Answers the question posed in the title by listing the aims of science study and advocating that courses be designed around basic themes. (GS)

"Scientific ways of thinking and problem solving are deeply ingrained in how we think and act, day by day. Scientific approaches are used, often unknowingly, by most people." Most of us would agree with this statement which comes from the National Science Statement but it does not apply to Anangu and many other indigenous people. Anangu,…

This paper addresses two questions: "Does conceptual understanding help students solve related quantitative problems?" and "Does working through a quantitative problem help students understand the concepts involved?" A class of approximately 100 students was split into two equally skillful groups, A and B. Group A was administered a tutorial…

The relationship between a student's stated preference for solving a problem and his/her actual problem methodology, concrete or abstract, was studied. Comparisons were made between formal and nonformal students. (MP)

Describes an activity on density and its role on an object's floating or sinking. Uses canned regular and diet Coke soda pop to demonstrate differences in density. (YDS)

Points out the importance of problem solving as a fundamental skill and how students struggle with problem solving in physics courses. Describes a workbook developed as a solution to students' struggles that features simple exercises and advanced problem solving. (Contains 12 references.) (Author/YDS)

Describes the model-revising problem-solving strategies of two groups of students (one successful, one unsuccessful) as they worked in a genetics course to revise Mendel's simple dominance model to explain the inheritance of a trait expressed in any of four variations. Finds differences in the groups' abilities to recognize anomalous data, use…

Describes a study with the main objective of constructing models based on strategies students use to solve chemistry problems and to show that these models form sequences of progressive transitions termed "problemshifts" that increase the explanatory/heuristic power of the model. Results implies that the relationship between algorithmic…

Examines the following research questions and others: (1) How do students define the mole concept? and (2) Is there a connection between student's definition of the mole concept and their explanations of the numerical identity between the atomic or molecular mass and molar mass of a substance? Results are discussed in terms of research in chemical…

Describes how Newton's Law of Cooling and the Method of Mixtures are used to solve the basic dilemma of whether to add the cool cream to the hot coffee or to let the black coffee cool down first and then add the cream. (ZWH)

Provides a method to help students understand problem-solving techniques used in introductory physics courses. (MVL)

Notes that when using the screw as a simple machine, the pitch of the screw is important in the amount of force that will be produced. (MVL)

Suggests reasons for the lack of change in biochemistry courses and proposes mechanisms to enhance change. Advocates a problem-solving approach using nontraditional questions on examinations. Provides examples of how traditional questions can be rewritten to reflect a problem-solving approach. (PR)

Authors propose a simple and inexpensive activity to provide an exciting source of information about biological processes that occur during eutrophication of lakes and ponds. The observations and interpretations that take place during the eutrophication of the Windogradsky water column constitutes an illustrative approach for understanding…

Some misconceptions about the roles of action and problem solving in environmental education are examined. It is argued that the use of the term problem solving exaggerates the abilities of environmental educators and students. The implications of establishing problem solving as a goal of environmental education are discussed. (KR)