Popularization and Teaching of the Relationship Between Visual Arts and Natural Sciences: Historical, Philosophical and Didactical Dimensions of the Problem

The need for a convergence of the visual arts and the natural sciences within the framework of both formal (schools, universities) and non -formal education (museum) at the level of dissemination and popularization of this knowledge is something that has preoccupied the communities of artists, scientists and educators. In the present work we aim to present in a concise way certain positions with regard to the historical, philosophical and didactical dimensions of the problem of popularizing and teaching the relation between the visual arts and the natural sciences. More precisely, we intent to show the existence of this relation throughout history and within the society by reference to certain typical examples of how scientific ideas about nature and the propagation of light influenced the practices of the neo-impressionists or the early abstract painters in relation to the use of colour or the way the visual arts aid in the representation of scientific objects and/or ideas. At the epistemological level, we are going to put forth Levy-Leblond??s idea that the relation between the visual arts and the natural sciences is a relation of meeting, controversy or even conflict but definitely not a relation of confusion or fusion. Furthermore, at the didactical level we aim to present the popularization and the teaching of the relation between the visual arts and the natural sciences as a problem of the didactic transformation of knowledge and reference practices and not as a clearly pedagogical construct.     

Views of prospective early childhood education teachers,towards mathematics and its instruction

The questions this paper attempts to answer are related to the attitudes of student teachers of the Department of Early Childhood Education at the University of Patras (Greece) towards mathematics, as well as their views on the instruction of mathematics in Early Childhood Education. The research sample included 52 students in the fourth semester of studies, who were invited to answer a questionnaire with respect to mathematics and its instruction. The findings reveal the negative attitude our research subjects adopt towards mathematics. Their epistemological views on mathematics and its instruction do not constitute a single and solid conceptual system. These findings underline the need to improve the mathematical education offered to student teachers of Early Childhood Education.

Les questions posées par la présente recherche concernent les attitudes envers les mathématiques ainsi que les conceptions sur l'enseignement de mathématiques des étudiants—futurs enseignants du Département de l'Education Pré‐scolaire de l'université de Patras. Cinquante‐deux étudiants de la quatrième année de leurs études ont participé à cette recherche en remplissant un questionnaire sur les mathématiques et leur enseignement. L'analyse des réponses a montré que les étudiants ont des attitudes négatives envers les mathématiques et que leurs conceptions épistémologiques sur les mathématiques et leur enseignement ne constituent pas un cadre conceptuel unitaire et cohérent. Ces constatations soulignent la nécessite de reformulation du contenu de l'éducation mathématique adressé aux étudiants—futurs enseignants à l'école maternelle.

La pesquisa actual está intentando responder a cuestiones relacionadas con las actitudes de los estudiantes—futuros institutores—de la Facultad de Pedagogía Preescolar de la Universidad de Patras (Grecia), en relación a la matemática y con sus puntos de vista en relación a la enseñanza de los conceptos matemáticos en la Educación Preescolar. La muestra representativa de la investigación se compone de 52 estudiantes del cuarto semestre de la carrera a quienes se solicitó responder a un cuestionario relacionado con la matemática y su didáctica. El escrutinio del cuestionario indica que los sujetos de la muestra mantienen una actitud negativa ante la matemática y su didáctica. Además, sus convicciones y conjeturas de ellos no componen un sistema de comprensión unificado y conciso acerca de la matemática y su didáctica. Dicho escrutinio subraya que hace falta mejorar la educación de la matemática que se presta en nuestra Facultad de Pedagogía.

Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die Einstellung von Studenten—zukünftigen Lehrern—des Fachs Pädagogik am Institut für Frühe Kindheit, Universität Patras, Griechenland, gegenüber der Mathematik. Insbesondere befasst sie sich mit deren Wahrnehmung der Vermittlung von mathematischen Begriffen im Kindergarten. Im Rahmen der Studie wurden 52 Studenten des vierten Semesters aufgefordert, einen Fragebogen zur Mathematikausbildung auszufüllen. Aus den Ergebnissen resultiert eine negative Haltung der Befragten gegenüber der Mathematik und deren Unterricht. Des weiteren bilden ihre Wahrnehmungsweise der Mathematik und des Mathematikunterrichts kein einheitliches und konsistentes konzeptuelles System. Diese Ergebnisse heben die Notwendigkeit einer Verbesserung der angebotenen Mathematikausbildung in unserem Fachbereich Pädagogik hervor.     

What factors does friction depend on? A socio‐cognitive teaching intervention with young children

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a socio‐cognitive teaching strategy on young children. It tests their understanding of the factors that friction depends on when an object is projected across a horizontal surface. The study was conducted in three phases: pre‐test, teaching intervention, and post‐test. The sample consisted of 68 preschool children who were assigned to two groups according to age and cognitive ability, based on their responses to a pre‐test. The children in the experimental group participated in activities that were approached from a socio‐cognitive perspective while the children in the control group participated in the same activities but from a Piagetian perspective. A statistically significant difference was found (Mann–Whitney U‐test), between the pre‐test and the post‐test, providing evidence for the effect of the socio‐cognitive strategy on children's understanding of a ‘precursor model’ for the concept of friction.     

Informal and Non-formal Education: An Outline of History of Science in Museums

Although a growing number of research articles in recent years have treated the role of informal settings in science learning, the subject of the history of science in museums and its relationship to informal and non-formal education remains less well explored. The aim of this review is to assemble the studies of history of science in science museums and explore the opportunities for the further use of the history of science in science museum education practice.     

A Model-Based Constructivist Approach for Bridging Qualitative and Quantitative Aspects in Teaching and Learning the First Law of Thermodynamics

Science & Education - Teaching and learning introductory thermodynamics has drawn considerable research attention over the last two decades, especially in several disciplines of higher...     

Factors that Influence Students in Choosing Physics Programmes at University Level: the Case of Greece

Research in Science Education - Low enrolment in undergraduate level physics programmes has drawn the attention of the relevant disciplines, education policy-makers, and researchers worldwide. Many...     

Teaching the Nature of Science Through the Millikan-Ehrenhaft Dispute

This article presents the results of a research project that investigated the extent to which the use of the historical episode of the Millikan-Ehrenhaft dispute over the existence of the elementary electric charge can improve students’ conceptions of specific aspects of the Nature of Science (NOS). A teaching programme containing seven hourly teaching units was designed and implemented. The teaching intervention was designed on the basis of an explicit form of teaching that was integrated into the scientific content and through the use of short stories. Students’ conceptions of specific aspects of NOS were documented in a questionnaire distributed before and after the class. The results showed that there was a significant statistical improvement in students’ conceptions of the aspects of NOS that had been selected for teaching.     

Construction of a Precursor Model for the Concept of Rolling Friction in the Thought of Preschool Age Children: A Socio-cognitive Teaching Intervention

The aim of this study was to explore the extent to which the characteristics of two teaching interventions can bring about cognitive progress in preschoolers with regard to the factors rolling friction depends on, when it is applied to an object that is freely rolling on a horizontal surface. The study was conducted in three phases: pre-test, teaching intervention, and post-test. Two teaching strategies were compared: one inspired by Piaget’s theory (Piagetian approach) and one inspired by post-Piagetian and Vygotkian assumptions (socio-cognitive approach). A statistically significant difference was found between the pre-test and post-test, providing evidence that the socio-cognitive approach allows for the creation of a more appropriate teaching framework compared to the Piagetian one.