The Science Methods Course in the Context of the Total Teacher Education Experience

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

Transforming Elementary Science Teacher Education by Bridging Formal and Informal Science Education in an Innovative Science Methods Course

We investigated curricular and pedagogical innovations in an undergraduate science methods course for elementary education majors at the University of Maryland. The goals of the innovative elementary science methods course included: improving students’ attitudes toward and views of science and science teaching, to model innovative science teaching methods and to encourage students to continue in teacher education. We redesigned the elementary science methods course to include aspects of informal science education. The informal science education course features included informal science educator guest speakers, a live animal demonstration and a virtual field trip. We compared data from a treatment course (n = 72) and a comparison course (n = 26). Data collection included: researchers’ observations, instructors’ reflections, and teacher candidates’ feedback. Teacher candidate feedback involved interviews and results on a reliable and valid Attitudes and Beliefs about the Nature of and the Teaching of Science instrument. We used complementary methods to analyze the data collected. A key finding of the study was that while benefits were found in both types of courses, the difference in results underscores the need of identifying the primary purpose for innovation as a vital component of consideration.     

Sources of Self-efficacy in a Science Methods Course for Primary Teacher Education Students

Self-efficacy has been shown to be an issue of concern for primary teacher education students – many of them have low self-efficacy and this can negatively affect their future teaching of science. Previous research has identified four factors that may contribute towards self-efficacy: enactive mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion and physiological/affective states. It could also be argued that there are additional sources of self-efficacy that apply to primary teacher education students, namely cognitive content mastery, cognitive pedagogical mastery and simulated modelling. The main purpose of the present paper was to investigate the relative importance of the various sources of self-efficacy in a primary science methods course. Data on changes in self-efficacy and sources of self-efficacy were collected throughout the course using formal and informal surveys. It was found that the main source of self-efficacy was cognitive pedagogical mastery.     

An Environmental Approach to Marine Science K-12

Abstract

Providing professional development for science teachers, Teachers in the Woods is a 6-week summer research experience in the national forests of the Pacific Northwest. Participants contributed to the scientific understanding of forest ecosystem functioning and later created local projects as forest ecology fieldwork for their students. Teachers were surveyed 3 times during the year and interviewed onsite. A standardized performance assessment measured student progress. The project changed teachers' approach to teaching and created greater motivation, confidence, knowledge, and skills in teaching biology and environmental science using field projects. Teachers attributed their success to enduring professional contacts with scientists and to their field experience. Evaluations also revealed major factors that affect the success of student field projects.     

Introducing the Systemic Approach to Early Education

The United States is lagging behind the rest of the developed world in adopting systemic thinking as a means of dealing with societal issues. Such thinking is introduced only in the late stages of our educational process, if at all. The article presents an argument for introducing it at the primary and secondary levels of the education hierarchy, discusses the value of such an approach, and offers a model for doing so.     

The Integration of Environmental Education into Two Elementary Preservice Science Methods Courses: A Content-Based and a Method-Based Approach

To examine the notion of environmental education (EE) as context for integrating the elementary curricula, we engaged in a multi-case study analysis (Yin 2009) of two preservice elementary science methods courses that utilized an experiential reflective approach—case one (University A) through a science content focus (i.e., sustainability) and case two (University B) through a method focus (i.e., problem-based learning). We examined preservice teachers’ understandings of EE, their ideas to incorporate EE into their future teaching, and their conceptions of EE as a context for integration. Results indicate that both foci (content and method) were successful in building EE content, helping preservice teachers to envision EE in their future classrooms, and promoting EE as a context for integrating their instruction. Based on these results, we offer recommendations for the incorporation of EE as a context for integration into the elementary science methods course.     

