This study compared a conventional verbal mode of high school biology instruction to one augmented with laboratory activities. There were 100 students in each of the two samples (treatments). Each treatment lasted approximately 16 weeks. / Eight biology concepts analyzed in the treatments were selected for the relatively high degree of formal reasoning required in order to adequately understand the science content. / A 15-item cognitive developmental test, patterned after Lawson (1978), diagnosed 54% of the Ss as concrete operational, 35% as transitionally formal, and 11% as formal operational. The relative effectiveness of the two instructional treatments was assessed across these three cognitive ability levels. / The dependent variable was achievement expressed in terms of mastery on unit (concept) tests and the independent variables were the two instructional treatments. Cognitive ability levels, assessed as being of nominal scale strength, served as the control variable. Three-dimensional contingency tables (2 x 3 x 2) were used to assess interactions and Chi-square values were derived to test the null hypotheses of mutual and partial independence among the variables. Zero-order gamma coefficients were used to express the strength of association among the variables. / Results indicated that the two treatments did not differ in their effectiveness in promoting mastery of formal biology concepts across cognitive ability levels. A strong relationship was found between mastery and cognitive ability level--i.e., high cognitive ability level favored mastery. It appears that conventional use of typical biology laboratory activities does little to foster the achievement of abstract concepts, as measured by paper-and-pencil exams. It might be that similar activities using different instructional strategies would be more effective in promoting the learning of abstract biological concepts with concrete operational students. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-01, Section: A, page: 0114. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.

The problem-solving behaviors of 10 experts in chemistry (6 doctoral students and 4 professors) and 13 novices (5 high school students, 3 biology majors, and 5 chemistry majors) were videotaped while these subjects solved 7 selected chemical equilibrium problems individually by the think-aloud technique. / The main purposes of the study were the following: to determine empirically whether or not chemical equilibrium was a fruitful domain for problem-solving research; to determine what problem-solving behaviors are exhibited by experts and novices during the process of solving chemical equilibrium problems; to determine what differences are observed in successful and unsuccessful problem solvers; to determine what problem-solving behaviors reported by previous similar research can be observed in chemical equilibrium problem solving; to determine to what extent chemical equilibrium problem-solving performance is affected by knowledge of interrelated concepts of stoichiometry, kinetics, thermodynamics, and chemical-mathematical skills. / Differences between successful and unsuccessful subjects were described in terms of the quantitative degree of problem-solving success of each subject and qualitative performance in using conceptual, procedural, and strategic knowledge. The degree of success was determined based upon established criteria according to the number of problems solved correctly. A scheme for coding behaviours was developed based on 32 major behaviors observed during the pilot and main studies. From the verbal data collected a set of 27 tendencies or patterns was identified which characterized the qualitative differences between successful and unsuccessful subjects. / Successful subjects demonstrated the storage of several chemical principles and the related concepts of stoichiometry, kinetics, thermodynamics, acidimetry, and chemical-mathematical skills which were used correctly in solving the seven problems. They tended to use better heuristic knowledge such as making frequent checks of the consistency of their answers and reasons provided for each problem, using a knowledge-development strategy applying two methods when possible to compare the results, and following a step-by-step procedural path to arrive at the correct solution. / In contrast, unsuccessful subjects tended to ignore the fundamental principles and concepts involved, demonstrated a large number of chemical misconceptions, used less and weaker heuristics. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-08, Section: A, page: 2979. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

