Transition to Science Teacher Educator: Tensions Experienced while Learning to Teach Lesson Sequencing

This self-study investigated the tensions that I (Heidi) encountered when teaching elementary preservice teachers how to develop a coherent sequence of five science lessons. Four lesson planning components guided me in developing a series of lessons to support the preservice teachers with this exercise. Employing self-study methodology, data sources included preservice teachers' artifacts, an audio-recording of the preservice teachers discussing the planning of their lesson sequence, and two reflection journals, one kept personally and one kept collaboratively with my co-author and critical friend (Meredith). Findings indicate that a tension of telling and growth developed gradually during the three weeks of teaching. The collaborative journal revealed that this tension was promoted by two other tensions: confidence and uncertainty, and planning and being responsive. Implications regarding the need for explicit teacher educator coursework and reflective practice opportunities are discussed as potential avenues for Ph.D. programs to consider to lessen the tensions that doctoral students may experience during their transition into the role of teacher educator.     

Science Learning in Special Education: The Case for Constructed Versus Instructed Learning

Throughout the history of education, debate has existed between the relative merits of instructed versus constructed knowledge. In this article, we review our program of research in science education for students with disabilities in order to reveal some insights into this debate. We review research in science curriculum, mnemonic strategies, text-processing strategies, hands-on approaches, coached elaborations, “discovery” learning, correlates of effective inclusive science classrooms, and class-wide peer tutoring with differentiated curriculum enhancements. Overall, both instructed and constructed knowledge are important and can be facilitated with appropriate instructional strategies. Implications for practice and future research are provided.     

Using Multi-Modal Representations to Improve Learning in Junior Secondary Science

There is growing research interest in both the challenges and opportunities learners face in trying to represent scientific understanding, processes and reasoning. These challenges are increasingly well understood by researchers, including integrating verbal, visual and mathematical modes in science discourse, and making strong conceptual links between classroom experiences and diverse 3D and 2D representations. However, a matching enhanced pedagogy of representation-rich learning opportunities, including their theoretical justification, is much less clearly established. Our paper reports on part of a three-year project to identify practical and theoretical issues entailed in developing a pedagogical framework to guide teacher understanding and practices to maximize representational opportunities for learners to develop conceptual understandings in science.     

合理利用学具提高数学课堂教学效率

论述了在数学课堂教学中运用学具提高教学效率的意义。     

Writing Activities Can Improve Learning in Computer Science Courses

Those of us who teach computer science courses, especially upper division courses, face a difficult pedagogical problem. What kind of activities can we provide that will help our students progress beyond the superficial level of learning yet another collection of disjointed facts and procedures? The literature on writing strongly suggests that writing assignments can help the students master difficult concepts and develop the higher level skills that should be part of their education. Short, narrowly focused writing assignments have been used effectively to supplement a wide range of computer science courses. Holistic grading and follow‐up discussions can reduce the grading burden without sacrificing the quality of the feedback.     

School-Based Management: Reconceptualizing to Improve Learning Outcomes

This article examines educational decentralization efforts in both developed and developing countries, guided by two questions: (1) under what conditions does school-based management (SBM) produce best results and (2) what are the roles and relationships of the school/community and of the region/center. The authors summarize, from recent literature, reasons for the usual failure of SBM and identify the conditions under which SBM works, noting school/community relations and external infrastructure as important factors. In looking at research from developing countries, the authors highlight similarities and differences compared to Western research, focusing on projects with promising results. Finally, the article draws strategic implications for establishing the kind of school-based developments that will positively affect learning outcomes.     

Graphing as a Means to Improve Middle School Science Learning and Mathematics-Related Affective Domains

Research in Science Education - This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Mathematics Infusion into Science Project (MiSP), which integrated science and mathematics in an engaging middle school...     

加强情感教学 提高学生学习科学的兴趣

在现代教育教学中,情感教学已被越来越多的教育家、教学工作者所关注。在初中科学的教学中,就加强情感教学提高学生学习兴趣的意义、如何运用情感教学原理及在实施过程中应注意的问题进行探讨。     

Learning Environments and Learning Styles: Non-traditional Student Enrollment and Success in an Internet-based Versus a Lecture-based Computer Science Course

Colleges and universities are increasingly using information technologies to enhance the learning environment. Many educational institutions offer Internet-based on-line courses in an effort to meet the educational needs of students. The primary goal of this research was to determine if there is a relationship between students' preferred learning environment (i.e. face-to-face or on-line) and their learning style. The secondary goal was to determine if there were any differences in the academic success of students in the face-to-face versus on-line sections. Participants were adult (ages 22+ years), non-traditional computer science students given the option to take a face-to-face lecture-based or an on-line Internet-based computer science course. Results revealed that computer science students in the face-to-face learning environment were more likely to have the Assimilator learning-style, whereas computer science students in the on-line Internet-based learning environment were more likely to have the Converger learning-style. Student academic success did not reliably differ as a function of learning environment selection. Implications of these results are discussed in terms of learning style characteristics of computer science students, learning styles and gender differences and implications of student academic success in on-line vs face-to-face environments. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

