From scientific practice to high school science classrooms: Transfer of scientific technologies and realizations of authentic inquiry

The Biology Workbench (BW) is a web‐based tool enabling scientists to search a wide array of protein and nucleic acid sequence databases with integrated access to a variety of analysis and modeling tools. The present study examined the development of this scientific tool and its consequent adoption into the context of high school science teaching in the form of the Biology Student Workbench (BSW). Participants included scientists, programmers, science educators, and science teachers who played key roles along the pathway of the design and development of BW, and/or the adaptation and implementation of BSW in high school science classrooms. Participants also included four teachers who, with their students, continue to use BSW. Data sources included interviews, classroom observations, and relevant artifacts. Contrary to what often is advocated as a major benefit accruing from the integration of authentic scientific tools into precollege science teaching, classroom enactments of BSW lacked elements of inquiry and were teacher‐centered with prescribed convergent activities. Students mostly were preoccupied with following instructions and a focus on science content. The desired and actual realizations of BSW fell on two extremes that reflected the disparity between scientists' and educators' views on science, inquiry science teaching, and the related roles of technological tools. Research on large‐scale adoptions of technological tools into precollege science classrooms needs to expand beyond its current focus on teacher knowledge, skills, beliefs, and practices to examine the role of the scientists, researchers, and teacher educators who often are involved in such adoptions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 37–70, 2011     

中英小学科学课程标准中的科学探究比较

中英两国科学课程标准都强调科学探究是科学课程的核心内容。小学科学课程是以培养科学素养为宗旨的科学启蒙教育课程,只有将科学探究落实到科学教学的各项任务中,才能加深学生对科学的认识。从而使学生掌握科学知识与技能、过程与方法、培养情感态度与价值观,实现科学教育的目标。比较中英两国科学课程标准,英国科学课程标准中关手科学探究的描述值得我们借鉴与学习。     

The reality of virtual worlds: pros and cons of their application to foreign language teaching

This article presents our experience of testing the OpenSim platform as a tool in teaching French to 108 tourism students at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Madrid, Spain). The article begins with some theoretical reflections on the behaviour of the student when using a virtual platform by means of an avatar, and with our observations of how this doubling of identity is actually the greatest asset of virtual worlds when we intend to apply them to teaching (1. Introduction). Then we move on to present our goals and method of work (2. Aims and methodology) and to analyse the development of the virtual space or sim, setting out the teaching strategies that were employed in each of the islands we created, and which correspond to reading comprehension, listening comprehension and written expression (3. Metaverse design). In order to assess the language learning results, we also devised tests throughout the experiment, which were repeated one month later. The assessment shows that the process of language acquisition is positive (4. Results analysis). Finally, we demonstrate that the rise of virtual worlds has been backed up by psycholinguistic factors, but at the same time their applicability and sustainability depend on technical aspects and very especially on theoretical and pedagogical tenets which are still to be drawn up (5. Conclusions).     

Learning to teach science as inquiry in the rough and tumble of practice

This study examined the knowledge, beliefs and efforts of five prospective teachers to enact teaching science as inquiry, over the course of a one‐year high school fieldwork experience. Data sources included interviews, field notes, and artifacts, as these prospective teachers engaged in learning how to teach science. Research questions included 1) What were these prospective teachers' beliefs of teaching science? 2) To what extent did these prospective teachers articulate understandings of teaching science as inquiry? 3) In what ways, if any, did these prospective teachers endeavor to teach science as inquiry in their classrooms? 4) In what ways did the mentor teachers' views of teaching science appear to support or constrain these prospective teachers' intentions and abilities to teach science as inquiry? Despite support from a professional development school setting, the Interns' teaching strategies represented an entire spectrum of practice—from traditional, lecture‐driven lessons, to innovative, open, full‐inquiry projects. Evidence suggests one of the critical factors influencing a prospective teacher's intentions and abilities to teach science as inquiry, is the teacher's complex set of personal beliefs about teaching and of science. This paper explores the methodological issues in examining teachers' beliefs and knowledge in actual classroom practice. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 613–642, 2007.     

Testing one premise of scientific inquiry in science classrooms: Examining students' scientific explanations and student learning

In this study, we analyzed the quality of students' written scientific explanations found in notebooks and explored the link between the quality of the explanations and students' learning. We propose an approach to systematically analyzing and scoring the quality of students' explanations based on three components: claim, evidence to support it, and a reasoning that justifies the link between the claim and the evidence. We collected students' science notebooks from eight science inquiry‐based middle‐school classrooms in five states. All classrooms implemented the same scientific‐inquiry based curriculum. The study focuses on one of the implemented investigations and the students' explanations that resulted from it. Nine students' notebooks were selected within each classroom. Therefore, a total of 72 students' notebooks were analyzed and scored using the proposed approach. Quality of students' explanations was linked with students' performance in different types of assessments administered as the end‐of‐unit test: multiple‐choice test, predict‐observe‐explain, performance assessment, and a short open‐ended question. Results indicated that: (a) Students' written explanations can be reliably scored with the proposed approach. (b) Constructing explanations were not widely implemented in the classrooms studied despite its significance in the context of inquiry‐based science instruction. (c) Overall, a low percentage of students (18%) provided explanations with the three expected components. The majority of the sample (40%) provided only claims without any supporting data or reasoning. And (d) the magnitude of the correlations between students' quality of explanations and their performance, were all positive but varied in magnitude according to the type of assessment. We concluded that engaging students in the construction of high quality explanations may be related to higher levels of student performance. The opportunities to construct explanations in science‐inquiry based classrooms, however, seem to be limited. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 47: 583–608, 2010     

