Minds of Our Own is a videotape series designed to address the issues of science education reform. The three one-hour videotapes, along with the user guide, engage pre-service and in-service educators in the exploration of how students think about science. The materials address how to take this knowledge and apply it to new and different methods of teaching through a constuctivist approach in the elementary and secondary science classroom.

The purpose of Minds of Our Own is to ask three questions: "What ideas do students bring to science lessons?", "Why do students' prior ideas about science so often disagree with those of scientists?", and "How can a teacher help students to truly learn science?" By asking these questions and reflecting on the answers, educators can begin to develop ways of teaching that result in a higher level of understanding. The videotapes are to be viewed by in-service and pre-service teachers, administrators, teacher educators, and parents who are interested in science reform.

The content of this program is a follow-up to the 1985 program A Private Universe, which demonstrated that preconceived notions act as barriers to learning scientific principles. Minds of Our Own looks at this problem and takes it one step further by proposing a variety of solutions.

Video 1, Can We Believe Our Eyes?, shows graduates of Harvard and MIT, still in their caps and gowns, struggling after being asked to light a bulb using a wire and battery. This program addresses how the traditional way of telling students how things work does not mean they actually understand how things work. The many examples in this videotape encourage viewers to reflect on their own science teaching and learning process.

Video 2, Lessons From Thin Air, gives more examples of how misconceptions interfere with students' learning. Interviews with teachers using reform teaching methods in their science classrooms show viewers real-life examples of reform in action.

Video 3, Under Construction, specifically targets four different types of classrooms and how science reform is working in each. Hands-on science is seen at work in a rural middle school, a bilingual Kindergarten class, a classroom in an inner-city neighborhood, and a multicultural classroom.

The user guide that accompanies the series includes an explanation of many of the techniques used by the teachers in the videotapes. Several approaches to planning and executing effective science lessons are also included.

The content of Minds of Our Own is of high quality and the series is frank about the difficulties and rewards of teaching. The testimonials on the videotapes show how non-traditional approaches can be rewarding and have even kept some teachers in the profession. Providing real classroom examples, along with the diversity of classrooms and teachers, is a strength of this series. Educators from various backgrounds will most likely find themselves identifying with at least one of the many examples given in the videotapes. The user guide provides materials that support the pedagogical approach of the series.

The first two videotapes of the series can be used with administrators, parents, and educators at all levels to stimulate discussion on the need for change or to introduce issues of science reform in a school or district. Reviewers noted that following the first two videos with an introduction to the constructivist philosophy, inquiry, and the National Science Education Standards would enrich the viewers' understanding of science reform. The participants' experience in an inquiry lesson may also enhance their first-hand understanding and help them to see a facilitator "practice what they preach."

The third videotape contains the "nuts and bolts" on how to implement science reform using real classroom examples. This videotape, along with the many methods of implementation included in the users' guide, could be shared with educators who are working on changing their teaching practices. This could be followed by examples of assessment, with discussion on questioning techniques, critical thinking skills, fears of change, and other support topics.

The videos would be more meaningful to teachers who have had some exposure to inquiry and the constructivist philosophy.