美国中小学教师ICAN探究教学培训项目的实证调查

美国ICAN探究教学培训项目旨在加强中小学教师关于科学探究和科学本质教学的专业化发展,本文对该项目培训前后的教师的观念和教学行为进行了实证调查,以此评价该项目的实施效果,并反思了我国中小学教师探究教学培训的相关问题。     

科学本质教育的课堂教学方法初探

帮助学生发展较全面而准确的科学本质观是科学教育的根本目标之一,教师应该能够应用一些课堂教学方法,引导学生认识科学的本质。有关科学本质的课堂教学方法主要有科学探究法和科学史法。除此以外,教师还可以尝试应用以下方式:利用科学故事;利用科学史中的科学失误;利用科学史的问题。     

Assessing students’ understanding of models of biological processes: a revised framework

Models are very important tools when learning and communicating about science. Models used in secondary school biology education range from concrete scale models, such as a model of a skeleton, to abstract concept-process models, such as a visualisation of meiosis. Understanding these concept-process models requires a profound understanding of the concept of models and how they are used in biology. This study evaluates an existing framework for its use in assessing students’ understanding of biological concept-process models. Four additions were required to extend the applicability of the framework to concept-process models. We were also able to give an indication of students’ current level of understanding of these models, showing room for improvement in all aspects of understanding. Since concept-process models have a central place in many scientific disciplines, it is important that students have a deep understanding of the nature, application and limitations of these models. The current study contributes to assessing the way students reason with concept-process models. Knowing how to improve students’ view on the use of concept-process models in biology may lead to higher scientific literacy.     

Understanding the Nature of Scientific Enterprise (NOSE) through a Discourse with Its History: The Influence of an Undergraduate ‘History of Science’ Course

An appropriate understanding of the nature of the scientific enterprise (NOSE) is a key element of scientific literacy and can arguably be influenced through an exploration of the history of science. An elective, undergraduate History of Science course was organized in the form of small-group discussion-based inquiries into the history of science from ancient to modern times. Group discussions focused on STATEMENTS OF CRITICAL SIGNIFICANCE (SOCS) prepared by individual students on assigned readings prior to each class meeting. Small-group discussions were followed by a synthesis, facilitated by the instructor, of points raised in SOCS and other ideas central to the reading. The overarching goal of these activities was to help students see the multifaceted nature of the scientific enterprise in the context of social, political, cultural, and religious milieu of the time period and the geographic setting within which specific scientific activities and developments took place. The impact of this course on student understanding of the NOSE was assessed through the use of VIEWS ON SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY-SOCIETY (VOSTS) instrument administered as pre- and post-test. Qualitative data regarding student understanding of the NOSE were furnished by the final exam on the NOSE written in the form of SOCS at the end of semester. Results based on four semesters of the course offering indicate modest gains in student understanding of specific aspects of the NOSE. They are discussed, along with the usefulness of small-group, discussion-based inquiries into the history of science as a way of enhancing scientific literacy during undergraduate science education.     

从合法性走向合理性--中小学教师教学研究的定位问题

随着基础教育课程改革的深入,校本课程的开发和校本教学研究开始引起人们的广泛关注,这在客观上要求中小学教师必须在课堂中开展教学研究。但在现实中,当前的教师教学研究却表现出研究方法的机械化、研究成果的形式化与功利化过程的理性化等“不合理”的特征。教师教学研究既不同于教育理论的研究,又不同于经验总结和工作报告,它具有实践性、价值性和科学性的特征。     

A Textbook Case of the Nature of Science: Laws and Theories in the Science of Biology

The two concepts law and theory are among the most important elements of the nature of science. They represent both the tools and products of science itself. Unfortunately, the variable meanings and use of these terms in general discourse and in other school disciplines results in much confusion with respect to their proper application in a science context. The project included the design of a six-part model definition for law and theory based on a review of the literature of the philosophy of science with special reference to biology. These model definitions were then compared with those provided in a range of U.S. secondary school biology textbooks. The majority of all current major U.S. secondary school biology texts were reviewed and analyzed with respect to how the concepts of law and theory were defined and applied, in an attempt to determine whether students and teachers using such texts would gain an accurate impression of these terms and the distinction between them. This study focuses on biology instruction since a life science course is completed as a graduation requirement by virtually all U.S. high school students and as such serves as a widely shared educational experience across the nation. The term law is rarely defined in any text but various laws such as those found in genetics are frequently included as examples. The term theory is frequently defined but with a wide range of completeness of the definitions. Only rarely are theories in biology included as examples.     

科学本质的观点、内涵与教学

使学生认识科学的本质,并把它作为科学教育的重要目标,已成为国内外科学教育改革的趋势.文章论述了科学本质的观点、内涵与教学.     

