Bridging the Gap? A Comparative,Retrospective Analysis of Science Literacy and Interest in Science for Indigenous and Non‐Indigenous Australian Students

Previous research has shown that indigenous students in Australia do not enjoy equal educational outcomes with other Australians. This secondary analysis of PISA 2006 confirmed that this continues to be the case in science literacy for secondary students. However, the analysis also revealed that indigenous Australian students held interest in science equal to that of their non‐indigenous peers, and that observed variations in science literacy performance were most strongly explained by variations in reading literacy. These findings hold important implications for teachers, teacher educators, policy‐makers, and researchers. Firstly, acknowledging and publicly valuing indigenous Australian science knowledge through rethinking school science curriculum seems an important approach to engaging indigenous students and improving their literacy in science. Secondly, appropriate professional learning for practising teachers and the incorporation of indigenous knowing in science methods training in teacher preparation seems warranted. Additionally, we offer a number of questions for further reflection and research that would benefit our understanding of ways forward in closing the science literacy gap for indigenous students. Whilst this research remains firmly situated within the Australian educational context, we at the same time believe that the findings and implications offered here hold value for science education practitioners and researchers in other countries with similar populations striving to achieve science literacy for all.     

大学生科技创新障碍分析

培养学生的创新精神和实践能力是时代赋予教育工作者的使命。通过分析大学生科技创新活动的现状与障碍,提出了克服大学生科技创新活动障碍的对策。     

The Inter-relationship of Science and Religion: A typology of engagement

This study explores whether the religious background of students affects their opinions about and attitudes to engaging with scientific explanations of the origins of the universe and of life. The study took place in four English secondary schools representing three different contexts (Christian faith-based; non-faith with majority Muslim catchment; and non-faith, mixed catchment). It comprised questionnaires and focus groups with over 200 students aged 14–16, supplemented by teacher interviews. The analysis approach was informed by grounded theory and resulted in the development of an engagement typology, which has been set in the context of the cross-cultural border crossing literature. It divides students into categories depending on both the nature and amount of engagement they were prepared to have with the relationship between science and religion. The model takes into account where students sit on four dimensions. These assess whether a student's preferred knowledge base is belief-based or fact-based; their tolerance of uncertainty (do they have a need for resolution?); their open mindedness (are they unquestioning or inquiring?); and whether they conceptualise science and religion as being in conflict or harmony. Many Muslim students resisted engagement because of conflicting religious beliefs. Teachers did not always appreciate the extent to which this topic troubled some students who needed help to accommodate clashes between science and their religious beliefs. It is suggested that increased appreciation of the complexity represented by their students can guide a teacher towards an appropriate approach when covering potentially sensitive topics such as the theory of evolution.     

小学科学教师的科学素养结构要素及其具体要求

全民科学素养的高低，是制约社会发展水平的重要因素，而教育是提高全民科学素养的主要途径，小学科学是以培养科学素养为宗旨的科学启蒙课程。小学科学教师自身科学素养的高低，直接影响到人才培养的质量。基于对科学素养基本要素的共识、科学素养概念的弹性以及对小学科学教师的特殊要求，提出“小学科学教师的科学素养结构要素”这一概念，并对结构要素进行界定，对各要素的品质提出具体要求。     

校外科技教育活动评价体系初探

校外科技教育活动和学校教育一样需要进行科学的评价,校外教育机构普遍缺乏教育活动的评价体系,即使在现有的不甚完善的评价体系中还存在明显的不尽合理的地方,这种状况将影响到校外教育的可持续发展。文章从校外教育机构本身、活动中的学生以及教师三个方面对校外科技教育的评价原则、评价指标、权重分配等作了一定的阐述。     

Science Engagement and Literacy: A Retrospective Analysis for Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Students in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia

Previous research has underlined the importance of school students’ engagement in science (including students’ attitudes, interests and self beliefs). Engagement in science is important as a correlate of scientific literacy and attainment, and as an educational outcome in its own right. Students positively engaged with science are more likely to pursue science related careers, and to support science related policies and initiatives. This retrospective, secondary analysis of PISA 2006 national data for Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia examines and compares the factors associated with science literacy and with science engagement for indigenous and non-indigenous 15 year old students. Using a four step hierarchical regression model, our secondary analyses showed consistent patterns of influence on engagement in science for both indigenous and non-indigenous students in Aotearoa and Australia. Variations in students’ interest, enjoyment, personal and general valuing, self-efficacy, and self concept in science were most strongly associated with the extent to which students engaged in science activities outside of school. In contrast, socioeconomic status, time spent on science lessons and study, and the character of science teaching experienced by students in their schools were the factors most explanatory of variations in science literacy. Yet, the factors that explained variation in science literacy had only quite weak associations with the suite of variables comprising engagement in science. We discuss the implications of these findings for science educators and researchers interested in enhancing students’ engagement with science, and committed to contributing positively to closing the persistent gap in educational outcomes between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.     

Engagement profiles of elementary students in urban schools

This study identified engagement profiles and examined their relations to student characteristics (gender, grade, socioeconomic status) as well as mathematics and reading achievement among elementary students attending urban schools in the southeastern part of the United States (N = 564). Using latent profile analysis, four engagement profiles were identified including a Moderately Engaged, Globally Disengaged, Affectively Disengaged, and Behaviorally Disengaged profile. Subsequent analyses showed that grade level was a statistically significant predictor of profile membership, and the Moderately Engaged profile was associated with higher mathematics achievement compared to the Affectively Disengaged profile. Results contribute to the growing body of person-centered work that indicates that students’ engagement cluster into unique configurations of global, behavioral, affective, cognitive, and social engagement, which have important implications for their academic achievement.     

Reconsidering the Character and Role of Inquiry in School Science: Analysis of a Conference

We summarize a conference on scientific inquiry bringing together science educators, cognitive scientists and philosophers of science with three goals:

幼儿园集体科学教学活动设计中存在的问题与对策

幼儿科学活动教育越来越受到人们的重视,然而在现实的科学活动设计中,却存在着诸多问题。文章主要围绕幼儿园集体教学中,科学活动设计存在的问题进行分析,主要有科学活动设计中存在的目标把握不准确,问题提出缺少情境性,材料投放缺乏目的性,教师提问偏离主题,缺少对活动结束后的总结等问题,并针对这些问题提出相应的解决策略。     

Teaching and Learning Science Through Song: Exploring the experiences of students and teachers

This qualitative, multi-case study explored the use of science-content music for teaching and learning in six middle school science classrooms. The researcher sought to understand how teachers made use of content-rich songs for teaching science, how they impacted student engagement and learning, and what the experiences of these teachers and students suggested about using songs for middle school classroom science instruction. Data gathered included three teacher interviews, one classroom observation and a student focus-group discussion from each of six cases. The data from each unit of analysis were examined independently and then synthesized in a multi-case analysis, resulting in a number of merged findings, or assertions, about the experience. The results of this study indicated that teachers used content-rich music to enhance student understanding of concepts in science by developing content-based vocabulary, providing students with alternative examples and explanations of concepts, and as a sense-making experience to help build conceptual understanding. The use of science-content songs engaged students by providing both situational and personal interest, and provided a mnemonic device for remembering key concepts in science. The use of songs has relevance from a constructivist approach as they were used to help students build meaning; from a socio-cultural perspective in terms of student engagement; and from a cognitive viewpoint in that in these cases they helped students make connections in learning. The results of this research have implications for science teachers and the science education community in developing new instructional strategies for the middle school science classroom.     