Issues and challenges of teaching and learning in 3D virtual worlds: real life case studies

We aimed to study the characteristics and usage patterns of 3D virtual worlds in the context of teaching and learning. To achieve this, we organised a full‐day workshop to explore, discuss and investigate the educational use of 3D virtual worlds. Thirty participants took part in the workshop. All conversations were recorded and transcribed for analysis. Thematic analysis was carried out to identify prominent issues and topics. We found that to fully utilise 3D virtual worlds for teaching and learning, students, tutors and educational institutions face a number of socio‐psychological, pedagogical and technological challenges. The paper highlights and discusses the issues that emerged from the workshop, supporting them with real life experiences and case studies provided by the workshop participants.

Probleme und Herausforderungen des Unterrichtens und Lernens in virtuellen 3D Welten: “echte” Lebensfallstudien

Wir hatten zum Ziel, die Eigenschaften und die Gebrauchsweise von 3D‐virtuellen Welten im Zusammenhang mit Unterricht und Lernen zu studieren. Dazu organisierten wir einen ganztägigen Workshop, um den Gebrauch von 3D virtuellen Welten im Bildungsbereich zu erforschen, zu besprechen und zu untersuchen. Dreißig Teilnehmer nahmen an diesem Workshop teil. Alle Gespräche wurden aufgezeichnet und für die Analyse transskribiert. Eine thematische Analyse wurde ausgeführt, um gängige Probleme und Themen herauszufinden. Wir meinen, dass, um virtuelle 3D‐Welten komplett zu verwerten, um darin zu unterrichten und Erfahrungen zu sammeln, Studenten, Tutoren und Bildungseinrichtungen mehreren sozialpsychologischen, pädagogischen und technologischen Herausforderungen gegenüberstehen. Dieser Beitrag beleuchtet und bespricht die Probleme, die innerhalb des Workshops auftauchten und unterstützt ihr Verständnis durch von den Workshopteilnehmern selbst zur Verfügung gestellten Lebenserfahrungen und Fallstudien.

Problèmes et défis de l’enseignement/apprentissage dans des mondes virtuels en 3D: des études de cas empruntés à la vie réelle

Nous avions pour but d’étudier les caractéristiques et les schémas d’usage des mondes virtuels en 3D dans un contexte d’enseignement et apprentissage. Pour y parvenir, nous avons organisé un atelier d’une journée entière pour débattre, explorer et mener une recherche sur l’emploi éducatif des mondes virtuels en 3D. L’atelier a accueilli 30 participants. Toutes les conversations ont été enregistrées et transcrites à des fins d’analyse. On a effectué une analyse thématique pour identifier les problèmes et les thèmes les plus marquants. Nous avons découvert que pour utiliser à fond les mondes virtuels en 3D pour l’enseignement et l’apprentissage, les étudiants, les tuteurs et les institutions éducatives doivent faire face à un certain nombre de défis socio‐psychologiques, pédagogiques et technologiques. Dans cet article l’accent et le débat portent sur les questions qui sont apparues au cours de l’atelier, le tout appuyé sur des expériences de la vie réelle et sur des études de cas fournies par les participants à l’atelier.

Problemas y desafíos de la enseñanza/aprendizaje en mundos virtuales 3D: estudios de casos de la vida real

Nuestro propósito era el estudio de las características y de los esquemas de uso de los mundos virtuales 3D dentro del contexto de la enseñanza/aprendizaje. Para llevar esto a cabo hemos organizado un taller de un día completo para explorar, discutir y investigar el uso educativo de los mundos virtuales 3D. Treinta personas participaron en el taller. Todas las conversaciones fueron grabadas y transcribidas para ser analizadas. Un análisis temático fué realizado para identificar los temas y problemas más destacados. Hemos descubierto que para aprovechar plenamente los mundos virtuales 3D para la enseñanza/aprendizaje, los alumnos, los tutores y las instituciones educativas tienen que hacer frente a un número de desafíos socio‐psicológicos, pedagógicos y tecnológicos. En el artículo los autores destacan y discuten los problemas que han surgido del taller, apoyandoles con experiencias de la vida real y estudios de casos suministrados por los participantes del taller.     