Science teacher candidates’ perceptions about roles and nature of scientific models

Background: Scientific models have important roles in science and science education. For scientists, they provide a means for generating new knowledge or function as an accessible summary of scientific studies. In science education, on the other hand, they are accessible representations of abstract concepts, and are also organizational frameworks to teach and learn inaccessible facts. As being indispensable parts of learning and doing science, use of scientific models in science classes should be reinforced. At this point, uncovering pre-service science teachers’ (PSTs) understandings of scientific models are of great importance since they will design and conduct teaching situations for their students. Purpose: The study aimed to provide an answer to the research question: What understandings do PSTs possess about scientific models? Sample: The sample of the study consisted of 14 PSTs enrolled in an Elementary Science Education program in a public university in Ankara, Turkey. Design and methods: Data were collected by using an open-item instrument and semi-structured interviews, and were analyzed by using qualitative data analysis methods. Results: Findings showed that PSTs held fragmented views of models by having informed views in some aspects while having naïve views on others. That is, although they displayed a constructivist orientation by acknowledging the presence of multiple models for the same phenomenon depending on scientists’ perspectives or creativity involved in the production of scientific knowledge, PSTs also expressed logical positivist views by believing that models should be close to the real phenomena that they represent. Findings further revealed that PSTs generally conceptualized models’ materialistic uses, yet they did not think much about their theoretical and conceptual uses. It was observed that roles like reifying and visualizing were overestimated and models were dominantly characterized as three-dimensional representations. Conclusions: It is clear that PSTs, having difficulties in grasping the concept of models, would possibly have problems in planning their lessons effectively and would not develop accurate concepts in their students. These findings apparently support the need for appropriate pedagogic training of PSTs to scientifically reflect on and professionally make use of models in science classes.     

Model-based teaching and learning about inheritance in third-grade science

ABSTRACT

Research suggests that it is challenging for elementary students to develop conceptual understanding of trait variation, inheritance of traits, and life cycles. In this study, we report on an effort to promote elementary students’ learning of hereditary-related concepts through scientific modelling, which affords opportunities for elementary students to generate visual representations of structure and function associated with heredity. This study is part of a four-year design-based research project aimed at supporting students’ learning about life science concepts using corn as a model organism. Study data were collected during the implementation of a project-developed, multi-week, model-based curriculum module in eight third-grade classrooms located in the Midwestern United States. Through mixed methods research, we analysed video recorded observations of curriculum implementation, student artefacts, and student interviews. Results illustrate epistemic dimensions of model-based explanations (MBEs) for heredity that students prioritised, as well as significant variation in students’ MBEs in 2 of the 8 classrooms. While findings show neither students’ content knowledge nor model-based instruction associated with their MBEs, qualitative differences in teachers’ curriculum enactment, and more general approaches to science instruction, may help explain observed differences. Implications are discussed for curriculum and instruction in support of students’ MBE for heredity-related concepts.     

人文社会学科研究的科学性何以可能

近代以来,自然科学在各个领域获得的巨大成功使其本身成为科学标准的裁量者。人文社会学科研究中自身的科学性是按照自然科学的标准由自然科学赋予和认可的。进入19世纪末20世纪初,社会危机和自然科学的新发现使得自然学科自身的科学性面临挑战。本质主义、理性主义受到质疑,人的能动性、非理性主义、相对主义受到追捧。这为人文社会学科研究摆脱对自然科学的依附,建立自己的科学性提供了契机。     

关于科学教育的几点思考

在中华传统教育思想的主导下,长期以来,无论是高等教育还是基础教育都一直存在着把科学教育片面理解为只是传播科学知识的教育,而忽视了更高层次的科学思想、科学方法和科学精神的培养教育的问题,这不仅与时代要求不相适应,而且对人才的培养极为不利。特别是加入WTO后,中国面临着全球性人才竞争的严峻挑战。因此,在当前的学校教育中,只有加快科学教育改革的进程,大力加强科学思想、科学方法和科学精神的教育,才能培养出具有创新精神和创造能力的高素质人才,为中华民族在21世纪的伟大复兴作出新的贡献。     

大学生科学本质教育研究

充分理解科学本质是大学教育的内在要求。科学本质作为一种对科学问题的本原性思考,体现了科学精神与人文精神的融合。由于大学生科学本质观存在的科学主义等取向,本文提出通过提高大学教师对科学本质的认识、开展HPS教育、营造校园科学文化来达成科学观的文化转向。     

发展教师教学行为的行动研究

理科教师要具有相应的科学本质教学行为。通过行动研究的方法对发展理科教师教学行为的途径和方法的研究发现:教师理解科学本质教育的价值是自主发展科学本质教学行为的前提;教学行为的范例水平影响着教师教学行为的发展;WWHW思考模型能够有效提升教师的认识论水平,进一步深化教师对知识内容及其科学本质的理解,促进教师科学本质教学行为的发展;科学本质教学行为自我监控系统对于理科教师科学本质教学行为发展能够起到有效的监控作用。