to help secondary school…

This study explores general-chemistry instructors' awareness of and ability to identify and address common student learning obstacles in chemical equilibrium. Reported instructor strategies directed at remediating student alternate conceptions were investigated and compared with successful, literature-based conceptual change methods. Fifty-two…

Scientific and everyday knowledge domains are compared so as to reveal the distinctive differences between their goals and the cognitive processes used to attain them. The main goals, working goals, learning difficulties, knowledge structure, concept specification, knowledge organization, role of school science, program-solving instruction, formal…