Scientific sensemaking supports science content learning across disciplines and instructional contexts

Science consists of a body of knowledge and a set of processes by which the knowledge is produced. Although these have traditionally been treated separately in science instruction, there has been a shift to an integration of knowledge and processes, or set of practices, in how science should be taught and assessed. We explore whether a general overall mastery of the processes drives learning in new science content areas and if this overall mastery can be improved through engaged science learning. Through a review of literature, the paper conceptualizes this general process mastery as scientific sensemaking, defines the sub-dimensions, and presents a new measure of the construct centered in scenarios of general interest to young adolescents. Using a dataset involving over 2500 6th and 8th grade students, the paper shows that scientific sensemaking scores can predict content learning gains and that this relationship is consistent across student characteristics, content of instruction, and classroom environment. Further, students who are behaviorally and cognitively engaged during science classroom activities show greater growth in scientific sensemaking, showing a reciprocal relationship between sensemaking ability and effective science instruction. Findings from this work support early instruction on sensemaking activities to better position students to learn new scientific content.     

Role of Epistemic Beliefs and Scientific Argumentation in Science Learning

We hypothesized that instruction in the criteria of scientific arguments, in combination with constructivist epistemic beliefs, would produce greater learning about physics concepts. The study was a randomized experiment, where college undergraduates (n = 88) discussed, in pairs over the Web, several physics problems related to gravity and air resistance. Prior to their discussions, one‐half of the dyads received information on the nature of scientific arguments. All students were classified epistemologically as relativists, multiplists, or evaluativists. We found that students in the treatment group incorporated more scientific criteria into their discussion notes and accordingly developed better arguments on several dimensions. In addition, significantly more participants in the treatment group adopted the correct answer to one of the problems. Outcomes also differed in relation to students’ epistemic beliefs. Specifically, multiplists were less critical of inconsistencies and misconceptions, and interacted with their partners less than other belief groups, whereas evaluativists interacted more critically, bringing up different ideas from their partners. Evaluativists also solved one of the physics problems more accurately and tended to demonstrate a reduction in misconceptions. We discuss the results in light of instruction in scientific argumentation, conceptual development and change, and epistemic beliefs.     

The effects of reading to prepare for argumentative discussion on cognitive engagement and conceptual growth

Dialogue based approaches to education have been shown to benefit students through the quality of shared discourse. Warm conceptual change theories propose that these benefits are also mediated by increasing student engagement. Discourse and engagement effects were isolated in this study by having 130 third and fourth grade students read a science text for different purposes (no stated purpose, to prepare for a regular classroom discussion, or to prepare for an argumentative discussion) and then testing children before the discussion took place. Children who anticipated a discussion, especially an argumentative discussion, read more slowly than other children after controlling for fluency. A subset of reading times predicted conceptual growth. Finally some children who participated in argumentative discussions had higher rates of conceptual growth. Results substantiate the efficacy of argumentative discussion as a context for reading scientific texts, and they support the central mechanism of dual-processing theories of warm conceptual change.     

Science Teaching and Argumentation: One-sided versus dialectical argumentation in Chilean middle-school science lessons

Since the late 1990s, there has been consensus among educational researchers that argumentation should play a central role in science education. Although there has been extensive relevant research, it is not clear enough how oral argumentation spontaneously occurs in science teaching. This is particularly important with regard to the empirical evidence suggesting the effect of discussion of contradictory views on scientific learning. In order to contribute to the research on argumentation in science teaching, we conducted a study that aims to sketch a panoramic view of the uses of oral argumentation in Chilean middle-school science teaching. A total of 153 videotaped science lessons were observed, involving students aged 10–11 and 12–13. Whole-class argumentative discourse was analysed as a function of thematic episodes and teachers' and students' utterances. Results suggest that argumentative discourse in which contradictory points of view are discussed is scarce but when it occurs it does so predominantly within discourse among students. On the contrary, argumentation aimed at justifying points of view is widely used, even more so when students are older.     

The Benefits of Cooperative Learning to Socio-scientific Discussion in Secondary School Science

The aim of this research was to determine the benefits of cooperative learning to opening up socio-scientific discussion in secondary science. Seventy-four classes of 20 13–14-year-old pupils in one secondary school were observed engaging in discussion concerning climate change over three rounds of action research involving 12 teachers associated with the implementation of a Topical Science strand of a new national science curriculum. Pupil views on the cooperative learning approach used to facilitate the lessons and the associated discussion were determined using a pupil questionnaire (n?=?171). By the end of the action research, the overall average typical exchange in the observed lessons was between pupil-to-pupil (mean?±?SD, 41%?±?5%) and pupil-to-teacher (32%?±?4%) with teacher-to-pupil interactions accounting for only 27%?±?5% of exchanges. However, the pace of the typical exchanges was predominantly fast with most of the questions being a mixture of low order on task questions from teacher-to-pupil; technical exchanges, inquiring what to do from pupil-to-teacher; and quiz questions from teacher-to-pupil or from pupil-to-pupil. Questionnaire data indicated that overall 50.3% of pupils enjoyed the discussion (on global warming) and 59.7% did not find it boring. Nevertheless, only 45% felt that they were given the chance to express their own opinions during these discussions. Prior to these lessons, 59.6% were not interested in the issue of climate change and global warming. Cooperative learning facilitated a shift in the pattern of typical exchanges away from a teacher-dominated discourse towards a more pupil-centred, open discourse.     

