Evolution is the integrative framework of the life sciences. Even though the topic is often not formally introduced before high school, young children already have various ideas about evolutionary principles (variation, inheritance, and selection) and their underlying key concepts (e.g., differential fitness, reproduction, and speciation).…

Although learning about DNA, RNA, and proteins is part of the upper secondary biology curriculum in most countries, many studies report that students fail to connect molecular knowledge to phenomena at the higher level of cells, organs, and organisms. As a result, many students use memorization and rote learning as a coping strategy when presented…

Students' perceptions of competence and relatedness are known to influence learning processes and achievement, and may have particular import for underrepresented science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learners. Sources of social support that contribute to undergraduate life science learners' perceived competence and relatedness…

Understanding the features of science learning experiences that organize and motivate children at early ages can help educators and researchers find ways to ignite interest to support future passion and learning in the sciences at a time when children's motivation is declining. Using a sample of 252 fifth-and sixth-grade students, we…

Although the core work of science is oriented toward constructing, revising, applying, and defending models of the natural world, models appear only rarely in school science, and usually only as illustrations, rather than theory building tools. We describe the rationale and structure for a learning progression to understand the development of…

Given concerns with the low levels of explanation in science education classrooms, it has been suggested that text may supply a higher percentage of explanatory discourse than do classroom teachers. However, given that textbooks have been shown to differ little from teacher discourse in percentages of explanation, the present study sought to…

We use a construct-based assessment approach to measure learning progression of energy concepts across physical, life, and earth science contexts in middle school grades. We model the knowledge integration construct in six levels in terms of the numbers of ideas and links used in student-generated explanations. For this study, we selected 10 items…

Blacks, Hispanics/Latinos, and Native Americans have long been underrepresented in schools and the workplace in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Although the monitoring of representation has become a larger and more important enterprise, existing databases make it difficult to discern trends in participation at different stages…

Reports a study attempting to measure the extent of the loss of knowledge of chemistry among physiology students, to determine the chemistry knowledge most frequently forgotten, and to devise a laboratory program to strengthen the chemistry background of the students. (EB)

Discusses pedagogical tools, used in value education, to enhance changes in value systems. Indicates that the effects of teaching strategies and curriculum materials on students' value systems and attitudes toward social problems should be the major concern of life science instruction in the next decade. (CC)

A historically rich teaching intervention was developed for biological evolution with the intent of promoting a conceptual change from students' initial understanding to a more Darwinian understanding. Results from evaluation of the intervention indicate promise in the use of historical materials in conjunction with a conceptual change strategy.…

Examines the knowledge that secondary school students have concerning some basic aspects related to the location of inheritance information before they are taught about genetics. Discusses the effects of traditional instruction in Spain on students' learning. (Author/CCM)

Discusses the cultural role that scientific thought has historically played in relation to social theories, and the increasing influence of biology, ethology, and ecology on social models. (MLH)

Described is an inservice program (BIO-FORUM) for high school life science teachers. BIO-FORUM addresses issues of teacher alienation and isolation, while simultaneously providing teachers with up-to-date life science information, encouraging teacher-university professor contact, promoting contacts among life science teaches, and encouraging…