Disconnections Between Teacher Expectations and Student Confidence in Bioethics

This study examines how student practice of scientific argumentation using socioscientific bioethics issues affects both teacher expectations of students’ general performance and student confidence in their own work. When teachers use bioethical issues in the classroom students can gain not only biology content knowledge but also important decision-making skills. Learning bioethics through scientific argumentation gives students opportunities to express their ideas, formulate educated opinions and value others’ viewpoints. Research has shown that science teachers’ expectations of student success and knowledge directly influence student achievement and confidence levels. Our study analyzes pre-course and post-course surveys completed by students enrolled in a university level bioethics course (n = 111) and by faculty in the College of Biology and Agriculture faculty (n = 34) based on their perceptions of student confidence. Additionally, student data were collected from classroom observations and interviews. Data analysis showed a disconnect between faculty and students perceptions of confidence for both knowledge and the use of science argumentation. Student reports of their confidence levels regarding various bioethical issues were higher than faculty reports. A further disconnect showed up between students’ preferred learning styles and the general faculty’s common teaching methods; students learned more by practicing scientific argumentation than listening to traditional lectures. Students who completed a bioethics course that included practice in scientific argumentation, significantly increased their confidence levels. This study suggests that professors’ expectations and teaching styles influence student confidence levels in both knowledge and scientific argumentation.     

The Development of Chemical Language Usage by “Non-traditional” Students: the Interlanguage Analogy

Research in Science Education - Students commonly find specialist scientific language problematic. This study investigated developments in chemical language usage by six non-traditional students...     

Characterizing eParticipation

eParticipation is an emerging research area which, like most emerging areas, lacks a clear literature base or research approach. This study maps out some of the academic theories and disciplines that the new area addresses, using conventional literature study techniques. We identify 99 articles that are considered to be highly relevant to eParticipation. We develop a definitional schema that suggests different ways of understanding an emerging research area, and use this schema to identify key academic articles that help to define eParticipation. We adapt Deetz's [(1996). Describing differences in approaches to organization science: Rethinking Burrell and Morgan and their legacy. Organization Science, 7(2), 191–207] taxonomy of discourses in organizational science to provide an overall categorization scheme for research in the area, and map the literature. The article thus contributes to a developing picture which will help future researchers both to understand and to navigate the research area.     

The impact of political identity,grouping, and discussion on young people's views of political documentaries

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on how young people read and discuss two political documentary films, Labor Day and Hillary: The Movie. We were specifically interested in the impact of the film viewing and discussion on participants’ beliefs about the issues in the films, how they view evidence and expertise in the films, and how the session impacted their views of documentaries as a source. Groups were designed according to composite political scores and individuals (n?=?30) were selected to form liberal, conservative, and two mixed groups (strong and moderate) for the viewing and discussion. Our analysis illustrates the power of political ideology in shaping how expertise is viewed and how evidence is warranted in film – and the role of social context and peer discussion in this process. Implications for media and democratic education in times of political polarization are discussed.     

Augmented Reality in Design Education: Landscape Architecture Studies as AR Experience

The rapid and ongoing development of digital technologies continues to create new opportunities for education. Over the last decade this has enabled the establishment of blended learning approaches and online education. More recently, Augmented Reality (AR) has emerged as a unique technology that can transform learning experiences across diverse disciplines. This article outlines the development of an AR prototype, Master of Time, which was created to educate first year students and non‐designers on the foundational principles of landscape architecture. This study examines the learning potential and benefits of AR technology with a focus on creating new practices in digital storytelling across situated experiences. In outlining project outcomes, the authors propose a series of critical design principles, strategies and methodologies for educators to apply when developing AR learning experiences across disciplines. Included within this is a framework for transdisciplinary and co‐design collaboration, which is essential for educators working in the forefront of learning technologies.