Generative Role of Experiments in Physics and in Teaching Physics: A Suggestion for Epistemological Reconstruction

In physics teaching experimentality is an integral component in giving the starting point of knowledge formation and conceptualization. However, epistemology of experiments is not often addressed directly in the educational and pedagogical literature. This warrants an attempt to produce an acceptable reconstruction of the epistemological role of experiments in physics by drawing insight from history and philosophy of physics. Towards that end, the experiments’ role in the 19th-century physics is discussed. We propose here a reconstruction, which is based on the idea that in epistemology of experiments the inductive-like generative justification of knowledge is central. A generative view makes it possible to retain those aspects of experiments which make them purposeful for learning and can give a starting point for students’ own construction of knowledge. The reconstruction also helps to conceive the experiments with their correct historical role and helps to bring back the generative use of experiments in teaching, which, after all, has never vanished from the practice of physics.     

Features of Effective In‐service Activities: results of a Delphi‐study

In this study, conducted in the Netherlands, a modified Delphi technique was used to identify salient features of effective in‐service practices and their programming and design. It poses the question: which characteristics must in‐service activities—focused on the implementation of educational innovations—have in the opinion of experts in the field of in‐service education?

After reviewing studies on in‐service teacher education and educational implementation, a list of 60 statements on effective features of in‐service education was compiled. In three rounds, the statements were reviewed by a panel of experts with regard to their appropriateness and importance for the implementation of educational changes. This review resulted in a list of 34 statements, which, according to the Delphi participants, reflect appropriate and important features of effective in‐service teacher education.     

Comparing Students’ and Experts’ Understanding of the Content of a Lecture

In spite of advances in physics pedagogy, the lecture is by far the most widely used format of instruction. We investigated students’ understanding and perceptions of the content delivered during a physics lecture. A group of experts (physics instructors) also participated in the study as a reference for the comparison. During the study, all participants responded to a written conceptual survey on sound propagation. Next, they looked for answers to the survey questions in a videotaped lecture by a nationally known teacher. As they viewed the lecture, they indicated instances, if any, in which the survey questions were answered during the lecture. They also wrote down (and if needed, later explained) the answer, which they perceived was given by the instructor in the video lecture. Students who participated in the study were enrolled in a conceptual physics course and had already covered the topic in class before the study. We discuss and compare students’ and experts’ responses to the survey questions before and after the lecture.     

Thought Experiments in the Theory of Relativity and in Quantum Mechanics: Their Presence in Textbooks and in Popular Science Books

This work investigates the presence of Thought Experiments (TEs) which refer to the theory of relativity and to quantum mechanics in physics textbooks and in books popularizing physics theories. A further point of investigation is whether TEs – as presented in popular physics books – can be used as an introduction to familiarize secondary school students with physics theories of the 20th century. The study of textbooks and popular physics books showed that authors of both types of books consider TEs as an important tool when presenting the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. Furthermore, a qualitative research conducted in secondary education revealed that the historical TEs which were transformed into forms accessible to the public could trigger students’ interest and act as educational material to familiarize them with concepts and principles of the 20th century physics.     

Creating spaces for pedagogy: Research as learning

As teacher-educators, we designed and implemented a small study that mapped teacher-education students' understandings of their own identities and how they made sense of ethnicity and class differences among their secondary students while on teaching rounds. While we didn't set out to ‘teach’ our research participants, it was during the analysis of data from the research project, that we began to realise the potential of research to create opportunities for learning. In this paper we speculate on the ‘conditions’ of knowledge production and suggest that the dialogic nature of interviews and focus group discussions can offer pedagogical spaces for learning. Research designs that incorporate opportunities for participants to re-tell narratives over periods of time, may position participants as experts in knowledge production and may reposition them and researchers in more equitable power relations. We present an example of one participant's narrative together with our interpretations to explore how research potentially offers ‘evidence’ of learning. While this is tentative only, we suggest there is a need to create spaces for pedagogy in the design and execution of educational research.     

