bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Twelfth‐grade biology pupils' opinions on interventions of man in nature: Agreement, indifference and ambivalence
Authors: Dreyfus Amos , Roth Zvi 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to assess the degree of ambivalence of the attitudes of twelfth‐grade biology pupils in Israel towards interventions of man in nature. A questionnaire was designed in which the pupils were confronted with arguments of different levels of potential relevance (personal, global, and philosophical), three against and three in favor of each of eight “interventions of man in natural processes.” The pupil was requested (a) to rate each argument independently and (b) to “vote,” as if in a public committee, for or against each technology. The degree of ambivalence–‐measured, for each item, by means of Kaplan's (1972) semantic differential half scales–‐was the degree to which the pupils agreed to both positive and negative arguments. Although clear majorities of pupils voted in favor of all the “interventions,” three main patterns of responses were found: general agreement, indifference, and ambivalence. These patterns were characterized in terms of (a) the mean ratings of the arguments, (b) the differences between mean positive and negative “personal” ratings, (c) the percentages of favorable votes, and (d) the degrees of ambivalence. It was shown that pupils were able to appreciate arguments against a certain technology even in cases of strong personal feelings in favor of the technology (high ambivalence). The development of such an ability may be one of the main objectives of science education in a STS context.
Cooperative learning and group educational modules: Effects on cognitive achievement of high school biology students
Authors: Watson Scott B. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine the effects of cooperative learning and Group Educational Modules (GEM) on the achievement of high school biology students. GEM materials are self‐instructional packets designed for use with groups of biology students. Cooperative learning is a classroom learning environment in which students work in small, mixed‐ability groups toward a common goal. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used in this study. The independent variables considered included (1) participation of students in the GEM project, and (2) use of cooperative learning techniques including heterogeneous grouping and group incentives. The dependent variables for all treatment groups were scores on the instrument developed for this study. A total of 11 teachers with 36 classes and 715 students were included in this study. All teachers involved covered the same general subject matter during the study period. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used as the data analysis procedure. Significant differences were found in the achievement of students using GEM materials and those using traditional instructional approaches. The use of cooperative learning also produced significant differences when compared to traditional classroom structures.
The determinants of grades three to eight students' intentions to engage in laboratory and nonlaboratory science learning behavior
Authors: Ray Brian D. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractData were collected from students in grades three to eight (N = 377) in order to identify the determinants of their intentions to perform laboratory and nonlaboratory science activities. Fishbein and Ajzen's theory of reasoned action was used as the basis for the study. The theory posits that the immediate determinant of behavior is intention. Intention is determined by the weighted attitude toward the behavior and the weighted subjective norm. Attitude toward behavior and subjective norm are determined by combinations of beliefs, evaluations, and motivations to comply. Cores of salient beliefs related to attitude toward laboratory and nonlaboratory behaviors and cores of salient beliefs related to subjective norm for laboratory and nonlaboratory behaviors were identified. Hypotheses generated from the theory were confirmed. Attitude toward behavior and subjective norm explained significant amounts of variance in behavioral intention for both laboratory and nonlaboratory behaviors. Attitude toward behavior had a greater relative weight than subjective norm for both laboratory and nonlaboratory. The correlations between adjacent constructs in the theoretical model were significant in all cases.
Reliability and concurrent validity of a measure of critical thinking skills in biology
Authors: McMurray Mary Anne , Beisenherz Paul , Thompson Bruce 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe present study investigated the utility of 52 items, selected from a readily available item pool developed for instructional purposes, when the items are used to measure critical thinking abilities of biology students. The items yield scores that have reasonable internal consistency reliability. Furthermore, analyses involving ACT, Watson‐Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, and Group Embedded Figures Test scores also suggest that the critical thinking test items have good concurrent validity. Thus, the measure may be useful in both science instruction and future research regarding critical thinking phenomena.
Effects of novelty‐reducing preparation on exploratory behavior and cognitive learning in a science museum setting
Authors: Kubota Carole A. , Olstad Roger G. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between (a) novelty and exploratory behavior, (b) novelty and cognitive learning, and (c) exploratory behavior and cognitive learning in science museums. Sixty‐four sixth‐grade public school students participated in a posttest‐only control group design. The control group received a treatment designed to decrease the novelty of a field trip setting through a vicarious exposure while the placebo group received an informative but not novelty‐reducing treatment. Both groups then visited the field site where they were videotaped. Statistical analyses were conducted on both dependent variables with socioeconomic status and academic achievement as covariates, novelty‐reducing preparation as the independent variable, and gender as moderator variable. Exploratory behavior was shown to be positively correlated with cognitive learning. Significant differences were detected for exploratory behavior. For both dependent variables, gender by treatment group interaction was significant with novelty‐reducing preparation shown to be highly effective on boys but having no effect on girls.
