This paper describes a course aimed at developing understanding of measurement and uncertainty in the introductory physics laboratory. The course materials, in the form of a student workbook, are based on the probabilistic framework for measurement as recommended by the International Organization for Standardization in their publication "Guide to…

An evaluation of a course aimed at developing university students' understanding of the nature of scientific measurement and uncertainty is described. The course materials follow the framework for metrology as recommended in the "Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement" (GUM). The evaluation of the course is based on…

Context-based and science-technology-society (STS) approaches to teaching science in high school have become widely used over the past two decades. They aspire to foster more positive attitudes to science while, at the same time, provide a sound basis of scientific understanding for further study. This paper reviews the detailed research evidence…

Analyses the ways in which university-entrant science students carry out and communicate experimental activities, and identifies a model to explain characteristic communication practices. Observes the investigative strategies of participant students who have a lack of experience with laboratory work and scientific writing. Uses laboratory reports…

Documents Swazi students' written explanations of everyday actions in terms of an awareness of the social and economic implications of science, their skills in designing experiments to solve everyday dilemmas, and their abilities to draw on relevant science concepts to solve everyday problems. Finds that considerably less than half of the students…

Explores African students' use of traditional Sotho cultural metaphoric reasoning in classifying everyday situations as "hot" or "cold" in order to document the extent to which such metaphoric reasoning is related to science misconceptions of heating. Finds that university students were able to distinguish between types of…

This paper traces the professional growth of science teachers in Trinidad and Tobago through their involvement in the production of context-based resource materials relevant to the lives of their students during workshop sessions. Grounded theory methods were used to analyse pre- and post-workshop questionnaire responses, tape-recorded group…