bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of the effect of two different lengths of inservice training on teacher attitudes
Authors: Lawrenz Frances P. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis investigation compares the effectiveness of two types of inservice training offered through the Arizona Portal School Program. Both methods were designed to provide teachers with positive attitudes toward activity‐centered energy education. The methods differed in length and energy‐related content with one course running for 5 sessions and the other for 15 sessions. The longer course placed more emphasis on content knowledge. Three types of attitudes were assessed: attitudes toward curricular change, opinions on energy concepts, and beliefs about science education. Although the longer course had a more positive effect on the participants' views of and willingness to participate in curricular change and the shorter course had a more positive effect on the participants' views of teaching activity‐oriented science, both courses produced the same type of change in the participants' views of energy issues.
The development of a group test of formal operational logic in the content area of environmental science
Authors: Texley Juliana T. , Norman John 
Published: October 2006

AbstractAn instrument was developed to assess the logical reasoning capacity of adolescents in the content area of environmental science. Characterized as a group test, the instrument consisted of five concrete experiences related to environmental concepts, to which pencil‐and‐paper responses were made. The instrument was validated through (1) logical analysis of items from the standpoint of Piagetian theory, (2) correlation with clinical interviews and group test results in physical science, and (3) factor analysis. The results indicated an acceptable level of validity for the instrument in each category. Concurrently, the results of the study indicated that the reasoning level of the subjects was well below the theoretical levels predicted for them by theory. The results also suggested that reasoning ability in environmental science was lower than in areas associated with the physical concepts usually tested. The data suggested the presence of a horizontal decalage, or time lag, between the development of logical reasoning skills in areas of familiarity, such as physical science, and areas of content less familiar to the subject or those in which logical structures may be less frequently used in the development of evaluation instruments.
Plants as producers: A case study of elementary science teaching
Authors: Smith Edward L. , Anderson Charles W. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis case study is part of a larger study of teachers' use of curriculum materials in planning and teaching fifth‐grade science. This case study focuses on one of the nine teachers observed teaching an activity‐based unit on plant growth and photosynthesis. Although the teacher became aware that her students held certain misconceptions about plant growth, she was unsuccessful in helping them replace their misconceptions with the scientific conceptions she wanted them to learn. The analysis revealed several factors that contributed to this disappointing result. The teacher and the curriculum developers held different views about learning and the nature of science, and several problems surfaced about the content and organization of the teacher's guide.
Effects of extended wait time on discourse characteristics and achievement in middle school grades
Authors: Tobin Kenneth 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe study was conducted in 20 intact classes in grades 6 and 7 from suburban schools in Perth, Australia. The study investigated changes in discourse attributable to the use of an extended teacher wait time in a sequence of seven lessons related to probabilistic reasoning. A wait time feedback group of 10 classes obtained a significantly higher summative achievement mean than a control group that utilized a normal wait time. The results indicated that teacher wait time increased significantly over a seven lesson sequence from an average of 1.9 seconds to an average of 4.4 seconds. Discourse patterns in whole class settings also changed throughout the study. Although the total number of utterances decreased, the average length of pupil utterances increased. Changes were also observed in the teacher discourse. The most notable of these related to the type of teacher talk that followed a pupil response to a question. Teachers tended to probe to obtain further pupil input rather than mimicking pupil responses. The average length of student discourse and the proportion of student reacting were significantly related to summative achievement. The results of the study have indicated that the use of an extended teacher wait time in whole class settings can improve teacher and pupil discourse characteristics. However, the changes that occur are different to those that occur when an extended wait time is used in work groups. Teachers may need to be sensitized to the differing effects of longer wait time in whole class, work group, and individualized settings.