Children's views concerning phase changes
Authors: Bar Varda , Travis Anthony S. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis article reports on answers by children (Grades 1–9) to oral and written questions concerning the phase change from liquid to gas. The development of concepts was followed, proceeding from concrete to abstract ideas. Difficulties in the application of abstractions were found, and participants were frequently misled where a choice of possible correct answers was given. Many students were found to experience difficulties in problem solving even though they may have had the necessary level of knowledge. These findings lead us to emphasize the importance of explaining specific situations and experiences using clear and relevant models to suit the discussion. To this end, a number of suggestions are made for minimizing misunderstandings and enhancing understanding.
Elementary school teachers' beliefs about and perceptions of elementary school science, science reading, science textbooks, and supportive instructional factors
Authors: Shymansky James A. , Yore Larry D. , Good Ronald 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis article is a report of elementary school teachers' beliefs about and uses of text material in science. Survey results from 522 K‐8 teachers from 299 schools in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands were analyzed along three dimensions: teacher attitudes toward teaching of reading in science; teacher beliefs and understanding about models of reading, factors influencing science reading and reading skills; and teacher use of various teaching strategies. Results suggest that teachers do not see reading science as different from any other narrative material. And though most agreed to the importance of having students do activities to support and enhance the use of text material, responses suggest that covering topics is still a concern for most elementary teachers.
A cross‐age study of student understanding of the concept of diffusion
Authors: Westbrook Susan L. , Marek Edmund A. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis study examined 7th‐grade life science students, 10th‐grade biology students, and college zoology students for understanding of the concept of diffusion. Responses from 100 students from each grade level were randomly selected for data analysis. Each student responded to a test packet consisting of a biographical questionnaire, two Piagetian‐like developmental tasks, and a Concept Evaluation Statement (CES). The CESs were used to measure the students' understandings of the concept of diffusion. None of the 300 students across the three grade levels exhibited complete understanding of the diffusion concept. There was no appreciable difference among the grade levels in sound or partial understanding, misconceptions, or “no understanding.” An analysis of the misconceptions exhibited by the college sample showed that many of the misconceptions could be traced to a misapplication of scientific terminology.
Classroom and community influences on youths' perceptions of science in a rural county school system
Authors: Charron Elisabeth H. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis qualitative, descriptive study presents several dimensions of students' science perceptions in Grades 1–12 in a rural county school system, and relates the pupils' viewpoints to school and nonschool experiences, and to the views of local adults. The students' perceptions of science are also used as a basis to explore three issues that were raised by school administrators and teachers in the community of study, and that have general bearing in science education. These issues are (a) the need for articulation of school science offerings across grade levels; (b) the need for the science program to make connections with locally held ideas and values; and (c) the need for the science program to be comprehensive and accurate, reflecting science professional's thinking, and yet retaining sensitivity to local viewpoints.
Cognition in scientific and everyday domains: Comparison and learning implications
Authors: Reif Frederick , Larkin Jill H. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractAn analysis and comparison of everyday life and the domain of science reveals significant differences in their goals and in the cognitive means used to attain these goals. Students' lack of awareness of these differences can lead to pervasive learning difficulties in their study of science. Thus many students (a) have erroneous conceptions of scientific goals, (b) import goals and ways of thinking which are effective in everyday life but inadequate in science, and (c) devise ways of thinking ill suited to science. Additional complications arise because science taught in schools often differs both from actual science and from everyday life. Students' learning difficulties are thus increased because scientific goals are distorted and scientific ways of thinking are inadequately taught. The preceding analysis suggests some empirical investigations and instructional improvements.
