Showing papers in "Science Education in 1999"

Visual-spatial thinking: An aspect of science overlooked by educators

Abstract: Thinking with images plays a central role in scientific creativity and communication but is neglected in science classrooms. This article reviews the fundamental role of imagery in science and technology and our current knowledge of visual-spatial cognition. A novel analogic and thematic organization of images and visualization within science and technology is proposed that can help in the generation and evaluation of classroom activities and materials, and serve as a focus for professional development programs in visual-spatial thinking for science teachers. Visual-spatial thinking includes vision—using the eyes to identify, locate, and think about objects and ourselves in the world, and imagery—the formation, inspection, transformation, and maintenance of images in the “mind's eye” in the absence of a visual stimulus. A spatial image preserves relationships among a complex set of ideas as a single chunk in working memory, increasing the amount of information that can be maintained in consciousness at a given moment. Vision and imagery are fundamental cognitive processes using specialized pathways in the brain and rely on our memory of prior experience. Visual-spatial thinking develops from birth, together with language and other specialized abilities, through interactions between inherited capabilities and experience. Scientific creativity can be considered as an amalgam of three closely allied mental formats: images; metaphors; and unifying ideas (themes). Combinations of images, analogies, and themes pervade science in the form of “master images” and visualization techniques. A critique of current practice in education contrasts the subservient role of visual-spatial learning with the dominance of the alphanumeric encoding skills in classroom and textbooks. The lack of coherence in curriculum, pedagogy, and learning theory requires reform that addresses thinking skills, including imagery. Successful integration of information, skills and attitudes into cohesive mental schemata employed by self-aware human beings is a basic goal of education. The current attempt to impose integration using themes is criticized on the grounds that the required underpinning in cognitive skills and content knowledge by teachers and students may be absent. Teaching strategies that employ visual-spatial thinking are reviewed. Master images are recommended as a novel point of departure for a systematic development of programs on visual-spatial thinking in research, teacher education, curriculum, and classroom practice. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 83:3–54, 1999.

Revitalizing instruction in scientific genres: Connecting knowledge production with writing to learn in science

Abstract: This article explores the history and theoretical paradigms associated with writing to learn in science, including the debate surrounding the teaching of traditional scientific genres that has received attention in Australia and the United Kingdom. It is asserted that unique features of writing in traditional scientific genres, such as experiment, explanation, and report, promote reflection and the production of new knowledge, espe- cially through the formation of meaningful inferences for data. The author presents sample data illustrating the potential for meaningful learning associated with writing in commu- nicative genres, considers the limited potential of creative writing for developing scientific understandings, and recasts a description of scientific genres in light of contemporary classroom practices. q 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 83:115- 130, 1999.

Defining versus describing the nature of science: A pragmatic analysis for classroom teachers and science educators

Abstract: There appears to be an almost universal commitment among science edu- cators to promote the goal of student understanding of the nature of science. Recent dis- agreements among philosophers of science and between philosophers and other groups such as scientists and science educators about the nature of science, however, leave class- room teachers in a quandry: If experts disagree about the nature of science, how should we decide what to teach students? In this article, the authors first reconsider what level of understanding of the nature of science students should experience so that they can become both intelligent consumers of scientific information and effective local and global citizens. Second, based on an analysis of the literature, it appears that there is a general agreement among science education stakeholders regarding a set of descriptors that can be used to judge which questions or fields of study are more scientific or less scientific than others. Therefore, we propose that most precollege teachers should attempt to teach students how to use these descriptors to judge the relative merits of knowledge claims instead of teaching a set of rules that attempt to demarcate science completely from nonscience. Finally, we suggest two classroom activities based on this proposal and draw some implications for teacher preparation and future research. q 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 83:493- 509, 1999.

Going beyond cultural pluralism: Science education for sociopolitical action

Abstract: Some guiding principles of antiracist education are combined with Vygotskian notions of education as enculturation in order to produce a set of proposals for a radical form of multicultural science education for sociopolitical action. Major educational goals include: raising participation and attainment levels in science for students from ethnic minority groups; and sensitizing all students to racism, and other forms of discrimination and oppression, in science and technology, science education, and contemporary society. This article outlines a radical form of curriculum development, involving the politicization of teachers, as the only effective way of implementing such a curriculum. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:775–796, 1999.

