High School Earth Science Research Articles

Exploring the relationship between virtual learning environment preference, use, and learning outcomes in 10th grade earth science students

This study investigated the relationship between the use of a three-dimensional Virtual Reality Learning Environment for Field Trip (3DVLE(ft)) system and the achievement levels of senior high school earth science students. The 3DVLE(ft) system was presented in two separate formats: Teacher Demonstrated Based and Student Co-navigated Based. The results from the pre- and post-intervention assessments, along with the demographic and affective data, were used to fit a series of multiple regression models to explore the relationship between achievement, attitude, and learning environment preference. Pre-intervention test score, virtual learning environment preference and use, the degree to which students found the system helpful, and gender were all significantly related to post-intervention test score variability, as was the interaction between gender and prior use of virtual environments.

Moving Authentic Soil Research into High School Classrooms: Student Engagement and Learning

Inquiry‐based teaching helps students develop a deep, applied understanding of human–environmental connections, but most high school curricula do not use inquiry‐based methods. Soil science topics, which are also generally lacking from curricula, can provide hands‐on model systems for learning inquiry skills. We report on the implementation of a soil science inquiry unit for high school earth science classrooms. Teams in three classes participated in open inquiry about water runoff from, and infiltration into soils. Students learned how scientists conduct research by asking their own research questions, designing and conducting investigations, presenting findings to their peers, and peer‐reviewing each other's work. Student engagement and learning were assessed through testing, final projects, a student survey, and observations of student attitudes. Pre‐ to post‐test gains (17% average gain from 63% average pre‐test score, with 71% maximum gain) showed significant student science‐content‐learning. Generally lower scores on final projects (61% average) than on post‐tests (80% average) suggest the need for more teacher‐scaffolding in complex, open‐ended assignments. Students reported enjoying the unit and learning essential inquiry skills, such as experimental design, scientifically based teamwork and group‐learning, and real world applicability of concepts. Observations suggest that students were motivated and substantively engaged. One‐third of students reported increased excitement about science. We conclude that inquiry‐based units should be more commonly used in science classrooms, to enable students to learn how to think critically, develop collaborative teamwork skills, take ownership of their learning, and be substantively engaged in authentic tasks applicable in later life.

Enhancing the capacities of natural hazard mitigation: a study on a typhoon curriculum module in high school earth science

This study is part of the hazards mitigation education program “research on teaching resources development and curriculum promotion on natural hazards mitigation at high school level.” This study demonstrated the implementation of a newly developed earth science curriculum module of typhoon hazards mitigation in a 10th grade high school classroom in Taiwan. The curriculum module design is a response to the calls for better natural hazards mitigation education in the school systems in Taiwan. Findings show that the curriculum module has resulted in the positive learning outcomes in both students’ learning achievement and attitude toward typhoon hazards mitigation. Findings also suggest that group discussion activities could enhance students’ thinking and experience sharing on the perceptions about typhoon hazards preparedness and mitigation. This study suggests that the hazards mitigation curriculum module to be added as a topic in the national high school curriculum guidelines.

전북 부안군 봉화봉 일대의 야외지질 학습자료 개발 및 적용

이 연구는 전북 부안군 변산반도 국립공원 내 봉화봉 지역의 야외지질 학습 자료를 개발하려는 것이다. 또한 이를 과학고 학생들을 대상으로 교육적 효과를 최대화하려고 적용하였다. 봉화봉 지역의 중생대 백악기 퇴적층은 해안 절벽에 형성된 큰 규모의 뚜렷한 퇴적구조를 관찰할 수 있어 지구과학 교과 야외학습 자료를 개발할 만한 가치가 있다. 이 지역은 또한 중등교육 교과과정의 일반적 내용과 심화학습 프로그램과 관련된 다양한 지질구조를 관찰할 수 있다. 5 단계 야외학습 모델이 과학고등학교 지구과학 관련 동아리 학생 15명에게 적용되었다. 이 연구는 야외학습 과정에 따른 학생들의 반응을 질적 분석하였다. 활동 과정에서 질적 분석 연구는 학생과 교사와의 토론과 면접을 통해 수행되었다. 결과적으로 학습자료를 이용한 야외 탐사활동은 자기주도적 학습능력과 지구과학의 실제적인 학습이해를 증진시키는데 효과적이었다. This study is to develop teaching materials for geological fieldwork around Bonghwabong area in the national park of the Byeonsan Peninsula, Buangun, Jeonbuk. The developed materials are applied in the geological fieldwork of science high school students to maximize the effects of use. The sedimentary succession of the Bonghwabong area in the Cretaceous age, Mesozoic, represents large-scale and distinctive sedimentary structures on the sea cliffs, which are utilized as teaching materials for earth science fieldwork. The area of Bonghwabong also comprises various geological structures related to advanced learning programs as well as those within the curriculum of high school earth science. A five-step fieldwork model was applied to 15 students in clubs related to earth science in a science high school. This study used a qualitative methodology to analyze students' responses that were gathered about the process of fieldwork. During the activity, a qualitative analysis was carried out by using discussions and interviews both with the students and the teacher. Results indicated that the fieldwork activity using teaching materials was effective in helping the students improve their self-directed learning and practical understanding of earth science.

