The problem addressed by this study is that first-year college chemistry students learn little of the conceptual material associated with chemistry experiments they perform. The thesis of this research is that the construction of prelab and postlab concept maps help students understand the concepts involved in the experiments they perform. The study was conducted using 32 non-science majors enrolled in a first-year chemistry course. The experimental group constructed prelab and postlab concept maps, while the control group wrote essays explaining the conceptual chemistry of the four experiments used in this study. Both groups took 25-item achievement tests 1 week after each experiment. Prelab and postlab concept maps were scored and evaluated for significant differences. Five students were interviewed to investigate their perceptions regarding the usefulness of concept maps in chemistry laboratories. No significant differences were found between treatment groups with respect to students' conceptual understanding as determined by the multiple choice achievement tests. Students responded very positively toward the use of concepts maps in the laboratory. They felt strongly that constructing prelab and postlab concept maps helped them understand the conceptual chemistry of the experiments.

Interest in interdisciplinary, integrated curriculum development continues to increase. However, teachers, who have been given primary responsibility for developing these materials, are often working with little guidance. At present there exists no clear definition of the meaning of integration of mathematics and science. A continuum model of integration is proposed as a useful tool for curriculum developers as they create new integrated mathematics and science curricula or adapt commercially prepared materials. On the continuum, activities range from mathematics or science involving no integration to those activities including balanced mathematics and science concepts. Several examples are given to illustrate the utility of the continuum model for analyzing integrated curricula. The continuum model is intended to be used by curriculum developers to clarify the relationship between the mathematics and science activities and concepts and to guide the modification of lessons.

This study evaluated the effects of cooperative learning on students' verbal interaction patterns and achievement in a conceptual change instructional model in secondary science. Current conceptual change instructional models recognize the importance of student–student verbal interactions, but lack specific strategies to encourage these interactions. Cooperative learning may provide the necessary strategies. Two sections of low‐ability 10th‐grade students were designated the experimental and control groups. Students in both sections received identical content instruction on the particle model of matter using conceptual change teaching strategies. Students worked in teacher‐assigned small groups on in‐class assignments. The experimental section used cooperative learning strategies involving instruction in collaborative skills and group evaluation of assignments. The control section received no collaborative skills training and students were evaluated individually on group work. Gains on achievement were assessed using pre‐ and posttreatment administrations of an investigator‐designed short‐answer essay test. The assessment strategies used in this study represent an attempt to measure conceptual change. Achievement was related to students' ability to correctly use appropriate scientific explanations of events and phenomena and to discard use of naive conceptions. Verbal interaction patterns of students working in groups were recorded on videotape and analyzed using an investigator‐designed verbal interaction scheme. The targeted verbalizations used in the interaction scheme were derived from the social learning theories of Piaget and Vygotsky. It was found that students using cooperative learning strategies showed greater achievement gains as defined above and made greater use of specific verbal patterns believed to be related to increased learning. The results of the study demonstrated that cooperative learning strategies enhance conceptual change instruction. More research is needed to identify the specific variables mediating the effects of cooperative learning strategies on conceptual change learning. The methods employed in this study may provide some of the tools for this research.

Interest in interdisciplinary, integrated curriculum development continues to increase. However, teachers who have been given primary responsibility for developing these materials are often -working "with little guidance. A model for developing theme-based, interdisciplinary, integrated curriculum is presented in this article. The model includes two phases, a theme creation phase and an activity refinement phase. Validity criteria from the interdisciplinary curriculum literature are usedto assess the power of potential themes. An integration continuum model is used to facilitate refinement of activities included inthe theme-basedinstruction. The curriculum developmentmodelis usedto clarify the meaning of the terms theme-based, interdisciplinary, and integrated. The model is intended to be used by curriculum developers to facilitate the creation of powerful interdisciplinary lessons.Overthe past 10 years, reform efforts in mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts have redefined the K-12 curriculum. National organizations and various reform documents (National Council of called upon educators to reexamine teaching practice and the curriculum across the disciplines. One aspect ofcurriculum revision receiving particular attention is the role and nature of themebased, interdisciplinary, integrated (I/I) curriculum.The purpose ofteaching an I/I curriculum is clearit provides an opportunity for students to understand concepts in a larger context. Calls for integration of mathematics and science are not new. The earliest reference to integration in A Bibliography of Inte-

If integration of mathematics and science is to occur, teacher preparation programs at colleges and universities must provide leadership in developing and modeling methods of teaching integrated content. This paper describes the development and implementation of an integrated mathematics/science preservice elementary methods course at the University of Connecticut. In planning the course several questions were addressed: (a) What does integration of mathematics and science mean? (b) What content should be taught in an integrated mathematics/science (IM/S) elementary methods course? and (c) How should an IM/S elementary methods course be taught? An important element of the course involved enlisting an exemplary elementary teacher who was released from her classroom one day per week to co‐teach the methods class. Establishing a definition of integration proved to be one of the most challenging aspects of course development. The authors determined that most difficulties in integration of disciplines result from attempts to “force” the integration. As the team struggled with the philosophical, theoretical and logistical problems in the development of the course, it became apparent why integration has not been more widely implemented. It is believed this model can be adapted to allow for integration of all content areas. Plans are currently underway to incorporate social studies into the methods class for Fall of 1993.