Presents the results of a discussion among high school students about what holds up the moon. The question and ensuing discussion enabled students to question their existing ideas, but caused them to be anxious. (DDR)

Reports on a small-scale investigation of student understanding of moments of forces to provide some indication as to the nature of intuitive ideas in this area. Results of the investigation suggest three stumbling blocks in the conceptual understanding of moment of forces. (Author/ASK)

Argues that in addition to domains of value, young children recognize distinct domains of truth. Notes that although value judgments have been shown to be differentiated by age 4, research suggests truth judgments may not be similarly differentiated before grade school age. (JPB)

Examines the research literature on conceptual change, analyzes the different uses of the term, and discusses six other issues that have emerged from this literature. Outlines a multidimensional framework for considering conceptual change events in the classroom and attempts to synthesize various perspectives of contemporary conceptual change…

Describes types and functions of student contact points in distance education, including academic counseling and library services; proposes a contouring and catchment method to determine the concentration of registered students and prospective candidates; and applies the method to Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for strengthening…

Focuses on the efforts of a small group of undergraduate engineering students as they explore their perceptions of their learning environment generally, and their approaches to learning in a specific engineering subject. Uses a case study methodology to describe and contextualize the students' work. (Contains 27 references.) (Author/YDS)

Students must understand key concepts through reasoning, searching out related concepts, and making connections within multiple systems to learn science. The Roundhouse diagram was developed to be a concise, holistic, graphic representation of a science topic, process, or activity. Includes sample Roundhouse diagrams, a diagram checklist, and…

Examines how academic assertiveness in junior high school students was related to conceptual change and the degree to which their assertiveness affected conceptual change in the partners paired with them for a series of activities using a simulation of the human cardiovascular system. Indicates that the assertiveness ratings of the individuals'…

Considers teaching as an activity in which teachers deliberate in the practical domain to decide on actions and goals. Argues that because practical reasoning is similar to scientific reasoning, a model of practical conceptual change can be developed that is analogous to the conceptual change model. Examines two case studies of teachers using the…

Proposes a taxonomy of three levels in increasing order of mathematical demand in order to understand a set of mathematical skills of some importance to beginning undergraduates in engineering and mathematics. Suggests that the constructed instrument is robust and the taxonomy used is effective. (Contains 22 references.) (Author/ASK)

Demonstrates the logical relationship between percentage composition and an empirical formula using a technique that depends on determining a minimum molar mass for the compound based on the mass percent of each element. (DDR)

Presents two experiments with a multi-representational environment in which the difficulty of translating between representations was manipulated. Describes how pairs of pictorial, mathematical, or mixed pictorial and mathematical representations were used to teach children in one of three experimental aspects of computational estimation. Finds…

Presents results of two teaching experiments at university level each involving five students. Attempts in the experiments to build on students' forms of energy language as well as to challenge its limitations. Describes student and teacher reasoning. Concludes that forms of energy language must be reformulated before it can be evaluated with…

Explores the effects in a multiple case study of Roundhouse diagram construction and use on meaningful learning of science concepts in a 6th grade classroom. Concludes that the students typically gained a greater understanding of science explanations by constructing the diagrams. (Author/MM)

Describes the commitments and research that went into the design of a 9-week high school course in evolutionary biology designed to bring students to an understanding of the practice of evolutionary biology by engaging them in developing, elaborating, and using one of the discipline's most important explanatory models. (Contains 39 references.)…