促进学习的评价:在线开放课程中同伴互评投入度研究

后疫情时代,提质增效是在线开放课程内涵式发展的重要抓手。重申促进学习的评价,强调学习者的深度参与,探究学习者参与同伴互评的特点及现存问题具有重要的现实意义。文章基于国内一门在线开放课程,采用学习分析技术从结构化与非结构化数据入手,分析在线开放课程同伴互评过程中学习者的投入度,并进一步探究同伴互评投入度与学习绩效的关系。研究结果表明,在线开放课程中学习者同伴互评的行为投入及认知投入不高,但是参与同伴互评能够识别更有动力通过课程的学习者,且其认知投入度能够预测其学习绩效。基于FBM(学习行为模型)模型提出促进同伴互评投入度的两阶段干预策略,从而提高学习者参与同伴互评的投入度,并为教师及平台提供更具针对性的策略建议。     

(Re)Designing for Engagement in a Project-based AP Environmental Science Course

Abstract

This paper describes a three-year, design-based research project to redesign a year-long, project-based advanced placement environmental science course to better support student engagement and the development of environmental citizen identities. In the initial implementation, students’ increased understanding of environmental problems paradoxically led to disengagement as students felt pessimistic and powerless. We describe design cycles across three implementation years and investigate the impact of design features on engagement and identity. Curricular design features (positioning students as change agents and widening projects’ spheres of influence from local to global), alongside expansive framing for transfer, contributed to engagement and the development of practice-linked identities as environmental citizens. We discuss implications for designing courses for engagement and identification with disciplinary content.     

提高公众科学素养与科学教育新理念

从公众科学素养的调查可见,科学教育仍然是提高公众科学素养的最基本的途径和最主要的手段。因此,科学教育的理念必须符合科学素养内涵与目标的变化与要求。这种新的理念主要是：理解科学的本质,建立科学教育整体性目标;强化通识教育,建立以适应与创新能力为核心价值的教育模式。     

初等教育教师脑科学素养状况与对策

采用问卷调查的方法,对四川省某三个市区范围内的部分初等教育教师脑科学素养水平进行了调查与分析。结果表明,被调查教师对脑基本结构与功能知识掌握程度不够;对目前脑科学研究所采用的主要技术手段和主要成果了解甚少;对基于脑的教育原理的认识主要受大众传媒的影响;缺乏对基于脑的教学原理运用于教育实践的行为意识和能力水平。最后,针对初等教育教师脑科学素养水平总体比较低下的状况,从以下三方面提出了相应的对策与建议：①重视初等教育教师脑科学素养的职前和在职培训;②采取必要的激励措施,充分调动初等教育教师学习脑科学的积极性;③通过教育理论工作者与初等教育教师的有效沟通,共同探索基于脑的教育研究工作。     

Closing the Gap: Inquiry in Research and the Secondary Science Classroom

Teaching students how to conduct authentic scientific inquiry is an essential aspect of recent science education reform efforts. Our National Science Foundation-funded GK-12 program paired science graduate students—fellows—with secondary science teachers in order to enhance inquiry-based instruction. This research examined the roles of the fellows, teachers, and school culture in the implementation of inquiry and the fellows’ conceptions of classroom inquiry versus that in their own research. Qualitative data were collected for two academic years. Overall, the classrooms shifted toward a more inquiry-oriented approach over the academic year. Several aspects of school culture influenced inquiry implementation. Fellows described their research as similar in overall structure but less constrained by known concepts, less guided by mentors, and more in-depth than that of secondary school students. The teacher-fellow scientist partnership is a potentially effective professional development model to create positive and lasting change within the science classroom.     

海峡两岸婚约制度之比较

婚约是现实生活中客观存在的普遍现象,本文在对海峡两岸婚约制度比较的基础上,结合我国实际情况,提出我国婚约制度的立法构想。     

浅谈科学课中探究式教学的实践

开展探究式教学是现代教学改革的必然要求,其核心是通过探究式教学使学生能动地获取科学知识,掌握科学方法,养成科学态度和科学精神。认为在中学科学课堂中开展探究式教学,要创设情景,激发学生质疑;要营造融洽课堂氛围,鼓励学生思疑;要开展实践探究,引导学生解疑;要提出新问题,使学生带着问题走进教室,带着更多的问题走出教室。     

浅谈中学科学课程中的活动内涵

中学科学课程中重学科课程轻活动课程的现象严重,致使科学课程成为死记硬背的代名词。深入理解科学课程中的活动内涵,加强并活跃学生的实践性活动,是科学教育的必经之路。