Effectiveness Of Science Education Research Articles

Empowering professional learning communities of secondary science teachers to uncover and address their students’ misconceptions via research-oriented practices

The Partnership for the Development and Success of Science Education in Secondary Schools project seeks to improve science education by fostering a dynamic environment for professional development and teacher-led inquiry within professional learning communities (PLCs). Addressing the long-standing problem of outdated pedagogical approaches, the initiative encourages secondary science teachers to actively engage in action research to identify and/or address student misconceptions of scientific concepts. Through collaboration with professional development leaders and university experts, teachers are empowered to implement and refine evidence-based instructional strategies and cultivate a culture of ongoing professional growth and reflective practice. The partnership emphasizes the importance of bridging the gap between educational research and classroom practice to improve the quality and effectiveness of science education. The project aims to bring about a positive change in teachers’ instructional practices and reflections and an increased alignment with contemporary educational standards and evidence-based practices.

Study on the influence of social support on the effect of science education in rural primary schools

This paper analyses the influence of different social support on the effect of science education in rural primary schools, based on the data of rural primary school teachers in 5 re¬gions of Heilongjiang Province in China. The study found that the independent effects of the five social supports such as economic support, the support of science education venues, the guidance of science education and teaching on-site, improvement training of science teacher quality, serve as a science education counsellor on the effect of science education in rural primary schools were significant. The improvement training of science teacher quality and the guidance of science education and teaching on-site still has a great influence on the effect of science education in rural primary schools under the background of different school characteristics, and under sufficient and insufficient capital of science teaching. However, the impact of economic support, the support of science education venues, serving as a science education counsellor is not significant. Therefore, in order to better provide high-quality social support for science education in rural primary schools, a multi-subject science education alliance, led by the county educational administrative departments, should be established to improve coordination and matching degree of social support resource. A science education demand evaluation system, should be established in rural primary schools, to enhance the accuracy of social support services. The quality improvement of science teachers should be taken as the core of social support to clarify the direction of social support.

Effectiveness of Determinants of Science Education at Secondary Level

The study was focused on identifying the determinants of science education and to examine the effectiveness of determinants of science education at secondary level. Population for the study consisted of science teachers of public and private sectors at secondary level of Punjab province. Sample was selected randomly which comprised 370 science teachers. In this quantitative study, questionnaire was preferred for teachers as a tool; a checklist was formulated for determinants. Proposed determinants were identified by a checklist. Through pilot study, the questionnaire was validated. The major conclusions showed that science objectives are understandable, logically structured, and their quality reflect enrichment of science education material. Textbook material is effective, logical in arrangement and according to the students pace. Teaching in science education demands competency of teachers and students’ attitude can be made precise which demands motivation. Effectiveness of science education is enriched by different assessment techniques which provide the criteria to fulfill the behavioral objectives.

Systematic Review: The Impact of Pedagogy on Equity in Science Education in Rural Schools

The pedagogical impact on equity in science education is an interesting issue to be studied because it gives an overview of the delivery of science education to the community. The concept of equity in science education requires people to have equal rights for quality science education regardless of their geographical location, gender, and socio-economic factors. Systematic review was used to gather empirical studies on pedagogical issues related to science education. Systematic reading was done via databases such as Google Scholar, ERIC and SAGE. The articles were then filtered using PRISMA 2009 Flow Diagram before they went through another filtering process using the six elements in research that adapted from McDermott et al. (2004). Systematic research has found that teacher pedagogy influences the concept of equity in science education in rural schools. The previous studies found there is still a gap in rural school science education to meet science education standards. However, teachers and students are still positive in science learning because the effectiveness of science education depends on the wisdom of teachers in choosing teaching strategies.

