ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Prospective Physics Teachers' Views on Their Knowledge about the New Concepts in Turkish High School Physics Curricula
Author: Kapucu, Serkan
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Physics,Science Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Knowledge Level,Scientific Concepts,Science Curriculum,Secondary School Science,High Schools,Questionnaires,Statistical Analysis,Foreign Countries,Science Instruction,Knowledge Base for Teaching

The purpose of this study was to a) investigate prospective physics teachers' views on their knowledge about new physics concepts introduced in Turkish High School Physics Curricula; b) investigate the sources of their acquired knowledge about these new physics concepts; and c) explore if there were differences in views on knowledge about these new physics concepts among prospective physics teachers of different genders, years of study and universities. A total of 98 prospective physics teachers from different two universities in the physics and physics education departments participated in this study. &quot;Physics Concepts Knowledge Questionnaire&quot; developed by the authors was administered to the participants. Descriptive statistics and t-test were used to analyze the data collected. No statistically significant difference was found in mean view scores of prospective physics teachers of different genders, in different years of study, and from different universities. Additionally, more than 50% of prospective physics teachers thought that they were not knowledgeable about 19 of the 32 concepts selected for this study. The results of this study also showed that prospective physics teachers did not consider themselves as knowledgeable enough especially about astronomy and sound concepts.
Fluorescence: An Interdisciplinary Phenomenon for Different Education Levels
Author: García, J. A.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Instruction,Scientific Concepts,Elementary School Science,Secondary School Science,College Science,Interdisciplinary Approach,Teaching Methods,Light,Lighting,Science Laboratories,Foreign Countries

This paper shows the scientific foundations of a natural phenomenon of undoubted interest and applicability in our day, fluorescence, and its possibilities for teaching at three educational levels: primary, secondary and university. It begins by describing the nature of the phenomenon and continues by explaining how we work with students of the levels mentioned. The method of teaching starts questioning them on fluorescent tubes and fluorescent material. These questions will lead to further research into three topics: 1) fluorescent materials; 2) features of the visual system; and 3) lighting systems, types of lamps and its characteristics. The work then demonstrates its usefulness as an interdisciplinary phenomenon and as a mean of motivating students' learning.
Deriving the Work Done by an Inverse Square Force in Non-Calculus-Based Introductory Physics Courses
Author: Hu, Ben Yu-Kuang
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Instruction,Physics,Algebra,Scientific Concepts,Teaching Methods,Introductory Courses,Equations (Mathematics)

I describe a method of evaluating the integral of 1/r[superscript 2] with respect to r that uses only algebra and the concept of area underneath a curve, and which does not formally employ any calculus. This is useful for algebra-based introductory physics classes (where the use of calculus is forbidden) to derive the work done by the force of one point charge or mass on another. I extend the method to evaluate any integral of the form ?r[superscript n] dr for any integer n ? -1.
A Metacognitive Visuospatial Working Memory Training for Children
Author: Caviola, Sara
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,Visual Perception,Spatial Ability,Short Term Memory,Children,Elementary School Students,Grade 4,Training,Comparative Analysis,Recall (Psychology),Verbal Ability,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Questionnaires,Pretests Posttests,Teacher Surveys,Rating Scales,Socioeconomic Status,Program Effectiveness

The paper studies whether visuospatial working memory (VSWM) and, specifically, recall of sequential-spatial information, can be improved by metacognitive training. Twenty-two fourth-grade children were involved in seven sessions of sequential-spatial memory training, while twenty-four children attended lessons given by their teacher. The posttraining evaluation demonstrated a specific improvement of performances in the Corsi blocks task, considered a sequential-spatial working memory task. However, no benefits of training were observed in either a verbal working memory task or a simultaneous-spatial working memory task. The results have important theoretical implications, in the study of VSWM components, and educational implications, in catering for children with specific VSWM impairments.
New Themes in Physics Teaching: A Personal Retrospective
Author: Dykstra, Dewey I., Jr.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Instruction,Physics,Educational Research,Scientific Concepts,Teaching Methods,Concept Formation,Piagetian Theory,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Learner Controlled Instruction,Teacher Role,Constructivism (Learning),Realism