Intentions of Young Students to Enroll in Science Courses in the Future: An Examination of Gender Differences.

Abstract: This study examined young students' perceptions of gender-appropriate science courses. The sample consisted of 427 students in grades 4, 5, and 6, between the ages of 9 and 13. Students completed the Course Selection Sheet (CSS)to choose courses for themselves and members of the opposite gender. A psychosocial framework was of- fered to explain the differential course selection patterns between young boys and girls. The study reveals a strong gender effect pointing toward stereotypical perceptions of se- lected science courses for oneself (p # 0.01). When students selected science courses for the opposite gender, the evidence of gender-role stereotypes was even greater (p , 0.000). Course selection profiles imply that a reciprocal relationship exists in the number and kind of courses selected by girls and boys. A detailed analysis suggests that both boys and girls perceive physical science and technology-related courses as appropriate subjects for boys to study and life sciences as appropriate subjects for girls to study. Surprisingly, students' future science course selections resemble current enrollment data of master's and doctoral candidates. The students' perceptions of science are seen years prior to the actual encounter with the science courses listed on the course selection menu. These findings question the auspiciousness of programs designed to ameliorate gender differences in science during junior or senior high school years. Suggestions for school curriculum development and the importance of informal science experiences were examined. q 1999 John Wiley &

"Laboratory Exercises Help Me Memorize the Scientific Truths": A Study of Eighth Graders' Scientific Epistemological Views and Learning in Laboratory Activities

Abstract: Upon analysis of 25 Taiwanese eighth graders' questionnaire responses, actual laboratory observation recording, and interview details, the present study was con- ducted to explore the interplay between students' scientific epistemological views (SEVs) and their learning in school laboratory activities. It was revealed that, although higher achievers tended to have a greater frequency of verbal negotiations directly related to laboratory details, students' SEVs were also related to their laboratory verbal interactions. It was found that students having SEVs more oriented to constructivist views of science, called constructivist students, tended to focus more on negotiating the meanings of ex- periments with their peers than did students having SEVs more in line with empiricist views of science, called empiricist students (p , 0.05). Constructivist students perceived actual laboratory learning environments as less open-ended and less integrated ( p , 0.05) and they tended to prefer a more student-supported and open-ended approach to experi- mentation (p , 0.05). Interview details showed that constructivist learners tended to ex- plore deeply the involved concepts of laboratory activities, resulting in a richer understanding. On the other hand, empiricist learners placed greater emphasis on "doing" laboratory work, following the codified procedures of science textbooks, and they believed that laboratory exercises made scientific concepts more impressive, acting as memory aids. This study concludes that an appropriate understanding of the constructivist epistemology of science should be an essential prerequisite for implementing so-called "constructivist science teaching." q 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 83:654- 674, 1999.

Idea and Action: Action Research and the Development of Conceptual Change Teaching of Science.

Abstract: This article describes and analyzes an action research seminar for prospective elementary and secondary teachers. The seminar was a component of a larger study of a science teacher education program whose goal was to graduate teachers who held conceptual change conceptions of teaching science and were disposed to put them into practice. The article addresses the character of the action research seminar, and how it facilitated prospective teachers learning to teach for conceptual change. It does so by outlining the context in which the research was performed and the methods that were used; by summarizing how the action research seminar worked in two successive semesters and the principal themes that were discussed; and presenting the findings with a discussion of their implications for the larger study. There were two major findings. First, the action research seminar helped prospective teachers understand their students' thinking and preferences. More quickly than is usually the case for prospective teachers, they shifted their focus away from themselves as teachers to their students as learners. The process of doing action research, including as it does the gathering of data about student learning, encouraged this shift in focus. Prospective teachers began to probe what their students were thinking. Second, although most of the prospective teachers became practiced in eliciting students' prior knowledge, only a few were able to use their knowledge of their students' thinking to plan their teaching. Various factors hindered the implementation of conceptual change teaching of science. These included the prospective teachers' own (nonconstructivist) views of knowledge, their fragmented and static knowledge about science content, the scarcity of school placements that could model conceptual change teaching, and the conditions of teacher and prospective teacher work. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:309–322, 1999.