Understanding models and their use in science: Conceptions of middle and high school students and experts
Authors: Grosslight Lorraine , Unger Christopher , Jay Eileen , Smith Carol L. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThirty‐three 7th‐grade mixed‐ability students and 22 11th‐grade honors students were interviewed about their conceptions of models and their use in science. Three analyses are presented in order to: (1) portray the character of students' spontaneous answers; (2) examine the criteria students use to decide whether specific items are models or not; and (3) describe how different general levels of understanding models reflect different epistemological viewpoints. Four experts were also interviewed for purposes of comparison. We found that students in both groups have conceptions of models that are basically consistent with a naive realist epistemology. Thus, they are more likely to think of models as physical copies of reality that embody different spatiotemporal perspectives than as constructed representations that may embody different theoretical perspectives. As student ideas become more sophisticated, however, they increasingly include the fact that models are designed for particular purposes, especially to help communication. All of our experts expressed ideas consistent with a constructivist framework, drawing a distinction between abstract and physical models and articulating ways that models are used for the construction and testing of ideas. Our findings suggest that students need more experience using models as intellectual tools, more experience with models that provide contrasting conceptual views of phenomena, and more discussions of the roles of models in the service of scientific inquiry.
Textbook use and the biology education desired state
Authors: Gottfried Sandra S. , Kyle William C. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis microethnographic study investigated the use of textbooks in six high school biology teachers' classrooms. Purposeful sampling techniques identified three textbook‐centered (TC) teachers and three multiple‐reference (MR) teachers. Composite profiles of TC and MR teachers and their classroom environments were constructed using data collected during classroom observations. The data were categorized and analyzed using the Project Synthesis “desired state” and “actual state” categories and descriptors as a framework (Harms & Yager, 1981). Thus, this study sought to ascertain if the nature of teachers' textbook use reveals relationships between factors indicative of the biology education “desired state” or “actual state” criteria. TC biology classrooms aligned with the actual state criteria in over 95% of the data entries. MR biology classrooms aligned about equally with the actual state and desired state criteria. Regardless of textbook orientation, teachers did not utilize desired state criteria in the process of evaluating student performance. Factors other than textbook orientation appear to align with desired state criteria. Identified factors include (a) the curricular goals espoused by individual teachers, (b) the instructional strategies used to implement the curriculum, and (c) the teacher's commitment to professional development. Preservice and in‐service education must enhance teachers' ability to formulate goals consistent with desired state criteria in science education, develop appropriate strategies to implement those goals, and understand the need for continuing professional development.
Accelerating the development of formal thinking in middle and high school students II: Postproject effects on science achievement
Authors: Shayer Michael , Adey Philip S. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractA one‐year lag was found between the effect of an intervention intended to promote formal operational thinking in students initially 11 or 12 years of age and the appearance of substantial science achievement in the experimental groups. A one‐year lag was also reported on cognitive development: Whereas at the end of the two‐year intervention the experimental groups were up to 0.9σ ahead of the control groups, one year later the differential on Piagetian measures had disappeared, but the experimentals now showed better science achievement of even greater magnitude. Although the control groups showed normal distribution both on science achievement and cognitive development, the experimental groups showed bi‐ or trimodal distribution. Between one‐half and one‐quarter of the students involved in the experiment in different groups showed effects of the order of 2σ both on cognitive development and science achievement; some students appeared unaffected (compared with the controls), and others demonstrated modest effects on science achievement. An age/gender interaction is reported: the most substantial effects were found in boys initially aged 12+ and girls initially 11+. The only group to show no effects was boys initially aged 11+. It is suggested that the intervention methods may have favored the abstract analytical learning style as described by Cohen 1986.
Understandings and misunderstandings of eighth graders of five chemistry concepts found in textbooks
Authors: Abraham Michael R. , Grzybowski Eileen Bross , Renner John W. , Marek Edmund A. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe research reported in this study was designed to answer three questions: (a) What misconceptions do eighth grade students have concerning the chemistry concepts from their textbooks. (b) How is reasoning ability related to misconceptions concerning chemistry concepts. (c) How effective are textbooks in teaching an understanding of chemistry concepts? Five chemistry concepts were used in the study: chemical change, dissolution, conservation of atoms, periodicity, and phase change. Problems concerning the five concepts were given to 247 eighth‐grade students in order to assess the students' degree of understanding of chemistry concepts and to identify specific misconceptions. Two pencil‐and‐paper Piaget‐type tasks were used to assess intellectual level. A comparison of intellectual level and scores on the chemistry concepts showed moderate correlations. However, the small number of formal operational students in the sample makes these results inconclusive. A study of the level of understanding of the five chemistry concepts and the nature of the misconceptions held by students indicate a general failure of textbooks to teach a reasonable understanding of chemistry concepts.
