bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Students' performance in practical chemistry: A study of some related factors
Authors: Okebukola Peter Akinsola
Published: October 2006

This study examined the influence of selected factors on students' performance in practical chemistry. Twelve factors were extracted by principal component analysis. These factors accounted for 64% of the variance of the scores in practical chemistry when stepwise multiple regression analysis was applied on the data. Students' participation in laboratory activities made the greatest independent contribution to the variance in performance (0.16), followed by students' attitude to chemistry as a subject (0.11), teachers attitude to chemistry laboratory work (0.10), and availability of chemistry laboratory materials (0.08). School location, sex of the student, and students' fear of explosion and of damaging expensive equipment made nonsignificant contributions. The implications of the findings of the study for instruction in chemistry are discussed.
The acquisition of notions of qualitative speed: The importance of spatial and temporal alignment
Authors: Perry Bruce , Obenauf Patricia
Published: October 2006

An understanding of kinematics is predicated upon the ability to understand preliminary notions of movement and speed. This study investigated the order of acquisition of intuitive notions of qualitative speed. The results indicated that an array of prerequisite, equivalent, and independent relationships existed among the tasks administered. The levels of difficulty implied within the hierarchy formed confirmed the evolution of reasoning for notions of qualitative speed found by Piaget. The findings also indicated that the concepts investigated were interrelated and separable into distinct categories based upon spatial and temporal aspects of the motion. The alignment or nonalignment of objects, either spatially or temporally, provide an indication of the difficulty of the task presented and explain the order of acquisition of notions of qualitative speed.
Teachers' conceptions of the contemporary goals of science education
Authors: McIntosh William J. , Zeidler Dana L.
Published: October 2006

This study was initiated to examine what middle and high school science teachers believe should be the goals of science education for the remainder of the 1980s. Participants were given a questionnaire that had at one extreme statements reflecting 1960s goals, and at the other extreme statements corresponding to modern science education goals. Additional information such as year of degree, grade level taught, and attendance at workshops was compiled. The results of this survey indicated a lack of commitment to modern goals from the majority of respondents. However, when only those responses indicating a preferred goals orientation were considered, teachers expressed predilection towards 1980s goals. Furthermore, those teachers who favor 1980s goals felt stronger in their conviction than teachers expressing a 1960s goals preference. A discriminant analysis was employed to study whether or not differences in definitive 1960s or 1980s views were associated with one or more items on the personal data questionnaire. It was found that a combination of teaching middle school grades (6–8) and attending more in‐service workshops is moderately associated with an 80s orientation to the goals of science education. The results of the study lead the authors to recommend that a concerted effort be made by professional organizations to convey the importance of contemporary goals to teachers at the high school level. Additionally, an effort should be made to disseminate these goals through local seminars and workshops.
Recall of the pattern, sequence, and names of concepts presented in instructional diagrams
Authors: Winn William
Published: October 2006

Forty‐one high school students studied a series of five circuit diagrams. These either showed the electronic components as standard symbols or as squares. Each component was labelled and numbered. Students either had to remember the pattern of the elements in the diagram and draw it from memory, or they had to remember the elements in sequence. It was found that students who saw diagrams with symbols performed better on the sequence task and worse on the pattern task than the students who saw the diagrams with squares, whose performance on the two tasks was the opposite. A subsequent experiment found that requiring the students to label the elements in the diagrams did not interfere with their ability to remember the patterns of the components. It was concluded that students' success in completing tasks that require holistic or analytic processing depends upon the amount of detail in the elements in instructional diagrams. It was also suggested that designers of diagrams used to teach science can exercise some control over whether students process the information holistically or analytically by varying the amount of detail in the diagrams' elements.
Alternative conceptions in animal classification: A cross‐age study
Authors: Trowbridge John E. , Mintzes Joel J.
Published: October 2006

Employing a cross‐age design, this study examined students' alternative conceptions in animal classification at the elementary, secondary, and college levels. Based on a previous study that made use of clinical interviews and a classification task, subjects (N = 468) were administered a multiple‐choice/free‐response instrument that probed understanding of the concept animal, the vertebrate/invertebrate distinction, and the principal vertebrate classes. Results suggest that students subscribe to a highly restricted view of animals; applying the label almost exclusively to vertebrates, especially to common mammals. When asked to distinguish between vertebrate and invertebrate animals and to classify several species into vertebrate groups, a wide range of alternative conceptions emerged. Cross‐age comparisons indicate that many of these alternative views remain intact throughout the school years, while others yield more readily to formal instruction and/or nonschool experiences. Considered within the context of a neoconstructivist view of learning, several suggestions are offered for teaching concepts in animal classification.
Development of the attitude toward science in school assessment and its use to investigate the relationship between science achievement and attitude toward science in school
Authors: Germann Paul J.
Published: October 2006

