The goal was to gain information concerning the appropriateness of each of 70 selected laboratory teaching competencies for inclusion in science teacher education programs and the extent to which students had developed such competencies. Approximately 85 percent of the competency items were viewed as appropriate for beginning science teachers. (MP)

Describes an attempt to develop and staff a new first-year laboratory course at the University of Jordan. A postgraduate course in chemical education is used as the development and training vehicle. (BT)

An inorganic chemistry course at the Free University of Amsterdam is part of an integrated program involving practical work and theoretical study for chemistry students. Twelve experiments are required and 11 are performed by students in groups of fours. (Author/SA)

This study examines the role of a 6- or 8-week summer university laboratory internship for 56 high ability secondary students in developing the views of these students with respect to the nature of science. Students were assessed using a gender-neutral version of the Test on Understanding Science (TOUS) as part of a pretest-posttest research…

Discusses building memory ability, Agatha Christie's and Sherlock Holmes' chemical abilities, and excerpts from now unpublished laboratory manuals. (SL)

The pendulum and balance beam were studied. The principal question addressed was whether students could substantially and quickly benefit from a teaching strategy explicitly designed to promote transfer. About half the subjects could acquire in brief time a procedure for transferring knowledge to novel tasks. (MP)

The purpose of this study was to examine the activities and discourse between scientists and high school student apprentices (from Santa Barbara, California) in research laboratories and how these supported and/or constrained student learning of science. The study covered 3 consecutive years of a summer science program and included 32 high school…

The results of testing a theoretical model for laboratory psychomotor skill development are described. Research implications for fine motor learning in the chemistry laboratory are given. (Author/SA)

Describes the results of a survey intended to determine the factors influencing students' attitudes towards practical work during the early part of their university career. (Author/SA)

Describes how a jigsaw cooperative learning structure divides lab work in a constructive, efficient way and provides a mechanism for sharing information. Pre-lab lectures are replaced with focused student discussions about the lab exercises. Students become more involved with the lab exercises, take responsibility for their own learning, and are…

This inexpensive but informative experiment for undergraduate biochemistry students involves isolating phosphatidyl choline from spinach leaves. Emphasis is on introducing students to techniques of lipid extraction, separation of lipids, identification using thin layer chromatography, and identification of fatty acids. Three periods of three hours…

Can cognitive research generate usable knowledge for elementary science instruction? Can issues raised by classroom practice drive the agenda of laboratory cognitive research? Answering yes to both questions, we advocate building a reciprocal interface between basic and applied research. We discuss five studies of the teaching, learning, and…

Presents some introductory experiments involving the reaction between EDTA and several metal ions using metallochromic indicators. The experiments represent familiar reactions and are followed by suggestions for extension into areas of discovery work by students. (Author/SA)

Discusses the advantages of using content specific problem solving as a vehicle for undergraduate instruction in biology, and describes different software tools used to implement this model. The areas discussed include simulated laboratories, the construction of binary classification schemes using computer programs, and scientific writing using…

Offers challenging work at a higher level of technique than most students meet in elementary laboratory work. Uses a combined weight and volumetric sequence not shown in textbooks. Notes modern rapid balances help lower evaporation loss during weighings. Discusses the balance, weights, and buoyancy considerations. (MVL)