Despite the need for scientific literacy and concern over public misunderstanding of science, policymakers and educators focus on young students with little provision for adults. Barriers include past experiences of science education, abstract instructional approaches, and stereotypes of older adults. (SK)

Addresses the issue of "don't know" responses on knowledge items in (n=799) environmental surveys by ascertaining if the frequency of these responses was related to the sociodemographics of the respondents and to the types of environmental issues. (Author/MKR)

Discusses common misconceptions in algebra, including: grouping symbols and order of operations; equations, inequalities, and expressions; and domains. Offers recommendations to help students avoid these mistakes. (MKR)

Undertakes a survey of the superstitious and pseudo-scientific beliefs of secondary students with some follow-up interviews. Finds gender differences at all ages with females generally less skeptical than males. Also, many school students were very gullible and this should be of concern to science educators. (Author/SAH)

Explores the myths surrounding the use of calculators in primary school. (Author/CCM)

Describes misconceptions related to electronegativity, bonding, geometry, and microscopic representations that undergraduate students hold. Investigates the stability of misconceptions as a function of educational level, indicating that some students' misconceptions relating to bonding are resistant to change despite increased chemistry education.…

Riddles are time-honored educational tools used to entertain students while teaching them the value of critical thinking. They often require the kind of outside-the-box inductive and deductive reasoning that is so valued in the business world today. Now, those same educators who talk about two coins adding up to 35 cents are being presented with…

Whether educational research should employ the "scientific method" has been a recurring issue in its history. Hence, textbooks on research methods continue to perpetuate the idea that research students ought to choose between competing camps: "positivist" or "interpretivist". In reference to one of the most widely referred to educational research…

This article presents a dozen common classroom management mistakes that teachers make, followed by suggestions as to what we should do instead. The mistakes presented are committed frequently at many grade levels and in all types of learning environments. The recommended suggestions are relatively easy to implement and useful for all types of…

The misconceptions of students regarding electricity and electrochemistry in the context of operation of a common flashlight are discussed. An Interactive Software Program (ISP) is used for better conceptual understanding of the operation of commercial batteries in a circuit.

A variety of obstacles can prevent persons or individuals with low vision from deriving the greatest possible benefit from the rehabilitation process, including inadequate understanding of their visual impairment, lack of knowledge about available services, and misconceptions about low vision devices. This study explores the use of a…

Slavery and slave trading have been part of human history since ancient times. All peoples, races, regions, and religions have at one time or another participated in human slavery. Historian Sheldon M. Stern has found, however, that state U.S. history standards, curricula, and the media often promote the divisive misconception that slavery was…

There is much skepticism about the concept of lifelong learning within both the educational literature and the literature on work. Certainly, many work arrangements discourage learning, let alone lifelong learning. Nevertheless, there are also work situations in which significant learning occurs. However, even in instances where work arrangements…

At present, students and nonscientists still believe that a "theory" is just a mere hunch or a guess and that science is absolute. In this article, the author discusses that it is now time for teachers to correct these misconceptions. Teachers must explain to their students that the facts printed in science textbooks just happen to be the best…

The literature opposed to affirmative action in hiring, granting tenure and promotion in the university claims that it lowers standards. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that in the decades prior to the institutionalization of affirmative action in the Academy, hiring, tenure and promotion standards were quite lax--resembling an "old boys…