Learning Science,Learning about Science,Doing Science: Different goals demand different learning methods

This opinion piece paper urges teachers and teacher educators to draw careful distinctions among four basic learning goals: learning science, learning about science, doing science and learning to address socio-scientific issues. In elaboration, the author urges that careful attention is paid to the selection of teaching/learning methods that recognize key differences in learning goals and criticizes the common assertion that ‘current wisdom advocates that students best learn science through an inquiry-oriented teaching approach' on the grounds that conflating the distinction between learning by inquiry and engaging in scientific inquiry is unhelpful in selecting appropriate teaching/learning approaches.     

Science, Worldviews, and Education

Whether science can reach conclusions with substantial worldview import, such as whether supernatural beings exist or the universe is purposeful, is a significant but unsettled aspect of science. For instance, various scientists, philosophers, and educators have explored the implications of science for a theistic worldview, with opinions spanning the spectrum from positive to neutral to negative. To delineate a mainstream perspective on science, seven key characterizations or “pillars” of science are adopted from position papers from the world’s largest scientific organization, the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Based on those pillars and an examination of scientific method, I argue that the presuppositions and reasoning of science can and should be worldview independent, but empirical and public evidence from the sciences and humanities can support conclusions that are worldview distinctive. I also critique several problematic perspectives: asserting that science can say nothing about worldviews and the opposite extreme of insisting that science decisively supports one particular worldview; weakening science so severely that it lacks truth claims; and burdening science with unnecessary presuppositions. Worldview-distinctive conclusions based on empirical evidence are suitable for individual convictions and public discussions, but not for institutional endorsements and scientific literacy requirements.     

Science Anxiety, Science Attitudes, and Constructivism: A Binational Study

Students’ attitudes and anxieties about science were measured by responses to two self-report questionnaires. The cohorts were Danish and American students at the upper secondary- and university-levels. Relationships between and among science attitudes, science anxiety, gender, and nationality were examined. Particular attention was paid to constructivist attitudes about science. These fell into at least three broad conceptual categories: Negativity of Science Toward the Individual, Subjective Construction of Knowledge, and Inherent Bias Against Women. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses revealed that these dimensions of constructivist attitudes were equally applicable and had the same meaning in both cultures. Gender differences in mean levels of constructivist attitudes were found; these varied across the two cultures. Constructivist beliefs were associated with science anxiety, but in different ways for females and males, and for Danes and Americans. In agreement with earlier studies, females in both the US and Danish cohorts were significantly more science anxious than males, and the gender differences for the Americans were larger than those for the Danes. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for reducing science anxiety by changing constructivist beliefs.     

Science Anxiety, Science Attitudes, and Gender: Interviews from a Binational Study

We conducted interviews with eleven groups of Danish and American students. The interview topics included gender and national components of science education, science anxiety, and attitudes toward science. The groups were science and nonscience students at the upper secondary and university levels, and one group of American science teachers who were students in a science enrichment program. The interviews revealed a variety of relationships between and among science attitudes, science anxiety, nationality, gender, and course of study. We also probed student attitudes toward constructivist versus traditional views of science.     

Understanding and Engagement in Places of Science Experience: Science Museums,Science Centers,Zoos, and Aquariums

Science museums, science centers, zoos, and aquariums (MCZAs) constitute major settings of science learning with unique characteristics of informal science education. Emphasis will be given to the analysis of four specific characteristics of MCZAs that seem relevant for educational research and practice, namely, conditions of mixed motives and goals, staged popular science, and impact of physical layout, as well as the role of social exchange and participation. By doing so, we focus on the consequences of these characteristics for the learning processes and outcomes of visits of MCZAs. We show that outcomes encompass not only knowledge acquisition in a narrower sense but also changes in interest and beliefs.     

Laptop Use,Interactive Science Software,and Science Learning Among At-Risk Students

This year-long, quasi-experimental study investigated the impact of the use of netbook computers and interactive science software on fifth-grade students’ science learning processes, academic achievement, and interest in further science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) study within a linguistically diverse school district in California. Analysis of students’ state standardized science test scores indicated that the program helped close gaps in scientific achievement between at-risk learners (i.e., English learners, Hispanics, and free/reduced-lunch recipients) and their counterparts. Teacher and student interviews and classroom observations suggested that computer-supported visual representations and interactions supported diverse learners’ scientific understanding and inquiry and enabled more individualized and differentiated instruction. Finally, interviews revealed that the program had a positive impact on students’ motivation in science and on their interest in pursuing science-related careers. This study suggests that technology-facilitated science instruction is beneficial for improving at-risk students’ science achievement, scaffolding students’ scientific understanding, and strengthening students’ motivation to pursue STEM-related careers.     

