Research in science and mathematics education has indicated that students often use inappropriate models for solving problems because they tend to mentally represent a problem according to surface features instead of referring to scientific concepts and features. The objective of the study reported in this paper was to determine whether 34 Israeli…

This study examined the effect of loneliness, gender, and two dimensions of prospective life domains on adolescent future orientation. Future orientation was studied in four prospective domains: social relations, marriage and family, higher education and work and career. These domains are described in terms of two dimensions: theme (relational vs.…

Study of problems experienced by ninth and eleventh grade Israeli students (n=1,645) indicated that younger adolescents were concerned with studies/career problems and with social "I"; older adolescents were concerned with existential issues and army/national service. Boys were concerned with existential issues, army/national service,…

Investigated are the reasons why eleventh-grade Israeli students intend to enroll for a biology, chemistry, or physics course. Topics, activities, motives, attitudes, and grades in the subjects in year 10 are used as predictor variables for correlational analysis. (YP)

One hundred and sixty eight students from five 11th grade chemistry classes participated for 2 months in an experiment that examined the effects of the Group Investigation (GI) method of cooperative learning on students' achievement, motivation and perceptions of their experience. An achievement test and Harter's Motivation Questionnaire were…

Correlation of the Learning Environment Inventory with a semantic differential attitude test indicated that three learning environment variables (goal direction, satisfaction, and classroom organization) fostered positive attitudes toward chemistry. Course difficulty, interpersonal tension, and course speed were related to negative attitudes. (CP)

Our main goal in this study was to explore whether the use of models in molecular genetics instruction in high school can contribute to students' understanding of concepts and processes in genetics. Three comparable groups of 11th and 12th graders participated: The control group (116 students) was taught in the traditional lecture format, while…

Empathy for the adversary is part of peace education. Does the vicarious experience of suffering affect empathy towards the suffering of an adversary? Specifically, does the visit of Israeli youth to Auschwitz affect their empathy toward the Palestinians? Three hundred and nine high school students participated in the study: One half went on the…

Examined academic and social defensive pessimism and optimism strategies and adolescents' future orientation in the domains of education and military service. Found that academic strategies were significantly linked to prospective education components and social strategies to military service components. Found that investment in prospective…

The indirect links between perceived mothers' and fathers' autonomous-accepting parenting and future orientation were examined in a mediational model consisting of five steps: perceived mothers' and fathers' autonomous-accepting parenting, self-evaluation, and the motivational, cognitive representation, and behavioural components of future…

Investigated mediating effect of sex role typing on relationship between gender and work preferences among 192 male and 292 female eleventh graders. Results showed that sex role typing mediated the relationship between gender and preference for socially oriented work values. (TE)

Examines how maternal characteristics and work values are related to work values of adolescent children for 93 Israeli eleventh graders and their mothers. Results do not demonstrate that mothers' occupational characteristics affect the level of children's work values. Significant differences in work values are found for sons and daughters. (SLD)

The use and analysis of student generated propositions linking two scientific concepts (photosynthesis and respiration) were examined before and after the study of photosynthesis. A proposition-generating task (PGT) was used as a diagnostic tool to indicate student misconceptions and partial understandings. Focus was on determining: how the nature…

Presents the STS (science/technology/society) outlook profiles of 546 eleventh graders from Israeli high schools within the existing science, nonscience, and technological tracks in terms of cognition, behavior, and literacy. Findings indicate significant differences between the profiles for students regarding behavior and literacy but not for…

This study examined development of three types of vocabulary knowledge (passive, controlled active, and free active) over one year of second-language instruction and the relationship of the three types at different stages of vocabulary learning. Subjects were 48 Israeli high school students of English as a Second Language. Results raise questions…