bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
From field science to classroom science: A case study of constrained emergence in a second‐career science teacher
Authors: Powell Richard 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis study explored how the school classroom context influenced the expression of one prospective science teachers' beliefs about science and science teaching. Using a single case study design, the article presents a case report of Dan, a 31‐year‐old scientist who decided to become a science teacher after six years as a field scientist with an international science corporation. Personal construct theory and experientialism provided the theoretical frameworks for data collection and analysis. Multiple sources of data were gathered to ensure triangulation. Data sources included field notes made during observations of Dan's student teaching, transcripts from formal and informal interviews with Dan, and document analysis from teaching materials gathered throughout student teaching. Using the constant comparative method of data analysis, four interrelated categories of Dan's student teaching experience were generated: beliefs about teaching science, constrained teaching and instructional conflict, science beliefs and classroom practice, and anticipations of a new beginning. Implications for science education and for teacher development are offered.
An investigation of the relationship between logical thinking structures and the ability to construct and interpret line graphs
Authors: Berg Craig A. , Phillips Darrell G. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis study investigates the relationship between logical thinking structures and the ability to construct and interpret line graphs. Seventy‐two subjects in 7th, 9th, and 11th grades were administered individual Piagetian tasks to assess five specific mental structures: (Euclidean spatial structures) (a) Placement and Displacement of Objects (maintaining horizontal and vertical reference frames) and (b) One–One Multiplication of Placement and Displacement Relations (coordinate systems); (c) Multiplicative Measurement; (d) Multiplicative Seriation; and (e) Proportional Reasoning. Graphing abilities were assessed by having the subjects construct and interpret numerous graphs of varying content and difficulty. To minimize the researcher's guesses about interpretation, each subject's answers and reasons were subsequently explored during a clinical interview. The results indicate significant relationships of logical thinking to graphing ability. Multiplicative seriation, multiplicative measurement, and Euclidean spatial structures positively influenced graphing abilities. Subjects who showed evidence of proportional reasoning did significantly better on many graphing situations including choosing the part of the graph with the greatest “rate of change.” Locating points on a graph without a grid was significantly related to horizontal/vertical frames of reference. Students who did not possess the logical thinking structures were more likely to be dependent upon, and influenced by, perceptual cues and less able to interpret or construct graphs correctly.
Native american related materials in elementary science instruction
Authors: Matthews Catherine E. , Smith Walter S. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe low achievement of Native American students, as measured by standardized tests, results from a number of factors, including the lack of cultural relevance of curriculum materials used in their instruction. Using a pretest–posttest control group design, Native American students in Bureau of Indian Affairs schools in Grades 4–8 who were taught science using culturally relevant materials achieved significantly higher and displayed a significantly more positive attitude toward Native Americans and science than comparable students who were taught science without the culturally relevant materials. It is suggested that when educators of Native Americans teach science, they should use materials that incorporate frequent reference to Native Americans and science.
Perceptions of coordinators of college freshman chemistry regarding selected goals and outcomes of high school chemistry
Authors: Shumba Overson , Glass Lynn W. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractSeveral studies have shown that high school science teachers base their teaching on what professors of college freshman science expect, and that, in some instances, advanced high school courses are needlessly similar to college freshman courses. In order to gain insight of college science professors' expectations and perceptions on selected goals and outcomes of science education, a survey instrument was developed and mailed to 123 heads/coordinators of freshman chemistry in U.S. state and land grant colleges and universities that offer a graduate degree program in chemistry. The results demonstrated that although the coordinators were positive about many science education goals and outcomes they did not value aspects related to societal issues, and no differences among them existed when the results were analyzed according to demographic subgroups such as age and teaching experience. They perceived high school graduates as possessing inadequate skills and perceived measures to improve precollege science education requiring collaboration of precollege and college faculty positively. The implications for science education were that college chemistry professors place values different from those of science educators on some pertinent goals and outcomes of science teaching, a situation that is not helpful to reforming precollege science education.
