Scientific Knowledge Building Research Articles

Exploring Nature and Learning Science Through an Afterschool Birding Club

Background: Birding is ideal for engaging students in authentic scientific inquiry because it relies on specialized equipment, requires keen observation skills, engages prior knowledge, and activates critical thinking. However, there is very little research on the benefits of birding in K-12 education. Purpose: Two elementary teachers created an afterschool bird club to engage students in birding to help them develop a better appreciation for their surroundings and increase awareness of the natural world. This qualitative study was conducted over two academic years and investigated the role an afterschool birding club had on students’ interaction with nature and their peers. Methodology/Approach: Using a primarily ethnographic approach, teacher interviews, parent survey data and interviews, and field notes guided the understanding of the research question. Findings/Conclusions: The study reveals an evident value for elementary students in social interactions, improved relationships with others, a building of scientific knowledge and awareness, and an increased appreciation for nature. Implications: Benefits include allowing students to interact with tools and materials relating to science and bird identification. They make this a fun way to enact their passion and hopefully inspire children to develop a love for birds, birding, and a desire to conserve the local habitat.

Science Outreach as Science, Technique and Art:The Case of musicaenelnoreste.mx

This article explores the challenges of developing a website for outreachin the social sciences, specifically one specializing in popular music studiesin Northeast Mexico and South Texas. It touches on the communication models of the social sciences, including the communications and negotiations with those who developed the scientific knowledge and are now involved in the stage of outreach as well as publicists or social communication experts. The visions of theseindividuals do not always coincide with those of the website developers. While emphasizing the complexities of outreach, the article challenges the idea that it is imperative for the building of scientific knowledge.

Science and Public Engagement in National Parks: Examples and Advice from Young Scientists

Science and Public Engagement in National Parks: Examples and Advice from Young Scientists

Epistemology of Postmodern Cartographic Research and Engineering of Scientific Knowledge Building

The new technologies revolution has driven an epistemological rupture between modern and postmodern cartographic research. It has fertilized a new engineering of construction postmodern cartographic knowledge based on a fivefold epistemological foundation: naturalist (descriptive epistemology), normative (prescriptive epistemology), operational (experimental epistemology), critical (radical epistemology) and activist (epistemology activist). In practice, postmodern cartographic research is implemented from the paradigm of epistemological syncretism with four postures: constructivist (qualitative variable), post-positivist (quantitative variable), systemist (quantitative and qualitative variables) and interventionist (quantitative and/or qualitative variable). The epistemological positioning here consists in adopting one of these postures and implementing its specific methodological approach. The present study thus attempts to level the deficit of epistemological framing of postmodern cartographic research, which innovates with criticality, radicality and activist-commitment, while perpetuating axiological neutrality and methodological rigor. These innovations thus seal the break with the neutrality or knurling of university activism in the modern era. In other words, cartographic postmodernism opens a new era of academic activism for radical change.

The Initial Training of Science Teachers in African Countries: A Systematic Literature Review

This study presents a systematic literature review (SLR) on the initial training of science teachers in Africa based on selected research articles, in the period 2000–2020, that emphasize the importance of surveying knowledge that goes beyond those that historically have a longer path in the building of scientific knowledge, such as that of European or North American countries. The analysis included a total of 31 articles from the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases. The findings indicate a lack of knowledge, or at least visibility, considering the initial training of African teachers, particularly in developing countries. South Africa leads the number of publications. Within the five African countries implied in the SLR the following outputs were identified: (i) a division between teacher education research that is ‘place-based’ and one that uses (only) ‘universal theories’ (such as Vygotsky and Bandura); (ii) a tension between the application of student-centered learning and teaching models and more traditional classroom practices. Finally, the majority of articles highlight the importance of investing in further research around teacher education. Based on these outputs the importance of international cooperation in teacher education research articulating theory and practice to ensure a global and local perspective towards sustainable development is reinforced.

