Investigates the efficacy of promoting 8th grade students' problem-solving ability through history of science teaching. After one year of teaching, with the statistical procedure of the analysis of covariance, finds that the experimental group students outperformed their counterparts in the chemistry conceptual problem-solving ability. Initial…

Introduces an assessment instrument developed to evaluate students' views on the nature of science. Examines the ways in which learners mark out science as a particular domain, particularly the types of questions that they think are open to scientific investigation. (Contains 35 references.) (Author/YDS)

Compares outcomes of traditional and reform calculus courses in terms of students' retention of basic concepts and skills after the passage of time. Concludes that reform students retain better conceptual knowledge and traditional students retain better procedural knowledge. Demonstrates that reform calculus students understand concepts before…

Presents mathematical calculator activities used by students individually, in small groups, or as problems of the week. Suggests using calculators to enhance and stimulate student learning. (KHR)

Uses a video, "A Private Universe", to introduce preservice teachers to students' alternative conceptions and the concept of conceptual change. (YDS)

Describes the development of a speaking-intensive course for non-science majors and future teachers and the various types of speaking assignments. Indicates that students learn by teaching and increase their science knowledge, and become more confident when speaking about current scientific issues. (Author/KHR)

Discusses concept learning research and theory, and examines the relationship with models of instructional design. Topics discussed include how concepts are learned; how concepts are measured; instructional design for concept learning; inferences; teaching with analogies; use of learning strategies; and new strategies for classification…

The gender category system is presented as a prototype of all social cognitive category systems. (Author/BB)

Content analysis of the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale and the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI) revealed differences in the nature of perceptual and conceptual items. Both language-impaired and normal-language children performed significantly better on perceptual-type than conceptual-type items. The predominance of perceptual items was…

This study aimed to describe developmental differences in five-, seven-, and nine-year-olds' understanding of displaced aggression and to identify social and cognitive correlates of these differences. Understanding of displaced aggression increased significantly with age. (RH)

The relationship between early language and cognition was studied in 20 children between 1 and 2 years of age. Four cognitive areas were tested: object permanence, means-end, play, and imitation. Results indicated that specific cognitive skills seem temporarily associated with some linguistic abilities, although attainment of skills can be…

A concept analysis approach for didactic nursing instruction, currently being used for organizing and synthesizing pathophysiological data in literature, is presented and illustrated with excerpts from the concept "inflammation." Advantages and disadvantages for its use identified by graduate students are also included. (Author/MSE)

Investigated the interpretation of the word "big" by 40 children of 3 to 5 years. The type and orientation of objects used in the study were varied. Results demonstrated that contextual factors influenced children's responses. (RJC)

A description is given of an inservice teacher education program that stimulates integrated learning of math-technology concepts for early childhood educators. Professional development includes teacher leadership concepts, the development of a "model" classroom, and a videotape library. (JD)

This study compared the learning and retention of the "scarcity" and "opportunity cost" concepts by students in grades one, three, and six. Results suggest a need for empirical research on factors affecting the retention of economic concepts by students in the early primary grades. (JD)