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Showing papers in "School Science and Mathematics in 1996"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors address and attempt to refute several of the most widespread and enduring misconceptions held by students regarding the enterprise of science, including the common notions that theories become laws, that hypotheses are best characterized as educated guesses, and that there is a commonly applied scientific method.
Abstract: This article addresses and attempts to refute several of the most widespread and enduring misconceptions held by students regarding the enterprise of science. The ten myths discussed include the common notions that theories become laws, that hypotheses are best characterized as educated guesses, and that there is a commonly-applied scientific method. In addition, the article includes discussion of other incorrect ideas such as the view that evidence leads to sure knowledge, that science and its methods provide absolute proof, and that science is not a creative endeavor. Finally, the myths that scientists are objective, that experiments are the sole route to scientific knowledge and that scientific conclusions are continually reviewed conclude this presentation. The paper ends with a plea that instruction in and opportunities to experience the nature of science are vital in preservice and inservice teacher education programs to help unseat the myths of science.

283 citations



Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, performance of 195 seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade students on the Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT) was used to identify differences related to five reasoning modes among the three classes and between male and female students.
Abstract: Performance of 195 seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade students on the Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT) was used to identify differences related to five reasoning modes among the three classes and between male and female students. TOLT scores revealed substantial deficiencies in the development of student reasoning abilities, and only ninth-grade students had significantly better (p < .05) performance than seventh-grade students which was related to proportional reasoning problems. There were no significant differences between male and female students. Data were also analyzed using multiple regression and factor analysis. The results do not corroborate basic premises of Piagetian theory and indicate the need for neo-Piagetian views to explain cognitive development.

54 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors used open-ended tasks to assess students' mathematical communication by providing students opportunities to display their mathematical thinking and reasoning, and two scoring procedures (quantitative holistic scoring procedure and qualitative analytic scoring procedure) were described for examining students' communication skills.
Abstract: Assessment of students' mathematical communication through the use of open-ended tasks and scoring procedures is addressed, as is the use of open-ended tasks to assess students' mathematical communication by providing students opportunities to display their mathematical thinking and reasoning. Also, two scoring procedures (quantitative holistic scoring procedure and qualitative analytic scoring procedure) are described for examining students' communication skills.

52 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article used The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine factors that predict junior high and secondary students' attitude toward participating in a district science fair competition (attitude toward behavior), beliefs about who would approve or disapprove of participation in a science fair (subjective norm), and perceptions of control about participating in the science fair, and perceived behavioral control.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to use The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine factors that predict junior high and secondary students' attitude toward participating in a district science fair competition (attitude toward behavior), beliefs about who would approve or disapprove of participation in a science fair (subjective norm), and perceptions of control about participating in the science fair (perceived behavioral control). Factors used to predict these included gender, type of school (public or private), grade level, GPA, participation in a gifted class, participation in a research course, requirement to complete a science fair project, and level of anxiety about completing a science fair project. Three hundred three participants completed a standard TPB questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Indicator. Multiple regression models revealed that subjective norm and participation in a gifted class were predictors of attitude toward the behavior. Attitude toward the behavior, the science fair project counting toward a grade in science class, the parent's level of education, and the science fair entry being required predicted subjective norm. A discriminant function analysis found that type of school (public or private), parents' level of education, participation in a research program at school, grade level, and trait anxiety were the strongest predictors of perceived behavioral control. It was concluded that science fair entry appears to be involuntary, in conflict with NSTA's Position Statement on Science Fairs. Typically junior high students (whose parents have a higher level of education) attending private schools are required to enter science fairs, and the entry counts toward a grade in science class.

52 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Integrated Mathematics, Science and Technology (IMaST) program's problem-solving model is presented as an example of a curriculum project that draws upon the commonalties in the problem-Solving models as a basis for a seventh grade integrated curriculum.