The development of a college biology self-efficacy instrument for nonmajors

Abstract: In an effort to test the effectiveness of teaching and learning strategies that may increase biological literacy for nonbiology majors, an NSF-funded research project called “The Slice of Life,” was conducted from 1994 to 1998. In the present study, a self-efficacy instrument was constructed and designed specifically for the project to determine students' self-reported confidence in understanding and using biology in their lives. Based on social cognitive theory, the premise for developing such an instrument was that a specific measure of biological self-efficacy was deemed to be an important predictor of the change processes necessary to improve students' biological understanding. Results of this study indicate that the Biology Self-Efficacy Scale was a valid and reliable tool for studying nonbiology majors' confidence in mastering biological literacy. Factor analysis supported the contention that the Biology Self-Efficacy Scale was a multidimensional construct consisting of at least three dimensions: methods of biology; generalization to other biology/science courses and analyzing data; and application of biological concepts and skills. These dimensions represent three components of biological literacy that have been commonly described in the literature. The instrument may lead to further understanding of student behavior, which in turn can facilitate the development of strategies that may increase students' desire to understand and study biology. More specifically, by using the self-efficacy tool as a pre- and posttest indicator, instructors can gain insight into whether students' confidence levels increase as they engage in more complex tasks during the course, and, in addition, what type of teaching strategies are most effective in building confidence among students to achieve biological literacy. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:397–408, 1999.

Educating prospective teachers of biology : Findings, limitations, and recommendations

Abstract: This article summarizes the findings of a complex study of a science teacher education program whose goal was to graduate teachers who held conceptual change conceptions of teaching science and were disposed to put them into practice. The findings are based on the description and analysis of two major course components—methods courses for prospective elementary and secondary teachers, and an action research seminar—and on case studies of six prospective elementary and secondary teachers as they progressed through the program. The article identifies several important issues with respect to the development of prospective elementary and secondary teaches that arise from the case studies of individual teachers and discusses the relationship between the professional component of preservice science teacher education—the focus of the study—and other components of teacher preparation. It concludes that there are influences on prospective teachers from their content coursework that have significant implications for how they view science and how they teach. Thus, there need to be large changes in the ways in which these content courses are conceptualized and taught. Finally, the influence of cooperating teachers, curricula, and school environment on prospective teachers is considerable. This suggests the need for much closer cooperation between schools and universities, such that the professional development of both prospective and practicing teachers can be integrated: learning to teach should be a coherent, life-long experience. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:373–384, 1999.

Models of students' thinking concerning the greenhouse effect and teaching implications

Abstract: Individual, semistructured interviews were used for the study of 40 primary school students' (ages between 11 and 12 years) conceptions concerning the greenhouse effect. Analysis of the data led to the formation of seven distinct models of thinking regarding this environmental phenomenon. The inferred models are differentiated according to the following criteria: (a) the position and distribution of the greenhouse gases; (b) the existence of connections between the greenhouse effect and the ozone layer, or its depletion; and (c) the types of radiation considered to be involved in the greenhouse effect. However, children's models involve a common core of beliefs, according to which the greenhouse effect is due to solar radiation that heats up the earth and the atmosphere, while getting trapped by certain atmospheric gases, and severely changes the climate, melts the polar ice, and raises the sea level. Furthermore, the alternative conceptions involved in students' models are systematically examined to establish their teaching implications. The main teaching implications discussed here concern: (a) the concept of uniform diffusion of atmospheric gases; (b) the conceptual distinction between ultraviolet and other forms of solar radiation; (c) the conceptual distinction between sunlight and terrestrial radiation; and (d) the conceptual distinction between the roles of the ozone layer and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These teaching implications might consititute a valuable research tool for the determination of appropriate educational goals and conditions. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:559–576, 1999.