Philosophy of Science,Critical Thinking and Science Education

In this article I explore a case for the inclusion of some aspects of critical thinking and of philosophy of science within science education that appeals to two commonly accepted aims of science education. Although motivated by reading Harvey Siegel's Educating Reason (1988), and emerging from his discussion there, the aspects I explore go beyond that discussion.     

略析科技与道德

当今世界是一个高科技时代 ,科学技术一方面带给人类巨大的福祉 ,另一方面又让人感到恐慌和不安。科技的发展带来了许多伦理道德新问题 ,科学与道德到底是怎样一种关系呢 ?本文试从科学对道德的促进作用 ,科学所表现出的伦理二重性以及道德对科学的制约作用等几方面进行探讨分析。     

系统科学 思维科学 教育科学

本文从我国基础教育实际出发,主张充分发扬东方人特有的整体思维优势将系统科学、思维科学特别是复杂性科学引入到教育领域中来．以系统的眼光、整体视野对智能开发与人才培养进行系统研究,整体开发,全面培养,综合创新,使教育能按照科学发展观的要求实现科学育人的目的。     

科学教育中的知识、方法与信念——基于科学哲学的考察

科学教育强调学生理解科学的本质,而不仅仅是知识,这是因为科学与社会之间的联系越来越紧密,凸显了将科学看作了解世界的方式在认识论上的重要性。出于个体认识论的需要、科学研究的认识论特征以及科学外行与科学家在认知劳力上的区分,科学教育的目标转向受教育个体未来的社会行动,应培育学生建立对科学的信任和维护科学的认识论权威。为实现这种目标,科学教育应从理解科学的本质转向理解真实的科学实践的本质,在科学教育中呈现真实的而非理想化的科学实践,采纳基于科学哲学模型和理论的实用主义进路。科学哲学对科学实践的新近研究,虽然可以提供理论基础,但应该与科学教育进行建设性对话,更加关注非科学家理解科学的模式,将哲学模型转化为适合学生认知水平和需要、符合教学情境的教学资源。     

Knowledge,Belief, and Science Education

This article intends to show that the defense of “understanding” as one of the major goals of science education can be grounded on an anti-reductionist perspective on testimony as a source of knowledge. To do so, we critically revisit the discussion between Harvey Siegel and Alvin Goldman about the goals of science education, especially where it involves arguments based on the epistemology of testimony. Subsequently, we come back to a discussion between Charbel N. El-Hani and Eduardo Mortimer, on the one hand, and Michael Hoffmann, on the other, striving to strengthen the claim that rather than students’ belief change, understanding should have epistemic priority as a goal of science education. Based on these two lines of discussion, we conclude that the reliance on testimony as a source of knowledge is necessary to the development of a more large and comprehensive scientific understanding by science students.     

Epistemology, Science, and Moral Practice

Two features of discussions on epistemology in the social sciences and education are examined. One is the depiction of science by its critics, the other is the separation of scientific inquiry and ethics. I describe science as very human and very fallible, but also very successful. Contrary to critics, science is not a search for eternal truth or an ultimate reality, rather it is tentative, self-corrective, and growing. Other anti-science arguments are also explored.The separation of ethics from the methods and subject matter of science by critics is seem as a fatal flaw. Ethical problems arise in concrete situations so that moral choices are contextual, requiring inquiry and reflection about options and their potential consequences. Here inquiry is directed toward the most desirable outcomes available.     

Teaching With and About Nature of Science, and Science Teacher Knowledge Domains

The ubiquitous goals of helping precollege students develop informed conceptions of nature of science (NOS) and experience inquiry learning environments that progressively approximate authentic scientific practice have been long-standing and central aims of science education reforms around the globe. However, the realization of these goals continues to elude the science education community partly because of a persistent, albeit not empirically supported, coupling of the two goals in the form of ‘teaching about NOS with inquiry’. In this context, the present paper aims, first, to introduce the notions of, and articulate the distinction between, teaching with and about NOS, which will allow for the meaningful coupling of the two desired goals. Second, the paper aims to explicate science teachers’ knowledge domains requisite for effective teaching with and about NOS. The paper argues that research and development efforts dedicated to helping science teachers develop deep, robust, and integrated NOS understandings would have the dual benefits of not only enabling teachers to convey to students images of science and scientific practice that are commensurate with historical, philosophical, sociological, and psychological scholarship (teaching about NOS), but also to structure robust inquiry learning environments that approximate authentic scientific practice, and implement effective pedagogical approaches that share a lot of the characteristics of best science teaching practices (teaching with NOS).     

