Towards an Applied Cognitive Science Perspective in Education

The paper argues for the role of an applied cognitive science perspective in education. It outlines the nature of cognitive science, and discusses the relevance and inadequacy of the brains metaphor and the computing metaphor. The concept of parallel distributed processing, bolstered by the social construction of knowledge, provides powerful frameworks for the teaching and learning of basic school subjects.     

The Trend Towards Materials in Science and Technology Education

The teaching of science and technology in the final year of high school is examined in a new curriculum developed for the education system in Victoria, Australia. The traditional areas of Physics and Chemistry together with a technology related subject, Materials and Technology, are investigated The major curriculum link amongst these studies was the area of materials. In Chemistry this involved the nature of materials, the chemical basis for the production of metals and polymers, and the social consequences of waste disposal. Within Physics, the major involvement was the investigation of the structure and physical properties of materials through theory and practical investigation. The selection of materials, production of components and their testing were the major area involved with Materials and Technology. Although the area of materials related all three subjects enrollments were comparatively high for Physics and Chemistry but Materials and Technology had less than one tenth as much enrollment. Similarly, school providers were significantly lower for materials and technology. Materials and Technology is still considered a vocational subject compared with the science oriented subjects. When gender enrollments were considered, Chemistry had a similar number of females and males, Physics had twice as many males as females, and Materials and Technology had twice as many males as females. This appears to be a consequence of typical gender roles.     

论职业学校学生科技道德教育

在知识经济时代,科学技术对社会、经济的发展产生了深刻影响.在科技时代有必要对职业学校的学生实施科技道德教育,同时在阐述了科技道德教育的含义及其基本内容的基础上,提出了职业学校应以学校作为教育的主阵地,通过德育课、专业课和课外活动等基本途径对学生进行科技道德的教育.     

Autonomy in Science Education: A Practical Approach in Attitude Shifting Towards Science Learning

This work describes a 2-year study in teaching school science, based on the stimulation of higher thinking levels in learning science using a highly student-centred and constructivist learning approach. We sought to shift and strengthen students’ positive attitudes towards science learning, self-efficacy towards invention, and achievement. Focusing on an important aspect of student’s positive attitude towards learning, their preference (like/dislike) towards independent study with minimal or no teacher interference, which leads to increased learning autonomy, was investigated. The main research was conducted on elementary school students; 271 grade level one (G1; 6 years old) to grade level four (G4; 10 years old) participated in this study. As a result of this study, it was found that: (1) 73% of the students preferred minimal or no explanation at all, favoring to be left with the challenge of finding out what to do, compared to 20% of the control group, indicating a positive attitude shift in their learning approaches. (2) The experimental group achieved slightly more (9.5% difference) than the control group in knowledge-comprehension-level based exam; however, the experimental group scored much higher (63% difference) in challenging exams which required higher thinking levels. (3) The same trend was also observed in self-efficacy toward invention, where 82% of the experimental group saw themselves as possible inventors compared to 37% of the control group.     

Towards a Philosophically Guided Schema for Studying Scientific Explanation in Science Education

Science & Education - Stemming from the realization of the importance of the role of explanation in the science classroom, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States 2013) call for...     

Parents' Attitudes Towards Science and their Children's Science Achievement

Although countries worldwide are emphasizing the importance of science education for technological development and global economic competition, comparative findings from standardized international student assessments reveal a huge gap in science scores between developed and developing countries. Certain developed economies too have made little progress in raising science achievement over the past decade. Despite school improvement being placed high on the policy agenda, the results of such actions have been poor. Therefore, there is a need to explore additional ways in which science achievement can be enhanced. This study focuses on the family and examines whether parents' attitudes towards science (how much they value science and the importance they place on it) can influence their children's science achievement. Individual- and school-level data are obtained from the Program for International Student Assessment 2006 survey for 15 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and non-OECD countries. Hierarchical linear modelling is employed to estimate the equations. The findings indicate that parents' attitudes towards science have a positive and statistically significant effect on science achievement, after controlling for other important student- and school-level variables. Moreover, students from poor backgrounds appear to benefit from more positive parental science attitudes as much as students from high socioeconomic status, such that equality of student achievement is not affected. This study recommends that schools and teachers encourage parents to play a more pro-active role in their children's science education, as well as educate parents about the importance of science and strategies that can be adopted to support their children's science learning.     

Secondary School Students' Attitudes Towards Science

Four hundred and fifty‐one students' attitudes towards science were investigated. Two types of instruments (questionnaire and Attitude Scale) were used to collect the data. The results show that the students in general hold a favourable attitude towards science; male students have more positive attitude towards science than female students; the type of school (science‐school, single‐sex school or general secondary school) attended have an effect on the students' attitudes to science. The low enrollment in science is not due to the lack of interest or negative attitudes to the subject but may be due to some other variables that need to be investigated.     