Conceptual change through vicarious learning in an authentic physics setting

Recent research on principles of best practice for designing effective multimedia instruction has rarely taken into account students’ alternative conceptions, which are known to strongly influence learning. The goal of this study was to determine how well students of quantum mechanics could learn ‘vicariously’ by watching a student-tutor dialogue based on alternative conceptions. Two video treatments were created to summarize key aspects of quantum tunneling, a fundamental quantum mechanical phenomenon. One video depicted a student-tutor dialogue, incorporating many of the common alternative conceptions on the topic, and resolving inconsistencies in reasoning through discussion. The other presented the same correct physics material in an expository style without alternative conceptions. Second year physics students were randomly assigned to one of the two treatments and were tested before and after watching the video during a lecture. Results show a statistically significant (p < .01) advantage for the learners in the dialogue treatment (d = 0.71). Follow-up interviews of students yielded insight into the affective and cognitive benefits of the dialogue video.     

中学物理学史的分析研究与思考

为了加强物理学史教育，加快推进素质教育的步迈，将物理学史引入教学作为改革教学的一种手段势在必行，本文针对中学引入物理学史的现状进行分析，提出将物理学史引入中学物理的途径与方法，并对教材合理引入史科提出一些建议，供广大物理教育工作者参考。     

Educational sciences,morality and politics: international educational congresses in the early twentieth century

Internationalism became one of the keywords in the international intellectual and political debates at the end of the nineteenth century. As a political, cultural and social movement it also included science and education. The desire for international cooperation and global understanding was caused by the growing economic interdependence in the world and the threat to peace by nationalistic politics of the imperialistic powers. Within the context of discipline formation and fragmentation, cultural critique, social reform and pacifist movements, academic educationists, teachers and educational and social reformers in various countries tried to establish an international network to promote scientific cooperation, peace, mutual understanding and professional collaboration. In this article, the author will try to place the phenomenon of internationalism within the context of the formation of educational sciences in the early twentieth century. Drawing from the example of other scientific disciplines at this time, such as geography, meteorology and physics, one can assume that the internationalizing of education also increased its professional and scientific standards. The “disciplinarization process”1 Whereas this term is used by Hofstetter and Schneuwly, Van Gorp, Depaepe, and Simon prefer the notion “discipline‐formation process”. See Rita Hofstetter, “The Construction of a New Science by Means of an Institute and Its Communication Media. The Institute of Educational Sciences in Geneva (1912–1948)”, and Angelo Van Gorp, Marc Depaepe & Frank Simon, “Backing the Actor as Agent in Discipline Formation: An Example of the ‘Secondary Disciplinarisation’ of the Educational Sciences, Based on the Networks of Ovide Decroly (1901–1931)”, both in this issue. of educational sciences was closely intertwined with the genesis of an international scientific network through special institutions. In order to investigate this assumption, the genesis, structure, contents and effects of international cooperation in the field of education in the first decades of the twentieth century will be considered. This international cooperation took on different shapes. It included, among others, the international exchange of teachers and students, international educational exhibitions, international congresses, transnational institutions, multilateral standardization and international journals. The focus will be on the main agents of institutionalized internationalization, namely international congresses and associations, and individual forms of international communication and cooperation will therefore not be dealt with. The article begins with a short overview of the different kinds of international educational congresses. Two types of internationalization within this institutional setting will then be introduced: the research‐oriented, “scientifically” based model of academic educationists (“new educational sciences”) and the instruction and reform‐oriented, “politically and morally” based model of a social movement (New Education). Finally the geographical extension of internationalization will be analyzed briefly before the main argument is set out in the concluding remarks, namely that the internationalization of education through international institutions found its driving force in moral and political assumptions of the teaching profession and its goals of school reform within the New Education rather than in an international scientific paradigm of the academic “new educational sciences”.     