中学英语教学中以学习小组为核心的合作教学方法探讨

以学习小组为核心的合作式课堂教学方法,改变了传统课堂教学"重结果轻过程"的不足,由学生来主导构筑知识、发现知识、转移知识和扩展知识的过程,全面提高了课堂教学效果。     

美国中学实施混合学习的特点与启示——基于《在学校层面实施混合学习的路线图》的分析

为顺应疫情防控常态化,我国中学阶段实施混合学习,成为复学后的新型学习方式。美国在混合学习研究与实践领域具有很强的影响,国际K-12在线学习协会与纽约市实验学校合作实施混合学习,并制定了《在学校层面实施混合学习的路线图》,提出了实施混合学习的六个要素:领导力、专业发展、教学、运营、内容、技术,设计了混合学习质量的评估原则。美国中学实施混合学习体现出突出特点:中学领导定期视察实施混合学习状况,及时交流反馈;多维度制订实施混合学习计划,不同阶段任务明确具体;强调混合学习中的个性化学习,培养学生自主学习能力;实行跨校合作,多校协同推进实施混合学习。对我国中学实施混合学习的启示:提升校长信息化领导力,统筹混合学习的规划与发展;提高教师技术与资源应用能力,发挥混合学习引导者的作用;提升学生信息素养,发挥混合学习的主体性;实现资源普及与共享,优化混合学习的环境;因地制宜,采取差异化的方式进行评估。     

中学生英语自主学习能力的培养初探

培养学生的自主学习能力是中学英语教学最重要的任务之一，是学好英语的关键。良好的师生关系，科学的教学方式，有效的学习方法，积极的评价，是提高中学生英语自主学习能力的重要手段。     

网络环境下中学化学研究性学习的探讨

通过对研究性学习的内涵和国内外的研究概况的分析以及新时期中学化学的培养目标的研究,提出在信息网络飞速发展的今天,网络对中学化学研究性学习的开展提供了一个良好的契机和无与伦比的优势.     

论原版影视作品对英语学习的支撑作用

运用定性研究与问卷调查的方法,分析了原版影视作品赏析的可能性,探讨了对应的学习方法。研究结果表明,只有选取了合适的作品,牢牢把握看前、看中、看后三个环节,辅以正确的学习方法,才能取得较理想的学习效果。     

Supporting Teachers to Attend to Generalisation in Science Classroom Argumentation

In scientific arguments, claims must have meaning that extends beyond the immediate circumstances of an investigation. That is, claims must be generalised in some way. Therefore, teachers facilitating classroom argumentation must be prepared to support students’ efforts to construct or criticise generalised claims. However, widely used argumentation support tools, for instance, the claim-evidence-reasoning (CER) framework, tend not to address generalisation. Accordingly, teachers using these kinds of tools may not be prepared to help their students negotiate issues of generalisation in arguments. We investigated this possibility in a study of professional development activities of 18 middle school teachers using CER. We compared the teachers’ approach to generalisation when using a published version of CER to their approach when using an alternate form of CER that increased support for generalisation. In several different sessions, the teachers: (1) responded to survey questions when using CER, (2) critiqued student arguments, (3) used both CER and alternate CER to construct arguments, and (4) discussed the experience of using CER and alternate CER. When using the standard CER, the teachers did not explicitly attend to generalisation in student arguments or in their own arguments. With alternate CER, the teachers generalised their own arguments, and they acknowledged the need for generalisation in student arguments. We concluded that teachers using frameworks for supporting scientific argumentation could benefit from more explicit support for generalisation than CER provides. More broadly, we concluded that generalisation deserves increased attention as a pedagogical challenge within classroom scientific argumentation.     

初中体育教学中"自主学习"的实验研究

采用文献研究、教学实验、问卷调查、专家访谈、数理统计等方法,以辽宁省4座城市8所初中的868名学生为研究对象,通过一个学年的教学实验得出结论:在初中体育教学采用自主学习方式可以提高学生的内部动机水平;在初中体育教学采用自主学习方式其教学效果优于常规教学,在初中体育课中有较高的推广价值.     

Fostering Self-Reflection and Meaningful Learning: Earth Science Professional Development for Middle School Science Teachers

This paper describes the analysis of teachers’ journal reflections during an inquiry-based professional development program. As a part of their learning experience, participants reflected on what they learned and how they learned. Progress of subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge was assessed though surveys and pre- and posttests. We found that teachers have difficulties reflecting on their learning and posing meaningful questions. The teachers who could describe how they reasoned from evidence to understand a concept had the highest learning gains. In contrast those teachers who seldom or never described learning a concept by reasoning from evidence showed the smallest learning gains. This analysis suggests that learning to reflect on one’s learning should be an integral part of teachers’ professional development experiences.     