Are we seeing the whole picture in land-sea systems? Opportunities and challenges for operationalizing the ES concept

The concept of Ecosystem Services (ES) highlights that human wellbeing depends on nature and is a ‘whole system aware’ view. Land-sea systems are examples of complex systems including interfaces that can be perceived as boundaries, overlooking connections of the whole system. We explored the occurrence of several features of scientific knowledge building and governance of these systems that can hinder the recognition of connectivity, challenging an ES approach. We analyzed online survey responses from academics representing 22 research institutions and 13 case studies, all from Latin America. Results showed that the generation of scientific knowledge is not integrally approached and there are deficiencies in researchers’ communication with stakeholders across the land-sea interface. These drawbacks in scientific knowledge building could be one of the reasons why an ES approach is rarely applied on governance of land-sea systems. The cases showed segmented governance schemes and that conflict situations enhance the visibility of ecosystem relations. The establishment of long-lasting institutional instruments and the involvement of intermediaries connecting sectors are complementary paths to improve integrated governance. Using ES as a boundary concept could improve integration between sectors and ES trade-off analysis can help to introduce ecosystem relations to stakeholders related to their own interests.

Information as tool to building of scientific knowledge: Quality versus availability versus perception.

Information as tool to building of scientific knowledge: Quality versus availability versus perception.

A Practice-Based Professional Development Program to Support Scientific Argumentation From Evidence in the Elementary Classroom

ABSTRACTConsiderable evidence suggests that dialogical interaction in the classroom promotes students’ scientific knowledge building and reasoning. Hence, scientific argumentation is recognized as a central component of the Next Generation Science Standards. A focus on argumentation, however, requires teachers to adopt instructional practices that facilitate this type of discourse. Therefore, the study reported here examined the impact of a practice-based professional development (PD) program on the scientific discourse practices of teachers and their students. Two cohorts of elementary school teachers attended different versions of the PD: 1 cohort attended the full program (institute, practicum, and follow-up sessions), whereas the other took part in the institute and follow-up days but did not take part in the practicum. We found that all teachers and their students, regardless of the cohort, made statistically significant improvements in their science discourse practices after attending the PD. An unexpected finding was that teachers who attended the full PD (with practicum) did not outperform the teachers who did not attend the practicum. However, students of teachers who did attend the practicum made improvements that approached statistical significance compared to students of teachers who did not attend the practicum. Thus, we report research that provides evidence of an effective model of practice-based PD that helps teachers to address the goals of the Next Generation Science Standards and equips them with instructional practices that promote student learning in science.

Balancing the pros and cons of GMOs: socio-scientific argumentation in pre-service teacher education

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the role of the discursive process in the act of scientific knowledge building. Specifically, it links scientific knowledge building to risk perception of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). To this end, this study designed and implemented a three-stage argumentation programme giving pre-service teachers (PSTs) the opportunity to consider, discuss and construct shared decisions about GMOs. The study involved 101 third-year PSTs from two different classes, randomly divided into control and experimental groups. The study utilised both quantitative and qualitative methods. During the quantitative phase, researchers administered a pre- and post-intervention scale to measure both groups’ risk perception of GMOs. During the qualitative phase, data were collected from the experimental group alone through individual and group reports and an open-ended questionnaire. T-test results showed a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups’ risk perception of GMOs. Qualitative analysis also revealed differences, for example, in PSTs’ weighing of the pros and cons of scientific research demonstrating positive results of GMOs. In addition, PSTs’ acceptance of GMOs increased. Consequently, this study suggests that developing familiarity with scientific enterprise may play an effective role in adopting a scientific perspective as well as a more balanced risk perception of GMOs.

The ‘Economy of Memory’: Publications, Citations, and the Paradox of Effective Research Governance

More recent advancements in digital technologies have significantly alleviated the dissemination of new scientific ideas as well as the storing, searching and retrieval of large amounts of published research findings. While not denying the benefits of this novel ‘economy of memory,’ this paper endeavors to shed light on the ways in which the use of digital technologies may be linked to a distortion of the system of formal publications that facilitates the effective dissemination and collaborative building of scientific knowledge. Through combining three different strands of discussion that are often left separate – those pertaining to the cognitive effects of new technological memory systems, those pertaining to citation and publishing practices, and those regarding the effects of formalizing modes of research governance – it is also shown that this distortion is not merely a consequence of technological developments alone. Rather, such a distortion is inseparable from and potentially aggravated by the spreading of increasingly dysfunctional, formalizing research governance mechanisms. It is argued that these mechanisms run the risk of fostering the proliferation of knowledge practices that are characterized by an increasing degree of superficiality as well as the strategic publication of research that is of a decreasing degree of originality. If left unaddressed, this may pose a serious threat to the efficiency and effectiveness of the formal record of scientific knowledge as a tool for the dissemination of original research. By extension, this may in the long run seriously undermine the capacity of the publicly funded research system more generally.