The purpose of this study was to investigate high school chemistry student attitudes toward science and their perceptions of and preferences for learning chemistry in three different science learning environments. / The subjects of this study were 48 students enrolled in two sections of general chemistry at the Developmental Research School of Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida. / Data were collected from January through April, 1985. A modified version of the Science Curriculum System (SCAS) was used to code classroom behavior. After experiencing each environment, interview protocols derived from SCAS were used to obtain student perceptions of chemistry, learning chemistry, classroom behavior, and student preferences for these environments. Finally, the Scientific Attitude Inventory was used to obtain student attitudes toward science after experiencing the three different science learning environments. / Repeated measures design analyses were used to investigate student perceptions of and preferences for learning chemistry and their attitudes toward science. The chi-square analyses were used to investigate the accuracy of student perceptions of classroom behavior and observed behavior. Finally, correlation analyses were used to investigate the relationship between student attitudes toward science and their grade point average in science courses. / The results indicated the following: (1) Student perceptions of chemistry and learning chemistry showed significant difference among the three different science learning environments. (2) A significant difference existed between student perceptions of classroom behavior and observed classroom behavior. (3) No significant difference existed between student attitudes toward science and their grade point average in science courses. (4) No significant difference existed in student preferences for three different science learning environments. (5) No significant difference existed in student attitudes toward science as a result of experiencing the three different science learning environments. / Perhaps more research studies in science learning environments yield valuable results from examining effects of these environments on student perceptions, attitudes, preferences, and achievement. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-11, Section: A, page: 3309. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

The performance of seven formal and seven concrete operational high school biology students were video taped during a three-phase learning sequence in water pollution. Subjects explored the effects of five independent variables on two dependent variables over time using a computer simulation program. Predictions were made concerning the effects of the independent variables upon dependent variables through time. Subjects were identified according to initial knowledge of the subject matter and success at solving three selected prediction problems. / The primary goal of this study was to examine the science process skill of prediction, in detail, using naturalistic research methodology and information-processing theory. The think-aloud interview technique, modeled after Ericsson and Simon, led to the identification of 63 behaviors related to program exploration and prediction. Systematic comparative analyses were performed on the behaviors of different comparison groups (e.g. concrete versus formal). Procedural models, depicting cognitive pathways, branch points, feedback loops, and behaviors of thought associated with prediction were developed from sequentially encoded transcripts. / Successful prediction behaviors involved systematic manipulation of the independent variables, note taking, identification and use of correct independent-dependent variable relationships, high interest and motivation, and in general, higher level thinking skills. Behaviors characteristic of unsuccessful predictors were non-systematic manipulation of independent variables, lack of motivation and persistence, misconceptions, and the identification and use of incorrect independent-dependent variable relationships. Successful predictors generally had high initial knowledge of the subject matter and were formal. Unsuccessful predictors generally had low initial knowledge of the subject matter and were concrete. High initial knowledge seemed to be more important to predictive success than stage of Piagetian cognitive development. / The results of this study have implications for problem-solving theory, cognitive development, and science teaching. The procedural models, which trace the behavioral patterns of prediction, may prove useful to computer modeling of the prediction process. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-08, Section: A, page: 2982. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 31-10, Section: A, page: 5223. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1970.

The purpose of this study was to investigate: (1) Teachers' and students' perceptions of "goal priorities" for science; (2) teachers' and students' perceptions of classroom behaviors of science teachers and of science students; (3) teachers' and students' conceptions of ideal behavior of science teachers and of science students; and (4) observed behaviors of science teachers and students. / Teacher subjects were eighteen volunteer, middle school science teachers in five middle schools in the Leon County School District, Tallahassee, Florida. A random selection of ten students from one class (identified by the teacher) for each of the eighteen teacher subjects provided the student subjects of the study. / The Science Curriculum Assessment System (SCAS) was used to code teacher behavior. Student behavior was coded by a modification of SCAS coding system. Interview protocols derived from SCAS were used to interview teachers and students with regard to their perceptions of actual classroom behavior, their conceptions of ideal classroom behavior, and their science long-term goals. / Data were collected from February through May, 1981. After all observational data were collected for a particular school, students were interviewed on goals and classroom behavior. Finally, teachers were interviewed similarly. / The relationships among observed, perceived and ideal classroom behavior were evaluated through correlation analyses. The significance of the effect of goal priorities and time-of-day on each classroom behavior score was evaluated through analysis of variance. / Results indicated that science teachers tend to behave in ways which are inconsistent with their goals, with their desires in terms of teaching strategies, and with the desires and perceptions of their students. On the other hand, students seem to act in ways which are inconsistent with their desires and perceptions and those of their teachers. / Perhaps teacher preparation must include specific preparation which deals with awareness of one's own behavior, relationships between teaching behaviors and learning outcomes, and ways of analyzing behaviors and of communicating this to students. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-07, Section: A, page: 3094. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 40-09, Section: A, page: 4985. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1979.