Comparative study of the pedagogical content knowledge of experienced and novice chemical demonstrators
Authors: Clermont Christian P. , Borko Hilda , Krajcik Joseph S. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis study examined the pedagogical content knowledge of experienced and novice chemical demonstrators. It specifically delineates the nature of the declarative knowledge associated with science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. Science teachers who (1) teach abstract concepts in chemistry, (2) have a strong interest in using demonstrations as a science teaching strategy, and (3) have high and low levels of experience conducting chemical demonstrations participated in the study. Clinical interviews were used to probe teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. The findings suggest that the experienced chemical demonstrators possess a greater representational and adaptational repertoire for teaching fundamental concepts in chemistry than novices. They also appeared to be more cognizant of the complexity of chemical demonstrations, how these complexities may interfere with learning, and how simplified variations of chemical demonstrations can promote concept learning. The implications for teacher education programs are discussed.
Children's observations, ideas, and the development of classroom theories about light
Authors: Brickhouse Nancy W. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine the interaction between children's observations of light and shadows and their developing theories in the context of a series of lessons in a third‐grade classroom. Detailed analysis of videotapes of the children's discussions of their investigations into light and shadows led to the finding that the children's observations of light led to the development of a limited theory about light that was largely useful in explaining classroom investigations. However, this theory of light was less helpful in helping them understanding shadow phenomena and was too limited to explain out‐of‐classroom observations of light and shadows.
Decreasing course content improves student comprehension of science and attitudes towards science in freshman biology
Authors: Sundberg Marshall D. , Dini Michael L. , Li Elizabeth 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis study demonstrates a small, but significant, difference in prior understanding of basic biological concepts between students enrolled in majors' versus nonmajors' introductory biology courses. By the end of their respective courses, nonmajors demonstrated greater improvement in posttest scores than did majors. Furthermore, although initially students in the major course had a significantly more positive attitude towards science, especially in terms of personal comfort with science, by the end of the course this difference disappears. Following a semester of instruction, the attitudes of nonmajors generally improved, but student attitudes in the majors' classes declined in nearly all categories. We demonstrate a significant instructor effect in these results.
The accommodation of science pedagogical knowledge: The application of conceptual change constructs to teacher education
Authors: Stofflett René T. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe purposes of this study were to (a) determine whether the conditions of the accommodation of a science conception (IPDF) could be applied to pedagogical conceptions of science, and (b) using this application, determine whether a group of elementary teacher candidates in a conceptual change methods course accommodated their didactic preconceptions of science teaching. This research was based on the assumption that, for teachers to learn to teach for conceptual change, they must undergo a process of pedagogical conceptual change themselves. The teacher candidates in this study were interviewed and observed teaching. Their lesson plans and reflective papers were analyzed. The course was also videotaped to provide contextual descriptions. The teacher candidates, as expected, held primarily didactic pedagogical conceptions and were resistant to the conceptual change strategies. However, at posttest they found the new strategies to be intelligible, plausible, and fruitful. They also expressed implicit dissatisfaction with their preexisting views. Cooperating teachers had significant influence in the development of both plausibility and fruitfulness. Recommendations for improving the use of the conceptual change constructs in future teacher education research are made.
Relationship between ability‐paired interactions and the development of fifth graders' concepts of balance
Authors: Carter Glenda , Jones M. Gail 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis study describes the effects of ability‐paired student interactions on achievement as fifth graders (10‐year‐olds) worked on laboratory activities relating to balance. Achievement gains were assessed (n = 83) by analysis of pretest–posttest differences on the lever concept test. Audio recordings and field notes (n = 30) were analyzed for the following laboratory behaviors: number of words spoken, tinkering, block moving, turns speaking, incidence of helping and distracting behavior. Results revealed that: (1) low‐ability student achievement is greater when students are paired with high‐ability partners; (2) low‐ability students speak more words, exhibit less distracting behavior, and move blocks on the lever less when they are paired with a partner of high ability; (3) high‐ability students speak more words, take more turns speaking, and exhibit more helping behaviors when they are paired with low‐ability students rather than with other high ability students; and (4) there are no achievement differences for high‐ability students regardless of the ability level of their partner. These findings suggest that heterogeneous grouping of students in science can be beneficial to low‐ability students partnered with high‐ability students, without being detrimental to the high‐ability partners.