Relationships between prospective secondary teachers' classroom practice and their conceptions of biology and of teaching science

Abstract: This article describes the journeys—in the form of case studies—that three individuals took as they prepared to become secondary biology teachers. These prospective teachers were in a science teacher education program whose goal was to graduate teachers who held conceptual change conceptions of teaching science and were disposed to put them into practice. The article describes these prospective teachers' conceptions of teaching science and selected portions of their knowledge base in biology, and explores how these conceptions along with their teaching actions developed during the course of the program. There are several conclusions. First, all three individuals came into the program with positivist conceptions of knowledge and of science. In addition, they had some sense of the importance of recognizing science as a process. They had little sense, however, of the role of theory in doing science and in producing scientific knowledge. Next, all three individuals entered the program with a knowledge of biology that was static and fragmented. Although there was little change during the year in the static, fragmented character of their knowledge, all of them ended the year considerably more confident in their biological knowledge. Then, the teaching of all three was largely transmissionist in character, in that for them it was essential to articulate correct scientific knowledge explicitly on the basis of a deep-seated, but uncritically examined, belief that this is what their students would remember. Over the year, however, indications of a more student-centered focus developed in their teaching. Finally, although all three prospective teachers adopted some key components of conceptual change teaching (focusing on students' views and creating a supportive classroom climate), they did not explore the reasons why student views were plausible and fruitful to them, or spend time in activities that would increase the status of accepted scientific views and decrease the status of contradictory views. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:347–371, 1999.

Students' Perceptions of Writing for Learning in Secondary School Science.

Abstract: The implementation of writing-for-learning strategies within science classrooms requires changes in the way in which students engage with the subject. Specific writing tasks require students to address concepts of science and also to focus on issues of purpose, audience, topic, method of text production, and writing type. This article reports on students' perceptions of using writing as a component of their science learning. The results, collected over 4 years, have been organized to include students' perceptions of writing in science, learning, ownership, purpose, and science. These results are then discussed in terms of students' developing metacognition and epistemologies of science. The study concludes by discussing the implications arising for further research. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:151–162, 1999.

Exploring the link between students' scientific and nonscientific conceptions

Abstract: In recent years, a large amount of research has focused on alternative conceptions, but some studies have shown that students may also have scientifically acceptable understandings in the same content area. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether these two types of understandings are linked, and if so, how. Individual interviews were carried out with 63 11–12-year-old students and 44 15–16-year-old students. The interviews were designed to identify students' conceptions of biological role (i.e., every living thing has a role to play in nature) as applied to a range of different types of living things. A significant proportion of students had both an alternative conception and a scientifically acceptable conception. Their explanations indicated that they were using an “if…then” type of reasoning which linked the two conceptions. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:639–653, 1999.

Elements of a community of learners in a middle school science classroom

Abstract: The idea of a learning community has gained attention as a desirable environment that could provide opportunities for students to engage in solving problems in collaboration with peers. However, definitions of a community of learners are varied, vague, and not well-developed. The goal of the research described in this study is to examine the nature of a middle school science classroom during the development of a community of learners by focusing on the teacher–student interactions and the connections made by students with people outside the classroom. The first investigator served as both teacher and researcher in this study. The teacher used a project-based approach that allowed learners to find solutions to authentic problems or questions generated by the students. Students used a process of inquiry and collaboration to find these solutions. An analytical framework developed from the literature consisted of the following components: authentic tasks; interdependency in small group work; negotiation of understanding; public sharing; collaboration with experts; and responsibility for shared learning and teaching. The framework was used to analyze the multiple data sources, including videotapes, interviews, a teacher's journal, and electronic correspondence. Eight major themes emerged from the analysis. These themes included: (1) tasks connected to real-world questions generated more collaborative interactions than topic-bound tasks; (2) collaborative interactions in groups increased when tasks were student-initiated; (3) providing instructional support for students contributed to group decision making; (4) group productivity increased when students gained ownership; (5) student dialogue centered on the procedural aspects of the activity when completing teacher-designed activities; (6) when public sharing centered on discussions of their own experiences, students were more cognitively engaged; (7) interactions with outside resource people increased students' investment in the project; and (8) when students worked in teams answering their own questions, they took responsibility for learning and teaching. The findings of this study point to three important factors that influenced the learning community in this middle school classroom: (1) the importance of the driving question in contributing to the authentic nature of the investigations; (2) the importance of the teacher's role in supporting students in collaborating with peers and people outside the classroom; and (3) the extended time required for teams to develop collaborative relationships. The role of the teacher appears critical in transforming the roles of students and teacher in creating a community of learners. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 83:701–723, 1999.

Relating Students' Personal Frameworks for Science Learning to Their Cognition in Collaborative Contexts.