There is much interest in science courses in high school and student attitudes toward those courses. A valid and reliable instrument that measures such attitudes is not available. This study first developed and validated the Attitude toward Science in School Assessment (ATSSA). The instrument was used to evaluate the relationship between such attitude and achievement in science. A low correlation was found between attitude and various achievement tests. A moderate correlation was found between attitude and achievement that included an evaluation of the quality of work, as in a course grade.
A comparative study of cooperative and competitive achievement in two secondary biology classrooms: The group investigation model versus an individually competitive goal structure
Authors: Sherman Lawrence W.
Published: October 2006

Achievement in individually competitive and cooperatively reward‐structured environments was examined in two high‐school biology classrooms. Each was pretested and taught an identical unit of study, one in an individually competitive structure and the other using a cooperative group‐investigation model. At the end of seven weeks both classes were posttested. A two‐way within‐subjects ANOVA was used to determine significant differences in pre‐ and post‐test scores between the two treatment groups. The two groups were not significantly different from each other on the pretest. While both cooperative and competitive techniques obtained significantly (p < 0.05) higher posttest scores, neither treatment was superior over the other in producing academic achievement. Results are compared to previous studies which have examined differences among cooperatively, competitively, and individually structured classrooms.
Logical reasoning necessary to make line graphs
Authors: Wavering Michael J.
Published: October 2006

A study was conducted to determine the logical reasoning necessary to construct line graphs. Three types of line graphs were used: a straight line with a positive slope, a straight line with a negative slope, and an exponentially increasing curve. The subjects were students in grades six through twelve enrolled in a laboratory school. The responses were classified into one of nine categories. The categories ranged from no attempt to make a graph to a complete graph with a statement of a relationship between the variables. Subjects in grades six through eight exhibited behaviors mainly in the first four categories, ninth‐ and tenth‐grade subjects scored in the middle categories, and eleventh and twelfth graders scored mainly in the upper categories. These response categories also showed a close fit with Piagetian concrete operational structures for single and double seriation and formal operational structures for proportional reasoning and correlational reasoning.
The effect of visual and verbal modes of presentation on children's retention of images and words
Authors: Vasu Ellen Storey , Howe Ann C.
Published: October 2006

This study tested the hypothesis that the use of two modes of presenting information to children has an additive memory effect for the retention of both images and words. Subjects were 22 first‐grade and 22 fourth‐grade children randomly assigned to visual and visual‐verbal treatment groups. The visual‐verbal group heard a description while observing an object; the visual group observed the same object but did not hear a description. Children were tested individually immediately after presentation of stimuli and two weeks later. They were asked to represent the information recalled through a drawing and an oral verbal description. In general, results supported the hypothesis and indicated, in addition, that children represent more information in iconic (pictorial) form than in symbolic (verbal) form. Strategies for using these results to enhance science learning at the elementary school level are discussed.
Validation of the early childhood attitude toward women in science scale (ECWiSS): A pilot administration
Authors: Mulkey Lynn M.
Published: October 2006

The intention of this research was to measure attitudes of young children toward women scientists. A 27‐item instrument, the Early Childhood Women in Science Scale (ECWiSS) was validated in a test case of the proposition that differential socialization predicts entry into the scientific talent pool. Estimates of internal consistency indicated that the scale is highly reliable. Known groups and correlates procedures, employed to determine the validity of the instrument, revealed that the scale is able to discriminate significant differences between groups and distinguishes three dimensions of attitude (role‐specific self‐concept, home‐related sex‐role conflict, and work‐related sex‐role conflict). Results of the analyses also confirmed the anticipated pattern of correlations with measures of another construct. The findings suggest the utility of the ECWiSS for measurement of early childhood attitudes in models of the ascriptive and/or meritocratic processes affecting recruitment to science and more generally in program and curriculum evaluation where attitude toward women in science is the construct of interest.
A reassessment of the effects of inquiry‐based science curricula of the 60's on student performance
Authors: Shymansky James A. , Hedges Larry V. , Woodworth George
Published: October 2006

