Elementary Teachers’ Selection and Use of Visual Models

As science grows in complexity, science teachers face an increasing challenge of helping students interpret models that represent complex science systems. Little is known about how teachers select and use models when planning lessons. This mixed methods study investigated the pedagogical approaches and visual models used by elementary in-service and preservice teachers in the development of a science lesson about a complex system (e.g., water cycle). Sixty-seven elementary in-service and 69 elementary preservice teachers completed a card sort task designed to document the types of visual models (e.g., images) that teachers choose when planning science instruction. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted to analyze the card sort task. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a subsample of teachers to elicit the rationale for image selection. Results from this study showed that both experienced in-service teachers and novice preservice teachers tended to select similar models and use similar rationales for images to be used in lessons. Teachers tended to select models that were aesthetically pleasing and simple in design and illustrated specific elements of the water cycle. The results also showed that teachers were not likely to select images that represented the less obvious dimensions of the water cycle. Furthermore, teachers selected visual models more as a pedagogical tool to illustrate specific elements of the water cycle and less often as a tool to promote student learning related to complex systems.     

Students’ Views of Scientific Models and Modeling: Do Representational Characteristics of Models and Students’ Educational Levels Matter?

The aim of this study was to examine the potential impact of the representational characteristics of models and students’ educational levels on students’ views of scientific models and modeling (VSMM). An online multimedia questionnaire was designed to address three major aspects of VSMM, namely the nature of models, the nature of modeling, and the purpose of models. The three scales of representational characteristics included modality, dimensionality, and dynamics. A total of 102 eighth graders and 87 eleventh graders were surveyed. Both quantitative data and written responses were analyzed. The influence of the representational characteristics seemed to be more salient on the nature of models and the purpose of models. Some interactions between the educational levels and the representational characteristics showed that the high school students were more likely to recognize textual representations and pictorial representations as models, while also being more likely to appreciate the differences between 2D and 3D models. However, some other differences between educational levels did not necessarily suggest that the high school students attained more sophisticated VSMM. For instance, in considering what information should be included in a model, students’ attention to particular affordances of the representation can lead to a more naive view of modeling. Implications for developing future questionnaires and for teaching modeling are suggested in this study.     

Students’ conceptions and the learning of science

This introductory article to the Special Issue of the International Journal of Science Education attempts to review the theoretical contexts for research into children's conceptions in science and to identify future directions for research programmes in this field.     

Manipulative Use and Elementary School Students’ Mathematics Learning

Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS) 1998/1999, we examine the relationship between elementary students’ (K–5) manipulative use and mathematics learning. Using a cross-sectional correlational analysis, we found no relationship between manipulative use and student mathematics achievement. However, using a longitudinal analysis, we documented a positive relationship between manipulative use and student mathematics learning during their elementary school years (K–5). From a teaching and learning perspective, these findings provide important evidence of the influence of long-term manipulative use on students’ overall learning. From policy and methodological perspectives, these findings provide evidence for the importance of modeling student learning (as opposed to achievement) when studying the effectiveness of instructional strategies.     

Students’ motivation and teachers’ teaching practices towards the use of blogs for writing of online journals

This research paper explores students’ motivation and teachers’ teaching practices towards the writing of compositions in the conventional paper-based (paper and pencil) and the online blogs mode. Six classes of Grade 5 (224 students) and four English teachers in an elementary-level future school in Singapore were involved in this study. A total of four written assignments were given to the students – two conventional paper and pencil and two online blog-written assignments. No significant difference was found in students’ scores on these assignments. However, the submission rate for the conventional paper-based assignments was 93.8% as compared to 75% for the online blogs entries. Although both students and teachers in this study are savvy information communication technology users who have been exposed to one-to-one computing since Grade 1, the use of blogs for journal writing was not natural to both parties. Teachers found that it was more cumbersome to grade and give comments on students’ online blog posts via the online platform and likewise, students also faced issues with the submission of their online writing assignments. Some students quoted that they preferred writing via conventional paper and pencil mode, experienced network connection and technical issues, had poor time management, experienced forgetfulness and distraction from the computers and the Internet for not submitting their online writing assignments. This study also once again highlighted the importance of the teacher, as one out of the four teachers managed to get all her students to submit their writing assignments. The in-depth analysis of the interviews with the teachers and students, students’ perception survey, students’ performance in their writing tasks (both online and paper-based) and submission rates had revealed useful insights and considerations on the use of blogs to engage students in writing.     