Humanizing Mathematics and Science Education: Promoting Discursive Meaning-making, Scientific Knowledge-building, and Technological Literacies

Within Theme 1 (Meaning and Communication) Strand 4: Communication outside the humanities, this paper makes a connection between The Humanities and Mathematics/Science Education, sharing how the use of the mathematical register leads to rich discursive practices allowing for dialogic interactions to inform the problem-solving process. It also shares how learning to make keen observations in the sciences backed by data-gathering and information-processing creates a strong platform for developing conjectural thinking, much needed in both disciplines. The problem-solving/problem-posing stance of both the mathematician and scientist, assisted by supportive technologies humanizes these sciences in an integrated fashion. Various new literacies are developed, such as numerical and scientific literacy, along with technological and consumer literacies.

Knowledge Building Expertise: Nanomodellers’ Education as an Example

The content of the expertise which young natural scientists try to gain by doing science in research groups is a relatively little-explored subject. What makes learning in such settings challenging is that a central part of the expertise is tacit. This study employs empirical methods together with a contextualized approach and interdisciplinary cooperation in order to reveal practicing nanomodellers’ (N = 10) perspectives on their knowledge-building expertise, and on young scientists’ expertise education. Modelling in the virtual world plays a major role in the science of these nanomodellers, as it increasingly does in many fields of science. This study therefore adds to our understanding of the nature of recent scientific knowledge building and expertise development, which can be used in the education of the scientists of the future.

How learning about scientists' struggles influences students' interest and learning in physics.

How does learning about scientists' struggles during their scientific knowledge building affect students' science learning? Two hundred and seventy-one high school students were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: (a) the struggle-oriented background information (n = 90) condition, which presented students with stories about 3 scientists' struggles in creating the content knowledge that the students were learning through online physics instructional units; (b) the achievement-oriented background information (n = 88) condition, in which students learned about these 3 scientists' lifetime achievements; and (c) a no background information (n = 93) condition, a control group in which students mainly learned information about the physics contents they were studying. Our measures assessed perceptions of scientists, interest in physics lessons, recall of science concepts, and physics problem solving. We found that the achievement-oriented background information had negative effects on students' perceptions of scientists, producing no effects on students' interest in physics lessons, recall of science concepts, or their solving of both textbook-based and complex problems. In contrast, the struggle-oriented background information helped students create perceptions of scientists as hardworking individuals who struggled to make scientific progress. In addition, it also increased students' interest in science, increased their delayed recall of the key science concepts, and improved their abilities to solve complex problems. The important message that learning about scientists' struggles sends is that even great scientists work hard. Providing an opportunity for students to relate scientists to their knowledge-building activities has important implications for science learning and instruction.

La lectura como proceso de comprensión y conocimiento científico

Se plantea, a partir de la ejemplificación de un texto sobre la teoría de la relatividad de Albert Einstein, la diferencia entre leer ciencia y hacer ciencia. Se explica también la complejidad del proceso de lectura de la literatura científica, a través de la comprensión que se deriva de ella y que pasa por tres fases (concepciones de la lectura): lingüística, psicolingüística y sociocultural; que ayudan a conformar un bagaje cultural científico. Paralelamente se menciona la conformación de un conocimiento científico sustentado por medio de la lectura en los conceptos de apropiación lectora y la subjetivización del conocimiento, todo lo cual deriva en una visión personal en el mundo del lector, marcada científicamente.

Assessing the quality of geoscientific simulation models with visual analytics methods – a design study

Simulation models are essential means of scientific knowledge building and also the basis for decision-making. Because of their relevance, they have to be assessed thoroughly with respect to their quality. Simulation model assessment comprises two challenges: (a) modelers have to create a comprehensive mental image of the model's quality despite the massive multidimensional, multivariate, and often heterogeneous data; and (b) the model assessment process should be as efficient as possible. We face these challenges with a visual analytics approach. We aim at developing interactive visual representations which, in combination with present computational analysis methods, support the scientist's reasoning process to enhance the assessment of simulation models. In a design study, we analyzed two exemplary reasoning processes which cover the main model assessment procedures: the evaluation of the internal coherence of the model's structure and behavior and the assessment of its empirical validity. The analysis was conducted by means of a user- and task-centered approach which combines several knowledge elicitation techniques and task analysis concepts. We derived domain tasks as well as cognitive actions and developed and implemented interactive visualization components which supplement the statistical analysis methods already used. An informal qualitative user study shows that our visual analytics approach and tools help gain a more detailed mental image and hence a better understanding of the data and the underlying simulation model and allow for a faster and more comprehensive assessment of the simulation model.

