Describes an exhibition on radiation and the environment. Reviews students' and lay people's conceptions and how conceptions and constructivism can guide exhibition development. Considers whether such an exhibition can facilitate cognitive change and aid in the understanding of environmental matters using data from 16-year-olds' use of the…

Explains a professional development model that is informed both by constructivist and sociocultural theory. Focuses on professional development, personal development, and social development. Contains 26 references. (DDR)

Examines student conceptions of their experiences with science, describes the variety of those conceptions over the years of schooling, and investigates patterns across those years. Six categories of conceptions were found, each portraying essential meanings of science. Results suggest making modern philosophical views of the nature of science…

Explores a creative middle-school structure that provides a block of about two hours in the school day when one teacher has a group of students engaged in a variety of interdisciplinary activities. The concepts of learning circles and group-dependent projects are discussed. The core of the proposed middle school is constructivism. (SLD)

States that constructive thinking about variables seems to be a key to accelerated learning in science and that computer modeling can enable this. A taped sequence of a group in the exploratory use of a model reveals the potential of such activity. (Author/ASK)

Details an activity in which students are challenged to consider real-world problems. Students collect and organize data on two fish species, examine the data mathematically, draw conclusions about the organisms with which they work, and extrapolate the results to other environments. (DDR)

Attempts to elucidate the relationship between physics achievement and psychological constructs. Concludes that cognitive factors and interest contribute relatively stable components in all the path analyses. Contains 27 references. (DDR)

Provides three different accounts of a gender equity project in a grade 10 science class. Illustrates different rhetorical forms for representing research and different assumptions about gender, equity, pedagogy, and the representation of data. Contains 33 references. (DDR)

Presents a graduate course targeting the improvement of teaching and learning with regard to professional development. Argues that practicing teachers need opportunities to interact with one another and other individuals in the research community. Examines how private research and development works. (Contains 23 references.) (YDS)

Discusses the differences between cognitive and social constructivism. Suggests a planning process that integrates cognitive and social constructivism to help social studies teachers make curriculum and instructional decisions that result in meaningful learning experiences. Addresses social studies education for the twenty-first century. (CMK)

Provides a brief overview of the history, research, and theory related to play. Research from education, psychology, and anthropology suggests that play is a powerful mediator for lifelong learning, and the design of hybrid learning environments is suggested based on the constructivist concept of microworlds and supported with games and…

Describes the Novice-Expert (Novex) Analysis, a nine-step approach to instructional design aimed at effecting the shift from novice to expert by creating a series of learning activities to enable novices to construct an expert knowledge base. The "Dimensions of Processing Model" diagram illustrates how learning processes influence…

Describes a teacher's experience with students during their first- and second-grade years. Claims that meaningful learning in a variety of curricular areas occurs when children are interested in a topic. Suggests that teachers capitalize on these situations and create learning experiences that reflect those outside the classroom. Suggests the use…

Discusses reasons why inservice workshops often fail to impact science teaching. Describes restructuring of a workshop series so that teachers become real science learners, struggling with their own ideas about different scientific concepts as they design experiments and share theories with their peers. (JRH)

Pasadena (California) High School's Puente Pilot Project encourages Hispanic students to pursue college and return home as leaders and mentors. A bilingual counselor, community liaison, and English teacher engage students in an integrated curriculum relevant to their life experiences. Portfolio exhibitions involving oral presentation and…