Exploring Science Teachers' Epistemological Understanding of Science and Science Teaching and Learning

In this study, pre-service science teachers' reflective thinking in their journal writing was investigated. To do this, the authors used pre-service science teachers' journal writing abilities, wherein they not only reported data and result formally, but also wrote their feelings and reflections about an inquiry-based physics experiment they performed. Pre-service science teachers' writings were decomposed into sentences and each sentence was analyzed into a framework with 4 dimensions: knowledge, procedure, orientation and attitude. Reflective thinking in knowledge dimension included reflection on what they know before the experiment, what they still do not know and what they learned from the experiment. Reflective thinking in procedure dimension included recalls of experiences about general experimental procedures and specific experimental skill. Reflective thinking in orientation dimension included their views about the nature of science and science teaching and learning, and reflective thinking in attitude dimension consisted of interests, motives and values about the experiment they performed. While there were some variations in frequency distribution of reflective thinking by the topic of experiments, pre-service science teachers' reflective thinking in journal writings revealed their metacognition on their knowledge and learning, epistemological belief about science and science learning, and affective domain related to experiment. This study can infer that such kind of writing with 'their own language' in an informal way followed by formal 'scientific' reports in a scientific experiment has a significance not only as a mediator representing reflective thinking but also as an instructional activity to facilitate reflective thinking in science learning and teaching.

Jumping to science rather than popularizing: a reverse approach to update in-service teacher scientific knowledge.

Science is an area of study with unique particularities concerning what “counts” as scientific practices where some learners are legitimized, while other learners are not. Such is the case for preservice elementary teachers (hereafter PSETs) –a population characterized by the literature as being in-need of science intervention. However, most of the literature deficiently conceptualizes PSETs’ science learning, so I sought for ways to refigure their learning positively. Drawing from Van Horne and Bell’s (2017) constructs of practice-linked and disciplinary identity, I offer that PSETs have nuanced, complex science identities that are influenced by their lived experiences inside and outside the classroom. To investigate the lived experiences of PSETs both inside and outside the classroom, 10 video-recorded, focus-group interviews were done while PSETs were undertaking an undergraduate chemistry-content course. Students were asked about their relationships with science as past elementary and high school students, as well as current undergraduate students. Students were also asked how they perceived their learning in the chemistry-content course. The research questions this work seeks to answer are:• How do PSETs construct their science practice-linked identities?• How does Fundamentals of Chemistry afford identity resources that contribute to PSETs’ science practice-linked identities?The data was coded for themes surrounding their science identities, teaching identities, and learning of each individual PSET. Using narrative analysis, I synthesized three allegories, “I am a science person,” and “I am not a science person,” and Ambiguous which aim to elucidate the spectrum of ways PSETs navigate science learning as a science person, a non-science person, and an unsure person. In addition to the PSETs’ stories, I also analyzed how the chemistry-content course curriculum afforded PSETs with identity-building resources that helped science learning as current students and as future elementary teachers. I found that PSETs’ science identities formed before the course impacted the ways they participated in the chemistry-content course (practice-linked identity), but the curriculum offered students opportunities to renegotiate their science identities and practice science in ways that felt more legitimate to themselves and their prospective careers. Overall, I hope this work informs how instructors can design courses that are sensitive towards the needs of their students and highlight the importance of having a curriculum that affords students with the chance to re-engage with disciplinary practices in which their identities are legitimized as meaningful for their learning.If science determines practices that “count,” science must also acknowledge whose practices are accounted.

The recent decades have seen an increased focus on improving early science education. Goals include helping young children learn about pertinent concepts in science, and fostering early scientific reasoning and inquiry skills (e.g., NRC 2007, 2012, 2015). However, there is still much to learn about what constitutes appropriate frameworks that blend science education with developmentally appropriate learning environments. An important goal for the construction of early science is a better understanding of appropriate learning experiences and expectations for preschool children. This dissertation examines some of these concerns by focusing on three dimensions of science learning in the preschool classroom: (1) the learner; (2) instructional tools and pedagogy; and (3) the social context of learning with peers. In terms of the learner, the dissertation examines some dimensions of preschool children’s scientific reasoning skills in the context of potentially relevant, developing general reasoning abilities. As young children undergo rapid cognitive changes during the preschool years, it is important to explore how these may influence scientific thinking. Two features of cognitive functioning have been carefully studied: (1) the demonstration of an epistemic awareness through an emerging theory of mind, and (2) the rapid improvement in executive functioning capacity. Both continue to develop through childhood and adolescence, but changes in early childhood are especially striking and have been neglected as regards their potential role in scientific thinking. The question is whether such skills relate to young children’s capacity for scientific thinking. Another goal was to determine whether simple physics diagrams serve as effective instructional tools in supporting preschool children’s scientific thinking. Specifically, in activities involving predicting and checking in scientific contexts, the question is whether such diagrams facilitate children’s ability to accurately recall initial predictions, as well as discriminate between the outcome of a scientific manipulation and their original predictions (i.e., to determine whether one’s predictions were confirmed). Finally, this dissertation also explores the social context of learning science with peers in the preschool classroom. Due to little prior research in this area, it is currently unclear whether and how preschool children may benefit from working with peers on science activities in the classroom. This work aims to examine preschoolers’ collaboration on a science learning activity, as well as the developmental function for such collaborative skills over the preschool years.

