The nature of science is a vital part of students' educational experience. It includes understanding what science is and how it works, in accordance with Content Standard G of the "National Science Education Standards" (NRC 1996). Effective science instruction requires incorporation of science content, science processes, and the nature of science.…

The Nature of Scientific Knowledge Scale (NSKS) is a 48 item, Likert-type instrument designed to assess high school students' understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge. This attitude scale is based on a six-factor model adapted from the factor-explication format used by Victor Showalter. Scientific knowledge is characterized as: (1)…

Discussed is the idea that models should be taught by emphasizing limitations rather than focusing on their generality. Two examples of gas behavior models are included--the kinetic and static models. (KR)

Models are used in everyday life and in school to predict and understand reality. In science classes, models should not be taught as absolute truths but used instead to promote reasoning. Exercises, strategies, and games are suggested to help students better learn about and use models. (DC)

Discusses the early recognition of chaos as seen in Poincar's work solving dynamical problems. Proposes five examples from which an inventory of the manifestation of chaos can be inferred. Discusses some instructional consequences of the development of ideas of chaos. (MDH)

Explanation as a genre may support children's reasoning and understanding particularly effectively. In this study, 20 fourth graders were given the task of explaining the effects of a pollutant on an ecosystem to third graders. Before writing, they completed a commercially developed science unit, instruction in reading and writing an explanation,…

OPERATION PEP REPRESENTS A DESIGNFUL ATTEMPT ON THE PART OF THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA TO PLAN, DESIGN, AND IMPLEMENT A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE EDUCATIONAL PLANNERS AND MANAGERS. THE BASIC CONTENT OF INSTRUCTION WILL BE DERIVED THROUGH THE ADAPTIVE TRANSLATION OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY TO THE CONTEXT OF…

"Living in Water" is a classroom-based, scientific study of water, aquatic environments, and the plants and animals that live in water. The lessons in this curriculum integrate basic physical, biological, and earth sciences, and mathematics. The integration of language arts is also considered essential to its success. These lessons do not require…

This paper reports on the evaluation of an 11-week curriculum created to foster seventh grade students' understanding of scientific modeling. In the curriculum, students engaged in model-oriented activities such as creating non-Newtonian computer microworlds to embody their conceptual models, evaluating their models with criteria, and reflecting…

Describes a physics course designed to engage preservice elementary teachers in the practices and discourses of science through activities that would later be used with children. Presents an account of preservice teachers' progress in inventing and testing models, working with empirical data, critically evaluating and using authoritative sources,…

In recent education reform policies of different countries, scientific literacy was set as the national goal for science education. Understanding how science itself and scientists really work, in other words, understanding the nature of science is necessary to reach the desired scientific literacy level. Students also need to understand the…

The articles in the collection discuss the theory and practice of seven Educational Sciences. These are the basic elements of a conceptual framework for the education profession proposed by Joseph E. Hill in the belief that if educators are to establish mutual understandings of educational problems and phenomena, a unifying conceptual framework…

This book offers broad, practical strategies for teaching science and engineering courses and describes how faculty can provide a learning environment that helps students comprehend the nature of science, understand science concepts, and solve problems in science courses. The student-centered approach focuses on two main themes: reflective writing…

The Honors Workshop for Middle School Science Teachers was designed to address teachers' conceptual understanding of basic scientific principles, student misconceptions and how to deal with them, and observation and measurement techniques. For 4 weeks in summer and on 6 Saturdays during 2 academic years, 30 leaders among science teachers from the…

Model-eliciting activities (MEA), specially designed client-drive, open-ended problems, have been implemented in a first-year engineering course and in secondary schools. The educational goals and settings are different, but the design of an MEA enables it to be versatile. This paper will introduce the reader to the principles that guide MEA…