Selecting a biology textbook can be a very interesting process. This is especially true for the introductory high school biology course where the arena is large and public, open to a myriad of interests which are economic, pedagogical, scientific, political and even religious. How does one possibly enter this process objectively? This article provides a framework for more objectively selecting a biology text based upon credible recommendations from the professional literature. This framework will especially draw from recent research findings in science, learning theory and instruction. Actually, today we do not select only a textbook. Over the past decade the market has moved from textbooks only, in nearly all subject areas, to comprehensive curriculum packages. Packages available in biology typically include, in addition to a student text, an annotated teacher edition of the text, computer test banks, a variety of optional student activities and student study guides. The packages also frequently contain teacher resource books with a wealth of information for ordering and maintaining materials, safety notes, general pedagogy, blow-byblow instructional tips, lists of media and printed resources, and options for use of state-of-the-art high-technology devices such as computer lessons, computer interfacing and interactive videodisc. The biology teacher probably has a greater wealth of instructional strategies from which to draw than does any other educator. All of these components need to be considered in the selection process. The result is that selecting appropriate course materials can be confusing and time consuming, especially if one looks beyond the pretty pictures and topic coverage in a biology text. Where, then, does one begin?

https://bioone.org/journals/the-american-biology-teacher/volume-75/issue-8/005.075.0802/Whats-Important-in-Selecting-a-Biology-Textbook/10.1525/005.075.0802.pdf

What's Important in Selecting a Biology Textbook?

Israeli students’ conceptions of the nature of science and views about the scientific enterprise were studied within the framework of the Second International Science Study (SISS). Representative samples of 10, 14 and 17year‐old student, about 2000 in each, responded to background questionnaires and a battery of tests and scales. The Science Understanding Measure, a 20 item, multiple choice instrument provided data on understanding the nature of science by 14 and 17 year‐olds. An Attitude toward Science Scale provided data on the views of 10, 14 and 17 year‐olds on the importance of science to society and to individuals, the usefulness of science in everyday life and on harmful aspects of science. A comparison was made between the view of Israeli, British and USA students. The relationships of the conceptions and views of 17 year‐olds with personal, home and school variables as well as with achievement in science, intentions for further learning and career aspirations were explored as well. Based...

Israeli Students’ Conceptions of Science and Views about the Scientific Enterprise

The purpose of this paper is to communicate some of the findings from our investigations of elementary school students and their teachers as they worked with microcomputer based labs (MBLs). This study is drawn from a three year curriculum research and development project in which we explored the feasibility of extending MBL technologies from their current place in colleges and secondary schools into the realm of the elementary classroom. We have grown to appreciate the immense potential of MBLs as tools to enhance children's opportunities to investigate and better understand the natural world. While recognizing the multitude of barriers to widespread adoption of this technology (i.e., teacher training, computer availability, and equipment costs) there is growing evidence that suggests that the learning gains possible with the appropriate application of MBLs makes these tools justifiable additions to elementary school children's science experiences. This study focuses upon the efforts of a third grade teacher and her students as they worked over an eight week period through a set of science activities written for use in conjunction with a light sensing probe. Analyses of videotapes of classroom sessions, samples of students' work, interviews with the teacher, and research field notes have led to a set of assertions about the role that the MBL technology played in the students' conceptions of light. As each of these assertions are presented, samples of classroom incidents will be offered as supporting evidence for these claims. Because of the naturalistic methodology used in this research, we must be cautious when trying to extend our findings to other situations (Borg and Gall, 1989). Nevertheless, there seem to be sufficient reasons to pursue further efforts at increasing the availability of MBL technologies in our elementary schools.

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Third Misconceptions Seminar Proceedings (1993)

Despite the almost mandatory inclusion of a laboratory component in the school curriculum very little has been reported about the effects of laboratory instruction upon student learning and attitudes. The present study was undertaken to investigate the thinking of students in a chemistry laboratory. An interpretive research method was adopted in collecting and analysing data gathered from observations, general interviews and stimulated recall interviews. Four high school students were studied during their participation in a week-long university summer school program. This study reports how the four students responded differently to the same laboratory experience.

Students' thinking in a chemistry laboratory

We are often guilty, as science instructors, of making the assumption that students share our enthusiasm for biology. Since we "know" that students inherently share this affection, we further assume that our students are interested in learning the complex and wondrous details of the knowledge we possess. However, it comes as no great shock to anyone involved in undergraduate instruction that nonmajor undergraduates may not entirely reflect our fervor for biology. In fact, significant numbers of college students believe that biology has very little to do with their personal lives (Ewing, Campbell & Brown 1987). The typical collegiate science course, unfortunately, lends credibility to such a belief. Larson (1982) alluded to this by noting that science courses are often "bogged-down" with specialized jargon, symbols, arithmetic metaphors and minute details that can discourage or even "turn-off" nonmajor students. Certainly one approach to increasing the popularity of a collegiate science course is to reduce the demand placed upon students for abstract reasoning and quantitative skill, while providing reinforcement in the form of "'easy" grades (Garmon, Madeley & Lockhart 1974). Should we treat an introductory nonmajors course differently from a majors course, in order to improve nonmajors' attitudes toward biology? We believe that the answer is yes, but not at the expense of content integrity. The content is far too important in the development of a more comprehensive understanding of biology. Besides, an increasingly scientific and technologic society demands that students be "scientifically" literate in order to make important and informed future choices (Kormondy 1985). A maintenance of content integrity does not, however, preclude us from listening to and addressing the concerns, attitudes, beliefs and interests of nonmajor students.

Amram Rubin

Papers

Meaningful Learning in the School Laboratory.