Thunderbolt hunt. Educational Program for Students from 5 to 9 Years Old in the Archaeological Museum of Ioannina

The present study aims to improve the quality and the effectiveness of Science Education in early grades along withthe goals of UNESCO’s emerging agenda for sustainable development and the 4th goal about quality in education. Itexamines the interaction between formal and non-formal education in designing and organizing complete educationalprograms directly connected with science education curriculum and utilizing innovative tools targeting to anattractive and rich context for science education. According to the second Science Centre World Summit (SCWS,2017), museums promote scientific knowledge which is considered a pure cultural component and as such it isstudied under the prism of cultural historical activity theory. Activity Theory is used in this research as a theoreticalframework for the design and analysis of educational activities, with an emphasis on active and interactive learningprocesses. It is a predominantly socio-cultural theory offering a broad scope of design and implementation forlinking science with culture and society. The educational program developed, “Thunderbolt hunt”, is different fromthe usual educational programs offered because, although it cultivates scientific method skills, it is implemented inthe Archaeological museum of Ioannina which constitutes a non-formal learning environment of general interest.The process of designing such programs is based on a number of principles and on numerous fields: thesocio-cultural theory of activity, the science education and the museum education. The museum thus becomes afacilitator of scientific knowledge while at the same time functions as a dynamic meeting place for students withtheir social, cultural and historical environment. The preliminary results of the study are presented in this paper.

Whose Authority? Perceptions of Science Education in Black and Latino Churches

Recent scholarship argues that beliefs in biblical literalism might keep conservative Protestants out of STEM. Two of the groups that are most underrepresented in STEM, black Americans and Latinos, are also two of the most religious populations in the United States, and specifically overrepresented in theologically conservative Christian traditions. Yet, prior work also suggests that churches help promote positive educational outcomes. To interrogate the potential relationship between STEM educational aspirations and religious faith, we explore how black and Latino Christians perceive the potential impact of science education on religious faith. Analysis of 40 interviews reveals that both black Americans and Latinos have concerns about science teachers being biased. Yet, the groups differ in their assessment of the danger of anti-religious bias. Black Americans put confidence in the Christian community to incubate children from harm to their faith; therefore, they believe the effect of science education on religious faith is either neutral or positive. Latinos, however, raise concerns about the authority of science educators, rather than science curriculum. Overall, the results shift the conversation on conservative religion and science education from solely discussing content to exploring issues of bias and authority.

School Science Education in Wales – A 'Successful Future'?

This article examines the current state of science education in primary and secondary schools in Wales at a time of significant change in both curriculum and qualifications. It does so against a background of increasing international comparison of pupil attainment and the political imperative for change that perceived weak performance in such measures can create. Whilst reviewing a range of evidence that could be used to judge the effectiveness of science education in Wales, the article also considers the potential impact upon the curriculum of a focus upon 'scientific literacy' in international tests and the likely consequences of current plans to combine science with technology in the curriculum. Centralised reform seldom focuses upon pedagogy, yet the approaches to teaching and learning being adopted in classrooms are arguably more significant than curriculum change. It is therefore salient to review the extent to which researchinformed pedagogical shifts in science education are reflected in inspection evidence or guidance. The article concludes with a consideration of the likely consequences of divergence in science assessment and qualifications between Wales and its larger near-neighbour England in the context of a UK-wide higher education marketplace.