For a little over 40 years, what we label now physics education research has been conducted. As a result, a new type of theme in the research and in physics education has emerged. Some of these themes are cognitivism, research as qualitative, learning as construction of knowledge, theoretical underpinnings that are not realist, student-centered pedagogies, and scholarship in fields outside physics. These themes have arisen in minds of some of our colleagues, who have focused their attention on students&apos; conceptions of physical phenomena, instead of how well the students do on conventional tests. In spite of the evidence from physics education research, which shows that alternative pedagogies result in a wider range of students making greater changes in their understanding of the phenomena, these themes are still just themes and not major changes in physics teaching as a whole enterprise. Since we know these pedagogies are better for our students and thereby for our culture, the challenge becomes one of how to overcome the hegemonic pressures pushing back toward the &quot;status quo.&quot;
Motivational Change Realized by Cooperative Learning Applied in Thermodynamics
Author: Coca, David Méndez
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Instruction,Secondary School Science,Thermodynamics,Chemistry,Physics,Conventional Instruction,Cooperative Learning,Pretests Posttests,Instructional Effectiveness,Student Attitudes,Science Interests,Attitude Change,Teaching Methods,Student Motivation

A teacher of a secondary school explained to two groups of 14 and 15-year-old students the thermodynamic correspondent to the curriculum of physics and chemistry. This is an obligatory subject for all the students. They followed two different methods: one group followed the traditional methodology and other one the strategy of the cooperative learning. The material was facilitated to him to give the classes. This experience lasted two months. We used two motivational tests: a pretest and a posttest, to see the effect of the methodologies in the students. The group that followed cooperative learning increased very much his interest for the physics, and the other group did not change, even decreased it.
The Role of Self-Regulated Strategies and Goal Orientation in Predicting Achievement of Elementary School Children
Author: Kitsantas, Anastasia
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Students,Academic Achievement,Learning Strategies,Independent Study,Predictive Validity,Goal Orientation,Grade 5,Statistical Analysis,Correlation,Regression (Statistics),Grade Point Average,Scores,Standardized Tests

The present study examined the predictiveness of self-regulated learning strategies and goal orientation of elementary students' academic achievement. Eighty one (n = 81) fifth graders were asked to respond to two scales. It was hypothesized that student achievement would be predicted by prior achievement, use of self-regulation strategies, and goal orientation. Results showed that prior achievement and use of self-regulation strategies accounted for a significant amount of variance in students' academic achievement. Overall, goal orientation was not a significant predictor of students' outcomes measures across different subject areas. Areas for future research are explored and implications for school personnel are provided.
Learner Autonomy, Self Regulation and Metacognition
Author: Cubukcu, Feryal
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,Personal Autonomy,Self Management,Phenomenology,Attribution Theory,Achievement Need,Learning Strategies,Constructivism (Learning),Teacher Education Programs,Preservice Teachers,English (Second Language),English Curriculum,Self Efficacy,Semi Structured Interviews,Student Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Role,Foreign Countries

Different theories try to explain why some students are more successful than the others. Phenomenologists (Mc Combs, 1989) study self concepts of the students and find such students prone to achieve more. Attributional Theorists (Dweck, 1986; Weiner, 2005) focus on personal outcome such as effort or ability. Metacognitive theorists (Pressley, 2000; Schunk, Pintrich &amp; Meece, 2007) examine students' self regulated learning strategies whereas Constructivists (Maxim, 2009; Paris &amp; Byrnes, 1989) believe supportive environments are important to be successful. In this study, the metacognitive theory will be given more importance and the purpose of the article is to find the correlation between self regulation, metacognition and autonomy.
School-Based Mentoring: A Study of Volunteer Motivations and Benefits
Author: Caldarella, Paul
Date: 2010-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mentors,Volunteers,Motivation,At Risk Students,Adults,Elementary School Students,Social Exchange Theory,Participant Satisfaction,Educational Benefits,Familiarity,College School Cooperation,Grade 3,Grade 4,Grade 5,Grade 6,Measures (Individuals),Values,Hypothesis Testing,Attribution Theory,Questionnaires

While research has been conducted concerning the effects of school-based mentoring on at risk students, limited work has focused on the volunteer mentors. This study examined the motivations of adult volunteers and the benefits of their participation in a six-month, school-based mentoring program. A total of 31 volunteers completed adapted versions of the Volunteer Functions Inventory and a post-survey as part of a program in which they mentored at-risk elementary school students. Volunteers were more satisfied with their mentoring experience when their perceived benefits matched their initial motivations, though this did not seem to impact their intentions to mentor again in the future. Volunteers' motivations tended toward expressing important values or gaining greater understanding, though some younger volunteers were also motivated to gain career-related experience. Implications for school-based mentoring programs are addressed.
Investigation into the Perceptions of Students, Parents, and Teachers in China's Education Reform in Grades 7 and 8
Author: Joong, Peter
Date: 2009-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Investigations,Educational Change,Educational Practices,Student Attitudes,Parent Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Grade 7,Grade 8,Middle Schools,Educational Quality,Questionnaires,Curriculum Development,Special Needs Students,Gender Issues,Participant Satisfaction,Correlation,Predictor Variables,Foreign Countries