Earth science learning in SMALLab: A design experiment for mixed reality

Conversational technologies such as email, chat rooms, and blogs have made the transition from novel communication technologies to powerful tools for learning. Currently virtual worlds are undergoing the same transition. We argue that the next wave of innovation is at the level of the computer interface, and that mixed-reality environments offer important advantages over prior technologies. Thus, mixed reality is positioned to have a broad impact on the future of K-12 collaborative learning. We propose three design imperatives that arise from our ongoing work in this area grounded in research from the learning sciences and human-computer interaction. By way of example, we present one such platform, the Situated Multimedia Arts Learning Lab [SMALLab]. SMALLab is a mixed-reality environment that affords face-to-face interaction by colocated participants within a mediated space. We present a recent design experiment that involved the development of a new SMALLab learning scenario and a collaborative student participation framework for a 3-day intervention for 72 high school earth science students. We analyzed student and teacher exchanges from classroom sessions both during the intervention and during regular classroom instruction and found significant increases in the number of student-driven exchanges within SMALLab. We also found that students made significant achievement gains. We conclude that mixed reality can have a positive impact on collaborative learning and that it is poised for broad dissemination into mainstream K-12 contexts.

Complexity of Secondary Scientific Data Sources and Students’ Argumentative Discourse

This study examined the learning opportunities provided to students through the use of complex geological data supporting scientific inquiry. Through analysis of argumentative discourse in a high school Earth science classroom, uses of US Geological Survey (USGS) data were contrasted with uses of geoscience textbook data. To examine these differences, we conducted a review of frameworks for argumentation analysis, and through adaptation to the research foci of this study, developed a new analytic approach. Applying this approach to student classroom discourse revealed the affordances and constraints of both the complex USGS datasets and the filtered textbook data sources. The challenges of teaching with complex data are presented.

Evolution of the Theory of the Earth: A Contextualized Approach for Teaching the History of the Theory of Plate Tectonics to Ninth Grade Students

Current high school Earth Science curricula and textbooks organize scientific content into isolated “units” of knowledge. Within this structure, content is taught, but in the absence of the context of fundamental understandings or the process of how the science was actually done to reach the conclusions. These are two key facets of scientific literacy. I have developed curriculum from a historical perspective that addresses two particular units of study in Earth Science (“geologic time” and “plate tectonics”). The curriculum traces the evolution of the theory of plate tectonics. It includes contextualized experiences for students such as telling stories, utilizing original historical texts, narratives, and essential questions, to name a few. All of the strategies are utilized with the goal of building understanding around a small set of common themes. Exploring the historical models in this way allows students to analyze the models, while looking for limitations and misconceptions. This methodology is used to encourage students to develop more scientifically accurate understandings about the way in which the world and the process of scientific discovery work. Observations of high student engagement during the utilization of this contextualized approach has demonstrated that a positive effect on student understanding is promising.