Abstract: Features of common problem-solving models in mathematics and science, as well as those found in business and industry today, are discussed. Commonalties in the models are used to advance a case for interdisciplinary or integrated instruction in mathematics, science and technology. The Integrated Mathematics, Science and Technology (IMaST) program's problem-solving model is presented as an example of a curriculum project that draws upon the commonalties in the problem-solving models as a basis for a seventh grade integrated curriculum.

50 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine fifth grade students' ideas related to sound and compare the Learning Cycle teaching approach with a textbook/demonstration method of instruction to determine whether one method is more effective in facilitating conceptual change.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine fifth grade students' ideas related to sound and to compare the Learning Cycle teaching approach with a textbook/demonstration method of instruction to determine whether one method is more effective in facilitating conceptual change. Thirty-four fifth grade students were randomly selected and assigned to the two treatment groups. To assess the students' understanding of specific sound concepts, an interview protocol was administered to both groups before and immediately after instruction. Students were given a numerical rating corresponding to their levels of understanding. The numerical values for both groups at the pre- and post-interview assessments were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). Students who were taught using the Learning Cycle had a significantly better understanding.

47 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the impact of a problem-solving based mathematics content course for preservice elementary education teachers (PSTs) had on challenging the beliefs they held with respect to mathematics and themselves as doers of mathematics.
Abstract: This study examined the impact a problem-solving based mathematics content course for preservice elementary education teachers (PSTs) had on challenging the beliefs they held with respect to mathematics and themselves as doers of mathematics. Nine PSTs were interviewed to gain insight into changes that occurred to their belief systems and what aspect(s) of the course were instrumental in producing those changes. Surveys to measure how strongly PSTs subscribed to five mathematical beliefs were administered to 137 PSTs who were enrolled in the course. Significant positive changes (p < .01) were observed for four of the five beliefs. When changes were studied by achievement level, students with final grades of A or B showed statistically significant changes (p < .005) in three of the five beliefs. Students who were interviewed consistently reported increased confidence in their mathematical abilities as a result of the course.

44 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
Abstract: Parental influence has been identified as an important factor affecting student achievement, but the variables addressed by various parent-school partnership programs vary, and lack literature support. This deficiency was ameliorated in this study through an analysis of a national data base from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY). AH parental variables investigated in LSAY were considered in this study, and significant variables of students' achievement in seventh grade mathematics were selected through the Backward Elimination Procedure in the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). The results show that those variables significant at α= .05 have accounted for around 22% variability of the student achievement. A further analysis of the empirical results seems to indicate that parent education and encouragement are strongly related to improved student achievement. However, parents should attempt to understand students' feeling, and expect students to take the full responsibility for their successes in the school.

36 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the experiences of six science teachers and a facilitator involved in an action research group in science, technology and society education, and briefly highlight applications of this model in a classroom context.
Abstract: This article describes the experiences of six science teachers and a facilitator (the author) involved in an action research group in science, technology and society (STS) education. Two strands of research have informed the evolution of this action research project. The first strand comes from an interest in science, technology and society education, while the second strand emerges from the literature on action research as a possible means of accomplishing some of the goals articulated by STS advocates. Therefore, the purposes of this paper are two-fold. First, the paper explores the genesis of an issues-based model for STS education and curriculum development created by the teachers and facilitator of the action research group, and briefly highlights applications of this model in a classroom context. Second, action research is examined as a potential tool for professional development in the context of science education.

35 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors explored the experiences preservice elementary teachers have had with science fairs, to examine the attitudes resulting from their participation in science fair as students, and to assess the importance of these past histories for their future students.