Analyzing difficulties with mole‐concept tasks by using familiar analog tasks
Authors: Gabel Dorothy , Sherwood Robert D. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis study was conducted to determine which skills and concepts students have that are prerequisites for solving moles problems through the use of analog tasks. Two analogous tests with four forms of each were prepared that corresponded to a conventional moles test. The analogs used were oranges and granules of sugar. Slight variations between test items on various forms permitted comparisons that would indicate specific conceptual and mathematical difficulties that students might have in solving moles problems. Different forms of the two tests were randomly assigned to 332 high school chemistry students of five teachers in four schools in central Indiana. Comparisons of total test score, subtest scores, and the number of students answering an item correctly using appropriate t‐test and chi square tests resulted in the following conclusions: (1) the size of the object makes no difference in the problem difficulty; (2) students understand the concepts of mass, volume, and particles equally well; (3) problems requiring two steps are harder than those requiring one step; (4) problems involving scientific notation are more difficult than those that do not; (5) problems involving the multiplication concept are easier than those involving the division concept; (6) problems involving the collective word “bag” are easier to solve than those using the word “billion”; (7) the use of the word “a(n)” makes the problem more difficult than using the number “1”.
Development of an integrated process skill test: TIPS II
Authors: Burns Joseph C. , Okey James R. , Wise Kevin C. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe purpose of this project was to develop a valid and reliable science process skill test for middle and high school students. Multiple‐choice items were generated for each of five objectives. Following pilot testing and revision, the test was administered to middle and high school students in the northeastern United States. The 36‐item test can be completed in a normal class period. Results yielded a mean score of 19.14 and a total test reliability of 0.86. Mean difficulty and discrimination indices were 0.53 and 0.35, respectively. Split‐test correlations coefficients between TIPS II and the original TIPS items were 0.86 and 0.90. TIPS II provides another reliable instrument for measuring process skill achievement. Additionally, it increases the available item pool for measuring these skills.
Rule‐governed approaches to physics: Conservation of mechanical energy
Authors: Maloney David P. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis article reports on a study conducted to investigate the methods individuals use to make predictions about five situations involving the conservation of mechanical energy. The subjects in the study came from two different populations—science majors and nonscience majors. The technique used to determine the strategies subjects employed was a paper‐and‐pencil version of Siegler's Rule‐Assessment technique. Each subject worked five task sets, although the order in which they did the sets varied. The task sets had simple situations involving carts moving on inclines or horizontal paths. The situations had energy transformations from: (1) kinetic energy to thermal energy via work against friction, (2) potential energy to thermal energy via work against friction, (3) potential energy to potential energy, (4) potential energy to kinetic energy, and (5) kinetic energy to potential energy. The major findings of the study were: (a) the subjects did employ identifiable strategies in over 97% of the cases, (b) the sequencing of the task sets did affect the way subjects worked the problems, (c) there was a difference in the way science majors and nonscience majors worked the problems, and (d) the effect of the variation in sequence differed for the two populations.
The portrayal of minorities and women in selected elementary science series
Authors: Powell Richard R. , Garcia Jesus 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to determine the quantitative and qualitative portrayal of females and minorities in the illustrations of seven contemporary elementary science textbook series. An evaluation instrument was devised to determine the current status of the targeted groups. Illustrations were evaluated on the basis of minority/nonminority and male/female repesentation. The activity and assumed role of the individuals were also tabulated. More than 5900 human illustrations were evaluated. The results reveal that female children as a group are represented with greater frequency than are other child groups. Minority children are represented less often than nonminority children and female and minority adults are depicted less often than nonminority male adults. The textbooks evaluated in this study display science positively for most societal groups. However, minorities are underrepresented and illustrated in a limited number of career roles. Implications and suggestions for teachers, supervisors, and teacher educators are provided.
The effect of writing assignments on achievement in college general chemistry
Authors: Horton Phillip B. , Fronk Robert H , Walton Raymond W. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis study was designed to determine if student learning in college general chemistry could be increased through the addition of required writing assignments. Sixty‐four students enrolled in the same section of a general chemistry II course were randomly assigned to two groups. Treatment group members were required to turn in written summaries of 8 class lectures. These summaries were graded and returned with mistakes in chemistry and writing noted. Feedback concerning errors in chemical content was shared with the entire class prior to the posttest. Analysis of covariance of the posttest results showed that the treatment group members scored significantly higher than the students who did not write the summaries (F = 6.78, p < .05). No interaction was observed between group membership and pretest scores. These results indicate that student achievement in chemistry may be enhanced through required writing assignments. The study results are inconclusive as to whether the gains in achievement were due to the processes involved in organizing and writing the summaries, or due to the additional study time required to write the summaries.
