scholarly journals More than ‘pour-and-mix’ – Extending Content Knowledge at the college level through an analysis of coumarin in cinnamon

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Emden ◽  
Matthias Scholz

Abstract The article introduces the layout of a college course on analytical chemistry for pre-service teachers. The course aims at fostering teacher students’ professional knowledge by recapitulating Core Content Knowledge, introducing Specialized Content Knowledge, and complementing it with discipline-overarching Linked Content Knowledge. Synthesizing these types of knowledge is expected to support students in their processes of meaning making. As they realize an every-day relevance of analytical chemistry they will see opportunities to relate chemical knowledge to their later school students. Regarding Linked Content Knowledge, suggestions are given to address aspects related to the Nature of Science. An exemplary lab activity to analyze the coumarin content in cinnamon is provided. Coumarin has shown adverse health effects in a non-neglectable proportion of humans. Regarding cinnamon there are two varieties of cinnamon with significantly different coumarin content: cassia is very rich in coumarin while Ceylon cinnamon is nearly void of it. The more popular cassia has been shown to be so high in coumarin that a potential risk for light weight consumers cannot be ruled out. Regarding school science, the lab activity can raise an awareness with students for the tentative, creative and socio-cultural Natures of Science – right from the students’ kitchen cabinets.

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Len Unsworth ◽  

The complexity of science discourse has long been recognized as challenging for many students. Systemic functional linguistic accounts of technicality and meaning aggregation, differentiating scientific and everyday discourse, have explicated the linguistic complexity confronting students. The complexity of images and image-language ensembles in science discourse has not been similarly delineated. Two aspects of multimodal meaning-making have not been sufficiently theorized to support pedagogies of visualization interpretation and creation in science: (1) the role of the verbiage within scientific visualizations has been largely ignored; (2) image analysis has emphasized single-structure images, e.g. narrative or classificational or analytical, whereas multiple structures in a single image is a frequent and significant resource in science. This paper outlines a framework describing the co-deployment of image and verbiage to construct multi-structure image-language ensembles in high school science textbooks. Using this framework two investigations are described: (1) variation among textbook infographics in image-language co-articulation representing meaning complexes of phenomena such as mitosis; (2) the relationship between co-articulation of image-language resources and achievement level in infographics constructed by senior high school students. Implications are drawn for extending transdisciplinary research in educational semiotics and science education and for pedagogies of multimodal disciplinary literacy development in high school science.


1999 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Sternberg ◽  
Elena L. Grigorenko ◽  
Michel Ferrari ◽  
Pamela Clinkenbeard

Summary: This article describes a triarchic analysis of an aptitude-treatment interaction in a college-level introductory-psychology course given to selected high-school students. Of the 326 total participants, 199 were selected to be high in analytical, creative, or practical abilities, or in all three abilities, or in none of the three abilities. The selected students were placed in a course that either well matched or did not match their pattern of analytical, creative, and practical abilities. All students were assessed for memory, analytical, creative, and practical achievement. The data showed an aptitude-treatment interaction between students' varied ability patterns and the match or mismatch of these abilities to the different instructional groups.


Author(s):  
Timma Dormauli Siallagan ◽  
Syamsurizal Syamsurizal ◽  
Bambang Hariyadi

The purpose of this developmental research was to develop a scientific approach based science worksheet on the dynamic electrical material topic for ninth-grade junior high school students.  The worksheet were developed based on scientific approach. The stages include:  observing, asking questions, gathering information, processing information, and communicating. The development model used is the 4-D Model consists of 4 stages: define,  design, develop, and desimanate. The results of the validation, a small and large group trials indicated that the used of the scientific approach based science worksheet was appropriate for use. Thus, the developed worksheets can be used in the process of learning for Junior high school science students. Keywords : Worksheet , Scientific approach


