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Usage of a revised nine-item Nuclear Attitude Instrument in assessing the perceptions of 172 grade nine and ten students proved useful in revealing direct correlations between students' attitudes on nuclear energy and their space exploration concepts, and inverse correlations between the former and students' views on energy and environmental issues. This reveals the need for innovation in science education to help students to better relate environmental and energy concepts with nuclear energy, thereby enhancing their scientific literacy.

Forty-two randomly selected students in grades three through ten from two school districts in western New York State were randomly assigned to view a selected videotaped television weather segment to determine if a developmental model for weather information processing could be established. Three ordinal stages of weather information processing in this model were established to be compatible with each of the Piagetian stages of development. Content understanding and causal reasoning in each stage were specified. In the preoperational stage, understanding was associated with weather phenomena and mental reasoning was associated with pseudonatural causal agents. In the concrete operational stage, understanding was associated with valid, natural atmospheric processes, while reasoning focused on logical event sequences. Formal operational stage content was associated with the understanding of valid atmospheric mechanisms and reasoning that was associated with propositional thought. The results of this study suggest that weather information processing (content understanding and causal reasoning) is significantly related (p < 0.01) to age and developmental stage. These findings support a multivariate developmental model for the communication of weather concepts and have implications for operational forecasters, broadcast meteorologists, science teachers, and all who have the job of presenting weather information to the public.

Discusses a study which compared differences in ratio construction made by high school freshman and junior students. Reports that more freshmen than juniors selected solutions involving one variable, whereas juniors chose solutions that coordinated two variables in a mathematical or verbal rule. Reviews implications in problem solving and concept formation tasks. (ML)

Identifies significant relationships between secondary-school students' attitudes toward nuclear energy, environmental issues, energy and science concepts, space exploration and metrication topical areas. Science-Related Attitude Instrument; Distal-involvement factor; Proximal-involvement factor; Implications.

The article discusses the logical operations of Jean Piaget in science instruction that may enhance the learning and comprehension of science concept among children. The study reveals that achievement on cognitive tasks using these logical operations can be helped by the use of programmed instruction techniques. It also presents various levels of intellectual development in understanding the sets of logical operations including the sensory-motor stage, the pre-operational stage and the concrete operations stage. It suggests that knowing the concept starts when information processed using logical operations. The study shows that additional exercise of the abilities in understanding the content is beneficial and the child's interests in the content achievement needs stimulation and focus.

The article presents a study of the comparison of differences in ratio construction in science problem solving by freshman and junior students. Findings revealed that more freshman than juniors chose the maxi-ratio. Like, if the freshman were centering on only one variable, then it would be expected the maxi-ratio items. Study further revealed that more juniors than freshman chose the mini-max ratio items. The major result of the study is that there appears to be a developmental sequence in the ability to relate quantities.

The article discusses on the study that determines the relationship among psychologist Jean Piaget's theory on construct operative comprehension, self-concept, and science achievement. The study has revealed on the positive relationship between reading achievement, science and mathematics achievement, operative comprehension of reading, general self-concept of ability, and self-concept of ability in mathematics. The authors found out that operative comprehension of reading measured by the Raven Content Comprehension Test is a behavior distinct from those behaviors assessed by standard achievement tests. The study also emphasized that the correlation between self-concepts of ability in mathematics and science and operative comprehension of reading is greater than the correlation between self-concept of ability in English and social studies and operative comprehension.

The article discusses on the study conducted in the U.S. that examines the effects of high school chemistry experiences on the application of operative structure theory by psychologist Jean Piaget. The study used Raven Content Comprehension Test and the Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test, administered to several students in the fall semester after their chemistry courses. The study revealed that students who had completed their chemistry courses have had higher scores on the tests than those who did not take chemistry courses.

The article discusses on the study that examines the relationships between levels of cognitive complexity and levels of modeling complexity in college students at Erie Community College North in Williamsville, New York, by using graphic, formal, and inferred levels of modeling complexity. The study has revealed that the successful completion of models is relatively associated in high degree with the successful physiology achievement. Researchers has emphasized that graphic model was the most realistic and concrete out of the three models.

