scholarly journals Negotiating the relevance of laboratory work: Safety, procedures and accuracy brought to the fore in science education

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattias Lundin ◽  
Mats Lindahl
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
School Science ◽  
Work Safety ◽  
Laboratory Practice ◽  
Video Observations ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Science Classes ◽  
Safety Procedures ◽  
Science Activities

This text addresses the problem of the discrepancy between teachers’ and students’ positions in negotiations about the authenticity and legitimacy of school science activities. The study focuses on the apparent conflicts concerning legitimacy and authenticity when teachers and students bring attention to safety, authenticity and accuracy during issues laboratory activities. The analysed data are excerpts made from video observations in two science classes. Analysis was made using epistemological moves describing how teachers and students make their activities relevant. The result indicates that in the classroom conversation about laboratory practice, teachers sometimes draw the attention to safety, procedures and accuracy to legitimize the activity and how they try to control it. Negotiations concerning the legitimacy and authenticity of activities seem inevitable. Unless understandable agreements are reached, the negotiations jeopardize a successful understanding of the Nature of Science (NOS). Misunderstanding of the authenticity of activities contributes to a reduction of their legitimacy, and undermining teaching of context independent knowledge.

scholarly journals The Degree that Nature of Scientific Knowledge Aspects are Included in the Science Classes of Greek High Schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Anna Koumara ◽  
Katerina Plakitsi
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
School Science ◽  
Small Degree ◽  
Activity System ◽  
School Graduate ◽  
Know How ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Cultural Historical Activity ◽  
Science Classes

The present study examines the integration level of the Nature of Scientific Knowledge in secondary school science classes in Greece. The research was designed and organized on the basis of the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory. The activity system of the researchers, who use the proper tools each time, are in network relations with the activity system of Science Education. Major components of the educational system are studied (the curriculum, textbooks, teachers’ know-how and teaching methods, school inspectors’ viewpoints, students’ knowledge) in relation to the nature of scientific knowledge, to ensure valid results. The curriculum and textbook content is decoded, the knowledge of teachers and students is assessed with the use of an internationally validated questionnaire, and interview protocols are analyzed. Research results reveal that the nature of scientific knowledge is included in a small degree in the curriculum and textbooks, teachers refer intuitively to some of these aspects, without assessing the knowledge of students, and, finally, the majority of high-school graduate students have naïve views regarding the nature of scientific knowledge.

scholarly journals Using Digital Games in the Science Classroom

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara L. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Science Classroom ◽  
Digital Games ◽  
School Science ◽  
High School Science ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Science Classes ◽  
Scaffolding Learning

High school science classes can be difficult for students to be successful in because of the content-specific vocabulary and the expectation of prior knowledge in the subject area that teachers have of their students. The use of digital games in the classroom can provide teachers with the tools to help students scaffold their learning and better grasp the vocabulary necessary to be successful in science class. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to focus teachers’ and students’ perceptions of digital games in the high school science classroom on vocabulary development, scaffolding learning by activating prior knowledge, and self-efficacy. Findings suggest that teachers and students believed that using digital games positively impacted the development of vocabulary knowledge and helped scaffolding learning. Some students found that their levels of self-efficacy were positively impacted by using digital games in their science classes. Teachers can use these findings to make informed decisions about how to integrate digital games into their science curriculum.

scholarly journals COMPARATIVE RESEARCH ON THE UNDERSTANDINGS OF NATURE OF SCIENCE AND SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY BETWEEN SCIENCE TEACHERS FROM SHANGHAI AND CHICAGO

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-108
Author(s):  
Jingying Wang ◽  
Ying Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Curriculum Reform ◽  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Science Inquiry ◽  
School Science ◽  
High School Science ◽  
K 12

Nature of science is considered to be an important component of scientific literacy, and understanding the nature of science is advocated as an important goal of science education. Scientific inquiry is regarded as the core of curriculum reform, which has become the consensus of the international K-12 science education, as well as a scientific direction for which educators have been striving over the last century. To compare the views of nature of science and scientific inquiry of teachers between China and United States, 90 high school science teachers from Shanghai and Chicago are chosen to do open-ended questionnaires and interviews. By conducting the sequential mixed method and using the empirical investigations of VNOS-D and VOSI-S, their different understandings mainly perform in the specific aspects of nature of science and scientific inquiry, cognitive stages, types and relationships etc. Overall, the level of American teachers’ views of nature of science and science inquiry are better than Chinese. Finally, some suggestions on Chinese science teachers’ education are proposed. Key words: epistemological belief in science, nature of science, scientific inquiry.

scholarly journals Finding Points of Resonance: Nunavut Students’ Perspectives on Science

in education ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Higgins
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Science Curriculum ◽  
School Science ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Negative Experience ◽  
Schooling Experiences ◽  
Cultural Science

Still largely based on EuroCanadian knowledge and Western teachings, Education in Nunavut remains a negative experience for many Nunavut youth as the result of culturally inappropriate schooling and worldview mismatch.  Mismatch occurs as the schooling experiences of Nunavut youth, both Inuit and non-Inuit, do not align with the character, values, and traditions of Nunavut.  Divergence is especially pronounced within science education.  This paper explores Nunavut students’ perceptions of the nature of science and school science education in order to explore the possibilities and problematics involved in shifting towards a cross-cultural science curriculum that is reflective of Nunavut.Keywords: Nunavut; Inuit traditions; science education; cross-cultural science curriculum

scholarly journals SCIENCE EDUCATION IN ITALY: CRITICAL AND DESIRABLE ASPECTS OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 685-696
Author(s):  
Virginia Brianzoni ◽  
Liberato Cardellini
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
School Science ◽  
School Students ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Intellectual Skills ◽  
Current Science

