A study of the understanding of science processes in relation to Piaget cognitive development at the formal level, and other variables among prospective teachers and college science majors

This study was designed to answer the following questions: 1) Which of the following variables—cognitive ability, high school and college science experience, college mathematics experience, college grade point average, SAT scores, and age—correlated most frequently with and was useful in explaining science-process understanding among prospective teachers and college science majors? 2) Is there any relationship between science-process achievement and cognitive ability among prospective teachers and college science majors? 3) Is there any significant difference between prospective teachers and college science majors as to their science-process achievement and cognitive ability? 4) Does college-science experience have an effect on science-process understanding among prospective teachers and college science majors? The sample consisted of 85 subjects: 37 prospective teachers who were early childhood education majors; 23 prospective teachers who were intermediate education majors; and 25 subjects who were the college science majors group