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

The purpose of this study was to explore science teacher's epistemological understanding of science and science teaching and learning, from the perspective of inquiry as the process of scientific knowledge building. Three science teachers participated in this study. The data were collected from individual in-depth interviews and classroom videotaping. The results show a case involving coherent and consistent data. It showed that the teacher's epistemological understanding of science and science teaching and learning consisted of five categories: scientists doing science with scientific thinking; scientific thinking as the process of knowing; science learner in the learning process of scientific thinking; science teacher as a man/woman with good understandings of science; and teaching and learning as the process of knowing science. Based on the results, discussions and implications about science education and science teacher education were presented.

Scientific identity of “top” research journals in the broader discipline of marketing

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the “scientific identity” of the “top” research journals in the broader discipline of marketing by examining the methodological approaches and the geographical affiliations of authors published in selected journals.Design/methodology/approachA sample of “top” research journals in marketing is selected on the basis of expert opinion and journal ranking lists. The selection includes the Journal of Consumer Research (JCR), Journal of Marketing (JM), Journal of Marketing Research (JMR), Journal of Retailing (JR), Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (JAMS); and Marketing Science (MS).FindingsThe “scientific identities” of JCR, JM, JMR, JR, JAMS and MS are revealed as being built on quantitative research designs and the North American paradigm of research values. In fact, all journals are US‐based. None was found to be based on a mix of empirical research designs. The selected research journals were found to be narrowly focused, and the lack of variety of “scientific identities” among the journals studied here is discomfiting for the ongoing scientific knowledge building and theory generation in marketing.Research limitations/implicationsFurther studies of the “scientific identity” of individual research journals are desirable in other sub‐disciplines of marketing. A series of questions have been raised that the authors argue are worthy of further attention and debate in the world‐wide research community.Practical implicationsResearchers will benefit from insights into the “scientific identities” of the “top” research journals in the broader discipline of marketing. In particular, researchers can note the particular feature of dogmatic narrowness of research designs that are present in all of these journals.Originality/valueThe study delivers insights into the publishing requirements of “top” research journals in the broader discipline of marketing. It provides some challenging and discomfiting findings.

Investigando enfermedades raras del adulto en atención primaria: una hipótesis clasificatoria

A pragmatic classification. Rare diseases (RD) might be a research target on primary care because their gift of scientific knowledge building. A rational scheme would be necessary for clinical and scientific findings. Retrospective long-term report of the most important RD achieved for a ten years period by a general practitioner at a non-urban primary care facility (Andalusia-Spain). Our results are classified as: a) rare adverse drug reactions (RADR); b) accurate RD diagnosis (RDD); and c) RD prevalence study (RDP).

Des mises en histoire aux savoirs scientifiques : le cas de lycéens confrontés à quelques problèmes de tectonique des plaques

Much research on the teaching of the sciences has shown that students instinctively resort to rudimentary stories for a better understanding of a problem, a process which both helps and hinders the building of scientific knowledge. This article takes a closer look at these problems in the field of earth sciences through 2 cases of problem building with 16-17-year-old students specialized in the sciences which obliged them to work with 2 specific geological phenomena. The first concerns sea-floor build-up and the sedimentation process that directly affects it whilst the second looks at explaining volcano distribution and seismic activity. The question being how do students go about inventing stories with related elements ? How do they view time and space ? Under what conditions are they able to do without a basic analogical story ? The research results reveal the importance of the simultaneous tackling of geological problems which do not take place in the same time and space frame.

Complexidade e conhecimento científico

Normal 0 21 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Tabela normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} This paper aims to discuss the concept of Complexity and how it interferes with problems presented by the Theory of Knowledge, particularly during the building of scientific knowledge. We discuss the concepts that seem more indicated in the attempt of effectuating a definition of Complexity , considering that literature on the subject put emphasis on the forms of complexity , but there is still no specific definition of the concept.