Reading and writing to learn science: Achieving scientific literacy
Authors: Glynn Shawn M. , Muth K. Denise 
Published: October 2006

AbstractA key step in helping students to achieve scientific literacy is to ensure that each school's curriculum supports students' efforts to learn science meaningfully. Educational researchers play a vital role in this step by providing teachers, teacher educators, administrators, and policy makers with information about the creation of a curriculum that supports scientific literacy. In a scientific literacy curriculum, reading and writing can serve as dynamic vehicles for learning science meaningfully. The task of educational researchers is to show how reading and writing can be used most effectively to support science learning. Much of what is done now in schools is based on teacher intuition—good intuition—but intuition nonetheless. What is needed is school‐based research to validate and build upon these intuitions. This article is intended to stimulate research on reading and writing to learn science.
Influence of levels of information as presented by different technologies on students' understanding of acid, base, and ph concepts
Authors: Nakhleh Mary B. , Krajcik Joseph S. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractWe investigated how different levels of information presented by various technologies affected secondary students' understanding of acid, base, and pH concepts. Secondary students who were selected for the study had just completed their study of acid–base chemistry. No attempt was made to provide further instruction. We analyzed changes in the understanding of individual students by constructing concept maps from the propositions that the students used in interviews conducted before and after a series of acid–base titrations. After the initial interview, students were divided into three groups. Within each group, students individually performed the same set of titrations using different technologies: chemical indicators, pH meters, and microcomputer‐based laboratories (MBL). After the titrations were completed, all students were interviewed again. We found that students using MBL exhibited a larger positive shift in their concept map scores, which indicates a greater differentiation and integration of their knowledge of acids and bases. The chemical indicator students exhibited a more moderate positive shift in their concept map scores, and the pH meter students exhibited a smaller positive shift. We also found that the MBL students constructed more inappropriate links in their concept maps than the chemical indicator or pH meter students. However, we speculate that this increased number of inappropriate links indicates a high level of involvement with the technology. We therefore argue that the level of information offered by the technology affected students' understanding of the chemical concepts.
Network representations of knowledge about chemical equilibrium: Variations with achievement
Authors: Wilson Janice M. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis study examined variation in the organization of domain‐specific knowledge by 50 Year‐12 chemistry students and 4 chemistry teachers. The study used nonmetric multidimensional scaling (MDS) and the Pathfinder network‐generating algorithm to investigate individual and group differences in student concepts maps about chemical equilibrium. MDS was used to represent the individual maps in two‐dimensional space, based on the presence or absence of paired propositional links. The resulting separation between maps reflected degree of hierarchical structure, but also reflected independent measures of student achievement. Pathfinder was then used to produce semantic networks from pooled data from high and low achievement groups using proximity matrices derived from the frequencies of paired concepts. The network constructed from maps of higher achievers (coherence measure = 0.18, linked pairs = 294, and number of subjects = 32) showed greater coherence, more concordance in specific paired links, more important specific conceptual relationships, and greater hierarchical organization than did the network constructed from maps of lower achievers (coherence measure = 0.12, linked pairs = 552, and number of subjects = 22). These differences are interpreted in terms of qualitative variation in knowledge organization by two groups of individuals with different levels of relative expertise (as reflected in achievement scores) concerning the topic of chemical equilibrium. The results suggest that the technique of transforming paired links in concept maps into proximity matrices for input to multivariate analyses provides a suitable methodology for comparing and documenting changes in the organization and structure of conceptual knowledge within and between individual students.
Understanding teaching or teaching for understanding: Alternative frameworks for science classrooms
Authors: Wildy Helen , Wallace John 
Published: October 2006

AbstractWe came to this study with a set of beliefs about good science teaching that had been heavily influenced by the constructivist literature of the past decade. In this article we reexamine some of our own assumptions about good teaching by exploring the classroom practices of an experienced physics teacher. This teacher did not fit the mold of the constructivist teacher and, yet, there was much to suggest that he was meeting the needs of the students in his class. His methods were almost entirely whole class—focusing mainly on physics content, examination technique and algorithm practice. Our close observation of this teacher in his Grade 11 classroom over several months suggests an alternative framework for examining his work. We examine this framework through a number of themes: teacher confidence, the structure of the discipline, student motivation, trust, and the cultural context of learning. We argue for a broader view of good science teaching than that proposed by the constructivist literature, one that takes into account teachers' and students' understandings of science in relation to their social and cultural contexts.