The objective of this study was to examine how and to what extent Grades 7 and 8 teachers have implemented educational reforms in China that have had a direct impact on students, teachers, and parents. Major sources of data for this study were separate anonymous surveys for teachers, students, and parents. The study concluded that teachers and parents liked the reform initiatives. Most teachers were able to make changes that supported the reforms that include curriculum planning, teaching strategies, student evaluation, and special education. Teachers lacked in-service professional development and resources, especially in the rural areas. Teachers experienced difficulties that arose from the conflict between activity-based learning and exam-oriented systems. Parents and society need to change their mindsets of valuing exam achievements. Chinese educators are at the crossroads of whether the &quot;quality&quot; movement is what the students and society need at this time or make changes in the high stakes examination. Leaders who want to implement change will have to pay attention to the voices of stakeholders.
The Emerging Educator as Leader and Action Researcher
Author: Ryan, Thomas G.
Date: 2009-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Faculty Development,Student Attitudes,Action Research,Researchers,Reflection,Interprofessional Relationship,Epistemology,Teacher Leadership,Problem Solving,Foreign Countries

The 320 pre-service educators in this inquiry were viewed as emerging classroom teachers who were leading while grappling with new personal experiences which informed and guided each during the pre-service year. The written account evidence supported our resulting inferences, discussion and conclusions and demonstrated the leadership required within pre-service. It was the analysis and synthesis of practicum reflections that illuminated core beliefs, attitudes and needs of emerging action researchers as they developed a professional and personal understanding of leadership, teaching and self
Effects of Multiple Intelligences Supported Project-Based Learning on Students' Achievement Levels and Attitudes towards English Lesson
Author: Bas, Gökhan
Date: 2010-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Multiple Intelligences,Student Projects,Active Learning,Academic Achievement,Student Attitudes,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Elementary School Students,Foreign Countries,Pretests Posttests,Statistical Analysis

The aim of the research was to investigate the effects of multiple intelligences supported project-based learning and traditional foreign language-teaching environment on students' achievement and their attitude towards English lesson. The research was carried out in 2009-2010 education-instruction year in Karatli Sehit Sahin Yilmaz Elementary School, Nigde, Turkey. Totally 50 students in two different classes in the 5th grade of this school participated in the study. The results of the research showed a significant difference between the attitude scores of the experiment group and the control group. It was also found out that the multiple intelligences approach activities were more effective in the positive development of the students' attitudes. At the end of the research, it is revealed that the students who are educated by multiple intelligences supported project-based learning method are more successful and have a higher motivation level than the students who are educated by the traditional instructional methods.
Enhancing Pre-Service Elementary School Teachers&apos; Understanding of Essential Science Concepts through a Reflective Conceptual Change Model
Author: Aydeniz, Mehmet
Date: 2010-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Scientific Concepts,Concept Teaching,Fundamental Concepts,Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Elementary School Curriculum,Reflective Teaching,Teaching Methods,Astronomy,Etiology,Pretests Posttests,Instructional Effectiveness,Misconceptions,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Knowledge Level,Elementary School Science,Intervention,Scientific Literacy,Science Achievement

This study explored the impact of a reflective teaching method on pre-service elementary teachers&apos; conceptual understanding of the lunar phases, reasons for seasons, and simple electric circuits. Data were collected from 40 pre-service elementary teachers about their conceptual understanding of the lunar phases, reasons for seasons and day and night, and simple electric circuits pre and post instruction. Findings show that the instructional approach adopted by a science teacher educator had a significant impact on pre-service elementary school teachers&apos; conceptual understanding of lunar phases, seasonal changes and simple electric circuits. The discussion focuses on pre-service elementary school teachers&apos; misconceptions about the lunar phases, seasonal changes and simple electric circuits as revealed through their answers to the pre-test questions. Further discussion focuses on the implications of the findings for pre-service elementary school science teacher education.
Making Some Modest Strides: The Story of Downtown Elementary School (DES)
Author: Alenuma, Sidonia Jessie
Date: 2009-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary Schools,Effective Schools Research,Educational Practices,Urban Schools,Observation,Position Papers,Educational Research,Educational Improvement,Improvement Programs,School Effectiveness,Participant Observation,Professional Development Schools,Teacher Attitudes,Parent Attitudes,Administrator Attitudes,Family Involvement,After School Programs,Computer Literacy,Media Literacy,Praxis,College School Cooperation,Teacher Collaboration,Cultural Context,Semi Structured Interviews,Ethnography