In this project a re‐synthesis of the research dealing with student performance in new science curricula was conducted using the refined statistical procedures proposed by Hedges (1981, 1982a, 1982b, 1982c) and Hedges and Olkin (1985). The results of the re‐synthesis generally supported the conclusions drawn in the earlier meta‐analysis by Shymansky, Kyle, and Alport (1983); i.e., that the new science curricula of the 60's and 70's were more effective in enhancing student performance than traditional textbook‐based programs of the time. But the re‐synthesis also revealed some notable differences as well. For example, in the re‐synthesis mean effects were significantly positive on four performance clusters (achievement, process skills, problem solving, and attitude) compared to seven clusters in the earlier analysis, and then by a smaller margin (the 1981 mean was 0.34 and the 1986 mean was 0.25). In one case (related skills), the mean effect changed from a +0.25 (significant at the 0.05 level) to –0.10. But perhaps more important than any particular change in the many analyses performed, the application of refined statistical procedures in the re‐synthesis yielded results of greater precision than those generated in the original study. Thus, it is recommended that the data generated in this re‐synthesis be used in any discussion of the effects of the new science curricula on student performance.
Action zone theory, target students and science classroom interactions
Authors: Jones M. Gail
Published: October 2006

This study investigated the seating patterns of target students in science classrooms to see if there was an action zone or T zone present. Fifty‐six physical science and chemistry classes were observed using the Brophy‐Good Teacher‐Child Dyatic Observation System. Target students were identified and their interactions were compared to nontarget students. Target‐student interactions for direct questions and student‐initiated interactions were analyzed to ascertain whether the teacher or the student determined target student status. Results indicated that no T‐shaped action zone was present in the classes observed. Target students dominated class interactions and received more direct questions, teacher‐afforded conversation, and sustaining feedback. Nearly one‐third of all students observed in the study did not interact at all and were silent.
Effects of cooperative grouping on stoichiometric problem solving in high school chemistry
Authors: Tingle Joy B. , Good Ron
Published: October 2006

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that cooperative groups heterogeneously based on proportional reasoning ability have on problem solving in regular and honors high school chemistry. Students (n = 178) in three rural high schools solved stoichiometric problems either individually or in cooperative groups using a prescriptive problem‐solving strategy. There was no statistically significant difference in posttest means between students of varying proportional reasoning abilities who had been problem solving individually or in cooperative groups whether in a regular or an honors chemistry class. Characteristics of successful and unsuccessful students problem solving individually and in groups were determined through videotape analyses, students' written work, and classroom observations. Successful problem solvers, both those in groups and those who solved problems individually, were characterized by confidence and persistence and exhibited a strong conceptual base.
The effects of instruction on college nonmajors' conceptions of respiration and photosynthesis
Authors: Anderson Charles W. , Sheldon Theresa H. , Dubay Joann
Published: October 2006

Students in a college nonscience majors' biology course took tests designed to reveal their conceptions of respiration and photosynthesis before and after course instruction. Even though most students had taken at least a full year of biology, serious misconceptions persisted. Most students gave definitions of respiration, photosynthesis, and food which were markedly different from those generally accepted by biologists. These incorrect definitions were associated with more fundamental misunderstandings about how plants and animals function. Most students could not explain how animal cells use either food or oxygen. They understood plants as vaguely analogous to animals, taking in food through their roots instead of mouths. Previous biology instruction seemed neither to improve student performance on the pretest nor to prepare them to master these conceptions during the course. Course instruction did improve student's understanding, but misconceptions persisted for many students. These results raise fundamental questions about the effectiveness of curriculum and instruction in current high school and college biology courses.
SCIS‐II and the elementary teacher: A program evaluation
Authors: Atwood Ronald K. , Howard Michael N.
Published: October 2006

