This paper describes the effect of a preschool hygiene intervention program on psychosocial measures of educators regarding handwashing and communicable pediatric disease. A cluster-randomized trial, with randomization at the level of the preschool, was run in 40 Jerusalem preschool classrooms. Eighty preschool educators participated. The program…

Education and political leaders worldwide are increasingly placing emphasis on developing scientific literacy. This also is the case in Thailand with science education influenced by educational reform in 1999, in which the goals of science education are shaped by the notion of scientific literacy. Thai science education emphasizes the scientific…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes and classroom practices of environmental science faculty members in Jordanian universities. Mix data collection methodology was employed to collect data in this study. In addition to the developed survey, several participants' interviews and classroom observations were conducted with…

Recent reports on the quality of education in South Africa seem to be negative, indicating a downwards trend on a yearly basis. Consequently, early literacy is lacking in the majority of learners who enter the formal school environment. As part of the South African government's literacy campaign, Read Educational Trust, an NGO involved in literacy…

The present article presents a didactic proposal oriented to teaching notions of semiconductor physics in secondary education. The methods and the results of a pilot study designed to analyse the effectiveness of a teaching sequence on the topic are also described. The subjects were 60 students, aged 14-15 years, of a secondary school in Seville,…

Seeking improved student performance in elementary schools has led educators to advocate inquiry-based teaching approaches, including problem-based learning (PBL). In PBL, students simultaneously develop problem-solving strategies, disciplinary knowledge bases, collaborative skills, and dispositions. Research into the efficacy of PBL in elementary…

This article examines teachers' perspectives on the challenges of using a science reform curriculum, as well as their learning in interaction with the curriculum and parallel professional development program. As case studies, I selected 4 veteran teachers of 2nd or 3rd grade, with varying science backgrounds (including 2 with essentially none).…

According to a recent report of scenarios prepared by the National Intelligence Council, the next 15 years will bring significant global changes, including the transformation of the international political system built after World War II, a transfer of wealth from the West to the East, pressure on natural resources resulting from continuing…

Objectives: This article describes the use of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) as a theme to connect the learning of basic neurosciences with clinical applications across the age span within a systems-based, integrated curricular structure that emphasizes problem-based learning. Methods: In collaboration with the Centers for Disease…

The College-Level Examination Program enables those who have reached the college level of education in non-traditional ways to assess their level of achievement and to seek college credit or placement. This booklet describes the 21 Subject Examinations (one of three series of tests offered in the program) which are designed to measure achievement…

Developed Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge test (ADK) to assess level of knowledge about Alzheimer's disease of caregivers, professionals, and others involved in caring for Alzheimer's patients. Describes test development and presents ADK test. Discusses preliminary results suggesting that lack of knowledge is more common than misconceptions.…

Explored the relationship between knowledge about suicide lethality and attitudes toward suicide among mental health professionals. Results indicated significant group differences, with psychiatrists, psychologists, and crisis interventionists showing a significantly greater degree of knowledge; clergy scored lowest of all groups. Knowledge was…

Nondisabled children and adults (n=103) were interviewed about their conceptions of blindness, deafness, orthopedic disabilities, mental retardation, and psychological disturbance. In the Guttman scalogram analyses, psychological disturbance was the "most difficult" disability, then mental retardation, then orthopedic disabilities, then…

There is surprisingly limited information on how much individuals know about the policy rules that could affect them, either in general or in evaluations of new programs. In this article we examine the level of knowledge that participants in a Wisconsin child support and welfare demonstration had about child support policy rules. We find very low…

A study is reported of 250 high school seniors who responded to 50 questionnaire items to determine their basic knowledge regarding business and economics, history, current events literature, and art and music. In the first three areas, students participated in the culture almost as much as high school educated adults. (SC)