Explores the relationships between seventh-grade students' misconceptions of genetics and natural selection and four cognitive variables: reasoning ability; mental capacity; verbal intelligence; and cognitive style. Reports that only the reasoning ability was significantly related to the number of misconceptions. (Author/YP)

This study attempted to determine which combinations of student, teacher, curricular, and task factors characterize effective life science instruction, where effectiveness is defined as the acquisition of scientific literacy. The framework of scientific literacy used includes five teacher behavior components: (1) explaining science content; (2)…

This study compared the classroom environments as perceived by fourth-grade, seventh-grade and high school boys and girls in classes taught by males and females to determine if any perceptual differences existed. The analyses showed no differences for fourth-grade students, one for seventh-grade students, and three for high school students.…

Results of this study indicate that students' (N=155) self-concepts and gender role perceptions were related to both achievement and attitudes toward science, but more related to attitudes than achievement. In addition, these relationships became more pronounced for students as they matured from seventh to eighth graders. (Author/JN)

This study reports the instructional effects of issue investigation and action training on the environmental behavior of middle school students. Discussed are the methodology including training and modules, the design of the study, instruments used, scoring protocols, and analysis of results. (Author/CW)

Children in the United States and other industrialized countries grow to adulthood in an age of science and technology. Satellites, television sets, microprocessors, and microwave ovens are as common as the sun and trees. The context of socialization to adulthood in the last half of the 20th century is far different in kind than any previous…

Reports on a study which investigated the effect of instructional objectives on seventh grade students' attitudes toward science. Results indicated that students in the integrated science program had better attitudes than those receiving traditional instruction. (TW)

Assessed the level of cognitive demand inherent in the manner in which students were held accountable for activities and tasks in seventh grade life science classes. Notes that most tasks placed minimal cognitive demand on students, as they involved copying or simple step-by-step procedures. (SKC)

The context of socialization in the second half of the 20th century is far different than any previous socialization environment. Children in the United States and in other industrialized countries grow to adulthood in an age of science and technology. Despite these changes in the socialization environment, there has been little systematic study…

This study examined learning by individuals and groups in a computer environment. Individual interactivity as a function of group size was investigated by focusing on various modes of interaction available to students while they completed activities using a computer. The activities, which involved manipulation of pictures of batteries, bulbs, and…

This study examined the characteristics of family environment and its relationship to attitudes toward science. Data were collected from over 800 seventh-grade and over 1,400 tenth-grade students during a longitudinal, multi-dimensional study of the relationship between the variables of home, school, and self as related to attitudes toward and…