The focus of this research was to better understand the change processes necessary for university science teaching reform to be successful. The professional development processes involved faculty cognitive perceptions of learning, teaching skills, and pedagogical knowledge, as well as faculty culture in teaching science courses. A series of faculty development programs were conducted at nine U.S. locations to explore, develop strategies, and implement changes in science classrooms. A review of research and these professional development experiences provided a base to carry out research activities related to understanding change in science faculty. Faculty participants in the program from 30 institutions were selected to be involved in the study. Ethnographic and case study approaches were used to collect and analyze data. Many faculty members encountered in this study had conceptions of the change process that inhibited successful action. These research efforts provide a predictive model for assisting faculty change and help determine which faculty professional development efforts may be successful in overcoming barriers to change in undergraduate science classrooms.

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ost citizens are concerned about M nuclear reactions and their real and imagined consequences. The emotional burden of those concerns may interfere with analysis of available evidence and its use to construct a meaningful understanding of nuclear reactions and of the social issues they raise. Students need experiences to provide foundations for the conceptual understanding of issues related to the nuclear reactions in fission and fusion.Both nuclear fission and fusion produce energy. Nuclear fission produces energy through the breaking up of a heavy nucleus into smaller nuclei, whereas nuclear fusion produces it through the building up of a heavier nucleus from smaller ones (Hoffman 1996a). Each reaction process can pro-CYNTHIA SZYMANSKI SUNAL, a professor of tencher education, and DENNIS W SUNA L. a pmfessor of science education, teach at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosu; both are interested in interdisciplinury studies. Their work with middle and .\econdaty schools is partially supported by the U. S. Department of Energy Alabama Experimental Program to Stimulate Cooperutive Research (Alabama DEE/EPSCoR) und the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program administered by the Alahamu Commission on Higher Education.

This article explores perspectives and strands of thought among teachers from five countries about power dynamics in learning environments, perspectives on power of dominant cultures and impacts of power on concepts of citizenship and social justice. Discourses revealed teachers have some understanding of how power impacts teaching and learning, how language empowers/disempowers students and how teachers and students use their power. Teachers' and students' perceptions of power in the learning environment likely shape educational experiences for all stakeholders. Effective empowerment, particularly of students, requires recognition of these and other factors.

Kindergarteners’ (n=41) concept of peace, a foundational social studies concept, was investigated via pre- and post-assessments that first, asked them to physically demonstrate how they looked or felt when they were at peace, second, asked them to draw a scene showing peace, and third, to caption the drawing. In pre-assessments all but three children demonstrated aggression and drew aggressive stances accompanied by captions indicating aggression. After opportunities to read about, discuss, and explore the concept of peace over five weeks, post-assessment occurred. In the post-assessments none of the data indicated aggression. Categories coded showed peace described as enjoyable activities, pro-social behaviors, and quietness/calmness/privacy. The study suggests hypotheses for further research investigating the concept of peace among very young children and possible factors influencing their concept and implications for social studies curriculum.