高师化学专业环境化学课程初探

《环境化学》不属高师化学专业的主干课，但对各专业主干课有良好的平衡沟通作用，有利于学生将实验室化学放大为自然界的化学过程，故课程内容应有一定知识深度，注重实践性及与中学化学教材相匹配。本分析了新颁布的《全日制义务教育化学课程标准》与高师化学专业的环境化学课程的关系，也给出了一些能用于中学化学教学的环境化学练习题。     

环境教育:英国道德教育的重要途径

英国在环境教育上取得的绩效举世闻名。这既源自于英国是环境教育的发源地之一,也得益于其在环境教育上的积极作为。随着时代的变迁,英国不断赋予环境教育多学科的视景与新的意蕴。投射与浓缩在道德教育领域,英国从环境教育的内在特质、道德教育的自身需求、环境教育与道德教育的共同使命等维度,缕析、寻绎、穷究环境教育在道德教育中的应有地位与价值。相应地,环境教育为英国的道德教育注入无限的生机与活力,构筑起一道亮丽的道德风景线,成为推动英国道德教育发展的一条有效途径。     

Teaching Science Effectively With Analogies: An Approach for Preservice and Inservice Teacher Education

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

试析孟子的德教方法

孟子是中国历史上伟大的思想家、教育家,他对于道德教育非常重视.在长期的德育实践中,他提出了一系列对于当代德育仍具有重要借鉴价值的德教基本方法、施教方法、受教方法、环境育人法.     

把辩论赛引入“思政＂课堂的探索

高校“思政”课程教学改革进行了多年,在教学理念、教学内容、教学方法、教学手段等方面有很多尝试。把辩论赛引入‘思政”课堂教学,应着重注意周密调查、精心选择、巧妙引导、把握导向这四个环节。该文对把辩论赛引入‘思政”课堂的一些经验进行思考总结,以起到抛砖引玉的作用。     

把辩论赛引入“思政”课堂的探索

高校“思政”课程教学改革进行了多年,在教学理念、教学内容、教学方法、教学手段等方面有很多尝试。把辩论赛引入“思政”课堂教学,应着重注意周密调查、精心选择、巧妙引导、把握导向这四个环节。该文对把辩论赛引入“思政”课堂的一些经验进行思考总结,以起到抛砖引玉的作用。     

Environmental Education within a Science Course in the Initial Education of Primary Teachers

This paper describes an attempt to infuse an environmental dimension into a science course through which prospective primary teachers are trained. The innovation concerns teaching science concepts not in the context of the discipline, but within a context of everyday life, and as such the focus chosen was drinking water. In formulating the course, learners’ ideas about aspects of the issue were taken into account. The evaluation was based on a post‐course questionnaire. The main conclusions to be drawn from this evaluation is that the science knowledge learned through this approach helped students gain a better understanding of a variety of aspects which concern that issue. The majority of students appreciated such an integrated approach and thought the approach taken was more promising than the stereotypical one that they had been accustomed to up to that point.     

科学教育与人文教育整合的机制浅探

人文教育是以培养人文精神为目标,把人类优秀的文化成果通过知识传播、环境熏陶等方式使其内化为受教育者做人的基本品质和基本态度。当今,我国在注重科学教育的同时,越来越重视人文教育,本文旨在探讨如何将科学教育与人文教育整合起来,以培养更高素质、更全面的人才。     

An Environmental Education Program for Teacher Trainers in Finland

Abstract

Finland's Ministry of Education sponsored the development of an environmental education (EE) course for practicing educators of teachers. One to 3 persons from each teacher training unit at various universities and training schools attended a tutor training session, during which a course for other teacher trainers was developed. The course focused on personal development and curriculum development. Tutors used distance education with some locally arranged contact teaching to teach the course. Tutors also led local study groups. Teacher trainers who attended the course learned and applied new teaching practices and produced new model lessons. They also reflected on their personal environmental philosophy and gained in environmental knowledge. Preliminary evaluation of the program indicated that high-quality learning experiences occurred. This 2-step distance education model could be used for large-scale implementation of EE for in-service teacher training.