A two‐part opinionaire was used to identify teachers' perceptions of the SCIS‐II elementary science program. Of particular interest were perceived barriers to effective implementation of the program. The first part of the opinionaire was administered to 685 individuals, or 96.8% of the elementary teachers in a metropolitan school district. The second part was completed by a group of teachers at each grade level in each of the 31 elementary schools, with completion rates ranging from 77%–97% for the 13 SCIS‐II units. Results indicate that grades K‐2 teachers rated the program more positively than grades 3–6 teachers; teachers who rated the program highly perceived fewer barriers to effectively utilizing the program; and teachers rated the program higher for developing social skills and positive attitudes than for teaching science content and processes. Data on problems with individual SCIS‐II units indicated that the viability and performance of the living organisms are problematic in all life science units. Further, the small number of insightful evaluative comments received for the last one‐third to one‐half of some units suggests that a significant portion of teachers are quitting the units before reaching the end.
Effect of written text on usage of newton's third law
Authors: Boyle Rosemary K. , Maloney David P.
Published: October 2006

This article reports on a study that investigated novice students' rules for determining which of two objects exerted the greater force on the other. Subjects worked five paper‐and‐pencil task sets depicting different objects interacting with each other. For each situation they were asked to identify which of the two objects was exerting the stronger force on the other. Each subject worked the task sets under one of three conditions: with no aid, with a written statement describing forces as interactions that always occur in pairs, or with a written statement of Newton's third law. The vast majority of the subjects in the study used procedures (rules) which could be identified. There were significant differences in the patterns of usage of the various rules between those who received no written statement and those who received the statement of Newton's third law. The primary difference between the two groups was in the usage of a rule (All Equal) which produced the same response sequence as Newton's third law. However, only 29% of those who received the Newton's third law handout used the All Equal rule on all five task sets. There were no significant differences in usage of the All Equal rule between those who had had high school physics and those who had not. Strong evidence was found to contradict the idea that the subjects who failed to used the All Equal rule simply did not read the written statement properly. The results of this study have implications for learning from text.
Relation of field independence and test‐item format to student performance on written piagetian tests
Authors: Löpez‐Rupérez F. , Palacios C. , Sanchez J.
Published: October 2006

In this study we have investigated the relationship between the field‐dependence‐independence (FDI) dimension as measured by the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) and subject performance on the Longeot test, a pencil‐and‐paper Piagetian test, through the open or closed format of its items. The sample consisted of 141 high school students. Correlation and variance analysis show that the FDI dimension and GEFT correlate significantly on only those items on the Longeot test that require formal reasoning. The effect of open‐ or closed‐item format is found exclusively for formal items; only the open format discriminates significantly (at the 0.01 level) between the field‐dependent and ‐independent subjects performing on this type of item. Some implications of these results for science education are discussed.
Process skills acquisition, cognitive growth, and attitude change of ninth grade students in a scientific literacy course
Authors: Baker Dale R. , Piburn Michael
Published: October 2006

This is a report of the effects of a scientific literacy course on the skills, cognitive ability, and attitude of students in the first year of high school. Specifically, the research examines (1) whether it is possible to teach scientific skills, (2) whether a literacy curriculum affects attitude and cognitive ability, and (3) whether incoming student characteristics affect the development of attitude and cognitive abilities. Two hundred and fifty (126 male and 124 female) ninth grade students were enrolled in a specially designed literacy course which met for 3 hours and 20 minutes each week for 39 weeks. Students were pretested for logical, spatial, verbal, and mathematical ability, as well as for attitude toward self and science, and psychological type. The course was successful in teaching skills. In addition, there were significant increases in spatial, verbal, and quantitative ability. Increases in cognitive ability were predicted by logical ability, measurement skills, and academic self‐concept. Attitudes declined as a result of participation in the course. Self concept and mastery were related to cognitive variables and motivation, mastery, and control were related to psychological type.
Factors in the development of proportional reasoning strategies by concrete operational college students
Authors: Roth Wolff‐Michael , Milkent Marlene M.
Published: October 2006

This study was designed as a test for two neo‐Piagetian theories. More specifically, this research examined the relationships between the development of proportional reasoning strategies and three cognitive variables from Pascual‐Leone's and Case's neo‐Piagetian theories. A priori hypotheses linked the number of problems students worked until they induced a proportional reasoning strategy to the variables of M‐space, degree of field dependence, and short‐term storage space. The subjects consisted of students enrolled in Physical Science I, a science course for nonscience majors at the University of Southern Mississippi. Of the 34 subjects in the study, 23 were classified as concrete operational on the basis of eight ratio tasks. Problems corresponding to five developmental levels of proportional reasoning (according to Piagetian and neo‐Piagetian theory), were presented by a microcomputer to the 23 subjects who had been classified as concrete operational. After a maximum of 6 hours of treatment, 17 of the 23 subjects had induced ratio schemata at the upper formal level (IIIB), while the remaining subjects used lower formal level (IIIA) schemata. The data analyses showed that neither M‐space and degree of field‐dependence, either alone or in combination, nor short‐term storage predicted the number of problems students need to do until they induce an appropriate problem‐solving strategy. However, there were significant differences in the short‐term storage space of those subjects who mastered ratio problems at the highest level and those who did not. Also, the subjects' degree of field‐dependence was not a predictor of either the ability to transfer problem‐solving strategies to a new setting or the reuse of inappropriate strategies. The results of this study also suggest that short‐term storage space is a variable with high correlations to a number of aspects of learning such as transfer and choice of strategy after feedback.
The implications of content versus item validity on science tests
Authors: Yarroch William L.
Published: October 2006

