The development of science epistemology in senior science courses: A quantitative study

<p>Epistemological development is a pivotal aspect of liberal education because the ability to distinguish between knowledge and pseudo-knowledge and the ability to use the particular methods of reasoning associated with various disciplinary fields equips people to make judgements in complex issues. The present study examines the extent to which studying each of the different science disciplines in secondary years 12 and 13 supports the development of science epistemology. A further aim was to determine the relationship between epistemological development in science and the completion of inquiry-type coursework. Data were collected from 735 year 12 and 13 students from 11 schools, mainly from the Wellington region. A survey, designed for this study, comprised statements about the nature of science and scientific argumentation conceptions, two pivotal aspects of science epistemology. Using a quasi-experimental design, this quantitative study explores the extent of the development of science epistemology over a year of studying science, by comparing students’ scores in Term 1 with scores in Term 3 on the instrument. The findings showed a more advanced epistemic view among science students; however, a positive effect of science studies on epistemic development was not evident. It was concluded that a greater emphasis on authentic inquiry is essential for epistemic development and, while understanding of the philosophical assumptions underpinning scientific knowledge is important, this should arise from authentic science inquiries – or the processes of science – rather than being taught in isolation from the practice of the discipline of science. This leads to a question the extent to which an emphasis should be placed on the ontological aspects of the philosophy and the sociology of science, potentially at the expense of developing sound understanding of science epistemology.</p>

The development of science epistemology in senior science courses: A quantitative study

<p>Epistemological development is a pivotal aspect of liberal education because the ability to distinguish between knowledge and pseudo-knowledge and the ability to use the particular methods of reasoning associated with various disciplinary fields equips people to make judgements in complex issues. The present study examines the extent to which studying each of the different science disciplines in secondary years 12 and 13 supports the development of science epistemology. A further aim was to determine the relationship between epistemological development in science and the completion of inquiry-type coursework. Data were collected from 735 year 12 and 13 students from 11 schools, mainly from the Wellington region. A survey, designed for this study, comprised statements about the nature of science and scientific argumentation conceptions, two pivotal aspects of science epistemology. Using a quasi-experimental design, this quantitative study explores the extent of the development of science epistemology over a year of studying science, by comparing students’ scores in Term 1 with scores in Term 3 on the instrument. The findings showed a more advanced epistemic view among science students; however, a positive effect of science studies on epistemic development was not evident. It was concluded that a greater emphasis on authentic inquiry is essential for epistemic development and, while understanding of the philosophical assumptions underpinning scientific knowledge is important, this should arise from authentic science inquiries – or the processes of science – rather than being taught in isolation from the practice of the discipline of science. This leads to a question the extent to which an emphasis should be placed on the ontological aspects of the philosophy and the sociology of science, potentially at the expense of developing sound understanding of science epistemology.</p>

Art as a Future-Generating Machine: Rheinberger's Experimentalism in Practice-Based Arts Methodologies

This article explores the potential syntheses between practice-based arts research methodologies and the historian of science Hans-Jörg Rheinberger's framing of the scientific ‘experiment.’ Rheinberger offers the experiment as a ‘future-generating machine' resulting from materials discursive processes enacted as ‘repetition with difference’. This framing of epistemological development has applications in practice-based methodologies through their simultaneous execution of action and reflection, as well as the importance of ‘surprise’ in experimental practice.

Intergroup Dialogue Pedagogy, Processes, and Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Students’ Openness to Multiple Perspectives

Background Intergroup dialogue (IGD) is a prominent social justice pedagogy that engages diverse groups of students in sustained, facilitated dialogues on social issues. Decades of IGD research have informed the development of the critical–dialogic theoretical framework of intergroup dialogue, which describes how IGD engages students in communicative, cognitive, and affective processes that promote intergroup understanding, intergroup relationships, and intergroup collaboration and action. Scholars have recently highlighted the need to better understand the relationships between students’ developmental capacities, their corresponding attitudes and dispositions, and IGD processes and outcomes in order to discern how students at different levels of development respond to and experience IGD. Study Purpose Grounded in the theory of self-authorship, theories of epistemological development, and corresponding research suggesting that dispositions associated with students’ epistemological assumptions of knowledge and knowing can moderate students’ engagement and development in matters that are interpersonal and intrapersonal in nature, the purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between students’ openness to multiple perspectives (a disposition associated with epistemological development) and the interpersonal and intrapersonal processes and outcomes associated with IGD. Research Design In this secondary data analysis of the multi-institutional, longitudinal dataset constructed as part of the multi-university intergroup dialogue research project, structural equation modeling was used to discern how the relationships between IGD's communicative, cognitive, and affective processes and outcomes vary for groups of students with different levels of openness to multiple perspectives. Results In line with previous research on college student development, the results of this study illuminate a moderating relationship between students’ openness to multiple perspectives and the intergroup processes and outcomes associated with IGD. The patterns of moderation observed suggests that IGD's communicative, cognitive, and affective processes and outcomes are most strongly (although not exclusively) associated with matters of pedagogy and cognition for students who are less open, and matters of communication and affect for students who are more open. Conclusions and Recommendations The results of this study suggest that as IGD facilitators are able to increase their understanding of epistemological development and related dispositions, pass on their understanding to their students via readings and activities, assess their students’ epistemological dispositions, and augment their preparation and facilitation accordingly, an IGD group's collective ability to increase intergroup understanding, relationships, collaboration, and action is enhanced. This can be accomplished as what is known about college students’ epistemological development and dispositions is more fully integrated into IGD curriculum, facilitation, and facilitator training.

