Contextualizing Nature of Science Instruction in Socioscientific Issues

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of two learning contexts for explicit-reflective nature of science (NOS) instruction, socioscientific issues (SSI) driven and content driven, on student NOS conceptions. Four classes of 11th and 12th grade anatomy and physiology students participated. Two classes experienced a curricular sequence organized around SSI (the SSI group), and two classes experienced a content-based sequence (the Content group). An open-ended NOS questionnaire was administered to both groups at the beginning and end of the school year and analyzed to generate student profiles. Quantitative analyses were performed to compare pre-instruction NOS conceptions between groups as well as pre to post changes within groups and between groups. Both SSI and Content groups showed significant gains in most NOS themes, but between-group gains were not significantly different. Qualitative analysis of post-instruction responses, however, revealed that students in the SSI group tended to use examples to describe their views of the social/cultural NOS. The findings support SSI contexts as effective for promoting gains in students’ NOS understanding and suggest that these contexts facilitate nuanced conceptions that should be further explored.     

Addressing the Dynamics of Science in Curricular Reform for Scientific Literacy: The case of genomics

Science education reform must anticipate the scientific literacy required by the next generation of citizens. Particularly, this counts for rapidly emerging and evolving scientific disciplines such as genomics. Taking this discipline as a case, such anticipation is becoming increasingly problematic in today’s knowledge societies in which the dynamics of the natural sciences is unprecedented. This raises the question of how scientific literacy can be defined in order to appropriate the dynamics of natural sciences such as genomics. Drawing on a contemporary sociocultural perspective on the dynamics of science, the science education research literature is briefly reviewed in this respect. It is argued that scientific literacy captures the dynamics of science once defined as an emergent feature of collective activity. This requires a form of science education to which the learners’ agency is central. The implications of this thesis will be discussed in regard to the case of embedding genomics in science curricula.     

The Contribution of Trade Books to Early Science Literacy: In and Out of School

Lifelong science literacy begins with attitudes and interests established early in childhood. The use of trade books (i.e., a literary work intended for sale to the general public) in North American school classrooms to support the development of science literacy invites an examination of the quality of science content disseminated to students. A total of 116 trade books were examined to: (a) determine the degree to which science trade books complement expected science knowledge outcomes outlined in school curricula, and (b) compare trade book content to the goals of scientific literacy. Analysis across four science topics, Dinosaurs, Space, Inheritance, and Growth and Life Properties, revealed that this body of children’s literature is inconsistent in its coverage of curricular goals and elements of scientific literacy. Because trade books represent children’s first exposure to science, these shortcomings should be addressed if these books are to be maximally effective in promoting science literacy. Implications for using trade books in the classroom are discussed.

我国科学教育急需厘清的几个关系

我国科学教育发展历史虽然已历经百年，但至今仍存在不少问题。要在新时期解决科学教育中的诸多问题，必须厘清科学教育中的几个关系性问题：第一，科学与科学教育之间的关系，科学与科学教育分属两个范畴但又相互关联；第二，科学方法与科学教育方法之关系，科学方法是科学研究者做科学之方法，科学教育方法则是指导学生学习科学之方法；第三，科学知识与科学素养之关系，科学素养是科学教育追求之目标，科学知识是其不可或缺的重要内容；第四，科学教育与技术教育之间的关系，随着科学与技术之间相互作用的增强，科学与技术在教育中逐渐走向融合，但现时期科学教育与技术教育仍具有不同的内涵。     

Investigating Socioscientific Issues via Scientific Habits of Mind: Development and validation of the Scientific Habits of Mind Survey

In this paper, we describe the Scientific Habits of Mind Survey (SHOMS) developed to explore public, science teachers’, and scientists’ understanding of habits of mind (HoM). The instrument contained 59 items, and captures the seven SHOM identified by Gauld. The SHOM was validated by administration to two cohorts of pre-service science teachers: primary science teachers with little science background or interest (n?=?145), and secondary school science teachers (who also were science graduates) with stronger science knowledge (n?=?145). Face validity was confirmed by the use of a panel of experts and a pilot study employing participants similar in demographics to the intended sample. To confirm convergent and discriminant validity, confirmatory factor analysis and evaluation of the reliability were calculated. Statistical data and other data gathered from interviews suggest that the SHOMS will prove to be a useful tool for educators and researchers who wish to investigate HoM for a variety of participants.     

