Two studies involving 110 and 91 children aged 5 to 7 years show that children's knowledge of counting and addition facilitated their acquisition of a concept not taught in school, that every number has a natural successor (Successor Principle). Even the oldest children could not rank order correctly numbers that contained fractional notations.…

Describes the implementation of a modular approach and some of the active learning strategies it employs, plans for evaluating the effectiveness of this approach, and plans for disseminating it broadly within the undergraduate chemistry community. (DDR)

Examines the nature of technological knowledge and what is known about learning related to it. Argues that learning procedural and conceptual knowledge associated with technological activity poses challenges for both technology educators and those concerned with research on learning. (Author/AEF)

Many students of chemistry demonstrate alternative conceptions about some fundamental aspects of chemistry. Suggests that research evidence provides strong support for this view. Contains 45 references. (DDR)

Reports the findings of a study that suggest that alternative ideas can form part of a progression toward a scientifically acceptable model. Argues that teaching may be inadvertently promoting alternative ideas as endpoints. Contains 38 references. (DDR)

Explores how the apparent loss of energy in inelastic collisions may be understood by considering a simple model of two rigid balls connected by a spring. Includes a numerical simulation of this and an extension to include Newton's Cradle. (DDR)

Introduces three science activities for elementary and middle school students on the concepts of heat transfer and temperature. Includes two learning cycles. The first learning cycle examines the effects of temperature on air movement, and the second learning cycle investigates heat movement in water. (YDS)

Evaluated infants' ability to form new object categories based on either visual or naming information at 16 and 20 months using an object manipulation task. Found that infants at both ages showed evidence of using visual information to categorize the objects. Only 20-month-olds used naming information. Found a correlation between vocabulary size…

Investigates the difficulties students are confronted with when facing the concept of electrical resistance. Discusses the nature of the electrical resistance concept in light of Cassirer philosophy and its origin in the 19th century. Presents an analysis of the way this concept is taught in French high schools. (SAH)

Reports and analyzes the day and night cycle, the seasons, and the phases of the moon as seen by Norwegian deaf pupils aged 7, 9, 11, and 17 years, and by hearing Norwegian pupils 9 years old. Among the 9-year-olds there was no difference in the inner coherence of the conceptions between deaf pupils. (Author/SAH)

Studied how features of student interaction and the way an individual student contributes to that interaction relates to the improvement of conceptual understanding in the domain of physics, focusing on the use of textbooks during collaborative work. Results for 56 high school students show that the use of textbooks had a negative effect on…

This article emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift and an underlying change in attitude toward the teaching of reading. Educators are urged to leave behind the traditional linear approach to teaching and instead respond to divergent modes and styles of learning among students. The concept development approach is described. (CR)

Describes an instructional sequence in which a bicycle context was used to increase the status of appropriate concepts of work and simple machines. Tests this instructional sequence in an applied physics course for elementary education majors. Makes implications for conceptual change pedagogy and curriculum design. (Contains 13 references.)…

Considers the process of conceptual change and describes empirical studies into children's naive theories of physics concepts. Uses the Representational Redescription model to explain how naive theories are a feature of conceptual change. Provides a starting point for considering how children's naive theories might mediate their ability to learn…

Describes the characteristics and values of hypermedia for learning chemistry. Reports on how a hypermedia environment was used to explore a group of 11th grade chemistry students' conceptions of table salt dissolving in water. Indicates that a hypermedia environment can be used to explore, negotiate, and assess students' conceptions of…