Referebces

During the last decades digitalization has proceeded rapidly and various digital teaching and learning tools are available nowadays. One for science education typical and theoretically well described application are simulations. While previous research focused on design features and/or learning effects of the use of simulations, up to now little is known about the extent to which simulations are actually used in science classes. In this study the use of simulations in science education is analyzed as well as (design) features which are important for teachers when choosing a simulation. 76 teachers were surveyed through a (online) questionnaire. 61% of the asked teachers use simulations in their lessons, independent of their age, teaching experience and number of science lessons per week. Significant differences occurred depending on the sex of the teachers, school type and subject. When choosing simulations, teachers use a limited number of known online providers. The most important (design) features are scientific correctness, use of scientific language, free availability, clear visual design which is similar to everyday-life, and matching technical resources. Of minor importance are features which consider the diversity of the learning group. Background: Over the past decades the supply of digital media has grown steadily and partially very specific offers, such as simulations, have been developed for science education. The use of digital media is intended to increase the teaching quality and to enhance student’s digital literacy (KMK, 2016). Various studies have shown that the use of simulations can, among other things, help to increase students' interest and motivation, improve their conceptual understanding, and generate stronger and longer-lasting learning effects (de Jong & von Joolingen, 1998; Baumann, Simon, Wonisch, & Guttenberger, 2013; Rutten, von Joolingen, & van der Veen, 2012; Vogel et al., 2006). Purpose: The purpose of the current study is to determine, whether the potentials of simulations are recognised and used by science teachers. This leads to the following questions: (i) To what extent do science teachers use simulations in science education? And, if we assume that simulations are used at least to some extent: (ii) Which (design) features are of significance for science teachers when choosing a simulation? Sample/Setting: The sample contains 76 teachers (36 male and 40 female) from the natural sciences who were addressed by e-mail. The participants are on average 42.5 (SD = 9.3) years old and have been teaching for 12.2 (SD = 8.0) years at lower (grades 5 to 10) and/or senior level (grades 11 to 13) high schools in Northern Germany. The participating teachers have medium to good technical resources. 61% of the participants (n = 46) use simulations in science classes, 39% (n = 30) do not, which leads to slightly different sub-sample sizes. Design Methods: The use of simulations in science teaching is investigated with the help of a self-designed (online) questionnaire. All tasks were reviewed by experts (n=7) and tested in a pilot study (n=11). Possibly misleading formulations were revised to ensure objectivity. Validity was ensured by combining open and closed tasks. Furthermore, reliability can be assumed since no multi-item scales were calculated. Additionally, inter-item correlation was analyzed in order to ensure internal consistency. Results: 61% of the teachers surveyed use simulations in their lessons. The use of simulations does not depend on age (𝑀=42.51,𝑆𝐷=9.31,𝑝=.735) or years of experience (𝑀=12.24,𝑆𝐷=8.03,𝑝=.578) of the teachers, nor on the number of subject lessons per week (𝑝𝐵𝑖𝑜=.291; 𝑝𝐶ℎ𝑒=.329; 𝑝𝑃ℎ𝑦=.068; 𝑝𝑆𝑐𝑖=.699). There are significant differences in the use in terms of sex (𝜒2 (1,𝑁=76)=3.916,𝑝=.048∗), school type (𝜒2 (6,𝑁=76)=15.759,𝑝=.015∗) and subject (𝜒2 (4,𝑁=103)=11.928,𝑝=.018∗). Especially physics teachers at high school level (Gymnasium) use simulations. Only a limited number of providers is used, whereby the level of awareness and use is significantly related to the subject (.000∗