This paper discusses research, (its process and results), on an inner city school. It highlights the methods of data collection used in the research and discusses the findings. Methods of data collection include observation, interview and documentary information. Results indicate that the school in question is making modest strides, in terms of serving its students and the community in which it is located, through its school improvement programs. Besides making other strides, Downtown Elementary School (DES) strives to be a pedagogical community and a place where praxis (simplified definition: the interrelationship/interaction between practice and theory) is being practiced at its best. DES is unique because it concurrently runs two contemporary school reform programs, namely, magnet and professional development school (PDS). The paper describes how these innovative ventures operate at DES and the implications of the juxtaposition of the two programs.
Prospective Turkish Elementary Science Teachers' Knowledge Level about the Greenhouse Effect and Their Views on Environmental Education in University
Author: Kisoglu, Mustafa
Date: 2010-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Preservice Teachers,Science Instruction,Science Teachers,Elementary School Science,Student Attitudes,Environmental Education,Climate,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Gender Differences,Likert Scales,Misconceptions,Demography,Predictor Variables,Information Sources,Knowledge Level,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Student Surveys,Questionnaires

The fundamental factor of environmental education is teachers who are well-informed about environmental issues. This research aimed to determine prospective Turkish elementary science teachers' knowledge level about causes, consequences and reducing of the greenhouse effect and to investigate the effect of gender, information source and membership in the environmental foundations on their knowledge. We also aimed to learn their views on environmental education given in university. Twenty-six Likert-scale items developed by Cin (2006) were used for data collection. The scale was applied to 215 prospective teachers from two universities in eastern Turkey. Results indicated that the majority of prospective teachers had misunderstandings about causes, consequences and reducing of the greenhouse effect. According to the analysis of demographic variables, there were significant differences in participants' mean scores based on gender and information sources. Additionally, prospective teachers found environmental education inadequate for different reasons.
Children&apos;s Metamemory: A Review of the Literature and Implications for the Classroom
Author: Karably, Kristen
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Literature Reviews,Child Development,Metacognition,Educational Research,Memory,Cognitive Ability,Cognitive Structures,Recall (Psychology),Classification,Intervention,Developmentally Appropriate Practices,Cognitive Processes,Learning Strategies,Cognitive Style

In this paper we examine the development of children&apos;s metamemory and provide practical implications of research findings for the classroom. In the first part of the paper we define and discuss the global concept of metacognition, the component processes of metacognition and the importance of each component to children&apos;s learning. We then examine the development of children&apos;s knowledge about memory and ability to monitor memory (i.e., metamemory). We focus, in particular, on seven major research themes: children&apos;s metamemory develops with age and experience, younger children are less aware than older children of the benefits of categorization on recall, younger children use different strategies than older children, children&apos;s causal attributions may affect metamemory, instructional interventions must be appropriately timed, children will show more strategy transfer when explicit instructions are provided and children overestimate their memory ability. We discuss implications of these major themes for teachers of young children.
Developing a Pedagogical Problem Solving View for Mathematics Teachers with Two Reflection Programs
Author: Kramarski, Bracha
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Reflection,Elementary School Teachers,Mathematics Teachers,Problem Solving,Teacher Attitudes,Faculty Development,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Metacognition,Questioning Techniques,Self Control,Learning Strategies,Self Management,Teaching Methods,Measures (Individuals),Teacher Evaluation,Statistical Analysis,Workshops,Questionnaires,Multivariate Analysis

The study investigated the effects of two reflection support programs on elementary school mathematics teachers' pedagogical problem solving view. Sixty-two teachers participated in a professional development program. Thirty teachers were assigned to the self-questioning (S_Q) training and thirty two teachers were assigned to the reflection discourse (R_D) training. The S_Q program was based on the IMPROVE self-questioning approach which emphasizes systematic discussion along the phases of mathematical or pedagogical problem solving as student and teacher. The R_D program emphasized discussion of standard based teaching and learning principles. Findings indicated that systematic reflection support (S_Q) is effective for developing mathematics PCK, and strengthening metacognitive knowledge of mathematics teachers, more than reflection discourse (R_D). No differences were found between the groups in developing beliefs about teaching mathematics in using problem solving view.
Calibration of Comprehension and Performance in L2 Reading
Author: Sarac, Seda
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,Metacognition,Undergraduate Students,English (Second Language),Performance,Foreign Countries,Correlation,Accuracy,Native Language

Comprehension monitoring is crucial for successful reading. Although the researchers appreciate the importance of comprehension monitoring in L2 reading, there are only a few studies done on the comprehension monitoring ability of L2 readers. The main aim of this study was to investigate the comprehension monitoring abilities of university students while reading expository texts in L2. The results showed that the students' were not able to calibrate their comprehension at above chance level whereas they were able to calibrate their performance. The results were discussed comparative to findings from earlier research in L1 reading.