从科学观看科学教育的价值取向

不同的科学观会产生科学教育的不同的价值取向。传统科学哲学的科学观在本质上是一种知识论,以此为理论基础的科学教育呈现的是以科学知识为中心重知识实用性的价值取向;科学文化哲学的科学观将科学视为人类的一种文化活动过程,凸显科学的人文性,以此为理论基础的科学教育应充分挖掘其自身的人文价值,追求人自身、人与社会、人与自然的和谐发展,引导学生进入科学的历史世界,让学生在模拟科学家的研究过程中体验科学,引导学生关注自己的生活世界,从而实现科学教育与人文教育的统一。     

The Influence of Guided Inquiry and Explicit Instruction on K–6 Teachers’ Views of Nature of Science

This study assessed the influence of guided inquiry and explicit reflective instruction on K-6 teachers’ views of nature of science (NOS). Using the Views of Nature of Science Elementary School Version 2 (VNOS-D2), and associated interviews we tracked the changes in NOS views of teacher participants prior to and following a summer professional development program. The teachers participated in guided inquiry to improve physics knowledge, and explicit-reflective NOS activities to improve their views of NOS. Videotaped records of the workshop ensured that explicit reflective NOS instruction took place in conjunction with physics inquiry instruction. Analysis indicated that teachers improved their NOS views by the conclusion of the institute Implications for providing professional development combining inquiry and NOS instruction are made.     

Scientific Literacy,Environmental Issues,and PISA 2006: The 2008 Paul F-Brandwein Lecture

In today’s world, scientific literacy has become essential to full participation of citizens. Certainly, important components of scientific literacy include resource use and environmental quality. The 2006 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) centered on scientific literacy and included resources and environments as two contexts for the test and student questionnaire. The article first introduces PISA 2006, and then provides a general overview of results. Using two released units from PISA 2006, I then turn to results and a discussion of students’ science competencies and attitudes relative to environmental and resources issues. The article concludes with a discussion of educational policies for science education programs and teaching practices.     

幼儿园非正规性科学教育活动的意义及实施策略

非正规性科学教育活动是幼儿园科学教育活动的一种特殊形式,对幼儿科学精神,科学能力的培养和科学经验的获得以及自我意识,社会性的发展有着重要的作用,有效的指导能使其价值得到最大限度的体现.     

The Nature of Science in Science Curricula: Methods and concepts of analysis

The article shows methods and concepts of analysis of the nature of science in science curricula through an exemplary study made in Portugal. The study analyses the extent to which the message transmitted by the Natural Science curriculum for Portuguese middle school considers the nature of science. It is epistemologically and sociologically grounded with particular emphasis on Bernstein's theory of pedagogic discourse and Ziman's conceptualization of science construction. The study used a mixed methodology and followed a dialectical process between the theoretical and the empirical. The results show that the nature of science has a low status in the curriculum with the exception of the external sociological dimension of science. Intra-disciplinary relations between scientific and metascientific knowledge are mostly absent. Recontextualization processes occurred between the two main parts of the curriculum. These results are discussed and their consequences in terms of scientific learning are explored. The mode of analysis used in the study has the potential of highlighting the level of a science curriculum, in terms of specific aspects of the nature of science.     

理科特色环境科学专业培养体系的建设

通过调研国内高等院校环境科学专业的课程设置和教学实施情况,对环境科学专业进行定位分析,结合当前新形势下社会需求和学科发展对环境科学本科教育的要求,提出新形势下环境科学专业课程体系建设的设想。     

《环境生物学》课程教学改革探索

《环境生物学》是环境科学专业的专业必修课,在该课程的教学中,通过精选教学内容、改进教学方法和重视实验教学等方面进行教学改革,获得了较好的教学效果。     

教育科学与教育政策的关联性:一种知识社会学的视角

教育科学与教育政策之间有着密不可分的关系。社会高速发展对教育提出了更高的要求,教育科学的发展也在推动着社会进步,他们之间本质上是知识与社会的互动关系。文章从知识社会学的视角首先对教育科学与社会政策的关联性进行考察,随后分析了社会因素对研究成果选择的影响,最后从机制建设层面探讨了如何促进教育科学研究与教育政策制定的双向互动。     

国际安全的新领域:环境安全

自 2 0世纪 70年代后期环境安全概念提出之后 ,受到联合国相关组织和各国政府的普遍重视 ,正成为新的国际安全合作领域。环境安全与传统安全观念有很大的不同 ,因而必须从新的角度重新构筑国际安全秩序。而安全的非军事化 ,或者说用综合安全弥补军事安全的不足是不可避免的趋势。     