Project design factors that affect student perceptions of the success of a science research project
Authors: Kimbrough Doris R. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThroughout the United States, various summer science programs for precollege students are conducted with an aim toward increasing the involvement of young people in science. Most of these programs are perceived as successful by teachers and scientists because they involve students in hands‐on science activities, improve their scientific skills and confidence, and allow them the opportunity to use science to answer questions and solve problems. The work described here involves a detailed assessment of a summer National Science Foundation (NSF) Young Scholars Program, which was carried out over 2 summers. Student participants were entering 9th and 10th grade. The data used for this assessment included journals kept by teaching assistants, questionnaires administered to the participants and parents, and interviews with the participants. Analysis revealed that students perceived program success differently from teachers and program organizers. Their perception of the success of a program is directly related to whether or not their individual research project met its goals, regardless of other project activities. Designing projects that have a high likelihood of success from this perspective can be complex, but this work identified six variables that must be incorporated appropriately into the design of a project to ensure its success: (1) extent of project structure and who structures the project, faculty or student; (2) project relevance; (3) project flexibility; (4) project background research; (5) tangible results; and (6) project introduction.
An analysis of scientific understandings of preservice elementary teacher education students
Authors: Ginns Ian S. , Watters James J. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis article reports an investigation of the intuitive scientific ideas and understandings of 321 preservice elementary teacher education students enrolled in the 2nd year of a 3‐year program. The sample completed a physical science concept challenge instrument by responding, in writing, to open‐ended questions about the concepts of floating/sinking, the nature of matter, air pressure and its effects, and the balance beam. Subjects' responses and explanations were analyzed, and response categories established. The results reveal that the majority of subjects, with the exception of a high proportion of those who had a successful senior high school background in physics and chemistry, have misunderstandings in these basic concept areas. It is argued that teachers should have a sound conceptual knowledge base in order to implement effective problem‐solving strategies in the elementary science classroom. The importance of teaching science in elementary schools is widely acknowledged, therefore, teacher educators must identify and implement more effective strategies for science instruction in preservice teacher education courses that will enable all students to construct scientifically accurate concept knowledge.
Relationships between metaphors, beliefs, and actions in a context of science curriculum change
Authors: Tobin Kenneth , Lamaster Sarah Ulerick 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis study is an interpretive investigation of Sarah, a first‐time teacher of middle‐ and high‐school science who, because of high levels of disruption, was unable to establish and maintain environments favorable to learning. Sarah reflected on her roles as a teacher and identified facilitating learning, management, and assessment as salient, each being associated with defining metaphors and belief sets. Sarah's efforts to improve her teaching began with the construction of a new metaphor, the social director, for her role as manager. She developed coherence between the new metaphor and beliefs about constructivism, teaching, and learning. Sarah then managed her class in accordance with the social director metaphor and, although improvements were apparent, some students were uncooperative. Sarah then changed her metaphor for assessment from the teacher being a fair judge to the teacher looking through a window into a student's mind, an opportunity for students to show what is known. When this metaphor guided Sarah's assessment practices the learning environment improved appreciably. Although the development of new metaphors was a significant part of the process of reconceptualizing her roles as a science teacher, Sarah could not have improved the quality of teaching and learning without substantial assistance from her colleagues and school administrators.
Gender, race, ethnicity, and science education in the middle grades
Authors: Catsambis Sophia 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis article examines gender differences in science achievements and attitudes during the middle grade, when our nation's scientific pipeline begins to emerge. It uses data from a large, nationally representative sample of eighth‐grade students (NELS‐88). The findings show that in these grades female students do not lag behind their male classmates in science achievements tests, grades, and course enrollments. Actually, some female students have higher probabilities of enrolling in high‐ability classes than males. However, female students have less positive attitudes toward science, participate in fewer relevant extracurricular activities, and aspire less often to science careers than males. Students' science attitudes and career interests vary according to students' gender as well as their racial or ethnic background. These findings emphasize the need to further examine the interrelationships between gender and race or ethnicity in our efforts to understand the processes leading to women's limited participation in science‐related careers.