Using an opportunity-propensity framework to estimate individual-, classroom-, and school-level predictors of middle school science achievement

Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–99 (N = 4447), this analysis employs an opportunity-propensity (O-P) framework (Byrnes, 2003; Byrnes & Miller, 2007; Byrnes & Wasik 2009) to examine the influence of multiple student, teacher, classroom, and school factors on eighth-grade science achievement. Saçkes, Trundle, Bell, and O’Connell (2011) fit an O-P structural equation model (SEM) to the same database to explain science achievement growth from Kindergarten to third grade. We extend this work by fitting an O-P SEM to this database to predict science achievement growth from fifth to eighth grade. This middle school model includes an opportunity variable – science curriculum track placement – that operates only in middle and high school. This variable and the school’s poverty rate are significant predictors of several opportunity factors. We replicate previous findings that propensity factors are the strongest determinants of science achievement, notably prior achievement. However, we find more opportunity factors than previous studies that are also significant. Other things being equal, having a state-certified teacher is the second strongest predictor of achievement within the model. Placement in a science honors course and being enrolled in a low income school are also linked to small but significant impacts on science achievement.     

计算机模拟环境中的科学发现学习 --过程、条件与学习支持

如何在计算机模拟情境中嵌入有效的学习支持是当前研究者关注的一个重要问题.科学发现学习活动中有三种基本活动线索:问题表征与假设生成、实验检验、自我监控与反思概括.这种学习活动可能主要受三个内在条件的制约:意义性、系统逻辑性和反思概括,据此,针对计算机模拟环境中的学习支持可以包括三个侧面:解释性支持、实验性支持和反省性支持.     

Professional Learning Community in Relation to School Effectiveness

This is a study of schools as professional learning communities, defined by nine characteristics and their relationship with the schools' level of effectiveness. The study was conducted within three schools in Iceland. It was designed as a mixed methods study, conducted in two phases: a correlational study of survey data on schools as professional learning communities and an experimental study, where effort was made to improve the level of the professional learning community and evaluate its effects on pupils' outcomes. In both phases relatively strong evidence was obtained on the relationship between a school's level of effectiveness and its level as a professional learning community. In the experimental school, interventions resulted in higher scores on national tests, especially in mathematics.     

试谈体育教学中的“学会”与“会学”

本结合当前素质教育，针对体育教学方法，进行更深一步地探讨、研究，主要有以下几个方面：1、研究学生的学习心理，重点放在引导学生的学习心理上．2、由学生的学习兴趣入手，加强体育学习方法的指导。     

Supporting Early Childhood Social-Emotional Well Being: The Building Blocks for Early Learning and School Success

The period of early childhood sets the stage for how well children view themselves, each other, and their world. Shared positive emotional experiences between caregivers and children serve as building blocks for the development of social and emotional well-being in infants and toddlers. Incorporating the three principles of promotion, prevention, and intervention within a systems framework (child–parent–environment) will enable early childhood practitioners to foster the emotional health and well-being of all children and families, especially those individual children who are more vulnerable due to the presence of multiple risk factors. The primary intent of the authors of this paper is to discuss the importance of attending to the social and emotional well being of very young children as a primary focus of early learning and school success.     

The Benefits of Being Latino: Differential Interpretations of Student Behavior and the Social Construction of Being Well Behaved

Students of color are overrepresented in school disciplinary records nationally, but little is known about how disciplinary disproportionality varies among groups. Classroom observations in 1 elementary school suggested that when Latino students misbehaved, teachers were less inclined to interpret their behavior as problematic and less inclined to discipline them than their African American peers. Interpretations of behavior developed relationally, as teachers assessed behavior and compared it to that of students whom they considered problematic. Compared to students with “impulse control problems,” Latino students developed a positive reputation and avoided the cycle of disciplinary processes in which their peers found themselves.     

多媒体学习的科学体系及其历史地位——兼谈教育技术学走向“循证科学”之关键问题

理查德·梅耶是国际公认的多媒体学习研究领域的开拓者和奠基人,其领衔的多媒体学习研究也已形成了由基本假设、学习科学、教学科学和应用领域构成的严谨科学体系。多媒体学习融合了学习科学（认知理论）和教学科学（教学设计）的研究成果,使得学习与教学、理论与实践之间形成了一种互惠关系。这正是多媒体学习研究称之为一门扎根于理论的循证科学的理论特质之体现。从历史的视角来看,在教育研究科学化的历史进程中,首先是学习科学破解了人类学习的理论难题,之后是学习科学向教学科学的转化实践。而多媒体学习研究中的＂化归＂思维在一定程度上使得多媒体学习的理论具有了在学习实践中进行普遍应用的基础性价值。教育技术学要想走向科学化,应该走出追求实用主义的＂寻证＂之路,走向扎根于科学理论基础的＂循证＂之路,同时应该在方法学上寻求突破。