과학교과 웹 기반 탐구학습의 효과성 연구 동향

본 연구의 목적은 국내 외에서 진행된 과학교과 웹 기반 탐구학습 효과성연구에 관한 최근 동향을 분석하고 연구 및 설계 시사점을 도출하는 데 있다. 분석 대상 논문은 국내 외의 과학교과, 교육공학 관련 저명 저널 15개 학술지에 게재된 웹 기반 탐구학습 효과성 연구로 국내 16편, 국외 27편으로 총 43편이다. 논문 목록을 추출하기 위하여 '웹 기반 탐구학습', '탐구학습', 'WBI', 'Web-based inquiry learning', 'WISE' 등의 검색 키워드를 사용하였으며 과학 분야와 관련된 연구들 중 초, 중, 고교생을 대상으로 양적연구와 혼합연구로 진행한 논문을 최종 분석 대상으로 선정하였다. 주제별 연구결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 국내 외 모두 2000년대 초반에는 웹 기반 탐구학습 관련 연구가 많지 않았지만, 시간이 지남에 따라 관련 연구의 수가 증가하였다. 또한 국내의 경우에는 특정대상에 집중된 연구는 없었지만, 국외의 경우 중 고등학생을 대상으로 하는 연구가 상대적으로 많았다. 둘째, 많은 연구에서 웹 기반 탐구학습 프로그램을 독립변인으로 선정하여 여러 종속변인들의 변화를 측정한 실험연구와 개발연구가 시행되었다. 이러한 연구를 통해 많은 연구에서 과학교과에서 웹 기반 탐구학습은 과학 성취도와 과학 탐구능력의 향상에 효과적임을 확인하였다. 이 중 실험집단과 통제집단의 효과크기를 분석한 메타분석 결과, 중간정도의 효과로 보고되었다. 셋째, 국내 외 웹 기반 탐구학습에 관련한 연구들은 학습 환경 설계 시, 상이한 학습모형을 활용하는 것이 밝혀졌다. 국내 연구의 경우 웹 기반 탐구학습을 위해 웹사이트를 새로 설계하고 효과성을 검증한 경우가 많았지만, 국외에서는 다양한 테크놀로지 환경(WISE, SCY 등)을 활용한 연구들이 활발하게 진행되고 있었다. 본 연구결과를 토대로 앞으로 웹 기반 탐구학습 관련 연구에서 고려해야 할 요소들을 제언하였다. The purpose of this paper is to offer an analysis on the research trends of web-based inquiry learning effectiveness in science education, and to present suggestions for future studies. This study compiled data on 43 articles in Korea and international journals. The content analysis of articles published were from academic journals related to science education and educational technology from 2000 to 2014. The results are as follows: Among domestic articles, the participants ranged from school children to high school students. On the contrary, among foreign articles, the participants are centralized on secondary school students; most used experimental studies; most of the studies resulted with web-based inquiry learning in science education showing effectiveness on science learning performance or science inquiry ability; all web-based inquiry learning were designed using different models of teaching and learning, with the result in the case of domestic research, the utilized models refer to the STS learning model, Internet utilization problem-center inquiry learning model, Procedural model, while in the case of overseas research, the utilized models are SCY, IBLE, and TESI model. Implications of the findings are then discussed, which implies considerations for further research related to web-based inquiry learning.

What Makes the Finnish Different in Science? Assessing and Comparing Students' Science Learning in Three Countries

This manuscript details our efforts to assess and compare students' learning about electricity in three countries. As our world is increasingly driven by technological advancements, the education of future citizens in science becomes one important resource for economic productivity. Not surprisingly international large-scale assessments are viewed as significant sources of information about the effectiveness of science education. However, these assessments do not provide information about the reasons for particular effectiveness—or more importantly a lack thereof—as these assessments are based on one-time measurements of student achievement. In order to identify reasons for the effectiveness of science education, it is necessary to investigate students' learning as a result of science instruction. In this manuscript we report about the development of an instrument to assess students' learning in the field of electricity and the use of this instrument to collect data from N = 2,193 middle school students in Finland, Germany and Switzerland prior to and after instruction on the topic of electricity. Our findings indicate that the differences in students' science achievement as observed in large-scale assessments are a result of differences in students' science learning. And our findings suggest that these differences are more likely to stem from differences in science instruction than from systemic differences: a result that needs to be further explored by analyzing instruction in the three countries and its effect on students' learning.

Electricity and Vital Force: Discussing the Nature of Science Through a Historical Narrative

Seeking a historical-philosophical approach to science teaching, narrative texts have been used as pedagogical tools to improve the learning experience of students. A review of the literature of different types of narrative texts and their different rates of effectiveness in science education is presented. This study was developed using the so-called Historical Narrative as a tool to introduce science content from a historical-philosophical approach, aiming to discuss science as a human construction. This project was carried out in a 9th grade Physics class in K-12 school, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The steps involved in constructing a Historical Narrative based on the controversy over animal electrical fluid between Luigi Galvani and Alessandro Volta is reported herein. Finally, qualitative research results of the activities inspired by this Historical Narrative are presented with the purpose of answering the research question: to what extent do Historical Narratives support and enhance discussions about the Nature of Science (NOS), through teaching the scientific content in a historical-philosophical approach with 9th grade students? The results indicate that Historical Narrative, based on historical episodes, is a good “door opener” to teach scientific content in a historical-philosophical approach, introducing discussions about the Nature of Science without neglecting the scientific content or simplifying the discussions about the NOS.