The use of content validity as the primary assurance of the measurement accuracy for science assessment examinations is questioned. An alternative accuracy measure, item validity, is proposed. Item validity is based on research using qualitative comparisons between (a) student answers to objective items on the examination, (b) clinical interviews with examinees designed to ascertain their knowledge and understanding of the objective examination items, and (c) student answers to essay examination items prepared as an equivalent to the objective examination items. Calculations of item validity are used to show that selected objective items from the science assessment examination overestimated the actual student understanding of science content. Overestimation occurs when a student correctly answers an examination item, but for a reason other than that needed for an understanding of the content in question. There was little evidence that students incorrectly answered the items studied for the wrong reason, resulting in underestimation of the students' knowledge. The equivalent essay items were found to limit the amount of mismeasurement of the students' knowledge. Specific examples are cited and general suggestions are made on how to improve the measurement accuracy of objective examinations.
Novice use of qualitative versus quantitative problem solving in electrostatics
Authors: McMillan Claude , Swadener Marc
Published: October 2006

Problem‐solving behavior of six novice subjects attempting to solve an electrostatics problem in second‐semester calculus‐based college physics was observed and recorded. Five of the subjects were characterized as “A” or “B” students and one subject as a “D” student in introductory college physics. Although the A or B subjects were able to arrive at a “correct” solution to the problem, they exhibited major misconceptions about the problem situation as well as minimal qualitative understanding of the problem situation. The A or B subjects were successful in identifying, either from memory or written notes, equations relevant to electrostatics, whereas the D subject was not. The implication of this study is that current instruction in introductory calculus‐based college physics and the students' previous science learnings place a premium on acquisition of correct quantitative solutions at the expense of qualitative understanding of physics problem situations.
Epistemological perspectives on conceptual change: Implications for educational practice
Authors: Duschl Richard A. , Gitomer Drew H.
Published: October 2006

Frameworks that seek to understand how knowledge restructuring occurs and how to build a learning environment that facilitates this restructuring raise important philosophical, psychological and pedagogical questions and issues about how conceptual change occurs and what characteristics of knowledge growth ought to be a part of curricula and learning environments. Implicit in emphasizing the how is a shift in science educations' perspective from one that embraces “scientists' ways of knowing” as the dominant objective towards one that favors “positioning the learner for the next step.” This change in perspective and approach represents a radical and complex departure from common practice. This article advances a piecemeal model of the character and mechanism of restructuring and then describes a model of educational practice designed to facilitate this form of restructuring. We argue that a piecemeal developmental perspective of conceptual change would offer quite different criteria for deciding what to teach and how to teach. The adoption of conceptual change teaching models implies teacher empowerment of a kind we have yet to fully understand. Empowering teachers with appropriate philosophical and psychological models for the selection and the sequencing of instructional tasks would aid in their describing and prescribing effective or meaningful learning strategies. Central to this educational model is a broadened and integrated view of assessment and instruction that we are calling a portfolio culture. The essential characteristic of this culture is that it creates opportunities for teachers and students to confront and develop their scientific understanding and to equip students with the tools necessary to take increased responsibility for their own restructuring, to assess for themselves what might be the next steps.
Students' and teachers' conceptions of the nature of science: A review of the research
Authors: Lederman Norman G.
Published: October 2006