Abstract: The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences preservice elementary teachers have had with science fairs, to examine the attitudes resulting from their participation in science fairs as students, and to assess the importance of these past histories for their future students. Preservice teachers were asked what they liked, disliked, and what they considered to be the benefits of science fairs. While most felt that science fairs are beneficial activities for students, those who rated science fairs as most worthwhile had never participated in a science fair as either an elementary or a secondary student. Based on the results of the study, several recommendation were made to improve science fair experiences both for teachers and for students.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: For example, this paper investigated high school students' beliefs about mathematics and science during a four-week summer residential program and suggested changes in the organizational dynamics of schooling to better prepare our students for surviving in the complexity of the 21st century and reducing dissonance between the traditional educational viewpoints and the chaotic world.
Abstract: This study investigated high school students' beliefs about mathematics and science during a four week summer residential mathematics and science program. Beliefs about mathematical and scientific truths, the value and importance of mathematics and science inquiry, gender equity and ability with respect to pursuit of mathematics and science careers, the relationship between mathematics and technology, and the role of science in society were examined. Habermasian ways of knowing were used to categorize student beliefs and determine student world views. Implications of this study include suggested changes in the organizational dynamics of schooling to better prepare our students for surviving in the complexity of the 21st century and reducing dissonance between the “classical” educational viewpoints and the “chaotic” world.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a mathematical situation consisting of data and conditions was presented to prospective elementary and secondary teachers, and they were asked to create questions that could be answered using the given information.
Abstract: This article describes an exploration of one facet of problem formulation. Prospective elementary and secondary teachers were presented with a mathematical situation consisting of data and conditions, but no questions were presented. They were asked to create questions that could be answered using the given information. In the spirit of exploration, this paper analyzes the student-formulated questions from two perspectives—the nature of the information contained within the questions posed and the responses which those questions elicited. A careful analysis of questions posed by students will enable education professionals to understand and promote better problem posing in mathematics classrooms.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper examined relationships among success in a regional science fair and self-concept, parental influences, motivation, anxiety, and selected demographic variables, including GPA, participation in a gifted/talented class, participation of a scientific research course, gender, ethnicity, and parents' level of education.
Abstract: This exploratory study examined relationships among success in a regional science fair and self-concept, parental influences, motivation, anxiety, and selected demographic variables. The sample included 142 students in grades 7–12 who were enrolled in a district science day in Ohio. Confidence levels and parental influences were measured using scales developed by Campbell (1991). Motivation was measured with items asking who or what influenced students to enter the district science fair and whether they intended to attend college and major in a science-related field. The State-Trait Anxiety Indicator (STAI) (Spielberger, 1983) was used to measure anxiety. Success in the district science day was measured by the rating given by a pair of judges for the science fair project. Demographic variables examined were GPA, participation in a gifted/talented class, participation in a scientific research course, gender, ethnicity, and parents' level of education. Descriptive and discriminant statistical techniques were used to analyze the data. A discriminant function analysis determined one significant function which predicted rating in the science fair. This function, accounting for 77% of the variance, included five coefficients—parental help, parental pressure, science self concept, the science fair project counted as part of a science course grade, and the judges' rating on the science fair project determined the course grade. Implications are discussed for classroom teachers who enroll students in science fairs.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors conducted systematic observations on 1,315 students from 220 middle school mathematics classrooms to examine the extent of technology use and whether there were gender, ethnic, or grade-level differences related to students' use of technology.
Abstract: There have been many studies that have examined technology use in schools; most have relied on selfreport data from administrators, teachers, or students rather than on systematic classroom observations of technology use. The authors of the present study conducted systematic observations on 1,315 students from 220 middle school mathematics classrooms to examine the extent of technology use and whether there were gender, ethnic, or grade-level differences related to the extent of students' use of technology. The descriptive results indicate that students used calculators about 25 percent of the time and computers less than 1 percent of the time in their mathematics classes. The multivariate analysis of variance results indicated no sex- or ethnicity-related differences among students on their use of technology. Seventh grade students, however, were found to use calculators significantly more than sixth and eighth grade students.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors developed a framework for evaluating student written responses which allows researchers to classify student responses according to their general completeness and usefulness, and according to the manner in which responses were incomplete or not useful.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to extend attempts to develop a research framework for encoding and analyzing students' responses to the tasks of asking questions, identifying variables, and formulating hypotheses, and to use the research framework to analyze and classify the responses of seventh grade students. A performance-based assessment instrument was used. The topic was heat and temperature. The responses of 364 seventh grade students were used to develop a framework for evaluating student written responses which allows researchers to classify student responses according to their general completeness and usefulness, and according to the manner in which responses were incomplete or not useful. Interrater reliability was 82%. Seventh grade students who reportedly have had instruction in the science processes did not perform well on this performance-based assessment.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the construction of understanding of the motion of an object down an inclined plane which takes place through the process of model building in an integrated algebra, trigonometry, and physics class at an alternative public school.
