For the past two decades, a growing amount of research has shown that the use of analogies in science teaching and learning promotes meaningful understanding of complex scientific concepts This article presents a study in which multiple analogies were used as scaffolding to link students' prior understanding of daily life events to knowledge of the scientific domain. The study was designed to investigate how multiple analogies influence student learning of a complex scientific concept: the electric circuit. We used several analogies in a set of learning materials to present the concepts of parallel and series circuits. Thirty-two fourth graders participated in this study and were randomly assigned to four groups. The four groups were named nonanalogy (control), single analogy, similar analogies, and complementary analogies, according to the materials they used in this study. The results demonstrated that using analogies not only promoted profound understanding of complex scientific concepts (such as electricity), but it also helped students overcome their misconceptions of these concepts. In particular, we found that the reason the students had difficulty understanding the concept of electricity was because of their ontological presupposition of the concept. Implications for teaching and learning are discussed. ß 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 42: 2005 We always try to use old memories to recollect how we solved problems in the past. But nothing's ever twice the same, so recollections rarely match. Then we must force our memories to fit-so we can see those different things as similar. To do this, we can either modify a memory or change how we represent the present scene . . . . How hard it will be to make such a match depends both on which agents are now active in your mind and on the levels of their priorities-in short, on the context already established. -Marvin Minsky (1985, 1986.

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Technology has been widely involved in science research. Researchers are now applying it to science education in an attempt to bring students' science activities closer to authentic science activities. The present study synthesizes the research to discuss the development of technology-enhanced laboratories and how technology may contribute to fulfilling the instructional objectives of laboratories in physics. To be more specific, this paper discusses the engagement of technology to innovate physics laboratories and the potential of technology to promote inquiry, instructor and peer interaction, and learning outcomes. We then construct a framework for teachers, scientists, and programmers to guide and evaluate technology-integrated laboratories. The framework includes inquiry learning and openness supported by technology, ways of conducting laboratories, and the diverse learning objectives on which a technology-integrated laboratory may be focused.

Research on the understanding of the nature of models and modeling processes in science education have received a lot of attention in science education. In this article, we make five claims about the research on modeling competence in science education. The five claims are (1) the development of modeling competence in practice is essential to scientific literacy for twenty-first century citizens, (2) further research is needed to build a holistic and theoretical understanding of models and modeling knowledge (MMingK), (3) providing a modeling-based scaffolding framework for meaningful and active authentic learning is to enhance student's engagement of scientific practice, (4) appropriate formative assessment instruments and evaluation rubrics to assess students' modeling processes and products within the context of modeling practice should be developed, and (5) research on learning progression in modeling competence needs to be intertwined with MMingK and modeling practice. Implications for student learning and teacher professional development will be drawn from existing literature.

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