Changes in science attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and physiological arousal after implementation of a multimodal, cooperative intervention in primary school science classes

Purpose Student competency in science learning relies on students being able to interpret and use multimodal representations to communicate understandings. Moreover, collaborative learning, in which students may share physiological arousal, can positively affect group performance. This paper aims to observe changes in student attitudes and beliefs, physiology (electrodermal activity; EDA) and content knowledge before and after a multimodal, cooperative inquiry, science teaching intervention to determine associations with productive science learning and increased science knowledge. Design/methodology/approach A total of 214 students with a mean age of 11 years 6 months from seven primary schools participated in a multimodal, cooperative inquiry, science teaching intervention for eight weeks during a science curriculum unit. Students completed a series of questionnaires pertaining to attitudes and beliefs about science learning and science knowledge before (Time 1) and after (Time 2) the teaching intervention. Empatica E3 wristbands were worn by students during 1 to 3 of their regularly scheduled class sessions both before and after the intervention. Findings Increases in EDA, science knowledge, self-efficacy and a growth mindset, and decreases in self-esteem, confidence, motivation and use of cognitive strategies, were recorded post-intervention for the cohort. EDA was positively correlated with science knowledge, but negatively correlated with self-efficacy, motivation and use of cognitive strategies. Cluster analysis suggested three main clusters of students with differing physiological and psychological profiles. Practical implications First, teachers need to be aware of the importance of helping students to consolidate their current learning strategies as they transition to new learning approaches to counter decreased confidence. Second, teachers need to know that an effective teaching multimodal science intervention can not only be associated with increases in science knowledge but also increases in self-efficacy and movement towards a growth mindset. Finally, while there is evidence that there are positive associations between physiological arousal and science knowledge, physiological arousal was also associated with reductions in self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation and the use of cognitive strategies. This mixed result warrants further investigation. Originality/value Overall, this study proposes a need for teachers to counter decreased confidence in students who are learning new strategies, with further research required on the utility of monitoring physiological markers.

An Analysis of Elementary Science Teachers’ Beliefs Regarding Inquiry Science Teaching

<p><em>The National Science Teachers Association (2015) recommends that teachers experience science as inquiry as a part of their teacher preparation; however, what assistance can be provided to practicing teachers? This paper describes the results of a professional development program in inquiry science teaching for third through sixth grade teachers and its effects on the participants’ beliefs about the teaching of science. Qualitative data were collected using reflections written by the teachers at the end of the program, lesson summaries completed throughout the program, and observations paired with interviews of teachers implementing inquiry lessons in their own classrooms. The data suggest that the following aspects of the professional development model employed in the study enhanced the participants’ feelings of self-confidence, preparation, and excitement about teaching science to their students: 1) supplying teachers with content/background knowledge, 2) promoting positive experiences with inquiry, 3) providing a chance to implement inquiry lessons in the classroom, 4) facilitating collaboration, and 5) modeling effective teaching strategies. Follow-up studies will include quantitative analyses to further examine teachers’ beliefs, as well as to determine if their beliefs are sustained over time.</em></p>

Investigating the Engagement and Learning of Students With Learning Disabilities in Guided Inquiry Science Teaching

Contemporary reform efforts pose numerous challenges for students and their teachers, especially in the context of inclusion classrooms that serve students with diverse academic and social profiles. The research reported in this article was conducted for the purpose of closely studying the engagement and learning of students who have learning disabilities as they participate in a particular approach to guided inquiry called Guided Inquiry supporting Multiple Literacies (GIsML). Questions guiding the research included (a) What are the opportunities and challenges that GIsML instruction presents students with special needs? (b) How do students with special needs respond to these opportunities and challenges? and (c) What hypotheses emerge from the data that will usefully guide subsequent research investigating the means of mediating students’ participation in GIsML for the purpose of enhancing their engagement and learning?The research was conducted using an array of ethnographic methods. The findings were summarized in a set of claims concerning the engagement and learning of these students. Finally, cases of individual students were constructed to illustrate these claims. The article concludes with the case of one fourth-grade student as he engaged in a program of study investigating why objects float and sink. The case revealed (a) the ways in which, in the context of guided inquiry, the student achieved a number of positive outcomes; (b) how his learning problems, principally with regard to print literacy, revealed themselves in his activity; and (c) how contextual features served to enhance and deter his engagement and learning, as well as the engagement and learning of others.