Assessed the impact of elementary science experiences on the development of sixth-graders' epistemological views. Found that, compared to students in a traditional science classroom, those in a constructivist classroom developed an epistemological stance toward science that focused on the central role of ideas in the knowledge acquisition process.…

Investigations of changes in conceptions during physics instruction are the logical and necessary steps to follow successful international research on students' preinstructional conceptions. The theoretical perspective integrates currently available frameworks of cognition, cognitive states, and cognitive processes in physics. Particular emphasis…

In today's climate of content standards and high-stakes testing, science teachers are under more pressure than ever to focus on the "ready-made" knowledge of science content. Yet, science educators have long advocated a more balanced approach to science instruction, including emphasis on the processes by which scientific knowledge is produced, as…