Student teachers’ conceptions of sustainable development: the starting-points of geographers and scientists

Postgraduate student teachers’ conceptions of sustainable development were elicited using a questionnaire completed by the entire cohort of geography (N = 21) and science (N = 40) students starting the University of Oxford Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) secondary course. Responses were analysed in three ways: (i) development of categories to capture features of sustainable development; (ii) scrutiny of individual responses for the presence or absence of key features (specifically environmental, economic and social factors); and (iii) in contrast to these grounded approaches, examination of the responses in light of a pre-specified framework. Notable findings were: (i) the large numbers recognizing the centrality of environmental (87%), economic (69%) and social (49%) factors—about a third highlighted all three factors (the geographers significantly more so than the scientists), while a further third mentioned two of them; (ii) when compared with the pre-specified framework, the aspects of sustainable development largely missing were to do with preservation of diversity, and with uncertainty and precaution in action; (iii) only one response contained an aesthetic element; and (iv) when comparing education for sustainable development with environmental education, the most frequent view identified the former as broader. The findings are related to contemporary literature in the field and some implications for PGCE learning are considered.     

Elementary teachers’ needs: issues of retention and recruitment

The retention and recruitment of elementary teachers is an increasingly serious problem in many countries. This paper examines literature on work in general, and teaching in particular, in the light of data gathered from teachers who enjoy their jobs. It concludes that there is scope to improve the quality of elementary teachers’ professional lives and hence enhance recruitment and retention possibilities. A further implication would be the greater involvement of teachers in curriculum innovation and inspection.     

University students’ and teachers’ conceptions of teaching and learning in the biosciences

In this study we compare university teachers’ and first-year students’ conceptions of teaching and learning at the Faculty of Environmental and Biological Sciences. The conceptions were analysed using data from open-ended questionnaires. The results showed that at the beginning of studies the gap between teachers’ and students’ conceptions of teaching and learning is substantial. This finding has important implications for the educational process. In order to enhance successful studying from the beginning of students’ university careers, it is important for teachers to become aware of the differences between students’ and teachers’ conceptions of learning.     

Academics’ conceptions of assessment and their assessment practices

The present study focuses; firstly, on analysing academics’ conceptions of the purpose of assessment; secondly, on their assessment practices; and thirdly, on the relationship between their conceptions and practices. The data consisted of interviews with 28 pharmacy teachers. The analysis resulted in a continuum of categories of conceptions, from reproductive conceptions with an emphasis on measuring the reproduction of correct information, to more transformational conceptions with an emphasis on the development of students’ thinking and understanding. Although broad variation in assessment practices was recognised, teachers mostly described the use of traditional forms of assessment. Analysis of the relationship between conceptions and practices revealed high consistency between conceptions and practices.     

Identifying the Item Hierarchy and Charting the Progression across Grade Levels: Surveying Taiwanese Students’ Understanding of Scientific Models and Modeling

The purpose of this study was, first, to understand the item hierarchy regarding students’ understanding of scientific models and modeling (USM). Secondly, this study investigated Taiwanese students’ USM progression from 7th to 12th grade, and after participating in a model-based curriculum. The questionnaire items were developed based on 6 aspects of USM, namely, model type, model content, constructed nature of models, multiple models, change of models, and purpose of models. Moreover, 10 representations of models were included for surveying what a model is. Results show that the purpose of models and model type items covered a wide range of item difficulties. At the one end, items for the purpose of models are most likely to be endorsed by the students, except for the item “models are used to predict.” At the other end, the “model type” items tended to be difficult. The students were least likely to agree that models can be text, mathematical, or dynamic. The items of the constructed nature of models were consistently located above the average, while the change of models items were consistently located around the mean level of difficulty. In terms of the natural progression of USM, the results show significant differences between 7th grade and all grades above 10th, and between 8th grade and 12th grade. The students in the 7th grade intervention group performed better than the students in the 7th and 8th grades who received no special instruction on models.     