Content is Not Enough: A History of Secondary Earth Science Teacher Preparation with Recommendations for Today

Secondary geoscience education has its roots in geography and physiographic education from the turn of the 20th century. High school Earth science reached a peak during the late 1960s and 1970s, after plate tectonic theory revolutionized geology. The production of Earth science teachers, unlike biology teachers, has never reached full capacity, which has likely contributed to the lesser presence and status of Earth and space science in U.S. high schools today. Historically, the geoscience community has focused on enriching teachers' geoscience content knowledge, but modern Earth and space science teachers need more than just content knowledge. Based on current science education research, today's Earth and space science teacher education programs should also include: a) science methods that embrace authentic inquiry and state-of-the-art technology and visualization resources, b) an exploration of formative assessment and how to modify instruction to meet students' learning needs, c) awareness of common misconceptions and strategies to affect conceptual change, and d) how to establish scientific classroom discourse communities to promote scientific literacy. However, geoscience education researchers should prioritize investigations of Earth and space science teacher preparation programs as very little is known about the relationship between such programs, teacher implementation, and student learning.

고등학교 지구과학 II 교과서에서 화성암의 조직에 대한 용어 분석

이 연구는 7차 고등학교 지구과학 II 교과서의 내용 중 화성암의 조직 개념에 대한 본문 진술을 분석하고 문제점을 지적하고 그 개선 방안을 모색하였다. 과학 교과서의 개념 진술이 정확하지 않아 학습자들에게 오개념을 유발하거나 재강화할 가능성이 있는 여러 진술문이 발견되었다. 화산암에 대하여 세립질, 유리질 또는 반상 조직을 기술하고 있으며, 심성암에 대하여 완정질, 입상, 조립질 및 등립질 조직 등 다양한 조직을 제시하고 있다. 이들은 화성암 조직 분류체계 기준의 혼란에 관련된 것들이었다. 화성암의 조직에 대한 정확한 개념을 전달하기 위한 화성암 분류 기준의 개선방안들을 제시하였다. 화성암을 구성광물의 입도, 상대적인 크기와 결정도에 따라 화산암에는 비현정질 또는 반상 조직을, 심성암에는 현정질 또는 완정질, 등립상 조직을 사용하여야 한다. The purpose of this study is to analyze the concept of igneous rock textures and to uncover incorrect descriptions regarding the concept found within high school Earth Science II course seventh curriculum textbooks. Based upon this analysis suggestions will be made so as to improve descriptions regarding the concept of igneous rock texture. At least some incorrect descriptions regarding igneous rock texture were found in all the textbooks examined. Textures of volcanic rocks are described as being either fine-grained and glassy or porphyritic, while those of plutonic rocks are described as hollocrystalline, granular, coarse-grained or equigranular. These descriptions may contribute to forming and/or reinforcing misconceptions about both the classification criteria for, as well as the general concept of igneous rock textures. Therefore, some improvement schemes for the classification of igneous rock textures have been suggested. These schemes suggest that volcanic rocks be classified as either aphanitic or porphyritic, while plutonic rocks be classified as phaneritic, hollocrystalline or equigranular according to granularity, crystallinity, and both the absolute and relative sizes of the crystals within the rock.

6차와 7차 교육과정에 따른 고등학교 지구과학 교과서에 사용된 사진과 삽화의 기능 및 구조 비교 분석

사진과 삽화는 현행 과학 교과서에서 핵심적인 시각적 표상 요소이다. 본 연구에서는 6차와 7차 교육과정에 따른 고등학교 지구과학 교과서에 사용된 사진과 삽화의 기능 및 구조를 비교 분석하였다. 기능 분석 결과, 6차와 7차 모두 예시적 기능이 차지하는 비율이 압도적으로 높았으며, 보충적 기능의 비율이 가장 낮았다. 7차의 경우 사진과 삽화의 기능들이 6차에 비해 다양해졌는데, 이것은 지구과학 II 보다는 I에서 보다 두드러지게 나타났다. 특히, 6차에서는 극히 미미하게 나타났던 보충적 기능과 설명적 기능이 7차에서는 증가하였으며, 장식적 기능 또한 전반적으로 증가한 것으로 분석되었다. 구조 분석 결과, 6차에 비해 7차에서 참조가 현저하게 감소하여 본문과의 연계성 면에서 오히려 퇴보한 것으로 분석되었다. 단독 사진이나 삽화에 비해 다중 구성의 비율이 증가한 것으로 나타났으나, 짝이나 연속 구성에서는 발전된 점이 나타나지 않았다. 앞으로의 과학 교과서 개발에서 사진과 삽화의 기능에서 탐구적 기능을, 구조에서 보완적 구성을 추가할 것과 사진과 삽화를 포함한 시각적 표상의 기능과 구조 측면을 과학 교과서 검정 준거로 활용할 것을 논의하였다. Photographs and illustrations are integral parts of current science textbooks' inscriptions. This study analysed and compared the function and structure of photographs and illustrations used in high school earth science textbooks of the 6th and 7th national curriculum. The findings of the function analysis showed that 'illustrative' function was far superior to other functions in terms of frequency and ratio. The illustrative function varied more in the 7th curriculum textbooks, especially in earth science I. 'Explanatory' and 'complementary' functions, which were relatively ignored in the 6th curriculum, significantly increased in the 7th curriculum textbooks. 'Decorative' function increased on the whole. The results of the structure analysis revealed that indexical reference remarkably decreased in the 7th curriculum textbooks, which means the retrogression of co-deployment with main text. 'Multiple' organized photographs and illustrations significantly increased in the 7th curriculum textbooks, while 'pair' and 'series' organization did not show an increase at all. It was suggested in this study that 'inquisitive' function and 'complementary' organization should be supplemented in terms of both function and structure. Moreover, the functional and structural aspects of scientific inscriptions including photographs and illustrations should be utilized by the certification criteria of science textbooks.

