The purpose of the WOWBug project was to promote "Melittobia digitata," a fruit-fly sized wasp, as a new organism for life science instruction and to determine the potential usefulness of the wasp to teach fundamental life science concepts. Fifty-five middle school teachers were introduced to the WOWBug and practiced with prototype…

Characteristics of disciplines that affect undergraduate lecturing and teaching approaches were studied in the fields of the physical sciences, life sciences, humanities, and social sciences. A 1981 questionnaire on the lecture method of instruction was completed by a random sample of 820 teachers in the undergraduate liberal arts divisions of…

Presented is an elementary school science program designed to offer a basic continuum of process objectives and concepts. A brief history of the development of the Wappingers Central School District's Elementary Science Committee is presented to help lay the groundwork for the redesigning of the science program described. Potential advantages…

Tested the hypothesis that the vocabulary of a discipline emphasizing concrete phenomena will have fewer synonyms per concept than vocabulary of a discipline emphasizing abstract phenomena. Although concreteness and abstractness of a discipline were found to be contributing factors in terminological consistency, at least one other factor exerts…

Results from a national assessment of science conducted by the Minnesota Science Assessment and Research Project in 1981-82 are presented. The achievement of 13- and 17-year-olds on biology items, their attitudes about science and science classes, and comparisons with data from 1976-77 are discussed. (MNS)

Determined that graphic organizers are effective in increasing the achievement of sixth-grade (N=235) and seventh-grade (N=220) middle school students who used the organizers. Reasons why the graphic organizer enhances student learning and is an effective and practical teaching strategy are also discussed. (JN)

Consists of an analysis of the data obtained in a recent survey of the libraries of 26 less known museums which emphasize some aspect of science and technology. Data discussed include staff size, collection size, subject specialties, interlibrary loan participation, online search activity, and memberships in consortia or networks. (Author/EJS)

Examined two questions: (1) Do high school students perceive the physical sciences as more masculine career fields than the biological sciences; and (2) what is the influence of coeducation on these sex-stereotyped positions? Utilized a questionnaire requiring a rating of 45 career fields as masculine or feminine. (DS)

Investigated are the alternative conceptions of the concept "animal" held by African youngsters. Three forms of thinking among the pupils are identified. An attempt is made to explain the possible origin of anthropocentric thinking among pupils. Urban and rural groups are compared. (CW)

This paper shows that more pupils take biology than the other sciences in England. Biology attracts pupils of all abilities and girls in particular. Performance data reported suggests that the study of biology is not as effective in enhancing science performance as are the physical sciences. (CW)

Investigates memory storage and molecular nature of associative-memory formation by analyzing Pavlovian conditioning in marine snails and rabbits. Presented is the design of a computer-based memory system (neural networks) using the rules acquired in the investigation. Reports that the artificial network recognized patterns well. (YP)

Before designing an extension ornamental grass bulletin, developers surveyed the preferences of a sample of amateurs and professionals on their knowledge of ornamental grasses and their interest in a bulletin on the subject. Results indicated that the same bulletin could serve both groups because no significant differences between the groups were…

Reports on a study of alternative conceptions held by junior high-level secondary science teachers enrolled in an inservice teacher-training program. Finds that science teachers are inadequately prepared to teach a broad and balanced science curriculum. Contains 34 references. (Author/WRM)

Evolutionary theory serves as the fundamental cornerstone to all life science; yet students frequently possess misconceptions regarding evolution or resist learning the idea altogether. This study, which emerged from a larger project focused on informal reasoning, explores how college students' conceptions of evolutionary theory affect their…

Undergraduate recruitment is a significant activity for all universities. This brief report sets out the results of a survey regarding the course and institutional choices of the 2005-06 entry cohort of bioscience students in four universities. The key findings show that enjoyment of the subject and the wish to learn more are the primary reasons…