Development of a model of effectiveness in science education to explore differential science performance: A case of South Africa

This paper reports on secondary analysis of TIMSS 2003 data, based on a sound conceptual model, aiming to explain differential science achievement in South Africa from the perspective of educational effectiveness research. The conceptual framework was developed by refining existing school effectiveness models and including factors related to science achievement. The refined model integrated psychological and sociological aspects and reflected the multilevel-structure of schools. The model added resources and climate to the quality factors at class/school level. It was applied to the South African results of TIMSS 2003. Data from the student (n=8,952), teacher (n=255) and school questionnaires (n=255) were analysed in conjunction with achievement data by means of factor, reliability, correlation and multilevel analysis. The multilevel analysis revealed that at student level the strongest predictor of science achievement is attitude towards science. At classroom/school level, the strongest predictors are resource-and climate-related factors such as the safety in school, physical resources and class size. Factors at class/school level influenced performance more than student level factors with 59% of the total variance in science achievement occurring at class/school level. Such results indicate that the model developed is well suited to science education in developing countries.

‘Now This is What Should have Happened…’: A Clash of Classroom Epistemologies?

Current school science curricula attempt to reflect contemporary constructivist- provisionalist related epistemologies as accepted by professional science. It is argued that conversely, the effect of science education is the creation of pupils holding naive-realist epistemological beliefs, largely inductivist-positivist absolutists who chase an irrefutable ‘right answer’. This outcome has unwelcome consequences: Encouraging positivist mind-sets during school science practical work that trigger confirmation bias and other deviant evidential attitudes. Philosophical inconsistency creating epistemological confusion with a tendency towards positivism that continues into higher education, and perhaps beyond. This forms a significant barrier to science learning and impacts on the quality of scientists within the workforce. Solutions are offered but as things presently stand, significant change is deemed unlikely. Discussion of these issues is timely in the light of the recent introduction into English secondary schools of a teaching scheme that articulates a post-positivist view of the nature of science, in the form of a How Science Works strand.

Development of Teaching Materials for Field Identification of Plants & Analysis of Their Effectiveness in Science Education

THERE exists a variety of methods for identification of plants as described in detail elsewhere (Tilling 1984). Among those methods two major approaches emerge, one utilizing dichotomous keys and the other synoptical keys (Kanai 1962, 1989; Ono & Kojima 1979). In general, the former corresponds to single-access keys, the latter multi-access keys. Traditionally, dichotomous keys have been used for plant identification. Most books on plant taxonomy that have been published so far utilize dichotomous keys. With this type of key readers are asked to select between two choices in a predetermined series of steps. This procedure is repeated until the name of a specimen is unambiguously identified. This approach is quite useful when a specimen is presented with many characters one can use for its identification. Synoptical keys, on the other hand, utilize a set of characters a specimen on hand actually possesses (Kanai 1978a; Pankhurst 1978; Ono & Kojima 1979). One can observe any number of characters among the keys in an arbitrary order for identification; hence this method is easy to adopt even if some of the characters are missing in the specimen and the user’s knowledge cannot make up for the missing information. Still, synoptical keys are not as widely used as dichotomous keys because the space required for all the characters used for synoptical keys is much larger than that for dichotomous keys (Kanai 1962, 1978b). The author believes, however, that the application of computers and electronic data storage would easily solve this space problem. Plant names and their characters are stored in a two-dimensional matrix, a data structure readily created by relatively simple computer programs. The content of the matrix is easily edited, and retrieval of information for a specific plant is straightforward. A large selection of

Development of Teaching Materials for Field Identification of Plants & Analysis of Their Effectiveness in Science Education

Development of Teaching Materials for Field Identification of Plants & Analysis of Their Effectiveness in Science Education

The Enduring Effect of Science Education: graduates’ views on what they learnt

Abstract Twenty‐four professional scientists were interviewed in order to seek their views on the long‐range effects of their initial training. All had graduated in the biological sciences. The interview recordings were content‐analysed into five categories: cognitive development, attitudes and values, learning experiences, influence of teachers, and the environment of learning. The most significant outcomes identified by the group were: the understanding of basic principles, mastery of techniques, development of higher order intellectual skills, engendering of a deep interest in science and the acquisition of attitudes towards the manner in which scientific work should be conducted. Little mention was made of the gaining of factual knowledge. Both positive and negative influences were attributed to teachers but recollections of staff members did not feature prominently in most of the interviews. Fieldwork was identified as the most valuable type of learning experience encountered. The paper concludes wit...