As ‘process’ as it can get: students' understanding of biological processes

Students' understanding of biological phenomena are analysed via the ontological categories of processes and matter. The analysis is based on tenth graders' explanations regarding biological phenomena such as photosynthesis, energy resources, temperature regulation and interrelations between living/nonliving worlds. This direction of analysis is an attempt to flow with the more meaningful trend of biological research and thought, that emphasizes the importance and fruitfulness of the process approach. Some implications regarding biology learning and teaching are suggested.     

On the chemical equilibrium concept: Constrained word associations and conception

The use of the method of constrained word associations to gain knowledge on the conception of the chemical equilibrium concept is reported. The analysis provides information on:

• (a) A general indication of change in the cognitive structure of students associated with chemical comprehension.
• (b) The comparison of clusters of concepts at pre- and postinstruction indicating the associated concepts.
• (c) A graphical representation of the links among concepts which resulted from instruction.

The results obtained by this technique were similar to those obtained by the method of free sorting of a set of concepts. As the latter was found to correlate with problem-solving ability, it is argued that the method of constrained word associations is a reliable tool for mapping certain aspects of cognitive structure concerned with understanding.     

On the concept “chemical equilibrium”: The associative framework

Word associations were used to map the conception of high school students concerning the concepts “chemical equilibrium” and “equilibrium.” It was found that the preconception of the two concepts was differentiated on noncritical dimensions; “equilibrium” being associated with everyday life experiences and “chemical equilibrium” with general chemical concepts. After studying the subject of chemical equilibrium at school the two concepts merged towards one, i.e., becoming synonymous. This can provide an explanation for misconceptions associated with chemical equilibrium via the transfer of static attributes from “equilibrium” to the dynamic “chemical equilibrium”.     

Becoming learners/teachers in nomadic space

This paper suggests a conjunction between the learning space of educational edge community (EEC) and the Deleuzeguattarian thought regarding the nature of teachers’ becoming. It attends to the emerging subjectivities of teachers/learners within an EEC, a nomadic, open, and smooth space of learning. It is suggested that autonomous learning processes that are enabled in nomadic spaces provide the freedom that is essential for the immanent growth of complexity that leads to creative becomings.     

Generating connections and learning with SemNet,a tool for constructing knowledge networks

In this paper we examine the impact of using a Macintosh-based knowledge organization toll SemNet, with prospective elementary and middle school teachers enrolled in an upper division biology course. The course models for students the ways in which they will be able to teach hands-on, minds-on science in K-8 classrooms and provides them with an in-depth understanding of a relatively small number of biology topics. This study examines changes in learning habits, metacognitive processes, retention, retrieval, and learring among students enrolled in this course. Students using SemNet tend to exhibit a significant increase in deep processing as measured by self-report. Also on the basis of self-report, SemNet students appear to acquire some cognitive skills that transfer to other courses, such as identifying main ideas and tying ideas together. SemNet students retained and retrieved nearly twice as much information about a topic, the digestive system, as a reference group. Although neither the SemNet nor the reference group exhibited transfer skills as we meansured them, there is evidence that SemNet student changed their thinking strategies.     

The educational-cultural edge: A participative learning environment for co-emergence of personal and institutional growth

The paper addresses the failure of the Professional Development Schools movement in bridging the cultural gap, existing between schools and academic institutions. A model, based on the ‘ecological edge’, is suggested. It is believed that this metaphor has a higher potential for constructing collaborative communities because of the unique nature of ecological edges as environments of growth and change. The paper describes an edge community that was constructed between a school and a teacher education program, the new grounded understandings and knowledge that emerged within this community and the diffusion of these to the core institutions. The concept of boundary objects is suggested as the medium through which new understandings are promoted.