Advantages and disadvantages of the modern definition of function, understanding the concept of function, procedures used in a study of the understandings of ninth graders, and detailed results of the study are discussed. (MNS)

Describes a study of Israeli ninth graders who answered a questionnaire on scientific attitudes, curiosity, and computer studies, to determine whether computers have an effect on development of student attitudes toward science by encouraging students' curiosity levels. Results indicate computers provide an opportunity to develop curiosity, thus…

Investigated was the influence on learner outcomes of the repeatable testing provision of Bloom's mastery learning model for ninth graders in an Introduction to Chemistry and Physics course. Neither student achievement nor attitude toward learning science was favorably influenced by repeatable testing. (MNS)

A model of qualities of mathematical activity was developed within a framework of learning goals. A clinical application of the model is described, in which ninth-grade students were given assignment projects. A hierarchy of effective guidance was established, permitting diagnostic evaluation and progressive development of mathematical activity.…

The effects of cooperative learning on attitudes of students toward laboratory work were studied with ninth-grade biology students in Nigeria. It was found to be successful in developing favorable attitudes. Reasons for this are discussed. (MNS)

Methods for teaching students to recognize and manipulate structures of cohesion in reading materials are discussed. Teaching students to connect text involves a strategy that combines reading and writing in student- and teacher-directed activities. An example illustrates how the strategy can be applied with specific course content, a ninth-grade…

Information is presented about the grade 9 mathematics examination to be administered in 1988. Contents include: (1) Introduction; (2) General Information (including Purpose of the Achievement Testing Program, Nature of the Achievement Testing Program, Exemptions from the Achievement Testing Program, Students Receiving Instruction in French,…

Describes the rationale and activities developed and tested by the Biology Critical Thinking project (BCT). Presents the project guidelines for developing activities, a list of skills selected as goals of BCT, instruments used in determining effectiveness of the activities, results of the pilot study, and a sample activity involving vitamins. (MDH)

This study compares and contrasts the following variables on the types of attributions (ability, effort, environment, and task) students make for their performance in algebra: attributions by gender and gender identification; attributions by level of math anxiety and self esteem; attributions by experience in competitive activities; and…

Previous studies have documented the effectiveness of feedback in improving students' achievement, but few studies have examined the effectiveness of summaries or reviews. This study examines the respective and combined effects of feedback and review on students' achievement, retention, and level of cognitive development. A total of 55 ninth-grade…

This study compared the effects of an advance organizer and a prerequisite knowledge passage on learning and retention measured at low and high levels of the cognitive domain. The advance organizer group performed better on the framework test; the prerequisite knowledge group performed better on prerequisite knowledge test. (Author/YP)

This study investigates student world views in an effort to provide information that will improve the learning environment of the science classroom. The research focuses on furthering knowledge of students as people in the context of investigating what students think about nature or the natural world. The objective of the descriptive case study is…

This study investigated the performance of 14 Hispanic and Anglo ninth graders on several problem-solving tasks, with the focus on the interplay of language-related factors in translating several mathematical statements expressing relationships among variables into mathematical equations. (MNS)

Using the Component Display Theory as an analyzing tool, this study compared the effects of expository and discovery methods of instruction on two learning outcomes, application and transfer. One hundred ninth grade students in each of four earth science classes were randomly assigned to five groups--four experimental groups designed to test four…

Reports on a study to compare the energy attitudes of ninth-grade students by gender and by their geographical location. Results indicated that students in Maine had more positive attitudes than those in New Brunswick, that females in both locations had more positive attitudes than males, but that, overall, all had nonpositive attitudes. (TW)