Science teaching plays an important role in the contemporary society, but nowadays, many high school students are often not interested in school science. The purpose of the study was to enhance the quality of teaching and to encourage learners to study science, making student learning more effective and meaningful. The opinions of different stakeholders was taken into account. In Italy, almost 200 participants, counting both teachers and students, answered a questionnaire concerning the following aspects of teaching and learning: situations, contexts, motives; basic concepts and topics; scientific fields and perspectives; qualification; methodical aspects. The results obtained showed the priorities and main gaps in current science education. In particular, scientific literacy should be essentially based on three concepts: the development of communication skills, the improvement of intellectual skills and the development of personality. Unfortunately the study has also highlighted that the approaches judged more effective are not really common in the current educational panorama. Key words: inquiry-based science, learning environment, PROFILES project, science education.

scholarly journals Analysis of candidate teachers’ opinions on how to benefit from history of science in science education according to decision-making strategiesÖğretmen adaylarının fen eğitiminde bilim tarihinden nasıl yararlanılacağına yönelik görüşlerinin karar verme stratejilerine göre incelenmesi

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 4831
Author(s):  
Şebnem Kandil İngeç ◽  
Mustafa Erdemir ◽  
Kamile Tekfidan
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Science Education ◽  
History Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Likert Scale ◽  
School Science ◽  
Positive Contribution ◽  
History Of ◽  
Primary School Science ◽  
Science Classes

This study aims to determine candidate science teachers’ opinions on how to utilize history of science and whether their opinions display difference in terms of decision-making strategy variables and also to develop recommendations by means of acquired data. The research is a descriptive research based on screening model. Study group consists of 105 candidate teachers who are studying in Primary School Science Teaching Department.“Decision-making styles” four (4) point likert scale and five point likert type “how to benefit from History of Science in Science classes” five (5) point likert scale were used in order to obtain data. The findings shows that candidate teachers stated that they agree on use of History of Science in science classes with an average of 3,96±0,47. In their decision making strategies, they expressed that made logical decisions by 2,84±0,48, impulsive decisions by 2,56±0,41, dependent decisions by 2,25±0,32 and indecisive decisions by 2,35±0,50.A significant relation was found between candidate teachers’ opinions on utilizing History of Science in Science classes and their decision making strategies. It was observed that there is a relation between candidates’ situation of decision making and positive contribution of History of Science in classes in terms of conceptual and processual dimension. It was seen that opinions of candidates on utilizing History of Science in science education do not change depending on their decision making strategies. ÖzetÇalışmanın amacı, fen bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının bilim tarihinden nasıl yararlanacaklarına ilişkin görüşlerinin karar verme strateji değişkeni açısından farklılık gösterip göstermediğini belirlemektir. Araştırma tarama modeline dayalı betimsel bir çalışmadır. Çalışma grubu grubu Matematik ve Fen Bilimleri Eğitimi Bölümü Fen Bilgisi Öğretmenliği Ana Bilim dalında öğrenim gören 105 öğretmen adayından oluşmaktadır.Verilerin elde edilmesinde “karar verme stratejileri” dörtlü (4) likert ölçeği ve “fen derslerinde bilim tarihinden nasıl yararlanılır” beşli (5) likert ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda öğretmen adayları fen derslerinde bilim tarihinin kullanılmasına 3.96±0.47 ortalama ile katıldıklarını belirtmişlerdir. Karar verme stratejilerinde 2.84±0.48 mantıksal, 2.56±0.41 ile içtepisel, 2.25±0.32 bağımlı ve 2.35±0.50 kararsız karar verdiklerini belirtmişlerdir.Fen Bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının mantıklı karar verme stratejilerini kullanma düzeyleri ile bilim tarihinden kavramsal ve süreçsel anlamada yararlanmaya yönelik görüşleri arasında düşük düzeyde, pozitif ve anlamlı bir ilişki tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca öğretmen adaylarının fen eğitiminde bilim tarihinden yararlanmaya yönelik görüşlerinin karar verme stratejilerine bağlı olarak farklılaşmadığı tespit edilmiştir.

scholarly journals Science as a network and its applications in the analysis of the image of science in instructional teaching materials for the classroom

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 314-324
Author(s):  
Diana Farías ◽  
Agnaldo Arroio
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
History Of Science ◽  
Complex Network ◽  
Scientific Activity ◽  
Historical Narrative ◽  
Contemporary World ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
History Of ◽  
Science Classes

The inclusion of historical content in science classes has been widely discussed even before science education emerged as a discipline. In this paper we aim to show that when science is understood as a complex network, network analysis can be used to identify and strengthen elements that make up its historical narrative. This narrative can then be introduced at school in order to communicate a more contextualized, human, and connected image of science more akin to scientists’ science. First, we show some applications of a methodology based on Bruno Latour’s model of science circulation in the analysis of various classroom materials: textbooks, documentaries, movies, and biographies. Then, based on the results of these applications we discuss the model’ sapplications we discuss the model’s we discuss the model’s vast potential for identifying various aspects that could be strengthened in the classroom, thus providing the possibility of writing a more “personalized” history of science, one more in tune with teachers’ and students’ varying interests and that more closely resembles what scientific activity actually means in the contemporary world.

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