The learning process requires a plan, so that what is done can run and produce something as expected. With such a plan, the process to be carried out over a long period of time has a clear direction, predictable results, predictable resources required, and can be used to determine the requirements of students in following the learning process in the school. The purpose of this study is to analyze the conformity and implementation of RPP, as well as supporting factors and inhibiting the implementation of science learning in MTs and MA Al Khoiriyyah Semarang. The method used in this research is qualitative research with case study method. This research takes place in Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) and Madrasah Aliyah Al Khoiriyyah Semarang. Sources of data in this study are teachers of science lessons in MTs Al Khoiriyyah and physics, chemistry, biology teacher at MA Al Khoiriyyah. Data collection techniques used consisted of observation, interview, documentation and student response questionnaire. The results showed that the quality of RPP in MTs and MA Alkhoiriyyah was in accordance with Permendikbud number 22 of 2016 with very good criteria. The implementation of science learning in MTs and MA Alkhoiriyyah has been in accordance with Permendikbud number 22 of 2016 with good category. Factors supporting the implementation of RPP in learning is the source of learning and supporting facilities such as libraries, laptops, LCDs, and the internet. While the inhibiting factors are time constraints, students are less active, and the teacher's understanding is still lacking in combining the methods, models, and learning strategies with a scientific approach. Implementation of science learning activities in MTs and MA Al Khoiriyyah received a good response from learners.

CITATION: Waghid, F. 2015. On the democratisation of science education through Facebook : implications for autonomy, equality and teacher education in universities. South African Journal of Higher Education, 29(2):298–314, doi:10.20853/29-2-482.

With the continually growing recognition of the notion of human rights and democratic ideals, addressing the education gap between social classes has become a priority for governments worldwide. This research focused on the effects in remote schools of epistemological belief programs conducted with both teachers and students as well as with only students, and examined how junior high school teachers and students’ scientific epistemological beliefs, self-regulation strategies, and academic achievements in science changed following the experimental programs. Research samples were collected from 164 eighth-grade students at three remote schools in New Taipei City and Taoyuan City, Taiwan. This research adopted a quasiexperimental design. Two experimental groups were formed, and the students in both participated in a 14-week empowerment programs. All participants completed the Epistemological Beliefs Scale, Self-Regulated Learning Questionnaire, and Science Academic Achievement Test. The obtained data were analyzed using ANOVA and ANCOVA. The main findings of this research are as follows. (1) Both the epistemological beliefs intervention for science teachers and students (EBts) and the epistemological beliefs intervention for only students (EBs) yielded higher innate ability, fast acquisition, knowledge simplicity, knowledge certainty, and overall scores than did the traditional teaching materials (T). The EBts intervention yielded superior innate ability, fast acquisition, and overall scores than the EBs intervention did, but the same results were not observed for simplicity and certainty of science knowledge. (2) Similarly, the EBts intervention yielded higher self-regulation strategies in learning science than the EBs intervention did. However, no significant difference was observed among the other groups. (3) No significant difference in terms of self-regulation strategies was present among participants with different levels of science epistemological beliefs. (4) Both the EBts and EBs groups exhibited higher science learning cognitive performance than the T group did. However, no significant difference existed between the EBts and EBs groups. (5) Among the students with high scientific epistemological beliefs, those in the EBts group had significantly higher cognitive performance than those in the T group did; among the students with low scientific epistemological belief students, both the EBts and EBs intervention had a significantly more positive effect on cognitive performance than the T nonintervention did. However, the cognitive performance of students with medium scientific epistemological beliefs did not differ among any of the groups. The implications of and suggestions based on the research findings are expected to contribute to remedial instruction and learning guidance for disadvantaged students in remote areas.

