Discusses the policy and practice implications of five articles published in this issue. Argues that the "one size fits all" approach cannot work in systemic reform. (Contains 23 references.) (YDS)

This case study uses two "voices," the teacher's and student's, to examine the strengths and pitfalls of presenting Web courses from a constructivist modality. The insights were gathered from two years of Web courses at a small Arizona university. (EV)

Reviews problems with the constructionist view of comprehension, often based on schema theories, in light of evidence suggesting that bottom-up processes are predominant in comprehension. Reports on three alternative views of the role of top-down processing in comprehension. Proposes that some elements of schema theory remain important to…

For women to develop competence at all, but especially in high-status technologies, is to violate the unwritten law of gender. Positivist, constructivist, and critical theory accounts of gender and equity leave the status quo intact. Postmodern theorizing allows a different blueprint for change. (SK)

Presents a fun-filled activity in which students create the perfect Kool-Aid recipe. Incorporates chemistry, cooperative group skills, experimentation, and recording of results. (JRH)

Describes a teaching framework that allows instructors to become facilitators rather than the knowledge source; it also encourages social construction of knowledge and independence. Cites the seven stages of EMPOWER: elicit, monitor, pose, organize, web, engage, and reflect. Notes that these stages take students through a prereading strategy, a…

Focuses on theoretical underpinnings of social constructivism and multicultural education and aspects of social constructivism that can provide frameworks for research in multicultural science education. Attempts to persuade other researchers to expand their research and teaching efforts into multicultural science education. Illustrates a blending…

Discusses common features of the scientific change problem in epistemological research and conceptual change problem in didactic research, analyzing the role of analogies and metaphors within scientific knowledge. These ideas are confronted with images of scientific learning within pedagogical and epistemological constructivism. Maxwell's views…

Clarifies the author's position on constructivism and whether nature determines what is produced as knowledge in human development. The author states his form of constructivism as a theory of rational knowing, not a metaphysics of being, for whatever things we know, we know only insofar as having constructed them as viable entities in our…

Argues against Glasersfeld's (1996) position that individual experience, not metaphysics, dictates that knowing is itself a metaphysical position. It further disputes Glasersfeld's assertion that people are necessarily constructed differently in our minds than objects, but agrees with Glasersfeld that proceeding with the business of education does…

Analyzes the role of standards in science curriculum development and professional development. Discusses the difficulty of interpreting standards and describes experiences from a curriculum forum. (YDS)

Analyzes the absence of science-technology-society (STS) interactions and its consequences in the basic teaching of science in Spain. Proposes the introduction of STS interactions in physics and chemistry classes in conjunction with the teaching/learning model of science as research. Surveys students 16-18 years of age on their interest in physics…

Focuses on two of the principal issues for science curriculum developers who wish to introduce the history and philosophy of science into science teaching along with the justification for and the placement of historical materials within teachers' work schemes. Proposes a new model for inclusion of such material that directly addresses children's…

Outlines the difficulties of conducting action research and recommends student perceptual surveys to teachers who want to do action research. Points out the importance of students' perceptions of the learning environment and student feedback for professional development. Uses the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) to examine student…

Attempts to understand Vygotsky's perspective in relation to Marxist epistemology and critically examines the sociocultural interpretation of Vygotsky. Shows that the relativism of the sociocultural school not only takes Vygotsky's zone of proximal development out of its social and historical context, but downplays the zone of proximal development…