The development of adequate student conceptions of the nature of science has been a perennial objective of science instruction regardless of the currently advocated pedagogical or curricular emphases. Consequently, it has been an area of prolific research characterized by several parallel, but distinct, lines of investigation. Although research related to students' and teachers' conceptions of the nature of science has been conducted for approximately 40 years, a comprehensive review of the empirical literature (both quantitative and qualitative) has yet to be presented. The overall purpose of this review is to help clarify what has been learned and to elucidate the basic assumptions and logic which have guided earlier research efforts. Ultimately, recommendations related to both methodology and the focus of future research are offered.
Influencing student understanding of the nature of science: Data from a case of curriculum development
Authors: Meichtry Yvonne J.
Published: October 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the first‐year field test BSCS middle school science program on student understanding of the creative, developmental, testable, and unified nature of science. The experimental group, which was exposed to the BSCS program, and the control group, which was taught using a more traditional middle school science curriculum, were administered a pretest and posttest using the Modified Nature of Scientific Knowledge Scale (MNSKS). Analyses of the results showed that the understanding of students who experienced the BSCS science program decreased significantly in regard to the developmental and testable nature of science. The understanding of students who experienced the control‐group science program decreased significantly in regard to the creative nature of science. Analyses of covariance indicated that students in the control group possessed a significantly better understanding of the testable nature of science than did students who used the BSCS science program. Implications of these results are related to the constructivist view of learning, the development of curricula designed to facilitate scientific literacy, and future research endeavors.
Effectiveness of microcomputer simulations in stimulating environmental problem solving by community college students
Authors: Faryniarz Joseph V. , Lockwood Linda G.
Published: October 2006

This study examined the impact of microcomputer simulations on environmental problem solving by community college students. A subordinate question was also addressed: Was the test instrument, which was used to assess the outcome of the treatment, biased by reading ability? The quasiexperimental design used two intact groups of community college students and parallels an earlier study by Rivers and Vockell (1987). The experimental group was assigned three simulation modules that focused on lake pollution analysis, wastewater quality management, and population dynamics. The comparison group was not exposed to any simulations, and served as a quasicontrol to identify possible Hawthorne effects. Effectiveness was assessed by the Test of Integrated Process Skills (TIPS I and II). Statistical analyses were done with t tests, Pearson product‐moment correlation coefficients, and reliability coefficients. The experimental group showed a highly significant improvement in problem‐solving skills after treatment, t(33) = 4.42, p < 0.001. Subtest mean gain scores supported the hierarchical relationships among cognitive modes for transitional operational reasoners as reported by Yap and Yeany (1988). An analysis of the correlation between the TIPS I and Nelson‐Denny reading test scores indicated that the TIPS did not have a reading‐level bias for the subjects in this study. Informal and anecdotal observations described improvements in other problem‐solving skills which were not measured by the TIPS.
Reinterpreting the learning cycle from a social constructivist perspective: A qualitative study of teachers' beliefs and practices
Authors: Glasson George E. , Lalik Rosary V.
Published: October 2006

The purpose of this study was to learn whether Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) or more recent interpretations of the learning cycle could be used by teachers to engage students in social constructivist learning. To accomplish this purpose, two university researchers and six science teachers planned, implemented, and reflected upon instruction based on the reciprocal use of language and action within the learning cycle framework. The study examined teachers' changing beliefs and practices as well as issues and problems that emerged. Discrepant case analysis was used to analyze the data, which included transcriptions of instruction, reflection sessions, and teacher and student interviews as well as copies of teachers' written plans and instructional materials. In this paper, we present a case study of one teacher and profiles of five others. The case is organized chronologically and describes Martha, a high school physics teacher, in terms of her instruction and concerns at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. Analysis revealed that several of Martha's beliefs and practices gradually changed across the year. Martha initially expressed the positivistic view that the goal of science instmction was for students to arrive at scientifically acceptable conclusions. As Martha explored social constructivist teaching, she gave her students increasingly more opportunities to test and discuss their ideas during problem solving. Along with this change in practice, Martha experienced a tension between her efforts to give her students opportunities to develop their own understandings and her efforts to present scientific information. As Martha' perspective changed, she became dissatisfied with her existing grading system. Like Martha, each of the other five teachers gave their students more opportunities to explore their own ideas and each experienced tensions in the process. We interpreted these findings within a social constructivist theoretical framework to suggest changes in the learning cycle.
Teaching the design and interpretation of graphs through computer‐aided graphical data analysis
Authors: Jackson David F. , Edwards Billie Jean , Berger Carl F.
Published: October 2006