Teachers’ conceptions of assessment: Comparing two inventories with Ecuadorian teachers

Teacher beliefs about the purpose of assessment matter to how assessment is implemented in classroom settings. Two different teacher conceptions of assessment inventories have originated separately in Spain and New Zealand. This study examined (a) the extent to which the models for each inventory could be recovered and (b) the relationship between inventories. Responses were obtained from 566 Ecuadorian primary and secondary teachers in two rounds of surveying. Results showed that with a few modifications both the Spanish and New Zealand models fit the data. Mean scores were strongest for improvement, caution, and societal control factors. Factor inter-correlations between the Spain and New Zealand models indicated that the teaching, certifying, and accounting domains were moderately correlated with accountability and improvement purposes, while societal control correlated with caution, and formative regulation correlated with irrelevance. These results are consistent with how teachers seem to conceive of assessment within strong examination systems.     

Examining and elaborating upon the nature of elementary prospective teachers’ conceptions of partitive division with fractions

The purpose of this study was to examine and elaborate upon elementary prospective teachers’ (PSTs) conceptions of partitive division with fractions. We examined the degree to which PSTs’ conceptions were connected (i.e., capable of translating between representations correctly; aware that partitive division generates a unit rate for its quotient) and flexible (i.e., capable of differentiating between opportunities to partition or iterate (or both) when solving a partitive division task; aware that partitioning or iterating (or both) could be associated with the operation of division, as appropriate). Seventeen PSTs participated in task-based interviews prior to instruction in a mathematics content course for teachers. These PSTs demonstrated disconnected conceptions of partitive division with fractions when they incorrectly translated between representations and either inconsistently or did not express awareness that the purpose of the task was to generate a unit rate. These PSTs demonstrated rigid conceptions of partitive division with fractions such that they did not express awareness that the process of iterating could be associated with the operation of division, even when they obtained a correct answer by iterating. Results extend prior research by looking beyond PSTs’ performance on tasks to elaborate upon PSTs’ conceptions of the operation of partitive division. This study contributes new insights into PSTs’ conceptions that can be used by mathematics teacher educators to inform the design of future instructional interventions.     

Teachers’work: Beginning teachers’ conceptions of competence

Worldwide, teachers’ work continues to be the subject of discussion and debate, especially in terms of teacher competence and its appropriate appraisal. Available literature offers a number of perspectives of beginning teacher competence, yet the voices of beginning teachers themselves are not represented. This paper outlines the findings of a phenomenographic study that sought to uncover the conceptions of competence held by beginning teachers. The results of this study suggest that beginning teachers believe that teaching competence requires demonstration of thorough preparation, a sound knowledge base, effective classroom management, professional communication with a range of stakeholders, and an accurate sense of self-awareness in the role of teacher. These conceptions will be compared to a selection of the available literature about teacher competence and associated teaching standards.     

Diagnosing Students’ Understanding of the Nature of Models

Students’ understanding of models in science has been subject to a number of investigations. The instruments the researchers used are suitable for educational research but, due to their complexity, cannot be employed directly by teachers. This article presents forced choice (FC) tasks, which, assembled as a diagnostic instrument, are supposed to measure students’ understanding of the nature of models efficiently, while being sensitive enough to detect differences between individuals. In order to evaluate if the diagnostic instrument is suitable for its intended use, we propose an approach that complies with the demand to integrate students’ responses to the tasks into the validation process. Evidence for validity was gathered based on relations to other variables and on students’ response processes. Students’ understanding of the nature of models was assessed using three methods: FC tasks, open-ended tasks and interviews (N?=?448). Furthermore, concurrent think-aloud protocols (N?=?30) were performed. The results suggest that the method and the age of the students have an effect on their understanding of the nature of models. A good understanding of the FC tasks as well as a convergence in the findings across the three methods was documented for grades eleven and twelve. This indicates that teachers can use the diagnostic instrument for an efficient and, at the same time, valid diagnosis for this group. Finally, the findings of this article may provide a possible explanation for alternative findings from previous studies as a result of specific methods that were used.     