Examining a mathematical model of mastery learning in a classroom setting
Authors: Johnston Karen L. , Aldridge Bill G. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe purpose of mathematical models in any discipline is to describe accurately the relationships among significant variables of a system. The use of mathematical models is widespread in the sciences, but has rarely found its way into educational research. In developing a mathematical model for mastery learning, empirical research has shown that prior learning, motivation, and time on task are part of the significant variables that work together in some way in a determination of student achievement. A mathematical model that shows the relationship among these variables has been developed. To test the appropriateness of this mathematical model, carefully designed and controlled experiments must be conducted to collect numerical data on the significant variables. Using the model, the accuracy of its predictions can be compared with actual results. This is the technique used in testing mathematical models in the sciences and should be applicable to mathematical models of learning.
A review of research on formal reasoning and science teaching
Authors: Lawson Anton E. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractA central purpose of education is to improve students' reasoning abilities. The present review examines research in developmental psychology and science education that has attempted to assess the validity of Piaget's theory of formal thought and its relation to educational practice. Should a central objective of schools be to help students become formal thinkers? To answer this question research has focused on the following subordinate questions: (1) What role does biological maturation play in the development of formal reasoning? (2) Are Piaget's formal tasks reliable and valid? (3) Does formal reasoning constitute a unified and general mode of intellectual functioning? (4) How does the presence or absence of formal reasoning affect school achievement? (5) Can formal reasoning be taught? (6) What is the structural or functional nature of advanced reasoning? The general conclusion drawn is that although Piaget's work and that which has sprung from it leaves a number of unresolved theoretical and methodological problems, it provides an important background from which to make substantial progress toward a most significant educational objective.All our dignity lies in thought. By thought we must elevate ourselves, not by space and time which we can not fill. Let us endeavor then to think well; therein lies the principle of morality. Blaise Pascal 1623‐1662.
Concept mapping, vee mapping, and achievement: Results of a field study with black high school students
Authors: Lehman James D. , Carter Charlotte , Kahle Jane Butler 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis article reports on the results of a project that studied the effectiveness of two specific learning heuristics, concept mapping and Vee mapping, in helping black, inner‐city, high school students learn biology concepts meaningfully. The project sought to assess the effects on achievement of the use of these two heuristics as part of a carefully designed sequence of instruction. Two instructional treatments were compared, one that utilized the two experimental heuristics as study aids and one that utilized outlining as a comparison study aid. The instructional treatments were administered over approximately a one semester period. Two hundred and fifty subjects, nearly all black, from two urban high schools in Indiana took part in the study. Achievement instruments designed to measure meaningful (higher order) learning were developed. Analysis of variance of the achievement test means failed to reveal statistically significant differences between the experimental and comparison treatment at the 0.05 alpha level. However, there were suggestions of a tendency toward an effect of the experimental treatment, and several factors contributing to the difficulty in distinguishing achievement differences were identified.
A study of the relationship among type and quality of implementation of science teaching strategy, student formal reasoning ability, and student engagement
Authors: Roadrangka Vantipa , Yeany Russell H. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe objective of this study was to identify the relationship between the type and quality of science teaching strategy and student engagement. Teachers and their students in middle and high schools were observed on ten occasions. A total of 60 observations were made of all teachers and ten of each of their students. During each observation period, the type and quality of implementation of teaching strategy was identified and student engagement was rated. Data collected were examined by regression analyses. The results indicated that the type and quality of implementation of teaching strategies did significantly and positively relate to student engagement. Analyzed individually, the type of teaching strategy predicted 12 per cent of the variance in engagement, while the quality of teaching strategy predicted 35 per cent. Overall, the type and quality of teaching strategy predicted 37 per cent of the variance in engagement. The data also showed that the more indirect the teaching strategy, the greater the students' involvement in learning tasks.
Effect of instruction using microcomputer simulations and conceptual change strategies on science learning
Authors: Zietsman Aletta I. , Hewson Peter W. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis article describes an investigation into the effects of instruction using microcomputer simulations and conceptual change strategies. The microcomputer program was designed in accord with a model of conceptual change to diagnose and remediate an alternative conception of velocity. Results show that, first, the microcomputer simulations are credible representations of reality, and second, that the remedial part of the program produced significant conceptual change in students holding the alternative conception.