复杂性、科学与后现代思潮

复杂性科学与后现代主义思潮有着一定的关联。但是复杂性科学绝非后现代主义得以成立的科学基础。后现代主义思潮批判审视科学发展。把其中合乎自己思潮的东西拿过来为己所用。其中既有把其思想发挥的地方，也有大量误读的地方。复杂性科学可效仿后现代主义思潮，从后现代思潮发展中索取“为我所用”的东西，来推动对于复杂性思想在社会科学领域的应用研究。     

Belief, Knowledge, and Science Education

Epistemological questions about the nature of knowledge and belief underlie many of the controversial issues fundamental to research and practice in science teaching and learning. In an effort to bring some clarity to questions of knowledge and belief embedded within science education research and teaching, we first describe the distinctions drawn between knowledge and belief in both philosophy and educational psychology, each of which have shaped the various definitions employed within science education. This discussion is followed by an examination of the distinctions drawn between knowledge and belief employed by three groups of science educators: the traditional distinctions of the foundationalists that are co-opted by researchers focusing on teacher thinking/cognition, the nonfoundational epistemology of the fallibilists and the evolution educators working from this framework, and the radical constructivists who react to and attempt to move past the limitations of these other positions. In this analysis, we explicate the different ways in which knowledge and belief are understood and operationalized in a broad spectrum of research, we describe the theoretical and philosophical assumptions underlying these approaches, and we explore the important areas of contention (both theoretical and empirical) surrounding each of these distinctions.     

Shining Light on Language for,in, and as Science Content

The work of science is a linguistic act. However, like history and philosophy of science, language has frequently been isolated from science content due to factors such as school departmentalization and narrow definitions of what it means to teach, know, and do science. This conceptual article seeks to recognize and recognize—to understand and yet rethink—science content in light of the vision of science expected by academic standards. Achieving that vision requires new perspectives in science teaching and teacher education that look into the role that science language expectations play in science content. These perspectives reposition attention to language from a hidden, overlooked, or outsourced aspect of science teaching, to one at its core. To help bring teachers and teacher educators into this integrative view of science content, this article offers a mirror, a prism, and a lens as three metaphorical tools to explore the essential roles that language plays for, in, and as science content. The reflection, refraction, and refocusing of science content reveal complex science language expectations that function alongside facts, figures, and formulas of science as gatekeeping mechanisms that, once noticed, cannot be ignored or marginalized in science teaching and science teacher education.     

Science Education for Women: Situated Cognition,Feminist Standpoint Theory,and the Status of Women in Science

This paper examines the relation between situated cognition theory in science education, and feminist standpoint theory in philosophy of science. It shows that situated cognition is an idea borrowed from a long since discredited philosophy of science. It argues that feminist standpoint theory ought not be indulged as it is a failed challenge to traditional philosophy of science. Standpoint theory diverts attention away from the abiding educational and career needs of women in science. In the interest of women in science, and in the interest of science, science educators would do best for their constituencies by a return to feminist philosophy understood as the demand for equal access and a level playing field for women in science and society.

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科学技术与人的善恶

科学技术对人的善恶效应是科技与人性论域中的一个重要问题。从科技产生善恶效应的原因和主要表现看,人间的善恶现象自科技来到世间后无疑与科学技术有了关联,但解决善恶问题又绝不能只靠科技,更要通过合理而公正的社会制度的健全和积极的人文精神的培育。     

理科教师的科学本质观对科学教育的影响

人们对科学本质的认识经历了由科学的“真理观”向科学的“建构观”的转变。不同的科学本质观将直接影响着教师对科学教育目标的不同理解,对科学知识的不同选择,对教学主题的不同设计、教学话语的不同使用,对学生学习的不同评价。教师不同的科学本质观及其教学行为影响着学生的科学本质观的形成,影响着学生对科学内容的理解以及看待问题的思维方式。     

“科幻小说界的莎士比亚”威尔斯作品述评

英国作家赫伯特.乔治.威尔斯的科幻小说既有天马行空的想象,又有改革社会、警示后人的深刻寓意,同时也不乏对未来科技的准确预见,为现代科幻小说的发展打下了坚实的基础。