This book provides an archival forum for researchers, academics, practitioners and industry professionals interested and/or engaged in reforming teaching and learning methods by transforming today's learning environments into smart learning environments. It will facilitate opportunities for discussions and constructive dialogue between various…

The purpose of this study was to examine whether science and non-science major students have different scientific epistemological views (SEVs). A multidimensional instrument previously developed by the authors was used to assess differences in college students' SEV of various aspects. A total of 220 freshmen (42% science and 58% non-science…

This study explored and documented Taiwanese students' alternative conceptions of animal classification. We examined the understanding of the "animal", "vertebrate" and "invertebrate", "fish", "amphibian", "reptile", "bird", and "mammal" concepts among elementary,…

Over the past two decades, several two-tier multiple-choice diagnostic tests in science at a variety grade levels have been reported in the extant literature from several countries. This review summarises these studies, provides an overview of the methodology for their construction, presents two examples of typical items, and lists studies…

In 1972, the Ministry of Education in the Republic of China gave the Taiwan Provincial Institute for Elementary School Teachers Inservice Education primary responsibility for research and development (R&D) for all elementary school curricula. The project in science and mathematics was carried out in two phases. Phase I, R&D, has five…

This paper compares the old and new curricula of elementary mathematics and natural science in the Republic of China. This study, as the second phase of an evaluation period, tested a sample of the students while they were in the ninth grade and compared them to students who received the old curricula during their elementary studies. The data were…

The purpose of this study was to identify whether the strategy of using hands-on science process skills training in an elementary science methods course was effective in: (1) reducing preservice elementary teachers' (PETs') anxiety about teaching hands-on science activities, and (2) changing PETs' concerns about teaching hands-on science…

An instructional model based on a learning cycle including correlation, analysis, and generalization (CAG) was developed and applied to design an instructional module for grade 8 students in Taiwan, Republic of China. The CAG model was based on Piagetian theory and a concept model (Pella, 1975). The module developed for heat and temperature was…

Based on the assumption that much can be learned from the studies of experienced science teachers, the purpose of this study is to identify the knowledge base that contributed to the instructional representations demonstrated by four exemplary junior high school biology teachers. Results are intended to provide suggestions that would be useful to…

Reports on an investigation into the differences in classroom climate and science-related attitudes among junior high school science classes on students in Taiwan. Most of the differences in classroom climate, student attitude, and their interactions were attributed to school location (metropolitan versus rural) rather than student…

The identification of the characteristics of teaching experts can help beginning teachers to learn and provide a picture for both beginning science teachers and science educators on what has been accomplished and what has to be done in the future. This study, as part of an evaluation project, was intended to investigate the progress of a group of…

The competence of interpreters, so called "docents," influences visitors' learning in museums. The study reported in this paper investigated 16 interpreters' perceptions about: the educational goals of the science museum in Taiwan, the function of the interpreter in the science museum, the requirements for a competent interpreter, and…

Studies the effects of the Protestant work ethic and performance feedback on intrinsic motivation in a sample of Taiwanese university students. Divides subjects into three groups according to work ethic measurement: high, intermediate, and low. Suggests students with a low work ethic exert more effort when challenged. (NL)

The construct of locus of control formulated by Rotter (1966) is being increasingly emphasized in personality functioning, since it appears to be related to several classes of behavior. It is also being considered as an important construct in cross-cultural research. Cross-cultural comparisons are particularly important, not just because they may…

This study is a comparative analysis that addresses the question: to what extent has the relationship between parental socioeconomic characteristics and educational opportunities changed over time and why? The document suggests six hypotheses regarding change in the effects of social origins on education transitions: (1) modernization hypothesis:…