Fostering the use of pedagogical practices among teachers to support elementary students’ motivation to write

Based on self-determination theory, this research aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the CASIS professional development (PD) program for fostering (1) teachers’ use of five recommended pedagogical practices during a writing lesson and (2) students’ motivational resources (intrinsic, identified, and controlled regulations) toward writing. Two quasi-experimental studies with two-time points were conducted among preservice (Study 1, n = 32) and inservice (Study 2, n = 111) elementary teachers and their students (Study 1, n = 559; Study 2, sample 1, n = 1779; sample 2, n = 1471). In both studies, the CASIS PD program appeared to foster the use of two of the five recommended pedagogical practices. For the other three, some effects were observed in one study but were not always reproduced in the other. Although the CASIS PD program fostered greater use of the pedagogical practices, this effect did not always translate directly to the students’ motivational resources. However, some significant differences were observed between students of the CASIS and the control groups on identified and controlled regulations, as a function of the socioeconomic background of the schools in which teachers and students were sampled. The results are discussed in light of past research and relevant theories.     

Elementary Students’ Scientific Epistemological Beliefs in Relation to Socio-Economic Status and Gender

This study investigated students’ scientific epistemological beliefs in relation to socio-economic status (SES) and gender. Data were obtained from 1,152 eight grade Turkish elementary school students using Scientific Epistemological Beliefs instrument. Canonical correlation analysis indicated that students with a working mother and educated parents as well as greater number of books at home together with a separate study room are more likely to have tentative views and less likely to have fixed views about science compared to students with unemployed mother, uneducated parents, less books at home, and no separate study room. Generally, results revealed while family SES correlated positively with tentative views, it was negatively associated with fixed views, implying that students from high SES family were more likely to believe that knowledge is uncertain and not handed down by authority compared to students from low SES family. This study, however, failed to indicate any relationship between father work-status, buying daily newspaper and epistemological beliefs. In addition, Multivariate Analysis of Variance indicated that boys more likely to have tentative beliefs compared to girls.     

Elementary Students’ Scientific Epistemological Beliefs in Relation to Socio-Economic Status and Gender

This study investigated students’ scientific epistemological beliefs in relation to socio-economic status (SES) and gender. Data were obtained from 1,152 eight grade Turkish elementary school students using Scientific Epistemological Beliefs instrument. Canonical correlation analysis indicated that students with a working mother and educated parents as well as greater number of books at home together with a separate study room are more likely to have tentative views and less likely to have fixed views about science compared to students with unemployed mother, uneducated parents, less books at home, and no separate study room. Generally, results revealed while family SES correlated positively with tentative views, it was negatively associated with fixed views, implying that students from high SES family were more likely to believe that knowledge is uncertain and not handed down by authority compared to students from low SES family. This study, however, failed to indicate any relationship between father work-status, buying daily newspaper and epistemological beliefs. In addition, Multivariate Analysis of Variance indicated that boys more likely to have tentative beliefs compared to girls.     

Sharing practices,but what is the story? Exploring award-winning teachers’ conceptions of teaching

This paper critically considers the attempt by a research-intensive university in Asia to draw on and make public the practices of teaching award winners in different disciplines through the use of narrative vignettes. More specifically, this paper examines what the vignettes suggest about the connection between award-winning teachers’ conceptions of teaching (CT) on the one hand, and scholarly investigations of practice on the other, and to what extent the vignettes meet the aim of using the scholarship of teaching and learning as an instrument of effective academic development. Content analysis of the vignettes revealed that award-winning teachers’ CT tend to focus predominantly on enhancing learning, followed by encouraging collective knowledge creation and transmission of knowledge. A two-dimensional framework was also used to analyse the vignettes along a tacit-integrated continuum and within an intuitive-reflective frame of inquiry. The findings are discussed in relation to teachers’ perception of their impact on students’ learning and ways to enhance their own practice, with implications for teaching awards, documentation, and dissemination of high-level teaching achievement.