The Parallels Between Philosophical Inquiry and Scientific Inquiry: Implications for science education

The ‘community of inquiry’ as formulated by C. S. Peirce is grounded in the notion of communities of discipline‐based inquiry engaged in the construction of knowledge. The phrase ‘transforming the classroom into a community of inquiry’ is commonly understood as a pedagogical activity with a philosophical focus to guide classroom discussion. But it has a broader application. Integral to the method of the community of inquiry is the ability of the classroom teacher to actively engage in the theories and practices of discipline‐based communities of inquiry so as to become informed by the norms of the disciplines, not only to aspire to competence within the disciplines, but also to develop habits of self‐correction for reconstructing those same norms when faced with novel problems and solutions, including those in the classroom. This has implications for science education and the role of educational philosophy in developing students' ability to think scientifically. But it also has broader implications for thinking critically within all key learning areas. Here we concentrate on science education. We present the parallels between philosophical inquiry and scientific inquiry that need to be realised to promote and engage with scientific inquiry in the classroom. We also discuss the conflicts between philosophical inquiry and the way inquiry science in the classroom is portrayed in the education literature. Based on philosophical and historical perceptions of science as inquiry, a practical approach to implementation of scientific inquiry in the science classroom is presented.     

Predicting Scientific Understanding of Prospective Elementary Teachers: Role of Gender,Education Level,Courses in Science,and Attitudes Toward Science and Mathematics

A multiple regression analysis of the relationship between prospective teachers' scientific understanding and Gender, Education Level (High School, College), Courses in Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Astronomy, and Agriculture), Attitude Towards Science, and Attitude Towards Mathematics is reported. Undergraduate elementary science students (N = 176) in an urban doctoral-level university in the United States participated in this study. The results of this study showed Gender, completion of courses in High School Chemistry and Physics, College Chemistry and Physics, and Attitudes Toward Mathematics and Science significantly correlated with scientific understanding. Based on a regression model, Gender, and College Chemistry and Physics experiences added significant predictive accuracy to scientific understanding among prospective elementary teachers compared to the other variables.     

从世界意识到全球素养:美国中小学国际理解教育政策的演进

美国中小学国际理解教育政策的发展经历了三个阶段:培养世界意识的初创阶段、在争议中前行的稳步发展阶段和强调全球素养培养的深入阶段。其发展呈现出始终服务于国家利益,由政府与社会力量共同推进,以课程建设为核心等特征。这为我国中小学国际理解教育政策的发展提供了有益启示,即需要加强重视国际理解素养培养的力度,建立完备的中小学国际理解教育政策体系,扩大国际理解教育政策的研究主体和制定主体,注重中小学国际理解教育课程建设。     

科学发展观的贯彻与高校学生违纪处分制度的完善——以2005年湖南某学院学生替考案为分析对象

学生违纪处分制度是保证高等学校校生关系良好建构的重要保障,它能否得到合法与合理的施行对学生以及高等学校本身都有着极其重要的意义。2005年湖南某学院学生替考案作为一个典型案例,其中存在着许多不公平、不正义的问题。要正确地处理高等学校学生的权益保护问题,必须在科学发展观的指导下,以学生为本出发思考处理问题,对2005年的《普通高等学校学生管理规定》的学生违纪处分制度作出完善。