The content, instructional methods, and exams, as well as justification for the adoption of the science program, are presented. (CP)

Reports on a survey of 191 Scottish secondary physics teachers to determine teachers' (1) aims of practical work, (2) types of practical work undertaken, (3) methods of organizing work, (4) reasons for science demonstrations, (5) pre-experiment instructional techniques, and (6) methods of recording work. (CP)

This section of the journal includes several short notes related to the teaching of science in secondary schools in Great Britain. Notes are included on ways of presenting science, rural science, designing experiments in chemistry, science for students with special needs, knowledge of the metric and imperial systems, and the use of spreadsheets.…

Describes: (1) the light beam galvanometer; (2) the electrometer/direct current amplifier; and (3) digital multimeters. Focuses on the uses or potential uses of these instruments in teaching A-level physics. (JN)

Discusses how difficult the various problems of pressure, partial pressure, gas laws, and vapor pressure are for students. Outlines the evolution of the concept of pressure, the gas equation for a perfect gas, partial pressures, saturated vapor pressure, Avogadro's hypothesis, Raoult's law, and the vapor pressure of ideal solutions. (JR)

Reports on discussions with a year 10-group, following their first lesson on heat energy transfer, that revealed they still had not realized that insulation acted as a barrier; instead they saw it as an active warming agent. Describes a teaching method based on a woollen hat that challenges their naive ideas. (Author/JRH)

Describes four techniques for investigating animal behavior in situations where it is relatively easy to obtain meaningful data. Presents investigations for attention responses and habituation of domestic animals to sound stimuli, interaction of lambs and ewes, behavior of lambs in a simple T-maze, and vigilance in birds at a feeder. (JRH)

Describes how children's understanding of science concepts can be assessed through interviews. Analyzes data from interviews using categories and criteria that have been chosen to indicate the extent of a child's knowledge and quality of knowledge. Describes methods of interviewing and analysis. (JRH)

Presents a brief introduction to the argument that teachers need to challenge their basic assumptions about teaching if their classroom practice is to develop. Suggests moving away from the transmission of content from expert to novice (objectivist approach) towards a more dynamic system of shared learning (constructivist approach). (MM)

Discusses the importance of speaking and listening in science lessons as well as offering suggestions on how to tackle spelling and vocabulary. (MM)

Describes a method for calculating lines of best fit that is easy to understand and apply. Presents an example using the Arrhenius plot of a first-order reaction from which the energy of activation is calculated. (MM)

Administered opinion questionnaires to 440 male and 465 female pupils in 20 secondary and high schools in Lesotho to collect views of pupils on various aspects affecting the quality of science instruction at the junior secondary level. Discusses facilities for instruction, circumstances of pupils, and characteristics of teachers. (Author/JRH)

Presents some suggestions on how to cope with problems of insufficient equipment and how to teach chemistry even without sophisticated lab equipment. (Author/MKR)