The contextual approach to teaching is generally recognized as a reasonable and desirable strategy to enhance student learning in science. Using several cognitive and learning theories together with various philosophical considerations, I identify five distinct contexts that are important in engaging learners: the theoretical, practical, social,…

Testing the pH of various liquids is one of the most popular activities in 5th- through 8th-grade classrooms. The author presents an extensive pH-testing lesson based on a 5E (engagement, exploration, explanation, extension, and evaluation) teaching model. The activity provides students with the opportunity to learn about pH and how it relates to…

Between 1980 and 1990, the total number of Asian, Hispanic, American Indian, and foreign undergraduates increased by more than 50% at public, private, 4-year and 2-year colleges. Many of these students may be of limited English proficiency, suggesting that the traditional science lecture/lab format may need modification to incorporate the theory…

There are the only two studies available on the types of solutions--unsaturated, saturated, supersaturated, dilute and concentrate--in the related literature with respect to students' understanding. But, no study focuses on remediation of students' alternative conceptions with regard to the aforementioned concepts, based on the assumption that…

Points out the benefits of "sciencing"--helping children learn the methodology and processes of scientific investigation through the use of play experimentation. (SKC)

Provides a brief overview of the constructivist learning model and characterizes the science classroom where the constructivist model can best be used. (ZWH)

Asserts that science is poetry that is intended for all students to understand. Presents text and a teaching model, The Why How Tree, to aid in helping all students to better understand how the world works. Emphasis is placed on the dependent relationship that the disciplines share. (ZWH)

Discusses the positive and negative aspects of outcome-based education. Also included in the discussion are recommendations for the successful implementation of outcome-based education. (ZWH)

Describes different teaching methods and explains the advantages and disadvantages of experiential learning as compared to traditional instructional techniques. Discusses the steps of the experiential learning model. (YDS)

The purpose of this paper was to investigate students' views on models and modelling in science as well as the role that models play in learning, using a theoretical framework of models in learning. Students' views on models in science were investigated using a pencil-and-paper questionnaire given to 275 students from Grade 8 (13 years old) to…

This article addresses the issues involved in monitoring the teaching and learning of science in a changing world. It examines the development of cross-cultural studies of educational achievement, particularly in the field of science, including the theoretical basis of the studies and the models advanced and used in evaluation and more recently in…

Coteaching as a form of situated learning supports early induction into science teaching. A coteaching model for secondary science methods students and what has been learned from this model is described. Secondary science methods students in pairs were placed with a science teacher to begin teaching as peripheral participants. A cooperative…

This article discusses problem solving and how science educators can integrate problem solving into their instruction. The Search, Solve, Create, and Share (SSCS) model was developed based on the findings of problem solving research. (YP)

Develops a simple core-halo model of a galaxy that exhibits the main features of observed rotation curves and quantitatively illustrates the need to postulate halos of dark matter. Uses only elementary mechanics. (Author/MVL)

Despite its frequent use, there is little understanding of the concept of differential among upper high school and undergraduate students of physics. As a first step to identify the origin of this situation and to revert it, we have done a historic and epistemological study aimed at clarifying the role and the meaning of the differential in…