Graphs are one of the primary means of exploration and communication in the practice of science, but students in science laboratories are customarily taught only the low‐level mechanics of constructing a single kind of graph when given a table of information. The use of a microcomputer can relieve the drudgery of plotting, allowing students to pursue higher‐level issues in the design and interpretation of graphs through repeated “thought experiments.” We introduced computer‐assisted graphical data analysis to inner‐city high school students with weak math and science backgrounds, emphasizing the dynamic manipulation of various kinds of graphs to answer specific questions. Drawing on extensive recordings and classroom observations, we describe examples of the performance of these students on open‐ended problem‐solving tasks in which graphs can be used to arrive at meaningful answers to applied data analysis problems.
The implementation of equitable teaching strategies by high school biology student teachers
Authors: Scantlebury Kate , Kahle Jane Butler
Published: October 2006

Teachers can perpetuate stereotypic cultural beliefs regarding girls' ability in, aptitude for, and suitability for science by their teaching practices and behaviors. As teachers have a major influence on girls' career choices their equitable teaching practices in the classroom are important to encourage all students, but especially girls, to continue with science. Researchers have studied science classrooms and have defined common strategies and practices that can help create an equitable classroom environment. The purpose of this study was to determine if high school biology student teachers could transfer learned equitable teaching strategies to actual teaching and the support conditions necessary for that transfer. Two support conditions were assessed: cooperating teacher and peer group support. Seven preservice teachers were placed into three groups. One group had both support conditions, the second group had only one condition (peer support), and the third group did not have either support condition. Both qualitative and quantitative data sources were collected. Results showed that preservice teachers could transfer learned equitable teaching into actual teaching practice. However, they were more successful in achieving the transfer if they were supervised by cooperating teachers who are sensitized to the issue of gender equity in education. Being involved in a peer support group was not as crucial to using the strategies as having a supportive cooperative teacher.
Professors' and students' conceptualizations of the learning task in introductory physics courses
Authors: Donald Janet Gail
Published: October 2006

What are students expected to learn in physics courses? Eight expert physics teachers and researchers, two from the University of Western Ontario in Canada, Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, Stanford University in the United States of America, and Monash University in Australia, described their perceptions of learning in their courses. Students from the courses were then interviewed for their perceptions of learning in physics courses. In their courses, professors focused on the development of intellectual skills, assuming that students had a specific physics vocabulary. Students, however, were aware of their own limitations and suggested that professors should take nothing for granted. Students considered that to be a good teacher, a professor should know the perspective of the students and should start at the students' level. The results suggested that the intellectual challenge of learning physics merits early explanation.
Constructing science teaching in the elementary school: The socialization of a science enthusiast student teacher
Authors: Abell Sandra K. , Roth Marie
Published: October 2006

We undertook this case study to examine the transition from university student to student teacher of an elementary science teaching enthusiast, Marie. The purpose of the study was to understand how Marie coped with constraints to her science teaching that she perceived within the school culture. We analyzed the data: (a) field notes taken during classroom observations, (b) transcripts of interviews with Marie, her cooperating teachers, students, and the principal, and (c) documents including lesson plans, handouts, tests, and methods course products, by using analytic induction to develop categories. We also generated assertions and tested their viability by triangulating the data sources. From the data we induced a number of patterns that Marie knowingly and unknowingly used to address perceived constraints such as supervisor expectations and inadequacy of equipment and curriculum. In coping with these constraints, Marie tried to saturate the curriculum with science, even finding additional time in the school week to conduct science lessons. At times she complied with perceived expectations, but typically she modified the constraining factor to produce a suitable result. Furthermore she served as a catalyst for science among her fellow teachers. Her strategies are somewhat unique for a beginner, but may be influenced by her position as science enthusiast and by the traditionally low status of science in the elementary school curriculum.
The impact of a science demonstration on children's understandings of air pressure
Authors: Shepardson Daniel P. , Moje Elizabeth B. , Kennard‐McClelland Amy M.
Published: October 2006

Constructivist theory guided our investigation of the impact of a scientific demonstration on children's understandings of air pressure. Primary data sources included children's written and oral interview responses. For one‐third of the children, the demonstration reinforced previous understandings. These children appeared to utilize their prior knowledge and experiences to construct the purpose and meaning of the demonstration. Therefore, these children's understandings were not sufficiently challenged by observing the demonstration or the social interactions that occurred. Recommendations for using demonstrations to promote children's scientific understandings are presented herein.
Middle school classroom predictors of science persistence
Authors: Gallagher Shelagh A.
Published: October 2006

