Informal Science Educators: Understanding Their Goals for Preschool-Aged Audiences

Research in Science Education - Informal science educators’ (ISEs) work with young children has received limited attention in the literature. We investigated ISEs’ goals for...     

Learning Disability and Career Entry into the Sciences: A Critical Analysis of Attitudinal Factors

The present study examined the perceptions of 140 parents and 323 teachers regarding career entry into science and engineering for students with learning disabilities. Parents' and teachers' perceptions were assessed on the following eight variables: (a) facility access, (b) expense of accommodations, (c) role models, (d) teacher understanding of students' academic needs, (e) length of learning time, (f) student aptitude and educational preparation, (g) career guidance, and (h) employer attitudes. Results revealed that parents, significantly more than teachers, feel that teachers do not make the necessary effort to accommodate students with learning disabilities and that employers in the science and engineering fields are reluctant to hire persons with learning disabilities. Implications of the results for rehabilitation counselors working with learning disabled students interested in science and engineering are offered.     

Toward functional expertise through formal education: identifying an opportunity for higher education

In this paper, we synthesize research on the nature and development of expertise to propose a developmental model that describes four main areas of expert knowledge: procedural, conditional, and conceptual knowledge, along with knowledge generation. We propose that these types of expert knowledge map onto and promote the development of four types of expert performance: procedural, functional, adaptive, and generative expertise. Further, we propose that expertise develops in terms of a fluency dimension consisting of execution, repertoire, and automaticity. We propose that this model highlights a potential opportunity for educators and instructional designers to target the appropriate level of expertise through teaching specific knowledge types in progression and providing practice and feedback to improve fluency. At a minimum, graduates would possess a degree of functional fluency and be better able to enter the workforce. Being aware of the need, and also knowing how, to conditionalize their own knowledge should also accelerate their continued acquisition of expertise throughout their career.

     

Book reviews

The following books are reviewed.

Research Method in the Postmodern JAMES J. SCHEURICH (1997) Qualitative Studies Series 3 London: Falmer Press. 190 pp., ISBN 0 7507 0709 7, hardback, £58.00, ISBN 0 7507 0645 7, paperback, £16.99

Digital Diversions: youth culture in the age of multimedia JULIAN SEFTON-GREEN (Ed.) (1998) London: UCL Press. ISBN 1 85728 856 4, hardback, £48.00, ISBN 1 85728 857 2, paperback, £14.99

Reflective Teacher Development in Primary Science PETER OVENS (2000) London, Falmer Press. 230 pp., ISBN 0 750 70863 8, hardback, £50.00, ISBN 0 750 70862 X, paperback, £15.99