Abstract: In this case study, we have investigated the construction of understanding of the motion of an object down an inclined plane which takes place through the process of model building. This study was conducted in an integrated algebra, trigonometry, and physics class at an alternative public school. The components of the modeling process explored in the study are the action of building representations and relationships from physical phenomena, the use of a simulation environment to explore conjectures, and the iterative process of developing and validating a solution through the use of a multirepresentational analytic tool. Four major results related to student model building emerged from this study. First, students pursued problems with far more diversity in approaches than the problem itself might have initially suggested. Second, this analysis challenges conventional notions of closure and completeness. Third, the integration of the simulation environment provided access to an expert's model that could be used as the students built their own model of the phenomena being investigated. The fourth theme is that of progressive complexity in the student model as a structure that was built over an extended period of time. The implications of these results for both instruction and curriculum are discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article found that the students in the reform-based mathematics curriculum performed much higher than the comparison group on all but one problem, and on most problems, this difference was substantial, and a student preference survey indicated that students were more likely to consider the calculator as an option than were the baseline group.
Abstract: Traditional school instruction in mathematics has generally produced students who are poor at mental computation and exhibit a weak sense of number and mathematical operations. In this study, fifth graders who had been in a reform-based mathematics curriculum since kindergarten were given a whole-class test on mental computation problems. Baseline data with students in traditional mathematics curricula were used as a comparison. The students in this reform-based mathematics curriculum performed much higher than the comparison group on all but one problem, and on most problems, this difference was substantial. Additionally, a student preference survey indicated that students in the reform curriculum were more likely to consider the calculator as an option than were the baseline group. They were also more able to recognize problems that did not lend themselves to mental computation. Individual interviews indicated that experiences in the primary grades with “invented” algorithms and discussing alternative solutions led to a better ability to compute mentally and a stronger number sense.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focused on the relationship of an individual's risk-taking behavior and his/her performance on the mathematics section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT-M).
Abstract: This study focused on the relationship of an individual's risk-taking behavior and his/her performance on the mathematics section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT-M). Previous research in this area has found that on multiple choice tests, calculated guessing (risk-taking) plays a role in the score one obtains. Risk-taking behavior was defined by the number of items omitted by the student on the instrument designed for the purpose of assessing this behavior. The data were obtained from 89 students who were attending two colleges in upstate New York. The data consisted of SAT-M scores and performance scores on a mathematics test designed to assess risk-taking. A t-test performed on the number of omissions revealed that females omit more items and thus manifest less risk-taking behavior. A significant difference in favor of females omitting more items was found at the p < .01 level. A multiple regression design was employed, and gender and risk-taking behavior were found to be significantly related at the p<.01 level to a student's performance on the SAT-M.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors examined whether notions students hold about scientific concepts are impacted by generating and testing hypotheses concerning flotation and found that the hypothesis that weight determines an object's ability to float generally changed their notion of the relationship between weight and flotation.