The article reports on the development of the Raven Content Comprehension Test (RCCT) based on the operative comprehension of psychologist Jean Piaget. The test is a tool that evaluates the students' ability in applying the seven logical operations in concept derivation. The written information that is used in the RCCT is exactly the opposite of Piaget's studies, since he developed concrete materials and not written data. In dealing with the tests, students are to use Piaget's seven major logical operations in developing concepts that will aid in answering the questions that are asked. It was revealed that the seven factors that are responsible for the operative comprehension of school content correspond to the seven logical operations formulated by Piaget.

The article discusses the study on the effects of a process-oriented elementary school science program on the achievement of a test of Piaget's operative comprehension. It was participated by sixth and eighth grade pupils from six parochial elementary schools that are using the Science-A-Process Approach program in Erie County, New York. After thorough analysis and calculations, the result shows that eighth grade students in the process-oriented program attain higher scores on operative comprehension items than eighth grade students in a more traditional science program. Hence, it suggests that the design of school science texts incorporate Piaget's process of operative comprehension with the use of concrete referents.

The article discusses the relative physics achievement at three levels of cognitive complexity between Thai and American 10 and 13 year old children. An assessment of the cognitive comprehension level of a concept allows the prediction of what content achievement capabilities the student is capable of attaining in a series of related concepts. The comprehension of a concept at the compensatory level may be sufficient for general scientific literacy purposes. The pictorial test used in the study is called Test of Elementary Physical Science Cognitive Structure (TEPSCS). Older children of both cultures performed better than did the younger children at all logical complexity levels.

The article describes a training program for cooperating teachers which provides specific supervision skills. It also explores the program's effects on a student teacher's practicum experience. A modeling approach to behavior modification formed the theoretical basis for the training program. The program provides the following elements: 1.) A single complex supervisory skill is presented, imitated, and critiqued. 2.) The cooperating teacher knows the model of behavior expected of him. 3.) The performance of the cooperating teacher is compared to the model presented.

The article discusses a study that assesses the sequential hierarchical interdependence of the operative structures and stages by Jean Piaget. These operative structures are the following: classification, seriation, logical multiplication, compensation, proportional thinking, probability and correlational thinking. These operatives are significant because the analysis of Piaget showed that they determine the form and the function of concept acquisition. Piaget's theory of development describes the development of substages within the concrete and formal stages in a linear scheme.

The article discusses a study aimed at determining the effects of an exploratory teaching program on the development of attitudes toward teaching and related educational concepts. Eleven concepts were chosen to be tested including individualized learning, being a science teacher, teaching secondary students, interaction with individual students, content-oriented approach to teaching science, classroom management and record keeping, science teaching materials, teaching elementary student, process-oriented approach to teaching science, importance of discipline and exploratory teaching. Ten pairs of polar adjectives determined the evaluative concepts. It is evident that the exploratory teaching program had a positive effect on the prospective teachers.

The article discusses the improvement in the common system used for the training of science teachers in Sierra Leone. The system is commonly employed for the primary and secondary levels and there is some reference to the training for the tertiary level. In line with the improvement made in the system, there are significant components in the system which have been given much attention. The said components include the entrance requirements and curriculum in the primary level and secondary level. A suitable program for the professional training of teachers is divided into four parts: a study of the subject matter to be taught and an appropriate methodology, a study of children, a study of schools, and the purpose of education.

The article discusses the study on the relationships of Piaget's logical operations with achievement in physical science and biological science and other related aptitudes in black college students. Difficulties in science content comprehension and problem solving have caused increasing concern with the advent of the new science curricula. Piaget's analysis of science concept development and science concept learning difficulties suggests the importance of looking at the logical operations required in interacting with the organizational structures of science content. The study shows that both advantaged college students and disadvantaged students have suffered from a failure of science curricula to provide a framework of broadly applicable, basic science concepts.