Abstract: This study examines relationships between students' motivational and epistemological perspectives—called their “personal frameworks” for science learning—and their cognitive engagement with peers during collaborative knowledge-building tasks in two science classrooms. Twelve eighth graders' perspectives on self, learning, and knowledge were discerned through interviews, and their collaborative cognition was judged through analysis of their discussions during a 12-week unit on building models of the nature of matter. A number of analytic categories that depict students' perspectives and high and low sociocognitive engagement patterns are described. The dimension of students' personal frameworks that most closely mirrored their patterns of sociocognitive behaviors were their learning-referenced perspectives. One implication of this finding is that a more explicit metacognitive focus in science classrooms might help students develop flexibility in adopting perspectives on learning that are most productive for their current learning tasks. An implication for research is that individual differences in perspectives should not be ignored as we widen our analytic lens to examine community knowledge building in science classrooms. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 83:1–32, 1999.

Preservice teachers' views of inclusive science teaching as shaped by images of teaching, learning, and knowledge

Abstract: This was a descriptive study of preservice elementary teachers' understandings of and approaches to inclusive science teaching. This study was situated in an elementary science methods course that used a variety of teaching methods to focus on issues related to inclusive science teaching. Data sources included student written work and audiotapes of classroom discussions related to inclusion. Through our interpretive analysis we identified the preservice teachers' positivist views of knowledge, learning, and teaching as one of the most prominent tools through which they understood and reacted to ideas of teaching science to diverse student populations. The impact of this view on preservice teachers' interpretations of science teaching methods presented in the course as well as on their own teaching efforts is described. Finally, suggestions of how to help preservice elementary teachers recognize and build upon student diversity through science instruction are discussed. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:131–150, 1999.

The Ideas of Greek High School Students about the "Ozone Layer.".

Abstract: Greek high school students between the ages of 11 and 16 have been questioned about their perception of the ozone layer. In particular, they were asked what and where they think it is, what it does, what will damage it, and what might be the result of any further damage. The ideas of 1161 students were investigated using a closed-form questionnaire which had been devised after interviews with a smaller group. This questionnaire was used previously in a study involving over 1700 students in the UK. From the results of the present study, it appears that Greek high school students have a good understanding of the position and purpose of the ozone layer in terms of protection from harmful ultraviolet rays, but some also think that it helps keep the world warm or protects it from acid rain. Students seem aware that the ozone layer is in danger, and they believe that many varied forms of pollution are the cause. It seems well known that further depletion might cause an increase in skin cancers and eye cataracts, although students assumed strong, erroneous, links with the greenhouse effect and other forms of local pollution, particularly those associated with illness and disease. The results of the factor analysis, which explores themes in student thinking, would appear to be consistent with a previous hypothesis that objects acquire their meaning from the actions we apply or attribute to them. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:724–737, 1999.

Teachers college students' conceptions about evaporation, condensation, and boiling

Abstract: This study administered an open-ended, written test to 364 students in a teachers college who were divided into four groups, according to their scientific learning background After evaluation, some representative students were interviewed in a semistructured manner to obtain their conceptions The test results showed that, although the science major students performed better than the nonscience majors, their understanding of the condensation and boiling concepts still needed to be enhanced Most of the students did not hold the concept of saturated vapor, even in the science major (group A) students; that is, only 288% held this idea, and the percentages in the remaining groups (groups B–D) were less than 10% The performances in each group on the tasks regarding the concept of boiling were not impressive; the answers from group A students about the bubbles within boiling water centered on air and water vapor, and the corresponding percentage was close; however, for the other groups, the percentage differences became larger and most believed what was inside the bubbles was air Quite a few students knew the white “smoke” rising from the water kettle was tiny water droplets, and the highest percentage was only around 20% It was also found that most students had only an ambiguous comprehension of the existence of water vapor in air, especially groups B and C, who were nonscience major students In the interviews, some students still thought water evaporated once combined or contacted with air, and the idea of “condensation when cooled” was deeply rooted in the students' minds; although students knew that “water vapor is invisible,” most still believed the white smoke was water vapor Examining the students' ideas carefully, the researchers found out that learning difficulties regarding the aforementioned concepts could be a result of poor understanding of what water vapor is © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc Sci Ed83:511–526, 1999

A cause of ahistorical science teaching: Use of hybrid models

Abstract: This article discusses the desirability of an approach to the teaching of chemical kinetics based on models. The historical development of the subject was analyzed and eight historical consensus models were proposed. In a case study conducted in a class of 15–16-year-old students in Brazil, the models of chemical kinetics put forward by the teacher and the textbook were analyzed and discussed in the light of the historical models. The models expressed by the teacher and the textbook were found not to be any of the previously defined historical models, but rather what is termed a hybrid model. The existence of hybrid models in science teaching is proposed as a new component in science teachers' training courses. ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:163–177, 1999.