Abstract: The present study examined whether notions students hold about scientific concepts are impacted by generating and testing hypotheses. Students enrolled in three ninth grade physical science classes were asked to select and test two student-generated hypotheses concerning flotation. Conceptual change was assessed by concept maps and word sorting activities administered at three points in the investigation (pre, mid, and post). Lawson's Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning (CTSR) and the Integrated Test of Process Skills (TIPS) were used to assess scientific reasoning ability and proficiency with science process skills, respectively. Twenty-one of 63 students enrolled in the course completed the battery of assessment items and met the classroom attendance requirement. Those 21 students represented the data sample. Students selecting and investigating the hypothesis that weight determines an object's ability to float generally changed their notion of the relationship between weight and flotation. Students investigating the hypothesis that shape determines an object's ability to float did not exhibit conceptual change regarding shape.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper found that current reporting practices are limiting the use of alternative classroom assessment practices, and teachers participate in ongoing professional development programs to learn more about alternative assessment practices to support change in mathematics, K-12.
Abstract: The curriculum, teaching, and assessment Standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics advocate the use of various assessment techniques in mathematics, K-12. Practitioners from 35 school districts in two regions of a midwestern state completed a questionnaire and reported information about their assessment practices, reporting methods, and other issues that affect change in mathematics. The results of the survey suggest that current reporting practices are limiting the use of alternative classroom assessment practices. Delays in the use of alternative mathematics assessment practice can probably be expected until the reporting systems used in school districts become consistent with the assessment systems and teachers participate in ongoing professional development programs to learn more about alternative assessment practices.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the relationship between risk-taking behavior and mathematics performance was investigated, and it was concluded that students who are greater risk-takers perform better on mathematics tests.
Abstract: This article focuses on two issues related to educational opportunity: (1) the relationship between risk-taking behavior and mathematics performance, and (2) whether there are gender differences in risk-taking behavior. From a review of literature it was concluded that students who are greater risk-takers perform better on mathematics tests and that males are greater risk-takers than females. It follows, therefore, that males perform better on mathematics tests in which risk-taking plays a role. It was further concluded that these differences effect the opportunities that girls are afforded in their desires to attend college, the availablitity of scholarships, and their self-confidence in mathematics.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the influences on research design selection and success in competition and found that students are largely accurate in self-reports of design, interacted with mentors on several levels, outside influences reflect shifts in motivational orientation, and success attributions reflect internalization of influences.
Abstract: The purpose of this investigation is to gain a better understanding of the characteristics of pre-college researchers by examining the influences on research design selection and success in competition. The 22 participants were finalists at the 44th International Science and Engineering Fair, where they completed a questionnaire describing the influences on their research activities and methodologies. Additional data consisted of artifacts collected from the participants and the Science Service. Data were analyzed using an interpretive methodology. Assertions generated from the analysis indicated that students are largely accurate in self-reports of design, interacted with mentors on several levels, outside influences reflect shifts in motivational orientation, and success attributions reflect internalization of influences. Recommendations for future research with science fair participants are included.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors investigated how collaborative peer discussion provided cognitive support for writing laboratory reports in 9th grade general science and found that student pairs used the constructive interactions of sounding board, peer teaching, supplies answer, debate, and incorporation when writing difficult explanation and application sections of the reports.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate how collaborative peer discussion provided cognitive support for writing laboratory reports in ninth grade general science. The discourse of three pairs of students during collaborative writing sessions was analyzed to identify the types of social interactions in which the students engaged. These interactions were examined in relation to various intellectual demands of the laboratory reports and similarities and differences between the three pairs. Five types of interactions were identified and labeled as sounding board, peer teaching, supplies answer, debate, and incorporation. In general, student pairs used the constructive interactions of sounding board, peer teaching, and incorporation when writing difficult explanation and application sections of the reports. These interactions involved the processes of elaboration, explanation, and interpretation. Debate was used less frequently than the other interaction types, overall, and was hardly ever used by female pairs in the study. The results point to a high degree of interconnection between social interaction and cognitive processing.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present an example of how computer software can be used to facilitate collaborative learning and the integration of mathematics and science and demonstrate how student-centered learning is facilitated by technology.