促进幼儿园科学教育深入开展的几点思考

幼儿园开展科学教育是适应时代发展的必然结果。为提高幼儿园科学教育的质量，必须从思想上提高认识，更新教育观念，加强幼儿园科学教育师资的培养，加快幼儿园的信息化建设，宣传和推广幼儿园科学教育资源方面的研究成果，为普遍提高幼儿园科学教育的水平服务。     

如何激发学生的学习动机

我们都知道，活动一般是由一定动机所激发的。当人的需要未得到满足时，心理上会产生一种不安和紧张状态，这种状态会造成一种导向某种行为的内在驱动力，这就是动机。人的动机不仅可由内部因素来激发，也可由外在刺激力（诱因）而引起，诱因与内驱力是紧密联系的。学生的学习动机也是如此。     

Faculty Learning Matters: Organizational Conditions and Contexts that Shape Faculty Learning

This study explored the relationships between faculty scholarly learning, faculty teaching learning, institutional support, faculty demographics, disciplinary groups, working conditions, and career outcomes such as retention, productivity, satisfaction, and career agency. We found that the stronger the scholarly learning faculty members reported, the more institutional and unit support they perceived for learning, the more satisfied they were, the less likely they were to intend to leave their institution, and the more career agency they reported. Similarly, we found that faculty members who reported more learning related to teaching reported a decreased intent to leave the institution and increased career agency. We draw implications for the development of work environments that support scholarly and teaching learning.     

Using Cultural Identity to Improve Learning

Many South-African learners, bringing their particular cultural identity to the higher education environment, find it challenging to achieve the academic literacy required for successful mastery of their studies. Though they want to realize academic success, a cultural chasm may exist between their cultural roots and their academic identity.

This article explores a model of academic language support that acknowledges cultural identity to facilitate access to academic scientific content and language. An action research project was conducted to test this model and discover whether incorporating indigenous knowledge in LEA 111 (English for Academic Advancement in Science and Health Sciences) would facilitate mastery of academic scientific content as well as language skills.     

Anatomy Learning from Prosected Cadaveric Specimens Versus Plastic Models: A Comparative Study of Upper Limb Anatomy

Human cadaveric prosections are a traditional, effective, and highly appreciated modality of anatomy learning. Plastic models are an alternative teaching modality, though few studies examine their effectiveness in learning of upper limb musculoskeletal anatomy. The purpose of this study is to investigate which modality is associated with a better outcome, as assessed by students' performance on examinations. Overall, 60 undergraduate medical students without previous knowledge of anatomy participated in the study. Students were assigned into two groups. Group 1 attended lectures and studied from cadaveric prosections (n = 30) and Group 2 attended lectures and used plastic models in the laboratory (n = 30). A knowledge assessment, including examination with tag questions (spot test) and written multiple-choice questions, was held after the end of the study. Students' perceptions were also investigated via an anonymous questionnaire. No significant difference in students' performance was observed between the group using prosections and the group using plastic models (32.2 ± 14.7 vs 35.0 ± 14.8, respectively; P = 0.477). Similarly, no statistically significant difference was found regarding students' satisfaction from using each learning modality (P = 0.441). Plastic models may be a valuable supplementary modality in learning upper limb musculoskeletal anatomy, despite their limitations. Easy to use and with no need for maintaining facilities, they are highly appreciated by students and can be useful when preparing for the use of cadaveric specimens.     

Through the Looking Glass: The History of Aquarium Views and their Potential to Improve Learning in Science Classrooms

Aquarium views, or AqViews, offer a glimpse into a split-phase aquatic system that is not normally afforded to terrestrial viewers. Although geologist Henry De la Beche created the AqView prototype two decades before the advent of the aquarium, this graphic type did not become popular until after the Victorian aquarium craze. We investigate the historical development and construct a comprehensive typology of AqViews that can be used by science teachers. We identify variations on the AqView, as well as a broader category encompassing non-aquatic systems, the PhaseView. Our research indicates that horizontal, cross-sectional representation of underwater scenes now appears to be the default position for some textbook authors, artists, and students. In spite of this, we believe AqViews are currently untapped resources for learning in science classrooms, and offer potential for enhancing science instruction, assessment, and visual literacy.     

Initial Reactions to Client Attributional Presentations: Content Versus Belief Similarity Models

Two models of attribution were compared in assessing counselors' reactions to clients' initial attributional presentations. Predictions derived from the content model of attribution suggested that certain attributional content in client presentations (e.g., internal and unstable explanations) would create more favorable counselor impressions. The belief similarity model predicted that counselor–client agreement on explanations for the client's problem was more critical. Results partially supported both models: Counselors reacted most positively when they disagreed with the client's internal attribution and the most negatively when they disagreed with the client's external attribution.