Between 1970 and 1990, the Dutch working group "Empirical Introduction to Chemistry" developed a secondary school chemistry education curriculum based on the educational vision of the mathematicians van Hiele and van Hiele-Geldof. This approach viewed learning as a process in which students must go through discontinuous level transitions…

In this paper, we introduce the Exploratory Behavior Scale (EBS), a quantitative measure of young children's interactivity. More specifically, the EBS is developed from the psychological literature on exploration and play and measures the extent to which preschoolers explore their physical environment. A practical application of the EBS in a…

Educators repeatedly underscore the intimate relationship between science and technology. This is problematic because technology, far from being "applied science," presupposes a unique epistemology (techno-epistemology). A focus on the role of science in technology overshadows this unique way of knowing and hence limits technology…

Described is a Dutch thematics physics curriculum recently developed for the average academic secondary student. Discussed are the structure, contents of units, and systematic units of the curriculum. (CW)

Describes conferences to be held in Kiel, Germany, April 2-6, 1984; Utrecht, the Netherlands, August 20-25, 1984; and Brisbane, Australia, December 10-20, 1984. Includes topics to be covered and addresses for additional information. A call for papers is included with the Kiel information. (JM)

Discusses the status and problems of physics education in the preuniversity schools (grades 7-12) in The Netherlands. (HM)

Evaluates the effectiveness of a course using a constructivist approach in reducing Dutch secondary school students (n=190) misconceptions about force. Concluded that the lessons were effective in changing students' ideas in regard to forces in rest situations and frictional forces and that learning effects were equally distributed over student…

Discusses the results of an opinion survey of ninth- and eleventh-grade students about questions concerning interaction between science/scientists and society. Compares these results to similar study done by European Economic Community. Presents priorities for science as students see them, considering sources of these attitudes/opinions and…

Assesses students' existing and developing decision-making ability against the background of a normative model of the decision making process. Results indicate that after a unit on household packaging waste the students' arguments about a decision making situation improved in terms of validity and clarity of the criteria used. Contains 16…