Most studies of questioning have focused on teacher-posed questions. In other studies, students have been trained to ask more and better questions through intensive instruction apart from the ongoing academic program. However, cognitive strategies (such as questioning) are developed best within the framework of an academic subject. In the current study, questioning skills were taught to high school students of chemistry in the context of their laboratory experiments. / Since both intellectual development and questioning skills are causally related to problem solving, the effect of intellectual development on the learning of questioning skills was investigated in this study. The Piagetian model of intellectual development was chosen for its demonstrated effects on many important aspects of science instruction. / The dependent variable in this study was a composite score on a modification of the Science Inquiry Assessment Instrument. This measured the number and quality of research questions asked by a chemistry student after seeing an unanticipated event (a short investigation of surface tension) in a laboratory setting. Such discrepant events are known to lead the student to a conceptual conflict which may be reduced by seeking further information through asking research questions. Each such question suggests a particular change in a variable operating in the event at hand and asks about that change's effect on the observations. The measure of intellectual development used in this study was the paper-and-pencil Classroom Test of Formal Operations. / The experimental treatment lasted 12 weeks and involved printed lessons which taught high school chemistry students to ask research questions in response to observations that they did not anticipate in their regularly scheduled laboratory experiments. The control treatment group did not receive these printed lessons. Both groups were taught the same chemistry subject matter by the same teacher during the 12 weeks. / Four intact sections of Advanced (first-year) Chemistry students were chosen. Two of them were assigned to the experimental treatment condition while the remaining two were assigned to the control treatment condition. Half of the students in each condition took the questioning pretest. One hundred and eight students completed the treatment. The significance of the effects of the pretest, treatment and intellectual development on the posttest scores was evaluated through an analysis of the variance of these posttest scores. / The pretest enhanced the posttest performance of the experimental treatment group. However, it diminished the control treatment group's posttest performance. By analyzing the posttest scores of unpretested students only, the experimental treatment effect was found to be statistically significant, accounting for 14% of the variance of the posttest scores. However, the level of intellectual development had no effect on these posttest scores. These effects also were shown when 64 pretested students of General (first year) Chemistry were divided into these treatment conditions. / The lessons developed in this study, when used in the ongoing academic laboratory program, enable high school chemistry students (of "general" and "advanced" ability levels) to ask more and better research questions. The Piagetian level of intellectual development of the student does not affect the effectiveness of this instruction, as measured by the research questioning ability instrument used in this study. / Further research could investigate the dependence of research questioning ability on facility with propositional logic rather than with a variety of types of formal operational thought. Another study could investigate the effect of intellectual development upon the ability to ask research questions which go beyond the variables suggested by the materials at hand. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-03, Section: A, page: 1011. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

This study examined the relationships between EEG alpha coherence during the practice of the TM technique and three educational variables: formal operational thinking, science grade point average, and selection of science as a college major. / Subjects were 349 undergraduates at Maharishi International University, an accredited school located in Fairfield, Iowa. A set of 12 EEG coherence measures was generated for each subject. These measures focused primarily on four areas of the brain, F(,3)-F(,4) (frontal), F(,3)-C(,3) (left), F(,4)-C(,4) (right), and O(,1)-O(,2) (occipital). A paper and pencil test was used to measure cognitive performance. Science GPA was calculated from information provided by the registrar's office. / No linear relationship was found between 12 EEG alpha coherence measures taken during the TM technique and either cognitive performance or science GPA except for one negative relationship between extreme frontal coherence (greater than .95) and science GPA (r = -.14, p = .031). Some possible implications are discussed. / Differences in EEG coherence were found among the college majors examined. The most obvious was the relatively high left, right, and frontal coherence among physics majors. The coherence patterns of art and math majors did not exhibit patterns consistent with current theories of brain functioning. Examples are discussed and recommendations for future research are made. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-04, Section: A, page: 0940. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 40-06, Section: A, page: 3219. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1979.