Why teach science? Setting rational goals for science education

Abstract: In this article we develop a fundamental rationale for teaching science to all children. We justify the teaching of science by linking scientific ways of thinking with the advancement of democratic society. Rather than simply treating science education as a civics course, we take the strong view that science education should produce a population with the skills to critically analyze and change society. Science students must learn science, but they must also learn about science, they must develop a scientific view of the world, and they must adopt some of the creative and critical attributes of scientists. To achieve these outcomes, science educators must be clear about what view of science they reflect and, in particular, they must reject both positivist and postmodernist elements. Science education must reflect the way in which the theories and practice of science are constrained by the real world. In setting out a robust answer to the question of why teach science we provide three aims for science education. These aims can assist science educators to decide what and how they teach, and help us all to defend science education from antiscientific criticisms. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:473–492, 1999.

History and Philosophy of Science through Models: The Case of Chemical Kinetics

Abstract: The case for a greater role for the history and philosophy of science in science education is reviewed. It is argued that such a role can only be realised if it is based on both a credible analytical approach to the history and philosophy of science and if the evolution of a sufficient number of major themes in science is known in suitable detail. Adopting Lakatos' Theory of Scientific Research Programmes as the analytical approach, it is proposed that the development, use, and replacement, of specific models forms the core of such programmes.

Educating Prospective Teachers of Biology: Introduction and Research Methods.

Abstract: This article, the first of a six-article set, introduces a complex study of a science teacher education program whose goal was to graduate teachers who held conceptual change conceptions of teaching science and were disposed to put them into practice. The set of articles includes: (1) an introduction to the theoretical foundations and research methods of the study; (2) the description and analysis of science methods courses at the elementary and secondary levels; (3) the description and analysis of an action research seminar held in conjunction with student teaching; (4) case studies of three prospective elementary teachers; (5) case studies of three prospective secondary teachers; and (6) a summary of the findings of the study and a discussion of its implications. This article presents a framework for considering science teacher education in the context of constructivism, teaching for conceptual change, and reflective practice and action research. It describes the context of the study, including its focus on biology, and outlines the research methods used to address the following research questions: What is the character of key components of the program, viz., methods courses and action research seminar?; How do prospective teachers develop with respect to their practice of teaching over the course of their teacher education program? The answers to these questions allow discussion of broader issues of science teacher education in terms of the following question: What influences do other program components have on the developing practice of prospective teachers? The article finally discusses the data gathering methods including: (1) interviews with prospective teachers on their conceptions of teaching science and conceptions of biological themes; (2) interviews with methods course instructors about the nature of their course (both its content and pedagogy) and their goals and expectations for students; (3) observations of both methods classes and the action research seminar; and (4) observations of prospective teachers’ teaching in practicum and student teaching settings. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:247–273, 1999.

What is this thing called geoscience? Epistemological dimensions elicited with the repertory grid and their implications for scientific literacy

Abstract: To appropriately prepare informed citizens, science education must improve scientific literacy, which includes public understanding of science. Therefore, students' perceptions of science is considered a fruitful area of research. This kind of investigation should elicit the images of science that students are likely to hold when they enter the science classroom. The main aims of the present investigation are: (i) to explore the perceptions held by a university geology instructor and five students of the images of the geosciences, before and after the teaching intervention; (ii) to claim that the repertory grid technique is a powerful tool to assess people's actual epistemological dimensions beyond any conceptual framework constructed by experts; and (iii) to argue that the societal aims of geological (science) education must be specifically targeted within a constructivist framework. The subjects were five first-year undergraduates of the geography degree course and their geology instructor. This investigation uses the repertory grid technique, the tool envisaged by George Kelly to elicit people's personal constructs according to his theoretical framework known as “personal construct psychology.” The elicitation of constructs took place at the beginning and at the end of the academic year. Principal component analysis was used to determine the teacher's and students' constructs with the highest epistemological value; that is, the constructs that most affect students' perception and interpretation of the geosciences. The findings indicate that some stereotyped images of science appear, with a characteristic antithesis between physics (considered objective and rigorous) and the geosciences (seen as subjective and approximate). Beyond this, little concern for societal issues inherent within the geosciences emerged as a significant conceptual dimension from individuals' construct systems. These results seem to indicate that this methodology gives insights into students' everyday ontology and epistemology, and therefore can be used to guide teaching interventions relevant for adequate scientific literacy. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:675–700, 1999.

