The Impending Revolution in Undergraduate Science Education

There is substantial evidence that scientific teaching in the sciences, i.e. teaching that employs instructional strategies that encourage undergraduates to become actively engaged in their own learning, can produce levels of understanding, retention and transfer of knowledge that are greater than those resulting from traditional lecture/lab classes. But widespread acceptance by university faculty of new pedagogies and curricular materials still lies in the future. In this essay we review recent literature that sheds light on the following questions:

• What has evidence from education research and the cognitive sciences told us about undergraduate instruction and student learning in the sciences?
• What role can undergraduate student research play in a science curriculum?
• What benefits does information technology have to offer?
• What changes are needed in institutions of higher learning to improve science teaching?

We conclude that widespread promotion and adoption of the elements of scientific teaching by university science departments could have profound effects in promoting a scientifically literate society and a reinvigorated research enterprise.     

Comparing the Impacts of Tutorial and Edutainment Software Programs on Students’ Achievements, Misconceptions, and Attitudes towards Biology

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of tutorial and edutainment design of instructional software programs related to the “cell division” topic on student achievements, misconceptions and attitudes. An experimental research design including the cell division achievement test (CAT), the cell division concept test (CCT) and biology attitude scale (BAS) was applied at the beginning and at the end of the research. After the treatment, general achievement in CAT increased in favor of experimental groups. Instructional software programs also had the positive effect to the awareness of students’ understandings to the general functions of mitosis and meiosis. However, the current study revealed that there were still some misconceptions in the experimental groups even after the treatment. It was also noticed that only using edutainment software program significantly changed students’ attitudes towards biology.     

Instructional Settings in Science for Students with Disabilities: Implications for Teacher Education

Finding appropriate instructional settings in science for students with disabilities is challenging, and the range of services or placements used is currently unknown. This study identifies administrative structures, instructional settings, and special/general education teacher roles in teaching science to students with disabilities. A phone survey was conducted with special education coordinators of fifth graders in 137 districts in Texas. Survey data indicated that while nearly all districts reported special education settings for the instruction of science for students with disabilities, some districts provided only general education settings. Theoretical and practical implications for teacher preparation are discussed.     

教学策略、方法与结构——以知识与技能教学为例

教学策略是使学生掌握学习结果并形成互动的主要媒介。教学方法是教学策略的一个组成要素,也是传递学习内容并提供学习指导以保证学生掌握所学知识技能的过程。教学策略和方法本身很难说有什么好坏优劣之分,只不过不同的人适合不同的策略,而选择合适的教学策略的目的就是为了充分发挥其功效而不至于浪费或误用。课堂教学结构是指在教学中发挥特定功能的可资辨别的要素。它是教学过程中的基本构成板块,也是充分发挥教学功能,提高教学效率所必需的。课堂教学结构中的核心成分包括:明确教学目标,导入新课,聚焦核心知识点,提供举例或说明,开展练习和给予反馈。各类教学策略或者方法都可以在课堂教学结构中得到运用。     

Computer self-efficacy of university faculty in Lebanon

Faculty use of technology is a critical issue in higher education; administrators and students are expecting faculty instruction to incorporate technology in classroom and distance education. Competition is demanding technologically proficient graduates for schools and colleges. Research indicates that computer self-efficacy (CSE) may be one determinant of who uses technology and who does not. A survey of education faculty at the Lebanese University in Beirut, Lebanon, conducted in 2006, revealed varying degrees of CSE; of 127 respondents, 14 had low levels of CSE; 68 were at a moderate level, and 45 self-evaluated themselves to have high CSE. Although other barriers may deter the implementation of technology in teaching, strategies and techniques for increasing CSE should be developed. For those with low CSE, special attention must be given to enhancing their levels of CSE.

Professor Terman’s Determinism: A Rejoinder

ABSTRACT

The authors investigated whether the amount of instructional guidance affects science learning and self-efficacy. Sixty 9- and 10-year-old children were randomly assigned to one of the following three instructional conditions: (a) guided instruction consisting of examples and student-generated explanations, (b) direct instruction consisting of a lecture and examples, and (c) minimal instruction consisting of student directed discovery. Children who received guided instruction designed a greater percentage of experiments correctly and self-reported greater changes in science self-efficacy than children in the other conditions. No statistically significant differences were observed between direct and guided instruction on outcome measures of cued recall, application and evaluation. However, both conditions performed statistically higher on these outcome measures relative to the minimal instruction condition.     

商职院校人文教育的途径与策略

论证实施科学技术教育与人文教育相融合的必要性及重要意义,提出实施人文教育应注意情感性、个体差异性,采用新的测评方式,改革教材体系。     

Korean Science and Engineering Students’ Perceptions of English-Medium Instruction and Korean-Medium Instruction

The purpose of this study was to examine how Korean science and engineering students view English-medium instruction (EMI) and Korean-medium instruction (KMI). The participants were 174 undergraduate students enrolled in EMI and KMI classes offered by the same instructor at a Korean science and engineering school. Interviews and questionnaire surveys were conducted, and students’ course evaluations, English scores and course grades were compared. The results of a campus-wide undergraduate student survey on EMI were also analyzed. The findings of the study show that the KMI-class students demonstrated higher levels of satisfaction and better performance in their classes than the EMI-class students did. Only 22% of the students in both classes found EMI classes helpful for improving their English ability. Nevertheless, the majority of the students supported the school’s maintenance of an EMI policy. In the conclusion, the paradoxical attitude of the students and the implications of the study are discussed.     