Very little research has been conducted to determine whether instructional practices experienced by young adolescents have lasting effects that can be connected to persistence in the study of science years later. The current study examined the question of whether variables associated with middle school classroom practices and instructional emphasis would contribute to a prediction of science course placement in the 11th grade. A LISREL analysis was performed to create a model that ties middle school classroom experiences to later course placement. Variables associated with a holistic approach to science and with clarity of presentation were retained in the final model.
The reading–science learning–writing connection: Breakthroughs, barriers, and promises
Authors: Holliday William G. , Yore Larry D. , Alvermann Donna E.
Published: October 2006

This article establishes a broad framework from which to interpret and evaluate the reading–science learning–writing connection. The presentation of breakthroughs, barriers, and promises is intended to outline the established links between, to identify current bottlenecks in thinking about, and to highlight productive inquiries into, print‐based languages and scientific understanding. The ideas presented come from various disciplines connected to science education. The ideas are meant to be informative, provocative, integrative, supportive, and without hidden agenda.
Peer collaboration and concept development: Learning about photosynthesis
Authors: Lumpe Andrew T. , Staver John R.
Published: October 2006

The researchers designed the study to achieve two goals: (1) determine the affect of peer collaboration on high school biology students' acquisition of concepts related to photosynthesis and (2) examine interactions in a collaborative peer group situation to determine how these interactions relate to the developpment of concepts associated with photosynthesis. Using quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques, the researchers concluded that students working in peer collaborative groups developed more scientifically correct conceptions of photosynthesis than did students working alone. However, not all group‐generated views were internalized by group members when assessed individually. Based on qualitative data, a functional relationship exists between prior knowledge and concept development. Two types of peer interaction, consonant and dissonant, were identified as enhancing concept development. When peer group roles are not assigned, roles fluctuate depending on group members' expertise or perceived expertise displaying a bidirectional zone of proximal development. This zone allows for enhanced concept development. Based on the above conclusions, the researchers recommend that (1) peer collaboration be used to help students overcome scientific misconceptions; (2) peer collaborative tasks be designed to engage students in consonant and dissonant interactions; and (3) cognitive group roles, as opposed to traditionl managerial cooperative group roles, be used.
Hearts and minds in the science classroom: The education of a confirmed evolutionist
Authors: Jackson David F. , Doster Elizabeth C. , Meadows Lee , Wood Teresa
Published: October 2006

This study traces a heuristic inquiry process from the point of view of a science educator, from a secular‐humanist background in the northern United States, attempting to better understand and appreciate a major aspect of religious‐influenced culture in the southern United States which has a major bearing on science education in the region. The intellectual and emotional viewpoints of selected scientists, science educators, science teachers, and prospective science teachers are examined regarding the relationship between their orthodox Christian religious beliefs and biological evolutionary theory. We view the prospect of teaching evolution to students with such a religious commitment as a prime example of the severe limitations of cognitively‐oriented conceptual change theory. We also view conflicts between religion and science regarding evolution as a bona fide example of a multicultural issue in education. These theoretical perspectives are inconsistent with the common tendency among science professionals to view or treat orthodox Christian students in a manner unconscionable with others—to disrespect their intellect or belittle their motivations, to offer judgments based on stereotypes and prejudices, to ignore threats to personal selfesteem, or to deny the de facto connection of some scientific conceptions to the morals, attitudes, and values of individuals with such religious commitments.
An exploration of gender participation patterns in science competitions
Authors: Greenfield Teresa Arámbula
Published: October 2006

This study investigated participation in a state‐level science competition over most of its 35‐year history. Issues examined included whether different gender patterns occurred with respect to entry rate, project topic (life science, physical science, earth science, and math), and project type (research or display). The study also examined to what extent the identified patterns reflected or contradicted nationwide patterns of girls' academic performance in science over roughly the same time period. It was found that although girls initially participated in the fair less frequently than boys, for the past 20 years their participation rate has been greater than that of boys. Examination of topic preferences over the years indicates that both girls and boys have traditionally favored life science; however, boys have been and continue to be more likely to prepare physical, earth, and math/computer science projects than girls. Another gender difference is that girls are generally less likely than boys to prepare projects based on experimental research as opposed to library research. The study provides some suggestions for teachers and teacher educators for addressing these disparities.