Teachers' Perspectives of Teaching Science-Technology-Society in Local Cultures: A Sociocultural Analysis.

Abstract: The teaching of science-technology-society (STS) topics to school-age children is generally advocated by the science education community as a critically needed infusion throughout the K-12 science education curriculum. In many instances, the STS initiative does not play a significant role in the science teaching of practicing teachers because they perceive many topics as controversial. In this context, we undertook an exploration using a sociocultural perspective to understand teachers'perspectivesonteach- ing STS topics. We employed the constructs of taboos (beliefs that constrain action by making those behaviors perceived as threatening by the members of the social group forbidden and improper for discussion) and noas (instructional topics that teachers gen- erally perceived as not forbidden and as proper topics for discussion in local cultures) to investigate the perceptions of science teachers about controversial topics and curriculum infusion. Interpretative research strategies were used to describe and interpretfiveteachers' classroom practices of STS after an extended STS in-service experience. Two principal assertions relate the teachers' perspective on job security to their STS curricular decisions and the teachers' perceptions as outsiders to increasing conformity to the school's local culture and decreased teaching of controversial issues. A key implication for teacher ed- ucation is that more attention should be placed on consideration of the impact of practi- tioners' beliefs concerning their local school cultures on their STS teaching practices. ! 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 83:179-211, 1999.

Learning Goals in an Exemplary Science Teacher's Practice: Cognitive and Social Factors in Teaching for Conceptual Change.

Abstract: The conversations of elementary school students in the classroom of Sister M. Gertrude Hennessey have captured the attention of science educators, scientists, and cognitive psychologists. Research studies documenting student outcomes have been presented in professional journals and at professional meetings. While there are many unique aspects of learning that the students in this classroom exhibit during conversations with one another and their teacher, the extraordinary performance of these students inevitably raises the question: How does Sister Gertrude do it? What are significant components of her instruction that support the student outcomes reported in studies of her students? In this article, we provide a detailed account of her instruction, an account that can help us understand how she facilitates conceptual change learning through a carefully chosen set of learning goals. Through instruction that established these learning goals, Sister facilitated a learning environment in which students spoke about their ideas, offered justifications for ideas, recognized the limitations of an idea, and negotiated knowledge claims in ways similar to some of those in the scientific community. In presenting this case study, we are conscious of the implications that answers to our questions about Sister Gertrude's instruction could have for other teachers as well. In other words, we are interested in whether the learning that takes place in Sister's classroom is the product of a unique and singular environment, or whether the instructional principles she uses, once incorporated into the practices of other teachers, might result in similar student outcomes. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:738–760, 1999.

Student goal orientation in learning inquiry skills with modifiable software advisors

Abstract: A computer support environment (SCI-WISE) for learning and doing inquiry was designed. The system incorporates software advisors that give task completion advice (eg., forming hypotheses), general purpose advice (e.g., brainstorming), or system modification advice. Advisors' knowledge includes concepts, strategies, examples, referrals to other advisors, and criteria for evaluating good products and skills. Students using SCI-WISE can select the advisors' advice type (specific, general, or hints), and when advisors give advice (anytime, alert, or ask). Students can also modify the advisors' knowledge. The system is designed partly on a theoretical framework that assumes giving students higher levels of agency will facilitate higher-level goal orientation (such as knowledge-building) and produce higher levels of competence. In two studies of sixth graders, science students took a pretest of an open-ended inquiry question and a questionnaire that measured their goal orientations. The students worked in pairs on an inquiry project about memory, using one of two versions of SCI-WISE, one modifiable and one not modifiable. After finishing the project, the students took a posttest similar to the pretest, and evaluated the system. The main hypotheses predicted that knowledge-oriented students using the modifiable version would rate the system higher, use it more effectively, and do better on the inquiry posttest than task-oriented students. The results supported many of the hypotheses generated from the theoretical framework. Knowledge-oriented students tended to rate SCI-WISE higher, use more general purpose and system development advisors, and select more general advice and hints than task-oriented students. On the posttest inquiry test, students with higher goal orientations scored higher on average, particularly when paired with another knowledge oriented student. The studies also showed that goal orientation was not correlated with grade point average. Finally, the modifiability of SCI-WISE was rarely used, and finding better ways to facilitate modification and make its power more understandable for students is desirable. Overall, the SCI-WISE system showed promising initial results for helping students of a wide range of achievement levels and goal orientations develop inquiry skills.