Using Biomedically Relevant Multimedia Content in an Introductory Physics Course for Life Science and Pre-health Students

We will describe a one-quarter pilot algebra-based introductory physics course for pre-health and life science majors. The course features videos with biomedical experts and cogent biomedically inspired physics content. The materials were used in a flipped classroom as well as an all-online environment where students interacted with multimedia materials online and prior to engaging in classroom activities. Pre-lecture questions on both the medical content covered in the video media and the physics concepts in the written material were designed to engage students and probe their understanding of physics. The course featured group discussion and peer-lead instruction. Following in-class instruction, students engaged with homework assignments which explore the connections of physics and the medical field in a quantitative manner. Course surveys showed a positive response by the vast majority of students. Students largely indicated that the course helped them to make a connection between physics and the biomedical field. The biomedical focus and different course format were seen as an improvement to previous traditional physics instruction.     

关于新时期高师院校成人教育可持续发展的思考

本从新时期我国社会经济建设发展大背景和终身教育大框架中切入，着力剖析影响高师院校成人教育持续发展的有利条件和困扰可持续发展的主要因素，提出了开阔视野、扬长避短，全面创新教育理念；教育体制、管理机制、专业体系、课程内容、教学方式和手段的可持续发展新思路，努力探索一条具有高师院校自身特色和优势的可持续发展的道路。     

Students’ Overuse of Linearity: An Exploration in Physics

In mathematics education, a vast amount of research has shown that students of different ages have a strong tendency to apply linear or proportional models anywhere, even in situations where they are not applicable. For example, in geometry it is known that many students believe that if the sides of a figure are doubled, the area is doubled too. However, also history of science provides several cases of thinkers who inadequately postulated linear relations to describe situations. This article focuses on secondary school students’ over-reliance on linearity in physics. Now and then, science educators report students’ tendency to assume and impose linear relations in physics, but—as far as we know—no substantial efforts were undertaken to study this phenomenon systematically. We conducted an empirical investigation aimed at identifying the competence of 8th- and 11th-graders—before and after being taught the relevant physical topics—to qualitatively grasp various situations in physics, as well as their tendency to quantify that qualitative insight linearly. The results provide an ambivalent picture of students’ overuse of linearity in physics: Although linear reasoning is sometimes used as a default strategy, even after instruction that addresses the relevant physical contents, this study also indicates that context is taken into account more often than is suggested by research on mathematical problem solving.     

Experts' Views on Using History and Philosophy of Science in the Practice of Physics Instruction

This study examines the views of a representative sample of experts in physics, physics education and history and philosophy of science (HPS) on the incorporation of HPS based materials in physics instruction. The obtained spectrum of views addresses three areas: the rationale to include HPS, the most appropriate ways of doing so, and anticipated difficulties in such a new educational approach. The elicited views, interpreted and categorized, reflect the attitude of the community of science educators in Israeli colleges and universities with regard to the subject. The constructed profiles indicate low awareness of the recent changes in the understanding of learning and the role of HPS in the light of these changes. Such knowledge can guide the activities of those who devote their efforts to constructing and implementing learning materials utilizing HPS contents in science education.     

谈物理教学与科学素质的培养

本文讨论了科学素质在人才素质中的重要性以及在物理教学中进行素质教育的主要内容,通过物理教学进行素质教育是培养学生科学素质的重要途径。     

物理实验教学示范中心建设学生科学素质培养

在物理实验教学示范中心建设过程中创建并实施了层次与递进互联教学新模式。在教学新模式实施过程中,以6个结合为核心,丰富了教学内容,提高了教学效率,使大学生进入高校最初阶段就进入了培养科学素质、提高实验创新能力的新世纪教育模式。     

PISA对我国中小学考试评价与质量监控的启示

中小学考试评价改革(尤其是命题评价改革)是20世纪80年代以来，我国教育教学改革的“攻坚战”，举步艰难。2000年开始研究制订、2004年12月刚刚公布第二次评估结果的国际性评价项目PISA(学生能力国际评估计划)的做法可以提供一些有价值的参考。这主要体现在，对学生的终身可持续发展进行评估；评价学生在实际的生活状态下的能力，测试学生在学校课程以外的知识运用；考试仍可以是评价的主要方式之一，过程性内容、情感、态度、价值观的内容完全可以在笔试中得到考察；建立教育质量评价体系，关注教育投资的有效性。     