行政院國科會科教處為加強科技紮根的工作，在2005年規劃「高中職科學與科技課程研究發展實驗計畫」（簡稱高瞻計畫），強調藉由高中與大學或研究機構建立夥伴關係的方式，改進高中數理及科技課程的教學品質、強化學生的科學素養、並讓學生體驗科學研究工作之樂趣。此計畫積極推動「由下而上」的學校本位課程發展，擺脫傳統「由上往下」的方式，使教師不再僅是課程教材的使用者，而期望教師能自行主導與發展其學校特色的課程，以減少課程理論與教學實務之間的落差。本研究之目的為探討一所執行高瞻計畫之高中教師發展與實施學校本位課程之真實，以深度訪談、觀察與文件分析等方式蒐集S高中（化名）教師在發展與實施「新興科學技術」學校本位課程之歷程，包括課程主題、課程目標、課程內容、教學策略、教學評鑑的訂定與執行等作為與落差，以做為提供課程改進及做為後續創新課程研發的依據。 本研究發現如下： 一、課程主題之擬定 S高中學校本位課程發展原訂的課程主題「綠•手•機」，為期望以統整環保、動手做與科學三要素的課程為主軸，但在實際「新興科學技術｣課程實施時，教師卻只重視科技與動手做的部分。 二、課程目標之訂定 高瞻計畫課程目標的核心理念為以發展創新的學校本位課程，促進學生學習模式的改變，改進教學現況與培養其主動探究的能力與精神，但在這個期望下S高中在實施「新興科學技術｣學校本位課程，忽略引導學生進一步的去發現問題的主動探究能力。 三、課程內容之選擇 國科會高瞻計畫以科學與科技為範疇，期望高中教師能自行發展學校本位課程，因而S高中「新興科學技術」學校本位課程，其內容的選擇上是以目前政府所推廣的計畫、社會著重的科技，以及選定之教科書內鮮少提及的知識為主，例如奈米、平面顯示器、燃料電池等為主。 四、教學策略之規劃 S高中教師認為獲得科學素養的主要途徑為學生主動的參與與動手做，因而在其課程規劃中，特別強調實驗操作部分，這顯示S高中教師雖具備探究教學的基本認知與概念，但卻忽略讓學生能主動發現問題，進行推論、預測與分析的機會。 五、課程評鑑之執行 S高中教師利用教學論壇的發表機會，邀請課程與學科專家，針對四門「新興科學技術｣學校本位課程進行形成性評鑑，此外，教師似乎較重視自我學科專業知識的成長，至於學生學習成效的結果與利用並未被廣泛討論，這與理想的課程發展必須兼具形成性與總結性評鑑的功能，並期望藉由內、外部人員的溝通、對話與批判，使教師自我釐清課程的優缺點，以提升教師專業知能與課程品質，有所落差，顯示S高中教師對於評鑑的功能與認知，是有待進一步釐清的。 本研究提出以下建議： 一、對S高中課程發展與實施之建議 （一）建議S高中應統整各科「新興科技」，以落實「綠•手•機」課程統整的期望。 （二）建議S高中在課程發展與實施過程中，應加強教師有關課程發展以及課程形成性與總結性評鑑的專業知能，方能落實課程發展與實施之理想。 二、對S高中教師發展與實施之建議 （一）課程發展前 1、 建議教師在發展課程時，以全球未來發展的角度思考應該培養學生具備什麼樣的知識與技能，而非以台灣目前本地所著重的科技為目標。 2、 建議教師在進行課程發展前，可以先提供學生「新興科學技術」的先備知識，並且讓家長理解「新興科學技術」學校本位課程發展的目的、進行的方式以及學生預期的獲得，以獲得廣泛的支持。 3、 建議教師透過參與專業成長，透過不同教師的經驗分享，增進課程發展與實施以及評鑑的能力。 （二）課程發展後 1、 建議教師在完成課程發展後，可以利用課程評鑑自我檢核表、教師同儕評鑑表或是透過外部專家評鑑，蒐集更多自我改進的文件與證據，除了可用來自我省思專業知能外，並能作為改善課程發展與實施品質的依據。 2、 建議教師在進行課程發展後，透過參與協同成長團體與工作坊的機會，提供課程發展的結果，除可獲得不同學科或他校教師的建議增進自我課程發展與評鑑的能力外，並可作為修正課程的參考。 （三）課程實施前 1、 建議教師在進行課程實施前，可以先提供學生相關的課程知識，使其具備應有的先備知識，以縮短課程講解的時間。 2、 建議教師在進行課程發展前，讓家長理解「新興科學技術」學校本位課程實施的目的、進行方式與學生預期的獲得，以獲得學生與家長的認同。 （四）課程實施後 1、 建議教師在課程實施後，應透過學生的學習成效評量進行自我反思，以改進教學。 2、 建議教師進行專業發展，特別是有關加強學生推論、預測與分析等科學探究學習的能力，以培養學生真正科學探究的素養與能力。 三、對於未來研究建議 （一）可進一步的探究影響課程發展與實施落差之因素。 （二）可進一步針對參與高瞻計畫之所有學校進行課程發展與實施的跨個案研究。 （三）可進一步針對教師之課堂教學與學生的科學探究學習成效進行研究。

