In light of extensive research demonstrating widespread misconceptions about electricity, this paper describes a learning study that targeted the most likely source of difficulty--failure of middle school pupils to develop a mental model that serves as a bridge between static and current electricity. During the intervention, pupils first envision…

This study examines the effectiveness exercises based on the cognitive conflict, existing within the child, between two representational systems related to temperature: the qualitative-verbal one and the quantitative-numerical one as these relate to the advancement of children's understanding of the concept of temperature. (Author/DS)

Investigates Israeli students' (grades four through nine) knowledge regarding the concept of a "gas" prior to and following instruction. Reports that students do not spontaneously develop a general idea of gas prior to instruction, and only after instruction do they first acquire this knowledge. Suggests three implications for…

Israeli children's (kindergarten to grade nine) explanations about the water cycle are described. Reports the children's views about the source of clouds and the mechanism of rainfall. It was concluded that understanding evaporation is a necessary condition for explaining a mechanism of rain containing the ideas of condensation and heaviness. (YP)

This study (n=192) examined the use of analogical instruction to overcome misconceptions about conservation of matter. Students who understood the concept conservation of matter when iodine was evaporated were able to transfer their understanding to the evaporation of acetone. This indicates that teaching by analogy can be an effective tool in…

Investigates whether elementary children can compare forces by comparing numbers of weights used in spring and balance problems. Reports that children did not identify weight and force, but they were able to use the ratio between the numbers of weights to compare forces. Suggests some instructional methods based on the findings. (YP)

This document reports on a study of 48 kindergarten children in Israel regarding their concepts of "solid" and "liquid." Children were asked to classify a set of 30 materials into two groups (a group of 9 liquids and a group of 21 solids). About 65% could classify liquids correctly, 50% could classify rigid materials correctly,…

Tested Ausubel/Novak hypothesis that primary grade students can learn meaningfully certain aspects of science concepts in the "reception learning" model. Revised audio-tutorial instruction unit on earth based on understanding children's misconceptions; assessed impact of revised units with second graders; and compared results to concept…

Compares the reasoning capabilities of preservice elementary school teachers before and after their involvement in a remedial science program that incorporated instruction in basic conceptual knowledge with reasoning strategies about manipulation of variables and logical inference. Discussion of results emphasizes recurring logical fallacies. (22…

Presented are abstracts and abstractors' analyses of 10 studies related to science instruction and 3 studies related to science curriculum. Analyses in the first section (instruction) are on studies of: the influence of instructional structure and focus of control on achievement; effects of individualized audio-tutorial and frontal…