Examines perceptions of eighth graders in a science teaching environment in which they guide their own learning, frame problems for inquiry, design data collection procedures, and interpret and present data in a convincing fashion. Asserts that, in constructing their inquiries, students successfully negotiated courses of action and established…

Presented are four activities which are designed to familiarize children with the multiple uses of computers and help them learn about heat and temperature using temperature probes. Included are the tempering effect of water, heat capacity, caloric content of foods, and weather. Hardware and software are discussed. (CW)

Investigates the use of collaborative learning groups in a physical science course designed for elementary education majors (n=54). Data for the study were 20 video-taped laboratory sessions, the instructor's journal, and the students laboratory reports. Among the conclusions is that the collaborative science laboratories provided insightful…

Compared the effects of participation in six extra credit activities for teaching the concept of matter on female preservice elementary school teachers (n=9) to a control group (n=8). Pre- and posttests to assess changes in the students' understanding of phenomena associated with matter indicated significant changes in experimental students'…

This book seeks to improve the way science is taught in the elementary school. It suggests that there are three main contradictions that make it difficult for teachers and students to engage in meaningful activities from which understandings result. The central issues in this book are framed in terms of three dichotomies that lead to tensions…

Conducted an ethnography to evaluate the usefulness of the notion of community of practice in classroom settings. Documents how collectively available knowledge of a classroom community was transformed as resources and practices were adopted by more and more members. Discusses implications for the organization of classroom environments that…

Presents the opportunity to continue and enhance the dialogue about ways to research and understand children's discourse during science activities and inquiry processes by opening a window onto a variety of techniques, methods, and approaches to the analysis of one short discussion between several elementary students. (Author/MVL)

Discusses Vee mapping, a technique to assist students in categorizing the relationship between the conceptual and procedural aspects of science. Presents a study to investigate elementary education majors' (n=27) use of the Vee heuristic and concept mapping for the construction of knowledge; attitudes toward learning science in collaborative…

Investigates what two teachers learn from each other as they engage in the three-month coteaching of an engineering curriculum to Grades four and five. Provides direct and indirect evidence of teachers' knowledgability. Contains 34 references. (DDR)