Spanish Science Teacher Educators’ Preparation, Experiences, and Views About Nature of Science in Science Education

The obstacles and difficulties that science teachers face when teaching the nature of science (NOS) are well-known. Nonetheless, little is known of what science teacher educators (STEs) know, do, and think about this issue. Thus, a study with 142 Spanish STEs was conducted. This was aimed at analysing (i) what preparation the STEs have to teach NOS, (ii) what educational experience they have about NOS, (iii) what importance they give to NOS in their training plans, (iv) when NOS should be taught, (v) how to integrate NOS in science education, (vi) how to teach NOS, (vii) what to teach about NOS, and (viii) the influences interconnecting the STEs’ preparation, experience, and opinions regarding NOS teaching. Among the results, it was found that most STEs state that they have ample knowledge of NOS, are well prepared pedagogically to teach it, and have extensive experience in teaching it. However, there was some mismatch between their stated preparation and their experience teaching NOS. In addition, they think that NOS should be taught from early ages and be treated as cross-cutting content in science education. They also consider that, when teaching NOS, an implicit approach is just as effective as an explicit-reflective one. As for their selection of NOS content to include, they are fundamentally divided into two groups — those who select only epistemic aspects of NOS and those who select a balanced proportion of both epistemic and non-epistemic aspects. The limitations of the study are reported along with the issues that require further research.

PLATE TECTONICS IN PORTUGUESE AND SPANISH SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS: FROM THE 1960s TO THE 1980s

Plate tectonics caused a revolution within earth sciences which then was transposed into science textbooks. The main objective of this paper is to explore how plate tectonics influenced Portuguese and Spanish science textbooks published from the 1960s through the 1980s. For this purpose, a qualitative method based on the concept of didactic transposition is used. The didactic transposition of seafloor spreading evidence such as ridges, rifts and trenches, transform faults, seafloor sediments, the age of seafloor basaltic rocks, the magnetic anomalies on the seafloor, the Benioff zones and the subduction process, and also the didactic transposition of the formation of mountains ranges and island arcs, convection currents, plate tectonics concepts, boundaries and motion, and plate tectonics acceptance are studied in a comprehensive sample of science textbooks. The analysis of textbooks shows that the didactic transposition of seafloor spreading, and plate tectonics started mainly in 1970s Portuguese and Spanish textbooks and had a strong development in 1980s textbooks. No major differences were found between the approaches to plate tectonics in similar age Portuguese and Spanish textbooks. At the beginning of the 1970s, textbooks presented partial evidence for seafloor spreading, such as magnetic anomalies and the characteristics of ridges, rifts and trenches. They also addressed convection currents but only those that were related to geosynclines. In the mid 1970s and in the 1980s, textbooks presented more comprehensive evidence of seafloor spreading, by adding didactical transpositions of transform faults, seafloor sediments and the age of seafloor rocks. They also presented in more detail topics such as magnetic anomalies, the Benioff zones, orogenic processes and the tectonic significance of ridges, rifts and trenches. Plate tectonic theory was presented in major textbooks as widely accepted, and discussions about speculative facts or processes were rare.

Impacts on Head Start Dual Language Learning Children’s Early Science Outcomes

The present study examined the roles that language of assessment, language dominance, and teacher language use during instruction play in Dual Language Learner (DLL) science scores. A total of 255 Head Start DLL children were assessed on equated science assessments in English and Spanish. First overall differences between the two languages were examined, then associations between performance on science assessments were compared and related to children’s language dominance, teacher quantity of English and Spanish, and teachers’ academic science language. When examined as a homogeneous group, DLLs did not perform differently on English or Spanish science assessments. However, when examined heterogeneously, Spanish-dominant DLLs performed better on Spanish science assessments. The percentage of English and Spanish used by teachers did not affect children’s science scores. Teachers’ use of Spanish academic science language impacted children’s performance on science assessments, but English did not. The results have implications for the assessment of DLLs and teacher language use during instruction.

Institutional promotion of research in Humanities and Social Sciences in Spain: SINC news agency of the Spanish Science and Technology Foundation-FECYT

<p>Scientific news published in the Spanish news agency SINC-FECYT</p><p> </p>

Institutional promotion of research in Humanities and Social Sciences in Spain: SINC news agency of the Spanish Science and Technology Foundcation-FECYT

<p>Scientific news published in the Spanish news agency SINC-FECYT</p><p> </p>

Institutional promotion of research in Humanities and Social Sciences in Spain: SINC news agency of the Spanish Science and Technology Foundcation-FECYT

<p>Scientific news published in the Spanish news agency SINC-FECYT</p><p> </p>

Modesto Bargalló en España (1894-1939): Una biografía entre la historia de la educación y la historia de la ciencia

This paper deals with the professional career of Modesto Bargalló Ardévol (1894-1981) in Spain, who has been singled out as a one of the outstanding renovators of Spanish science teaching in the first third of the 20th century. After undertaking a review of the biographical studies of this training- school professor and an analysis of his wide range of publications and other historical sources, the paper focuses on several neglected questions regarding his work in Spain. I will argue that Modesto Bargalló’s biography can contribute to a reflection on the use of teacher biographies for exploring the history of science education and its role as a field of scholarship shared by historians of education and science historians.

Un discurso inédito de Víctor Sainz de Robles en 1867

RESUMEN El discurso de Víctor Sainz de Robles en la apertura del curso académico de 1867 a 1868 en el Instituto de Guadalajara expone el desarrollo y objetivos de la Enseñanza Media en la España pre-revolucionaria. En la época se hizo énfasis en mantener en los institutos colecciones de Historia Natural, con piezas de interés local, lo cual ha podido apoyar la tesis de cierto provincialismo en la ciencia española, pero el conocimiento del entorno inmediato, base de su cuidado y respeto, no significa provincialismo. Se presenta al orador, destacando sus vinculaciones navarras, así como una breve biografía. Se discute la importancia de la educación y sus fundamentos quedan patentes en el discurso. LABURPENA Víctor Sainz de Roblesek 1867-1868 ikasturteari hasiera emateko Guadalajarako Institutuan egin zuen hitzaldiak azaltzen du zeintzuk ziren irakaskuntza ertainaren helburuak eta garapena iraultza aurreko Espainian. Garai hartan, ahalegin handia egin zen institutuetan historia naturalari buruzko bildumak osatzeko, tokiko interesa zuten piezak eskuratuz; hori frogatzat hartzen ahal da esateko Espainako zientzian nolabaiteko probintzialismoa egon dela. Hala ere, ingurune hurbilaren ezagutza, hura zaindu eta errespetatzeko oinarri dena, ez da probintzialismoa. Hizlariaren aurkezpena egiten da, hark Nafarroarekin zituen loturak azpimarratzen dira, eta biografia labur bat ematen. Eztabaidatzen da zer garrantzi duen hezkuntzak, eta horren oinarriak agerian gelditzen dira hitzaldian. ABSTRACT Victor Sainz de Robles’ speech at the opening of the 1867-1868 academic year at the Institute of Guadalajara explains the development and objectives of secondary education in pre-revolutionary Spain. At the time, emphasis was placed on maintaining Natural History collections in the institutes, with pieces of local interest, which could support the thesis of a certain provincialism in Spanish science, but knowledge of the immediate environment, the basis of its care and respect, does not mean provincialism. The speaker is presented, highlighting his Navarrese connections, as well as a brief biography. The importance of education is discussed and its foundations are made clear in the speech.