A Mixed Methods Content Analysis of the Research Literature in Science Education

In recent years, more and more researchers in science education have been turning to the practice of combining qualitative and quantitative methods in the same study. This approach of using mixed methods creates possibilities to study the various issues that science educators encounter in more depth. In this content analysis, I evaluated 18 studies from science education journals as they relate to the definition, design, and overall practice of using mixed methods. I scrutinized a purposeful sample, derived from 3 journals (the International Journal of Science Education, the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, and the Research in Science Education) in terms of the type of data collected, timing, priority, design, the mixing of the 2 data strands in the studies, and the justifications authors provide for using mixed methods. Furthermore, the articles were evaluated in terms of how well they met contemporary definitions for mixed methods research. The studies varied considerably in the use and understanding of mixed methods. A systematic evaluation of the employment of mixed methods methodology was used to identify the studies that best reflected contemporary definitions. A comparison to earlier content analyses of mixed methods research indicates that researchers' knowledge of mixed methods methodology may be increasing. The use of this strategy in science education research calls, however, for an improved methodology, especially concerning the practice of mixing. Suggestions are given on how to best use this approach.     

环境科学概论课程教学改革探讨

“环境科学概论”是生态环境类专业的一门基础课,又是环保素质教育的选修课,该课程在拓展学生专业知识、激发学习兴趣及培养环保素质方面具有重要作用。文章从丰富课程教学内容、发挥多种教学方式互补效应、加强课程全过程考核、增加相关实践实验等方面对该课程进行了实践探索。     

A National Science Fair: Exhibiting support for the knowledge economy

Student‐directed, open‐ended scientific investigations and invention projects may serve to deepen and broaden students’ scientific and technological literacy, and, in so doing, enable them to succeed in democracies greatly affected by processes and products of science and technology. Science fairs, events at which student‐led projects are evaluated and celebrated, could contribute to such positive personal and social outcomes. Qualitative data drawn from a national science fair over succeeding years indicate (after analyses of largely qualitative data, using constant comparative methods) that, apart from positive outcomes regarding science literacy, there may be some significant issues about the fair that warrant critical review. It is apparent from these studies that there are issues of access, image, and recruitment associated with the fair. Qualification for participation in the fair appears to favour students from advantaged, resource‐rich backgrounds. Although these students do benefit in a number of ways from the fair experience, it is apparent that science fairs also greatly benefit sponsors—who can, in a sense, use science fairs for promotional and recruitment purposes. These findings and claims raised, for us, some important questions possibly having implications for science education, and for society more generally.     

Scaffolding Science Talk: The role of teachers' questions in the inquiry classroom

Teachers' questions in the inquiry classroom not only explore and make student thinking explicit in the class but also serve to guide and scaffold it. Several studies analysing teachers' questions and their categories have been reported; however the need for a fine-grained analysis has been felt, especially in the inquiry setting. This study attempts a fine-grained analysis of the rich variety of teachers' questions and their roles in an inquiry science classroom, which are illustrated with vignettes from our classes. We present a sequential typology of teachers' questions that emerged from this empirical study, one that brings out their progression in an inquiry class. We juxtapose them with the ones asked during traditional teaching. We also examine, through teachers' self-reports, their motivations for questioning. This work leads towards a characterisation of the complex process of teaching science as an inquiry that teachers interested in moving towards more constructivist teaching practices in their classrooms may find helpful.     

Regaining focus in Irish Junior Cycle Science: potential new directions for curriculum and assessment on Nature of Science

The Irish national discourse on curriculum and assessment reform at the Junior Cycle level has been fraught with controversy in the past two years. The introduction of the new curriculum and assessment framework in 2012 by the then Minister of Education, Ruairi Quinn has led to significant media coverage and teacher union response. In this paper, we argue that in the midst of the reaction toward the particular assessment elements of the framework, the focus has been lost on key revisions made in the draft science curriculum and assessment specification released in September 2014. A central aspect of the draft document released for consultation includes the introduction of a ‘Nature of Science’ (NOS) theme intended to be an overarching feature of all science teaching and learning. We examine the coverage of NOS in the draft document and analyze it relative to a model of NOS developed in our recent book. Our analysis illustrates that the draft science curriculum and assessment specification for Junior Cycle incorporates contemporary research and aligns the Irish curriculum with most features of NOS, although some aspects need further development including the articulation of a nuanced model of NOS. We highlight some future directions for curriculum and assessment development for a comprehensive, coherent and holistic coverage of NOS in Junior Cycle Science in Ireland.