The presentation of metallic bonding in high school science textbooks during three decades: Science educational reforms and substantive changes of tendencies

Abstract: Fifty-eight Spanish high school chemistry textbooks from 1974 to 1998 were analyzed in relation to their treatment of metallic bonding (grade 9–11 textbooks include physics and chemistry in the same subject). The sample was made with the broadest variety of textbooks that could be found including those most widely employed. A questionnaire containing 12 items was designed to explore what is usually taught, how it is taught, and the potential that textbooks have to produce meaningful learning in students. Finally, the textbook authors' and publishers' roles as agents of change in the Spanish science pedagogical reform are examined. Results show that nearly half of the textbooks virtually define the metallic bonding model; thus, the relationship among models and experimental facts cannot be understood by students. The theoretical models employed by textbooks in their explanations are metaphorical in nature and they are as open to misinterpretations as standard analogies; nevertheless, textbooks are not sensitive to this characteristic of the theoretical models. Textbooks must be more convincing in their explanations and clarify explicitly some important aspects of metallic bonding. Drawings in textbooks must show, in a more accurate way, the nature of the metallic models proposed. There is a lack of integrative reconciliation among different topics, which are needed to provide students with meaningful learning. New LOGSE textbooks (which comply with the General Act for the Educational System of 1990) have a more careful and attractive presentation than older LGE textbooks (which comply with the General Act for Education of 1970); however, only a few textbooks have a clearly constructivist orientation in accordance with the guidelines given by the Education Ministry. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:423–447, 1999.

World view analysis of knowledge in a rural village: Implications for science education

Abstract: This article describes an empirical qualitative analysis of some of the traditional practices and beliefs, with respect to health regimens and marine-related activities, which operate in the daily lives of people in the village of “Seablast,” Trinidad and Tobago The purpose of the investigation was to gain an understanding of these practices and beliefs and the interpretive framework that underpins them, and to explore how these might impinge on the learning and teaching of school science in such a context Kearney's world view theory was employed as the framework for the analysis The investigation reveals that the traditional wisdom in Seablast is a pervasive system, consisting of several concepts and principles, some of which are similar to those of conventional science, whereas others differ significantly There are also some similarities between the world view of the villagers and that of science However, the procedures used by villagers to effect these tenets are often quite different from those employed in science The article argues that science students and teachers who are exposed to the traditional wisdom and who have some level of commitment to it are likely to find that, to some extent, they are required to function in two worlds—the traditional world and the world of science Current research suggests that the “boundary crossing” between these worlds may be difficult or even hazardous for some people The recommendation is made that school science curricula for contexts such as Seablast must be fashioned from a cultural perspective, with an emphasis on providing aids for students to effect the boundary crossing successfully This would put students in a better position to evaluate both their traditional practices and beliefs and conventional science so that they could make appropriate choices for the conduct of their lives © John Wiley & Sons, Inc Sci Ed 83:77–95, 1999

Learning science in a first grade science activity: A Vygotskian perspective

Abstract: The objectives of this article are to: (a) synthesize the key aspects of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of learning; and (b) interpret classroom vignettes and child interviews from a first-grade science activity in light of Vygotsky's theory. The key aspects of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory explored in terms of the teaching–learning process are: the social interactional nature of learning; the role of psychological and technical tools, the role of social interactions in mediating children's thought; and the interplay between everyday and scientific concepts. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:621–638, 1999.