Using 'How People Learn' as a blueprint for developing teaching strategies; an example from an introductory geology course for future elementary teachers and non-science majors part of SERC Print Resource Collection
Geology faculty at Western Washington University, Skagit Valley College, Whatcom Community College, Everett Community College, and the Northwest Indian College have collaborated to develop a new ...

Field Notes part of SERC Print Resource Collection
This article introduces the concept of "novelty space" and emphasizes that students' learning is impaired if they are 1) uncertain about their geologic and geographic setting, ...

Children's misconceptions about weather: A review of the literature part of SERC Web Resource Collection

This paper from Project ALERT reports a synthesis of the existing research about children's misconceptions relating to weather, climate and the atmosphere. The scientifically accepted ...

Spatial Ability and Earth Science Conceptual Understanding part of SERC Print Resource Collection
Relatively little research has considered the relationship of spatial abilities with common misconceptions and broader conceptual difficulties in the Earth sciences. This article from the Journal of ...

Climate Change: Confronting Student Ideas part of SERC Print Resource Collection
This journal article from Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment discusses student-centered, inquiry-based instructional strategies and learning goals for helping students learn about climate ...

Misconceptions as Barriers to Understanding Science (Ch. 4 from Science Teaching Reconsidered) part of SERC Print Resource Collection
This resource is a chapter of Science Teaching Reconsidered: A Handbook. Topics covered include the role of misconceptions in the learning process, descriptions and examples of some common ...

Students' Beliefs About the Role of Atoms in Radioactive Decay and Half-life part of SERC Print Resource Collection
This article from the Journal of Geoscience Education addresses the common difficulties that students experience when trying to learn about radiation and radioactivity. By identifying inaccurate ...

Students' Conceptions of Scale Regarding Groundwater part of SERC Print Resource Collection
This article from the Journal of Geoscience Education features a study regarding students’ ideas about the structure, scale, and perceived importance of groundwater. The results indicate that many ...

Assessment of Learning in Entry-Level Geoscience Courses: Results from the Geoscience Concept Inventory part of SERC Print Resource Collection
In the geosciences, teachers are just beginning to become aware of the importance of conceptual change in instruction. This article from the Journal of Geoscience Education looks at research ...

Challenging Students Ideas About Earth's Interior Structure Using a Model-based, Conceptual Change Approach in a Large Class Setting part of SERC Print Resource Collection
This article from the Journal of Geoscience Education discusses the difficulties and importance of grasping the concept of plate tectonics for entry level students. Research has shown that many ...