Respect for Evidence: Can Science Education Deliver It?

Science & Education -     

Discipline orientations of pre‐service teachers before and after student teaching

This study examined the classroom discipline orientations of pre‐service elementary teachers both before and after the student teaching experience. Prior to beginning and immediately after completing their full‐time student teaching experience, pre‐service teachers (N = 220) from three southeastern universities in the USA completed a discipline belief instrument which identified their preferred model of classroom discipline. The results showed that the student teaching experience significantly increased beginning teachers’ preferences toward a more assertive discipline model (Rules and Consequences) and decreased their preferences toward the humanistic discipline model (Relationship–Listening). These results demonstrate that the student teaching experience may be creating a dissonance in prior knowledge and beliefs, and experiences of pre‐service teachers in classrooms. The results of the study suggest that teacher education programs can help pre‐service teachers transition more smoothly into classroom teaching by providing a school–university partnership as well as more lessons and advice on handling specific classroom management situations.     

Applying the Philosophical Concept of Reduction to the Chemistry of Water: Implications for Chemical Education

Even though philosophical themes in science education have been advocated for several decades, little attention has been paid to how these themes can be contextualized in the teaching of a particular domain of science. The purpose of this paper is to provide an example theoretical framework for applying a philosophical theme, reduction, in chemistry education. The inclusion of the concept reduction in chemistry education not only elaborates on this important philosophical thesis in the specific context of chemistry but also it might offer some insight into how students interest in philosophical aspects of chemistry might be stimulated. The consideration of concepts such as chemical composition, molecular structure and bonding in chemistry of water provides an example for the application of reduction in chemistry education. The water example also promotes the reflection on the microscopic, macroscopic and symbolic features of substances, themes which are repeatedly covered in secondary as well as tertiary chemical education. Some implications include the need for restructuring the curriculum in higher education to be more inclusive of the controversial nature of quantum mechanical applications in chemistry.     

Developing a Scale of Attitudes Toward Seeking Psychological Help: Validity and Reliability Analyses

The present study was conducted to develop the scale for Attitudes Toward Seeking Psychological Help (ASPH). Four dimensions of ASPH were determined by using factor analysis, which was conducted with 356 participants. The dimensions were named as confidence for getting psychological help; beliefs about the functions of psychological help; endurance against labelling, and self-disclosure. Reliability coefficient was found as satisfactory in the scale (.88) and subscales (.76, .77, .76, and .68). Test-retest reliability was .99. Validity of the scale was examined by using discriminant validity analysis and it was observed as sufficient. The results of the study showed that ASPH has an identifiable factor structure and it is a reliable and valid scale.     

Developing epistemologically empowered teachers: examining the role of philosophy of chemistry in teacher education

History and philosophy of science have been widely promoted in science teacher education for several decades. However the application of themes from philosophy of science in science teacher education has been rather broad and not particular relative to the domain-specific features of the science in question. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the new field of philosophy of chemistry can contribute to science teacher education. Since the beginning of the 1990s, philosophy of chemistry has emerged as a relatively new branch of philosophy of science examining the distinctive nature of chemical knowledge. Some implications of this domain in chemical education have been investigated although the research territory in this area remains underdeveloped. The paper is intended to contribute to this area of research by focusing on a particular theme, the microscopic/macroscopic relationship (or the so-called ‘supervenience’ problem) in the context of models and modelling. Literature review of students’ and teachers’ understanding of models and modelling in chemistry highlights the importance of incorporating the epistemological aspects of related chemical concepts. The implications for teacher education are discussed.     

Reconceptualizing the Nature of Science for Science Education

Two fundamental questions about science are relevant for science educators: (a) What is the nature of science? and (b) what aspects of nature of science should be taught and learned? They are fundamental because they pertain to how science gets to be framed as a school subject and determines what aspects of it are worthy of inclusion in school science. This conceptual article re-examines extant notions of nature of science and proposes an expanded version of the Family Resemblance Approach (FRA), originally developed by Irzik and Nola (International handbook of research in history, philosophy and science teaching. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 999–1021, 2014) in which they view science as a cognitive-epistemic and as an institutional-social system. The conceptual basis of the expanded FRA is described and justified in this article based on a detailed account published elsewhere (Erduran and Dagher in Reconceptualizing the nature of science for science education: scientific knowledge, practices and other family categories. Springer, Dordrecht, 2014a). The expanded FRA provides a useful framework for organizing science curriculum and instruction and gives rise to generative visual tools that support the implementation of a richer understanding of and about science. The practical implications for this approach have been incorporated into analysis of curriculum policy documents, curriculum implementation resources, textbook analysis and teacher education settings.     

Science Education and the Pandemic, 1 Year On

Science & Education -     

Beyond Hypothesis Testing

Science & Education - Recent reforms in science education have promoted students’ understanding of how science works, including the methodological approaches used by scientists. Given...