Describes two studies investigating children's views of their internal body maps. Reports that the majority of 8-9 year old children did not connect tubes and organs in their drawings, and the majority of 7-11 year old children drew relatively small, unconnected, and freely suspended organs. (Author/YDS)

Presents an example of a reconstruction of the debate concerning the foundations of general relativity on the basis of cultural and educational criteria. In particular, the debate is shown as guided by the concept of space and the different perspectives from which such a concept can be viewed. (Author/MM)

Whole vectors are not just for drawings. Easy, straightforward, and surprisingly versatile, whole vectors are perfect for calculations. (Author/MM)

Investigates whether the use of the combination of lecture, teacher demonstrations, class discussion, and student practical work in small groups significantly improved experimental subjects' attitudes to chemistry and understanding of electrolysis more than their control group counterparts who were not exposed to practical work. Examines whether…

Describes a study of the ability of fourth-year university student-teachers to use their theoretical knowledge of redox concepts to interpret natural phenomena of everyday life. Uses word-association tests, multiple-choice and open questions and reports that the students have difficulties in recognizing the scientific nature of well-known everyday…

Comments on four articles in a special issue of the Journal of the Learning Sciences on methodology in learning sciences. Analyzes the articles within a general model seeking to analyze human activity across multiple time scales. (Author/MM)

Proposes a framework for discussing the nature of the relationships between contexts and the formation of mathematical knowledge through model and field-of-experience concepts. Supports and illustrates this framework with references to curricular innovation and educational research. (Contains 31 references.) (Author/ASK)

Examines possible differences in secondary students' conceptions of randomness before and after instruction in probability, which occurs for Spanish students between the ages of 14 and 17. Indicates that students' subjective understanding of randomness is close to some interpretations of randomness throughout history. Contains 16 references.…

Argues that current approaches to modeling of concepts in bilingual memory privilege word representation at the expense of concept representation. Identifies four problems with the study of concepts in bilingual memory. (Author/VWL)

Attempts to understand how six biology students complete the tasks of a traditional paper-and-pencil instrument designed to detect alternative conceptions about photosynthesis. Responses to the traditional content question (first tier) were correct more often than reasons (second tier). Participant verbal data indicated that they relied upon…

Presents a project for modeling cellular ultrastructure for 14-17 year old students that helps to develop concepts of measurement and scaling in addition to supporting student understanding of cell biology. (Author/YDS)

Provides information on a 5-year study that tracks children's ideas and attitudes toward science. Follows children's ideas using the topic of photosynthesis. (YDS)

Explores the development over time of students' understandings of the concept of chemical reaction in the context of two familiar reactions in solution. Based on interviews (n=48), results show that students made some progress in their understanding of the concept of chemical reaction but some fundamental misconceptions remained. (Author/MM)

Describes an innovative approach to induction in an engineering school. Uses a constructivist approach to involve students, working in small groups with a staff facilitator, in the investigation of a technical issue. (Author/MM)

Reports on two investigations examining students' thinking processes with regard to functions. Concludes that students often relied on a table or some variation of a table as a cognitive link advancing the development of their reasoning about underlying function relationships. (Author/MM)