‘Navigating the bubble’: Exploring student experiences of design writing

Undergraduate design students at London College of Communication were interviewed about the relationship between their writing practice and their design practice. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences (1983) framed the study. This article takes the position that polarizing the relationship between linguistic (textual) and bodily kinaesthetic (visual) forms of intelligence itself becomes a barrier to arts students’ epistemological development. The well-rehearsed art school rhetoric of ‘I’m a visual person not a writer’ can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, disabling the potential to learn through writing. The research explored student perceptions and experiences of design writing, with data surfacing themes of anxiety, identity, artefact, articulation, process and value. Suggestions about how to support students to write about design praxis are presented for consideration.

The Study Of Historical And Cultural Heritage: As An Epistemological And Socio-Philosophical Problem

The article discusses some epistemological aspects of the study of historical and cultural heritage, as well as socio-philosophical issues of the relationship of historical and cultural heritage with the life of man and society. Epistemology is an area of philosophy concerned with the nature and justification of human knowledge. A growing area of interest for psychologists and educators is that of personal epistemological development and epistemological beliefs: how individuals come to know, the theories and beliefs they hold about knowing, and the manner in which such epistemological premises are a part of and an influence on the cognitive processes of thinking and reasoning.

OBSTÁCULOS EPISTEMOLÓGICOS SOBRE EL CONCEPTO DE LÍMITE DE FUNCIONES EN MANUALES DE HISTORIA DE MATEMÁTICAS

Los estudios históricos muestran que el desarrollo epistemológico del cálculo diferencial e integral siguió una trayectoria larga e irregular y, en el sentido más formal, se formó a partir del siglo XVII. Actualmente, el concepto de límite se considera un concepto fundamental en la enseñanza del cálculo, ya que la base conceptual de este conocimiento tratado en los manuales de cálculo aborda este tema, parece casi siempre definido en términos del límite. En este artículo, presentamos los resultados de un estudio sobre los supuestos obstáculos epistemológicos en el desarrollo del concepto de límite a partir de la historia de los manuales de matemáticas, con miras a superarlo en el proceso de formación de estas ideas. Como ya se mencionó, el corte tomado para el análisis estará en el estudio de los obstáculos epistemológicos del límite de función en algunos manuales de historia de las matemáticas, enfocándose en los conceptos establecidos por d'Alembert, Cauchy y Weierstrass, enfatizando los aspectos dinámicos que aparecieron como un obstáculo epistemológico para formalización de este concepto estático.Palabras clave: Historia de las matemáticas. Obstáculo epistemológico. Cálculo Límite de funciones. EPISTEMOLOGICAL OBSTACLES ON THE FUNCTION LIMIT CONCEPT IN MATHEMATICS HISTORY MANUALS AbstractHistorical studies show that the epistemological development of Differential and Integral Calculus followed a long, irregular trajectory and, in the most formal sense, was shaped from the 17th century. Currently, the concept of limit is considered a fundamental concept in the teaching of Calculus, since the conceptual basis of this knowledge dealt with in Calculus manuals addresses this subject, it seems almost always defined in terms of the limit. In this article, we present the results of a study on the supposed epistemological obstacles in the development of the concept of limit from the history of mathematics manuals, with a view to overcoming it in the process of forming these ideas. As already mentioned, the cut taken for analysis will be in the study of the epistemological obstacles of function limit in some history of mathematics manuals, focusing on the concepts established by d'Alembert, Cauchy and Weierstrass, emphasizing the dynamic aspects that appeared as an epistemological obstacle to formalization of this static concept.Keywords: History of Mathematics. Epistemological obstacle. Calculus. Function Limit. OBSTÁCULOS EPISTEMOLÓGICOS SOBRE O CONCEITO DE LIMITE DE FUNÇÃO EM MANUAIS DE HISTÓRIA DA MATEMÁTICA ResumoEstudos históricos mostram que o desenvolvimento epistemológico do Cálculo Diferencial e Integral seguiu uma trajetoria long, irregular e, no sentido mais formal, foi moldado a partir do século XVII. Atualmente, o conceito de limite é considerado conceito fundamental no ensino de Cálculo, visto que a base conceitual desse conhecimento tratado nos manuais de Cálculo abordam esse assunto, parece quase sempre definida em termos do limite. Neste artigo, apresentamos os resultados de um estudo sobre os supostos obstáculos epistemológicos no desenvolvimento do conceito de limite a partir dos manuais de história da matemática, com um olhar para a sua superação no processo de formação dessas ideias. Conforme já mencionado, o recorte tomado para análise será no estudo dos obstáculos epistemológicos de limite de função em alguns manuais de história da matemática, focando os conceitos estabelecidos por d’Alembert, Cauchy e Weierstrass, enfatizando os aspectos dinâmicos que figuraram como obstáculo epistemológico à formalização deste conceito estático.Palavras-chave: História da Matemática. Obstáculo epistemológico. Cálculo. Limite de função.