文化再制中的教育公平——在现实与虚拟中跃迁的教育解读

文化再制不会因为虚拟世界的介入而销声匿迹,恰恰相反,对于在现实与虚拟中不 断跃迁的教育而言,文化再制策略将更隐蔽、更温和,也更容易以误认为前提被确认。教育公平 论域扩展的同时可能也是文化再生产扩展的继续,话语和话语权的复杂与不确定,主动参与式的 权力再生产,文化任意性的施加,都可能使教育公平以及与之相关的公共教育政策遭遇质疑,并 进而获得一种重新解读。     

Impact of compulsory participation of medical students in a multiuser online game to learn radiological anatomy and radiological signs within the virtual world Second Life

Competitive game-based learning within Second Life enables effective teaching of basic radiological anatomy and radiological signs to medical students, with good acceptance and results when students participate voluntarily, but unknown in a compulsory context. The objectives of this study were to reproduce a competitive online game based on self-guided presentations and multiple-choice tests in a mandatory format, to evaluate its development and student perceptions compared to a voluntary edition in 2015 (N = 90). In 2016 and 2017, respectively, 191 and 182 third-year medical students participated in the game as a mandatory course activity. The mean (±SD) score of the game was 74.7% (±19.5%) in 2015, 71.2% (±21.5%) in 2016, and 67.5% (±21.5%) in 2017 (P < 0.01). Participants valued positively the organization and educational contents but found the virtual world less attractive and the game less interesting than in the voluntary edition. The experience globally was rated with 8.2 (±1.5), 7.8 (±1.5), and 7.1 (±1.7) mean points (±SD) in a ten-point scale, in the 2015, 2016, and 2017 editions, respectively (P < 0.05). Competitive learning games within virtual worlds like Second Life have great learning potential in radiology, but the mean score in the game decreased, acceptance of virtual world technology was lower, and opinion about the game was worse with a compulsory participation, and even worse when dropouts were not allowed. Under the conditions in which this study was conducted, learning games in three-dimensional virtual environments should be voluntary to maintain adequate motivation and engagement of medical students.     

Blended inquiry with hands-on and virtual laboratories: the role of perceptual features during knowledge construction

This study examined the characteristics of virtual and hands-on inquiry environments for the development of blended learning in a popular domain of bio-nanotechnology: the separation of different-sized DNA fragments using gel-electrophoresis, also known as DNA-fingerprinting. Since the latest scientific developments in nano- and micro-scale tools are based on molecular movement in electric fields, gel electrophoresis is an excellent model for learning-related concepts and processes. This study employed two environments (a 2D virtual laboratory (VRL) and a hands-on laboratory (HOL)) and documented the benefit of using VRLs to ground students' knowledge construction, before more complex, hands-on investigation. A comparative analysis explored how the perceptual features of the two learning environments supported students in designing experiments, evaluating data from experimental trials and reasoning for the mechanisms by which these data came about. The findings provide evidence for the design of blended inquiry-learning environments that integrate virtual and hands-on laboratories.     

Engaging students in environmental research projects: Perceptions of fluency with innovative technologies and levels of scientific inquiry abilities

The purpose of this mixed‐method study was to investigate the changes in high school students' perceptions of fluency with innovative technologies (IT) and the levels of students' scientific inquiry abilities as a result of engaging students in long‐term scientific research projects focusing on community‐based environmental issues. Over a span of 3 years, a total of 125 ninth‐ through twelfth‐grade students participated in this study. A project‐specific Likert‐scale survey consisting of three parts (fluency with All Technologies, GPS/GIS, and CBL2/EasyData) was administered to all students as a pre‐ and post‐test. At the end of the study, 45 students were randomly interviewed and asked to elaborate on the changes in their perceptions of fluency with IT. The results indicated statistically significant increases (p < 0.001) in students' perceptions of their fluency with IT. Qualitative analysis of students' interview results corroborated the statistical findings of students' changes in perceptions of their fluency with IT. Students' research papers based on the environmental studies conducted at the interface of classroom and community were analyzed using the Scientific Inquiry Rubrics, which consist of 11 criteria developed by the researchers. Results indicated the students' abilities to conduct scientific inquiry for 7 out of 11 criteria were at the proficient level. This study clearly points to the correlation between the development of IT fluency and ability levels to engage in scientific inquiry based on respective competencies. Ultimately, this research study recommends that students' IT fluency ought to be developed and assessed concurrently with an emphasis on contemporary higher order scientific inquiry abilities. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 94–116, 2011     

Inquiry-based learning with young learners: a Peirce-based model employed to critique a unit of inquiry on maps and mapping

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) has become a common theme in both school and higher education in recent years. It suggests a model of curriculum development and practice that moves educational debate beyond teacher or student-based approaches towards a model of teaching and learning in which the endeavour is shared. This paper discusses an investigation into the practice of IBL among primary schoolchildren in the setting of the Primary Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate. Three ideas from the work of the philosopher C.S. Peirce are used to provide an epistemological base for analysing the pedagogical practice of IBL: semiotics, reasoning and community of inquiry. Findings are presented under these three headings to illustrate the potency of Peirce's conceptualisation of learning. Drawing in particular on findings from a unit of inquiry on maps and mapping, it suggests an empirical frame for IBL for the use of teachers in the development and assessment of IBL.