Student attitude and learning outcomes of multimedia computer-assisted versus traditional instruction in basketball

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of multimedia computer-assisted instruction (MCAI), traditional instruction (TI), and combined instruction (CI) methods on learning the skill of shooting in basketball. Additionally, a comparison of the students’ attitudes towards the MCAI and TI methods was made. Seventy-five middle school students of seventh and eighth grade were randomly assigned into three teaching method groups: TI, MCAI and CI. Each group received ten 45-min periods of instruction divided into three sections: (a) 5-min introduction, (b) 30-min instructional time and (c) 10-min questions and review. Students took pre-, post-, and retention written test covering techniques and rules of the games. Participants in the CI group also completed a post-test attitude survey towards the MCAI and TI methods. Two-way analysis of variances (ANOVA), with repeated measures on the last factor, were conducted to determine effect of method groups (MCAI, TI, CI) and measures (pre-test, post-test, re-test) on knowledge test. Paired samples t-test analyses were conducted to measure students’ attitude towards the MCAI and TI methods. Post-test results indicated no significant differences between the groups concerning the written test. Nevertheless, the attitude test scores of the CI group were more favourable to MCAI method than the TI method. Retention test results showed that groups retained the knowledge acquisition. However, the combine method of instruction tended to be the most effective on cognitive learning.     

系统科学在大学素质教育中的运用

在大学素质教育的现状及教学系统分析的基础上,提出了用系统科学的方法进行大学素质教育,并探讨了其重要性和可行性,以及如何运用系统科学的方法来实现大学素质教育。     

高等院校物理专业教育技术应用的现状与对策研究

在对高等院校物理专业教育技术应用现状进行调查研究的基础上，指出目前高等院校物理专业教育技术存在资料陈旧，缺乏层次，应用中目的性差，软、硬件设施落后等问题，有针对性地对高校物理专业教育技术的应用和提高提出对策和建议。     

Let's talk evidence – The case for combining inquiry-based and direct instruction

Many studies investigating inquiry learning in science domains have appeared over the years. Throughout this period, inquiry learning has been regularly criticized by scholars who favor direct instruction over inquiry learning. In this vein, Zhang, Kirschner, Cobern, and Sweller (2022) recently asserted that direct instruction is overall superior to inquiry-based instruction and reproached policy makers for ignoring this fact. In the current article we reply to this assertion and the premises on which it is based. We review the evidence and argue that a more complete and correct interpretation of the literature demonstrates that inquiry-based instruction produces better overall results for acquiring conceptual knowledge than does direct instruction. We show that this conclusion holds for controlled, correlational, and program-based studies. We subsequently argue that inquiry-based and direct instruction each have their specific virtues and disadvantages and that the effectiveness of each approach depends on moderating factors such as the learning goal, the domain involved, and students' prior knowledge and other student characteristics. Furthermore, inquiry-based instruction is most effective when supplemented with guidance that can be personalized based on these moderating factors and can even involve providing direct instruction. Therefore, we posit that a combination of inquiry and direct instruction may often be the best approach to support student learning. We conclude that policy makers rightfully advocate inquiry-based instruction, particularly when students’ investigations are supplemented with direct instruction at appropriate junctures.     

教学设计与技术的未来

技术的运用必须是在有效学习的前提下进行的;否则,技术革新只能成为一种神乎其神的东西;教学设计与技术的历史演变、现状困惑和未来发展都提示着我们必须从社会、技术和人的协调关系中加以探讨。     

区域创新系统中教育因素的分析与政策建议

内蒙古的自然和资源条件,在一定程度上给出经济发展和创新的“所为”方向与领域。如何有效利用这些资源,走生态经济一体化道路,关键应是技术创新。为了更好的从单项技术突破扩展为技术群的创新,必须注重创新主体的建构。高等教育与科技发展有一定相关性,建构区域科技创新以及科技创新所需要与适应的高度教育系统与人才,是提高内蒙古区域创新能力与水平的关键。     

高等教育推动科技发展的机理分析

在分析高等教育的科技生产作用、科技消费作用以及科技传播作用和各自影响因素的基础上,指出三者之间的相互作用和构成高等教育推动科技发展的内在机理,缺少其中任何一环,都将影响高等教育对科技发展的推动.     

Gendered hegemony and its contradictions among Finnish university physicists

This article addresses the issue of gender imbalance in Finnish universities in the domain of physics as a historical and dialectical phenomenon. Drawing from the Gramscian notion of hegemony and the activity-theoretical notion of contradiction, this paper analyses gendered hegemonic and contradictory forces steering physicists’ careers. This article argues that hegemony is to be seen as a historical and dialectical process rather as a status quo; it introduces methodological tools for analysing the maturity of hegemonic struggles in empirical data and envisions future developments for more gender-balanced academic communities. The empirical analysis of this article is based on interview data with 36 Finnish university physicists. A discourse-analytical framework is utilised to disclose hegemonic and contradictory forces as manifested in the data. This study shows that instances of resistance are present in the activities of the interviewed physicists even though consent to the prevailing hegemonies still persists.     

Pattern of classroom activities during students’ use of computers: Relations between instructional strategies and computer applications

The purpose of this study was to identify instructional strategies used by teachers to support technology integration. In addition, relations between types of computer applications and teachers' classroom practices were examined. Data were direct observation results from 143 integration lessons implemented in schools receiving federal technology grants. Results reflect use of student-centered practices such as teacher as a facilitator, project-based learning, and independent inquiry. Furthermore, this study revealed that classroom practices tend to be more student-centered when students use the computer as a learning tool such as the Internet, word processing, and presentation software. Conversely, drill and practice software showed a dissimilar pattern.