Abstract: This article presents an example of how computer software can be used to facilitate collaborative learning and the integration of mathematics and science. “Snap shots” from a pilot project, with thirty high school juniors who were involved in a university summer program, reveal how student-centered learning is facilitated by technology. This exploratory trial provides a glimpse of what the “classroom after next” might look like utilizing groupware in instructional settings.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a teacher preparation course which integrates methods of teaching elementary mathematics and science was developed as a prototype for the Teachers As Reflective Problem Solvers model for the preparation of elementary teachers, which revealed patterns of change in their reflections and problem-solving performance during the semester.
Abstract: An innovative teacher preparation course which integrates methods of teaching elementary mathematics and science was the context of this study. The course was developed as a prototype for the Teachers As Reflective Problem Solvers model for the preparation of elementary mathematics and science teachers. Data from 35 preservice elementary teachers' performance-portfolios were analyzed to reveal patterns of change in their reflections and problem-solving performance during the semester. Many of the students' reflections changed from task-focused learning to broader teaching applications. No relationship was discerned between changes in students' reflections and changes in their levels of problem-solving performance, although both increased during the semester. A significant correspondence was found, however, between students' perceptions of their problem-solving abilities and their actual performance in solving teaching problems in integrated mathematics and science contexts.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, two studies were performed using students who competed at regional and national levels in the Science Olympiad and found that both the TIPS and the GALT tests correlate significantly with student success on the playing field of science.
Abstract: Two studies were performed using students who competed at regional and national levels in the Science Olympiad. The Olympiad is a day-long, multi-event competition in which teams of junior high and senior high science students cooperate in the application of science process skills and reasoning to score points by solving problems or answering questions. High school participants in the first study took the Test of Integrated Process Skills (TIPS) prior to the Olympiad. In the second study, junior high students were given the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT) test before competing in three selected Olympiad events. Results indicate that both the TIPS and the GALT tests correlate significantly with student success “on the playing field” of science. Knowing students' initial process skills and logical reasoning abilities is useful for planning effective science programs, but is probably not a good way to select the best students for competition in the Science Olympiad.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, teachers from a large urban school district with a 74 percent minority student population were surveyed to assess their capacity to provide quality mathematics and science instruction, and both strengths and barriers to capacity building were identified.
Abstract: Elementary teachers from a large urban school district with a 74 percent minority student population were surveyed to assess their capacity to provide quality mathematics and science instruction. Forty-nine percent of the surveys distributed to a random sample of teachers were returned. Both strengths and barriers to capacity building were identified. Strengths included use of collaborative student work, manipulatives, informal learning environments, and alternative assessment practices; availability of calculators and computers; and high expectations for student learning. Barriers included lack of professional development, infrequent science instruction, limited calculator use, lack of planning time, inadequate resources, and the perception that science was not valued as highly as mathematics.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article presented a procedure whereby two teachers engage in a semi-structured professional dialogue to create curriculum experiences which highlight mathematics and science connections, and found that they struggled to get beyond activities developed by AIMS and others.
Abstract: During our work with pairs of elementary and middle school lead teachers, one mathematics and one science, we struggled to get beyond activities developed by AIMS and others. This article presents a procedure whereby two teachers engage in a semi-structured professional dialogue to create curriculum experiences which highlight mathematics and science connections.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe examples of lesson sequences to illustrate how chemical content can be used with well established teaching-learning models and place an emphasis on children constructing their own chemical ideas and using a wide range of science investigation skills.
Abstract: Examples of lesson sequences are described to illustrate how chemical content can be used with well established teaching-learning models. These approaches place an emphasis on children constructing their own chemical ideas and using a wide range of science investigation skills. Mention is made of some literature which indicates the types of chemical ideas possessed by children. These results provide guidance for teachers, but hopefully readers will be challenged to see that while there is definitely a role for elementary school chemistry its full potential simply has not been realized.