Towards Bildung-Oriented Chemistry Education

This paper concerns Bildung-oriented chemistry education, based on a reflective and critical discourse of chemistry. It is contrasted with the dominant type of chemistry education, based on the mainstream discourse of chemistry. Bildung-oriented chemistry education includes not only content knowledge in chemistry, but also knowledge about chemistry, both about the nature of chemistry and about its role in society. In 2004 Mahaffy suggested a tetrahedron model based on Johnstone’s chemical triangle. The latter represents the formal aspects of chemistry teaching (macro, submicro, and symbolic) and the top of the tetrahedron represents a human element. In the present paper the following subdivision of the top is suggested (starting from the bottom): (1) applied chemistry, (2) socio-cultural context, and (3) critical-philosophic approach. The professional identity of the Bildung-oriented chemistry teacher differs from that of the chemist and is informed by research fields such as Philosophy of Chemistry, Science and Technology Studies, and Environmental Education. He/she takes a socio-critical approach to chemistry, emphasising both the benefits and risks of chemistry and its applications.     

发展科学教育 培育科学文化

中国的科学教育已走过百年历程,起到了十分重要的教育作用。但总的来说,我国的科学文化还很不发达,科学教育程度不够。为了改变这一现状,我们需要从三个方面进行努力:第一,全面理解科学教育,树立正确的科学价值观;第二,培育积极完整的科学文化;第三,创造和谐、自由的科研环境。     

从世界理科教育改革看我国理科教育问题

分析了当今世界中小学理科教育改革的基本特征,论述了我国理科教育存在的主要问题及进行改革的重要性和必要性,也提出了一些改革建议。     

教育中的科学史与科学史中的教育

关于科学史在科学教育中的功能问题，一些案例说明，长期以来，实际上是教育目的规定着科学史的教育作用，将这种现象可称为教育中的科学史。而随着科学史研究的发展和科学史建制的形成，现在以科学史本身为本来认识科学史的教育作用，相应的，这可被称为科学史中的教育。在科学史的研究和传播过程中，从教育中的科学史向科学史中的教育转变，能够避免对科学史的辉格式解释和对科学历史的歪曲，也有利于真正认识科学史学科的教育功能。     

Towards a Liberal Vocational Education

This essay takes up the issue of the impact of technology on jobs in modern workplaces, and the curricular challenges thereby engendered for vocational educators. Conceptions of the nature of workplaces are examined, along with conceptions of the types of skill needed. It is proposed that distinction be made between vocational education at the secondary school, and that beyond. At the secondary school, vocational education would be education about work , and the goal would be vocational literacy. This would constitute a liberal vocational education. Beyond that, vocational education would be for jobs , but would include liberal features, such as general education course work, and training in job families.     

Towards an American Jewish Education

My function is to analyze a survey of adult Jewish education and to present briefly some of my own views on the subject. The survey was planned and conducted under the direction of the National Advisory Council on Adult Jewish Education of the American Association for Jewish Education. The Advisory Council includes the directors or representatives of a number of important religious and lay national Jewish agencies which sponsor adult Jewish education. The responses to the questionnaires were analyzed and the Survey Report was written by Rabbi Samuel I. Cohen.     

论艺术教育的理想

艺术教育不应拘泥于“当下”,而应放眼于普世,应为提升全民族的审美化与审美精神服务,此为艺术教育的理想;其实现方式应以“开放性”为始发点,以艺术素质教育为其实施机制,并以艺术教育工作素质的提高为根本;艺术教育理想的实现是一项系统工程,应以社会各方的参与为保障。     

树立新的教育理念推进科学教育与人文教育的融合

本文站在时代高度，以新的教育理念出发，从三个方面系统深入阐述了科学教育与人文教育融合的必然性。     

Science of Education

ABSTRACT

With more students pursuing university, it becomes essential for high schools to provide training that maximizes their graduates’ success. There is debate over whether an extra year of high school better prepares students for university. The authors used a nationally representative survey to contrast academic and employment outcomes between high school graduates of Grade 12 and Grade 13. Results suggest that Grade 13 graduates obtain higher grades in high school, are more likely to pursue university, and are less likely to be employed full time compared with Grade 12 graduates. Among students enrolled in university, Grade 13 graduates report higher grades in university and satisfaction with their program and do not transfer out of their programs compared to Grade 12 graduates. These findings highlight the importance of an additional year of high school to produce better prepared and more satisfied graduates.     

科学、科学文化和科学教育

要搞好科学教育,需要拓宽视野,深化认识,提升境界,减少盲目性。为此,要弄清科学的内涵、关注科学内涵的发展;要摒充狭隘的还原主义科学观,从多种角度揭示科学的内涵、本质并加以综合;要注意挖掘现代科学的文化内涵,认识它对有效培养学生科学素养的作用,重视科学文化的教育价值并用来指引科学教育的改革,不能简单地采用"科学 人文"的方式;还要抓住重点,妥善处理好科学文化各要素之间的关系。