Factors in life science textbooks that may deter girls' interest in science
Authors: Potter Ellen F. , Rosser Sue V. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractIn order to examine factors that may deter girls' interest in science, five seventh‐grade life science textbooks were analyzed for sexism in language, images, and curricular content, and for features of activities that have been found to be useful for motivating girls. Although overt sexism was not apparent, subtle forms of sexism in the selection of language, images, and curricular content were found. Activities had some features useful to girls, but other features were seldom included. Teachers may wish to use differences that were found among texts as one basis for text selection.
A cluster analysis of high school science classroom environments and attitude toward science
Authors: Myers Raymond E. , Fouts Jeffrey T. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis study provides a test of a theory which suggests that student perceptions of their classroom environment affect their attitudes toward science. Using the statistical technique of cluster analysis, 27 high school science classes were divided into three distinct clusters which were most distinguishable by the amount of involvement, affiliation with students, teacher support, order and organizations, and innovative teaching strategies. One of the clusters provided a classroom environment which was significantly different from the other two and the students in that environment had more positive attitudes toward science. The dimensions of the classroom environment which make a difference are those which teachers may develop and change in order to enhance the science attitudes and, possibly, the science achievement of their students.
The influence of an intensive in‐service workshop on pedagogical content knowledge growth among novice chemical demonstrators
Authors: Clermont Christian P. , Krajcik Joseph S. , Borko Hilda 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis study examined the influence of an intensive chemical demonstration workshop on fostering pedagogical content knowledge growth among science teachers identified as novice chemical demonstrators. The two‐week summer workshop was designed around four training elements considered important to effective teacher in‐servicing: theory, modeling, practice, and feedback. Clinical interviews served to probe various aspects of novice demonstrators' pedagogical content knowledge prior to and after the workshop. The interview protocols were analyzed using the methods of taxonomic, componential, and theme analysis. Differences in pre‐ and postworkshop clinical interview responses suggested growth in novices' representational and adaptational repertoires for demonstrating fundamental topics in chemistry. This growth was reflected in the increased number of chemical demonstrations and demonstration variations on each of the target chemical concepts that the novice demonstrators discussed after the in‐service intervention. Their interview responses also suggested an increased awareness of the complexity of several chemical demonstrations, how these complexities could interfere with learning, and how simplified variations of the chemical demonstrations could promote science concept understanding. The research findings suggest that science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in chemistry can be enhanced through intensive, short‐term in‐service programs.
Linguistic content analysis: A method to measure science as inquiry in textbooks
Authors: Eltinge Elizabeth M. , Roberts Carl W. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractA method using linguistic content analysis was developed to assess the degree to which science was portrayed as a process of inquiry within a high school biology textbook series. Linguistic content analysis is a method of encoding textual data by categorizing key words and identifying the relationships among these words. The encoded textual data were analyzed using logistic regression techniques. The measure developed for the study was shown to be highly reliable and valid. In the textbook series studied, the frequency of the portrayal of science as a process of inquiry increased from 1956 to 1965, then showed a pattern of decline in 1977 and 1985. The results further indicate that the frequency of portrayal of science as a process of inquiry was higher in introductory chapters of the textbooks and in chapters dealing with the topic of genetics and lower in chapters dealing with leaf structure. The frequency of the portrayal of science as a process inquiry was also higher at the beginning of chapters and at the beginning of paragraphs.
Students' conceptions of the second law of thermodynamics—an interpretive study
Authors: Kesidou Sofia , Duit Reinders 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThirty‐four clinical interviews were conducted with Grade 10 students (15–16 years old) who had received four years of physics instruction. The interview's focus was to understand students' responses from their point of view and not solely from the physicist's angle. The results of the study confirm and deepen, on the one hand, findings from other studies concerning students' severe difficulties in learning the energy concept, the particle model, and the distinction between heat and temperature. On the other hand, students' qualitative conceptions in a new area—the second law of thermodynamics—are revealed. For instance, in the case of irreversibility (i.e., the idea that all processes take place by themselves only in one direction), most students came to conclusions similar to those of modern physicists. But their explanations of irreversibility are based on significantly different conceptual frameworks. The results of the study suggest that a mere enlargement of the traditional physics curriculum by the addition of ideas of the second law is not sufficient to familiarize students with these ideas. A totally new teaching approach to heat, temperature, and energy is necessary. In this approach, basic qualitative ideas of the second law should be a central and integral part from the beginning of instruction.