Reviews the history of the epistemological and ontological underpinnings of science education and surveys other selected articles with this theme. (DDR)

Describes an activity that combines learning and assessment of students' measurement skills. Students strive to make measurements accurately and precisely at a series of stations that focus on measuring length, volume, and mass. (DDR)

Two studies with a total of 110 children (grades three through five) with high or average verbal intelligence examined their theory of mind through ratings of their understanding of interrelationships between and among mental activities and verbs. Analysis indicated very similar organization and structure of these concepts in both groups of…

This interview with Stephen M. Griffin, program manager of the Digital Libraries Initiative at the National Science Foundation, discusses the terms "electronic library,""digital library," and "library of the future"; electronic access and intellectual access; implementation and social effects of digital libraries; the…

Highlights a study that demonstrates what it means to press students to think conceptually about mathematics. Discusses similarities between classes--social norms--and differences between classrooms--sociomathematical norms. Concludes that, when teachers press hard for conceptual thinking, mathematics drives not only the activities but students'…

Examines the influence of phenomenalism from a realist perspective and its offshoot, operationalism, on concept formation in biology. Compares the basic tenants of phenomenalism with those of realism. Contains 69 references. (DDR)

Presents a survey and analysis of research related to the development of concepts of matter. Proposes that the clarity with which students understand the distinction between matter and objects influences their explanations. Contains 111 references. (DDR)

Studies aspects of the conceptual reorganization and change of students aged 12-18 (N=40). Describes conceptual change through case studies and students' identifications of chemical reactions. Contains 18 references. (DDR)

Seeks to identify some of the issues associated with the role of models in scientific explanations. Develops a typology of explanations and explores the notion of appropriateness in scientific explanations. Investigates the nature of models and their contribution to explanations. (DDR)

A Swedish interview study of how deaf pupils reason about phenomena in a science context revealed significant variation in the extent to which pupils used scientific principles for reasoning about science phenomena, which suggests that for some pupils, school science offers little as a framework for reasoning. (Contains references.) (DB)

Describes the nature and existence of both model-data fit and conceptual problems in science, then examines two curricular projects--one in genetics and one in evolutionary biology--that attempt to integrate these problems into classroom instruction. (Author/SAH)

Investigates patterns of students' science thinking across four different science phenomena focusing on changes that come with age and science education. Asks secondary school students whether offered sentences appearing on a computer screen that gave different explanations for four common changes in materials made any sense to them. (Contains 20…

Focuses on 181 school children's (aged 5-13) responses to an Awareness of Technology Survey question intended to explore their conceptual knowledge of structural strength. Explores how the framework of the program and professional development opportunities did not help teachers implement the program. (Contains 13 references.) (Author/YDS)

Presents anecdotes that portray, in narrative mode, the attributes of personal science consisting of personal knowledge, indwelling, tacit knowledge, commitment, and objectivity. (PR)

Agrees with King's (1994) scenario of language emerging over a continuum with each step requiring an adaptive motivation. The article explores the major themes in King's work, including information donation and acquisition, gesture and information transmission, the evolution of social information transfer, the beginnings of language, and…