The article discusses the development of a test of Piaget's logical operations. The results of the analysis of the Raven's Test of Logical Operations have shown that it can be used to determine the developmental pattern of logical operations in children across grade levels. The test data can be used to determine if children will have difficulty with specific types of reasoning patterns. This information can provide the instructor with some evidence about how to model a concept for instruction. If the student will have problems with proportional thinking operations, it may be appropriate to remodel the concept by using compensatory operations or logical multiplication operations. Information about the pupil's cognitive capability enhances the teacher's ability to individualize classroom instruction.

The article provides a historical analysis of the development of concepts and bodies of knowledge. The historical development of the concept of motion illustrates that there is a hierarchal progression in the development of complex concepts. This progression contains the following two dimensions. The first dimension is concerned with the progressive step-by-step dependency of one concept on another concept. The second dimension of the progression pertains to the increasing degree of complexity in the arrangement or ordering of the concept.

The article comments on the philosophical basis for selecting science curriculum content. The formation of a curriculum must take into account the statement of educational objectives, theories about the structure of knowledge, the nature of the learning process and the methods appropriate to them. The central ideas of a science and the relationships among these ideas make up the structure of the discipline. The requirement of logical fertility demands that the concept must be capable of being manipulated according to the laws of logic. The web of concepts and connections must fit into some kind of coherent pattern. The final structure depends on the ability of the students to make the observations needed to connect the concepts with reality and their ability to comprehend and construct the connections among concepts.

The article investigates whether task dimension is related to science concept learning difficulties in primary school children in the U.S. The objective of this study was to determine if achievement on a series of problems was affected by differences among task values within a dimension. The subjects used were one hundred and sixty children from the kindergarten. The results indicate that achievement on the problems is a function of the dimensional nature of the tasks. In addition, it suggest that a multidimensional scale of task dimension values should be constructed in order to assist the curriculum specialist in the construction and sequencing of concept tasks for specific grade levels.

The article presents a study on the development of the concept of acceleration in elementary school children in the U.S. The objective of the study was to determine the developmental relationships among the speed and the acceleration concepts described by Piaget. The subjects used in the study were ninety six children from third to six grades. The results indicate that the speed and acceleration tasks that require intensive logical operations could be used by the third and fourth grade children.

The article focuses on the study that examines the effects of two portions of instructional programs on the attainment of reading readiness, visual perceptual and science progress skills in kindergarten children in the U.S. Kindergarten teachers with the programs often note similarities between the science activities and others which are widely accepted as reading readiness activities. Result shows that science and visual perceptual instruction can be included in kindergarten programs without impairing the reading readiness attainment of trained children.

The article presents a study which examines the impact of the structured learning sequence program on the classification achievement of second and third grade children in the U.S. The sample subjects utilized in this study comprised of students from public schools in Fredonia, New York. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of classification exercises on classification abilities of these students. The results of this study revealed that the children's achievement on the classification tasks of the post tests correlates with the effectiveness of the program.

The article discusses the development of classification abilities in culturally disadvantaged children. Three groups from middle class and three groups from lower class backgrounds participated in this study. The middle class were enrolled in a public elementary school, while the lower class groups were enrolled in an improvised area. These students undergone six random classification tests to control the effect of learning. Results show that there is a difference between age groups and between classes. Moreover, culturally deprived children have a reduced analytical power to analyze categorical relationships.

The article discusses the development of the concept of momentum in kindergarten and grades 1-3 at the Whittier Elementary School in Berkeley, California. This study determines the sequence of acquisition of concepts that were asked for an understanding of momentum. This sequence is arranged as follows: conservation of matter, speed, the proportional use of mass and speed, and momentum. The analysis shows that the components of this sequence must be achieved before the subject attains the concept of momentum. Results suggest that there was a decreasing degree of difficulty on the tasks from kindergarten through the third grade.