Understanding Adolescent Perceptions of Science Education

References

This study is aimed at determining the correlation between students' scientific thinking ability and students’ learning outcome of the eleventh science (hereafter XI IPA ) in schools at tourism area of the Special Region of Yogyakarta. This research is a quantitative research employing p earson’s correlation analysis. The population of this research is all school at tourism area of the Special Region of Yogyakarta. The sample used in this research is 112 students in high schools located at tourism area of the Special Region of Yogyakarta. The sample of this research is taken through cluster random sampling. The students' scientific thinking skill data were obtained through a scientific thinking skill test consisting of 25 multiple choice questions developed based on aspects of scientific thinking skill. The students' cognitive learning outcomes were obtained through the student's daily tests documentation. The result shows that there is a correlation between the students’ scientific thinking and learning result with the significance level of 0,000 < 0,05 and the Pearson’s correlation value 0.681. This means that there is a strong correlation between the scientific thinking ability and the learning outcome. Based on the finding s , it can be concluded that the scientific thinking ability and the learning outcomes are strongly correlated. The higher the students 'scientific thinking ability , the higher the students' learning outcomes.

本研究主要是藉由在國小五年級自然課程實施「Co-POE教學模式」的歷程中，了解如何在自然領域實施學習共同體，並探討不同認知風格學生的學習成效，及在小組協同學習中的同儕互動情形，同時協助教師做專業成長。 本研究採質、量並行的研究方法。以新北市某國小五年級四個班級的學童為主，兩班為實驗組，兩班為對照組，主要教學單元為「空氣與燃燒」，透過 Co-POE教學的實驗教學方式來作為研究探討，並依學習共同體理念的實踐原則進行小組協同學習。量化研究採準實驗研究法，以「學習成就測驗」的前、後測，及「小組學習與互動問卷調查表」做資料分析，探討實施 Co-POE 教學模式後，不同認知風格的學生的學習成效差異和小組互動情形。質性研究則包括Co-POE教學活動設計、學習單、二段式評分表、教學省思札記、課後訪談調查表、觀課記錄和課堂錄影紀錄等，配合量化研究，逐一進行分析並形成主張。歸納研究結果成以下結論： 一、由實驗組和對照組的學習成就測驗前、後測分析得知，Co-POE教學模式和一般教學都能使不同認知風格學童有顯著進步，獲得學習，且無明顯差異。 二、Co-POE教學模式有助於學童的協同學習，能引導不同認知風格學童以小組討論的方式，進行高層次思考，互搭學習鷹架，達到學習成效，共同成長。 三、Co-POE教學模式有助於學童學習如何與小組討論溝通，並發揮其不同的學習特質，共同合作完成學習任務，增進同儕互動討論，培養出互惠學習的關係，使不同認知風格的學童都喜好以小組協同學習的方式上課。 四、在Co-POE教學的教學實踐中，可幫助教師的轉換教學理念和掌握學習模式，按照學童個別差異調整自己的教學，引領學童在思考論證中深化學習，實現學習的目的，成為「學習專家」。 本研究建議Co-POE教學模式能讓教師和學生在自然學習上皆有所成長，非常適用於自然實驗探究教學，可以多加研究推廣。

Social Science as a school subject aims at making students knowledgeable in societal issues as well as preparing them for citizenship. Despite the strong position of Social Science in the Swedish school curricula little research has been done in the field. Previous research has mainly concentrated on factual knowledge and conceptual learning, or the role of deliberation in class activities. Less research has focused on the role of disciplinary thinking and how that might promote learning how to think like a social scientist and at the same time prepare students for citizenship. By using a conceptual framework from history didactics Social Science education is explored in search of second-order concepts. Also, the relationship between these concepts and democratic socialisation is investigated. By focusing on one substantial case, globalisation, this study tries to reach beyond the various topics commonly covered in Social Science education. This was done by observations of teaching in Social Science and interviews with six experienced teachers. Manifested in the teachers’ voices were ideas on how to organise, analyse, interpret and critically review discourses in society. The proposed second order concepts of Social Science found in the teachers’ voices were: social science perspectives, social science causality, social science evidence and inference, social science abstraction, social science comparison and contrast, and the evaluative dimension of social science. In order to reach their goals in Social Science the teachers underlined the importance of using these concepts. When pupils work scientifically they develop a way of thinking about society and they challenge their set opinions about different topics. Therefore, second order concepts are important for learning Social Science and at the same time preparing students for a life as citizens.