The sequence of learning cycle activities in high school chemistry
Authors: Abraham Michael R. , Renner John W. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe sequence of the three phases of two high school learning cycles in chemistry was altered in order to: (I ) give insights into the factors which account for the success of the learning cycle, (2) serve as an indirect test of the association between Piaget's theory and the learning cycle, and (3) to compare the learning cycle with traditional instruction. Each of the six sequences (one n o d and five altered) was studied with content and atritudc measures. The outcomes of the study supported the contention that the normal learning cycle sequence is the optimum sequence for achievement of content knowledge.
Trends in teachers' recommendations for changing elementary and junior‐high school science programs
Authors: Stronck David R. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractSince 1978 many studies have called for changes in the practices of science teaching. These changes in instruction will occur only when the teachers decide to change their practices. This study uses surveys to consider the question of what were the trends in the teachers' recommendations for changes in elementary and junior‐high school science programs between the years of 1978 and 1982. Large samples of teachers in British Columbia, Canada, responded anonymously to questionnaires in these years: 3040 teachers in 1978 and 1631 in 1982, with return rates ranging from 77.5% to 85%. These teachers described themselves as shifting their classroom practices toward ones that emphasize passive learning and memorization. The British Columbia Science Assessments recommend more inservice programs to stop this trend. There were very few differences in the teachers' recommendations for changes in the schools. The elementary‐school teachers had major changes in their rankings of only two activities: they increased their ranking of “activity‐centered learning” and reduced their ranking of “outdoor education.”
On narrative method, personal philosophy, and narrative unities in the story of teaching
Authors: Connelly F. Michael , Clandinin D. Jean 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis article outlines a narrative method for the study of classrooms. The main feature of the method is the reconstruction of classroom meaning in terms of narrative unities in the lives of classroom participants. The theoretical character of the work is introduced through comparison and contrast with Schön's The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action (1983). The empirical basis of the work is drawn from an in‐depth, long term, case study with selected science teachers in schools. Paradigmatic material drawn from studies with two teachers is used to illustrate the narrative method in this article and to develop the notions of personal philosophy and narrative unities as part of participants' personal practical knowledge. The article concludes with possibilities of the narrative method for the study of teaching and outlines how the notion of participants' narrative unities contributes to our understanding of science classrooms and of school improvement.
Plants or animals—which do junior high school students prefer to study?
Authors: Wandersee James H. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis research addressed the following questions: (1) Which science topic do junior high school students prefer to study—plants or animals? (2) Is their preference related to the variables of grade level and sex of student? Public school students from grades 7, 8, and 9 in Avoca, New York participated in the study. Findings show that 9th grade students have a greater interest in biological science topics than do students in the other grades studied. Girls are more interested in biological science topics than boys are. Girls also showed a significant preference for animals over plants. As a group, junior high school students revealed that they prefer animal study over plant study. About half of the student responses categorized as “biological science” did not express a clear‐cut preference for either plants or animals. A caution about generalizability is expressed. Interviews of students suggest that the following characteristics of animals are important determinants of preferences: Animals move, eat, have eyes for sight, communicate by sound, exhibit behaviors that are fun to watch, have short and observable live cycles, interact with humans, can learn, have mates, give birth, and raise their young. It was obvious that most students think of mammals when they hear the term “animal.”
Learning environmental science from text aided by a diagnostic and prescriptive instructional strategy
Authors: Farragher Pierce , Szabo Michael 
Published: October 2006

AbstractLearning from text aided by information‐processing techniques of embedded questions and increasingly complex prescriptive feedback was examined relative to achievement, time‐on‐task, and efficiency. Undergraduates (n = 150) were randomly assigned to one of five treatments which varied along a feedback complexity range. After pretesting, Ss completed a selfpaced text unit of soil ecology, followed by a posttest and delayed retention test. Significant differences in instructional time and learning efficiency were observed which were not linearly related to feedback complexity. Between group and achievement differences were marginally significant. Knowledge of human information processing and/or how to apply it to learning from text requires further refinement.