2020 ◽  
pp. 204275302098216
Author(s):  
Patricia Thibaut ◽  
Lucila Carvalho

Young people are increasingly connected in a digital and globalized world, but technology-mediated interactions alone do not necessarily lead to a culture of meaningful participation and meaning making processes. Students from disadvantaged contexts are especially vulnerable to this. Drawing on the Activity-Centred Analysis and Design framework this paper discusses a case study situated in disadvantaged schools in Chile. Phase 1 of the study revealed that high school students’ literacy practices in the everyday classroom mostly reflected low conceptual and procedural understanding of new literacies, confirming that these young learners enacted passive forms of technological use in and out-of-school spaces. Phase 2 of the study involved the development and implementation of a digital project at a Chilean school. Results offer insights on how alterations in tools, learning tasks, and social arrangements, led to reconfigured literacy practices. Findings also show that the relationship between access, use and outcomes is not straightforward, and students’ cultural capital varies, even in disadvantaged schools. Implications of the study stress the pivotal role of schools and the potential of well-orchestrated educational designs, for introducing and encouraging meaningful literacy practices, and for leveling up the access to the digital world.


2016 ◽  
Vol 78 (5) ◽  
pp. 396-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Potter ◽  
Rebecca M. Krall ◽  
Susan Mayo ◽  
Diane Johnson ◽  
Kim Zeidler-Watters ◽  
...  

With the looming global population crisis, it is more important now than ever that students understand what factors influence population dynamics. We present three learning modules with authentic, student-centered investigations that explore rates of population growth and the importance of resources. These interdisciplinary modules integrate biology, mathematics, and computer-literacy concepts aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. The activities are appropriate for middle and high school science classes and for introductory college-level biology courses. The modules incorporate experimentation, data collection and analysis, drawing conclusions, and application of studied principles to explore factors affecting population dynamics in fruit flies. The variables explored include initial population structure, food availability, and space of the enclosed population. In addition, we present a computational simulation in which students can alter the same variables explored in the live experimental modules to test predictions on the consequences of altering the variables. Free web-based graphing (Joinpoint) and simulation software (NetLogo) allows students to work at home or at school.


Author(s):  
Pawan Tyagi ◽  
Christine Newman

Preparing high school students for engineering disciplines is crucial for sustainable scientific and technological developments in the USA. This paper discusses a pre-college program, which not only exposes students to various engineering disciplines but also enables them to consider engineering as the profession. The four-week long “Engineering Innovation (EI)” course is offered every year to high school students by the center of outreach, Johns Hopkins University. EI program is designed to develop problem-solving skills through extensive hands-on engineering experiments. A team consisting of an instructor, generally a PhD in Engineering, and a teaching fellow, generally a high school science teacher, closely work with students to pedagogically inculcate basics of core engineering disciplines such as civil, mechanical, electrical, materials, and chemical engineering. EI values independent problem-solving skills and simultaneously promote the team spirit among students. A number of crucial engineering aspects such as professional ethics, communications, technical writing, and understanding of common engineering principles are inculcated among high school students via well-designed individual and group activities. This paper discusses the model of EI program and its impact on students learning and their preparation for the engineering career.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tihomir S. Kostadinov

Abstract. Modern climate science, Earth system science, physical geography, oceanography, meteorology, and related disciplines have increasingly turned into highly quantitative, computational fields, dealing with processing, analysis and visualization of large numerical data sets. Students of these and many other disciplines thus need to acquire robust scientific computing and data analysis skills, which have universal applicability. In addition, the increasing economic importance and environmental significance of solar power and sustainable practices such as passive building design have recently increased the importance of understanding of the apparent motions of the Sun on the celestial sphere, for a wider array of students and professionals. In this paper, I introduce and describe AstroGeoVis v1.0: open-source software that calculates solar coordinates and related parameters and produces astronomical visualizations relevant to the Earth and climate sciences. The software is written in MATLAB©; while its primary intended purpose is pedagogical, research use is envisioned as well. Both the visualizations and the code are intended to be used in the classroom in a variety of courses, at a variety of levels (targeting high school students to undergraduates), including Earth and climate sciences, geography, physics, astronomy, mathematics, statistics and computer science. I provide examples of classroom use and assignment ideas, as well as examples of ways I have used these resources in my college-level teaching. Dedication Tihomir S. Kostadinov dedicates this paper to the memory of his parents, who instilled in him a deep interest in and appreciation of astronomy, mathematics, and science.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. em2048
Author(s):  
Kathy L. Malone ◽  
William J. Boone ◽  
Andria Stammen ◽  
Anita Schuchardt ◽  
Lin Ding ◽  
...  

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