. The effect of using an explicit general problem solving teaching approach on elementary pre-service teachers' ability to solve heat transfer problems. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 2(3),[164][165][166][167][168][169][170][171][172][173][174] This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes.Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden.Authors alone are responsible for the contents of their articles. The journal owns the copyright of the articles.The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of the research material. AbstractThis study investigate the effectiveness of adding an 'explicit general problem solving teaching strategy' (EGPS) to guided inquiry (GI) on pre-service elementary school teachers' ability to solve heat transfer problems. The pre-service elementary teachers in this study were enrolled in two sections of a chemistry course for pre-service elementary teachers' at a four year university. One section of this class was taught a treatment method, the explicit general problem solving approach, while the other section was taught using guided inquiry approach. Quantitative data was obtained using a post-test while qualitative data was obtained probing questions. The scores for the two teaching approaches showed no significant difference. Further, qualitative data indicated little difference in the way participants solved their problems regardless of instructional approach. Hence, this study concludes that both EGPS and guided inquiry have comparable effectiveness of teaching problem solving.

The paired development of an individual’s knowledge and interest in an object/topic has well-established theoretical and empirical support. Their shared role within learning experiences has similar support but has less often been researched intensively in formal contexts such as classrooms. To address this gap, four studies in four foundation university courses were conducted across an academic semester. The research was conducted at one research intensive university in Hong Kong, with a mixture of first- and second-year students. This research was embedded into course lectures/tutorials by utilising a mobile platform to conduct short formative tests and surveys (QR codes presented with course materials). Difference testing compared pre-post domain interest and levels of interest in different tasks. Structural equation modelling tested the predictive relationships between prior domain interest and knowledge with students' interest in a range of lecture and tutorial tasks, and later interest in the course and/or domain. The pattern of results from the four studies suggest separate and sometimes contrasting roles for prior interest and knowledge within task interest. Findings confirmed the critical role of social learning experiences for building interest in courses. These studies support the evidenced based strategic choice of a variety of course tasks to ensure students individual differences are addressed and long-term interest is supported. The theoretical and practical implications, as well as future directions for research in this area are discussed.

Assessment for Learning (AfL) or formative assessment has the potential for raising standards and student achievement. This article describes research conducted by graduate students in an NSF-funded capacity-building project with goals to increase research in the disciplines of science and mathematics education. As background, a literature review shows parallels between assessment for learning research developed over the past two decades in England with assessment reform efforts in school mathematics and science in the U.S. A series of five research projects, conducted by Western Michigan University (WMU) AfL project scholars in fall 2008, examines (1) the prominence of assessment for learning in university course syllabi at WMU and (2) at public universities across the state of Michigan, (3) its prominence in policy statements in a sample of Michigan high schools, (4) the development of benchmarking practices with preservice teachers, and (5) a comparison of existing AfL observation protocols used in classroom research. These reports represent the range of potentially important areas that may prove fruitful for moving research on assessment in mathematics and science education forward.