教育信息化可持续发展能力建设问题

教育部发布的《教育信息化十年发展规划(2011-2020年)》作为一份明确我国教育信息化未来十年建设和发展思路的指导性、纲领性文件,将"教育信息化可持续发展能力建设行动"列为"中国数字教育2020"行动计划的5项行动内容之一。教育信息化可持续发展能力是保障我国教育信息化持续、快速发展的重要依托,其构成包括教育技术能力培训体系、教育信息化研究支持体系、后备人才培养体系和教育信息化标准规范体系等。教育信息化可持续发展能力建设内容主要是:实施各级各类学校信息化人员的教育技术能力培训,推广应用教育信息化标准,建立教育信息化技术支持体系和研究、服务体系,开展创新性的试验研究和自主知识产权的技术开发,通过设置一系列课程、建设专门人才培养基地,造就一批引领教育信息化发展的研究队伍和实践人才。教育信息化可持续发展能力建设行动计划着力于解决教育信息化的基础性、共性问题,需要各级政府科学规划、制定方针政策,省级政府统筹推进、创新机制吸引企业参与和社会参与,各级各类学校以实际需求为导向促进应用。     

Examining key issues underlying the Audit Commission Reports on SEN Policy Paper 1 (5th series)

This book is the first publication in the fifth series of seminars organised by the SEN Policy Options Steering Group to examine policy issues to do with special educational needs. The aim of the seminar was to examine in depth several underlying issues raised by the recent Audit Commission Reports on special educational needs. The seminar provided a distinctive perspective and analysis of these reports. The focus was on (1) assurance for parents: alternatives to statements? (2) justifying common national definitions of difficulties and SEN and (3) managing inclusion. Papers were presented by: Peter Gray, SEN Policy Consultant, on common national definitions of difficulties and SEN; Penny Richardson from Nottinghamshire Local Education Authority (LEA) on assurance for parents: alternatives to statements? and Chris Beek from Capita Strategic Education Services on managing inclusion. The main purpose of this publication is to provide policy makers at all levels of the education system with an examination of relevant and practical policy options in the field of special educational needs. The book raises crucial issues and outlines ways forward.     

Student-centred instruction and learning processes in physics

During the 1970s, student-centred instruction—that is, “play orientation in physics education” (Spielorientierter Unterricht)—was at the centre of curriculum development at the Institute of Physics Education in Bremen. During the past decade, we investigated this kind of instruction with a particular focus on students' learning processes using a situated cognition perspective. Our research group at the Institute conducted several empirical studies of physics learning for different age groups. The aim of these case studies was to construct detailed understandings of how individual learning processes unfold. On the basis of these studies, we attempt to design physics lessons more effectively than they have been in the past. This paper exemplifies our approach providing information about the theoretical and methodological frameworks, the main outcomes of our studies; and reflections about the possibilities for “more effective” student-centred instruction.     

Progression in Complexity: Contextualizing Sustainable Marine Resources Management in a 10th Grade Classroom

Sustainable management of marine resources raises great challenges. Working with this socio-scientific issue in the classroom requires students to apply complex models about energy flow and trophic pyramids in order to understand that food chains represent transfer of energy, to construct meanings for sustainable resources management through discourse, and to connect them to actions and decisions in a real-life context. In this paper we examine the process of elaboration of plans for resources management in a marine ecosystem by 10th grade students (15–16 year) in the context of solving an authentic task. A complete class (N = 14) worked in a sequence about ecosystems. Working in small groups, the students made models of energy flow and trophic pyramids, and used them to solve the problem of feeding a small community for a long time. Data collection included videotaping and audiotaping of all of the sessions, and collecting the students’ written productions. The research objective is to examine the process of designing a plan for sustainable resources management in terms of the discursive moves of the students across stages in contextualizing practices, or different degrees of complexity (Jiménez-Aleixandre & Reigosa International Journal of Science Education, 14(1): 51–61 2006), understood as transformations from theoretical statements to decisions about the plan. The analysis of students’ discursive moves shows how the groups progressed through stages of connecting different models, between them and with the context, in order to solve the task. The challenges related to taking this sustainability issue to the classroom are discussed.