The Treatment of Geological Time & the History of Life on Earth in High School Biology Textbooks

concept of evolution is fundamental to the study of modern biology. It is a key element of the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 199(5) and is recognized as an essential component of the curriculum in position statements of the National Science Teachers Association and the National Association of Biology teachers (see National Academy of Sciences, 1998). Since all of the definitions of evolution (e.g, organic change over tune' or descent with modification) imply a temporal element, the presentation of evolution in the biology curriculum should include some sense of the timespan over which evolutionary events have occurred as well as an overview of the life forms at various points tit geological time. fit addition, the evidence that supports these claims and the reasoning processes that scientists use to study historical events should he a standard element in any presentation of the principles of scientific inquiry. In spite of the importance of geological in evolutionary biology, misconceptions about historical events in the history of life on Earth are common. For example, a recent survey by the National Science Foundation found that almost 50% of the general public believes that humans and dinosaurs coexisted (National Science Board, 2000). Misconceptions about geological are also common in biology teachers. A survey of high school biology teachers the Indiana reported that 12.5% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, The age of the Earth is less than 20,000 years, while 15% accepted the statement, With few exceptions organisms on Earth carne into being at about the same (Rutledge & Warden, 2000). same two statements received higher levels of support among high school biology teachers in texas (Shankar Skoog, 1993). Surveys and opinion polls like these suggest that ideas about geological tittle that tile scientific community rejected long ago are durable elements of the public view of evolutionary biology. Although there may be many explanations for the persistence of alternative conceptions about evolutionary time, the difficulty in comprehending the enormous spans involved in Earth history must be among the most pervasive. Keown (1988) noted the lack of an accurate understanding in both students and adults of the vast spans of over which evolutionary events occur. In a study of 10- and 11-year-old English schoolchildren, Trend (1998) found that students had a relative sense of (e.g., and extremely ancient), but they lacked a clear chronology of geologic events. Similarly, Marques and Thompson (1997) found that 14- and 15-year-old students did not distinguish between the origin of the universe and the origin of the Earth. huge numbers involved in the geological timescale cause similar confusion among adults. In fact, teacher conceptions of geological often include age estimates of 1 trillion years for events that are perceived to be extremely ancient (Trend, 2001). These observations reflect the abstract nature of deep time (see Gould, 1987) and suggest potential areas of difficulty as students attempt to reach a meaningful understanding of the enormity of geological and the biological events that occurred across that span. Glenn (1990) has documented as decline from 1900 to 1989 in the amount of space devoted to the history of life in high school earth science textbooks, but we are aware of no similar study in biology textbooks. Given the overfill reduction in evolution coverage in biology texts (Rosenthal, 1985), we might expect the treatment of historical aspects of evolutionary biology to be limited. In this article, we present the results of a survey of 11 high school biology textbooks in which the following questions were addressed: 1. To what extent do texts discuss the logical processes and historical inferences that support many, of the claims relating to evolutionary biology? …

고등학교 지구과학 탐구활동에서 수업유형에 따른 학생들의 반성적 탐구의 특성

이 연구는 고등학교 지구과학 탐구활동에서 2가지 수업유형에 따라 나타나는 학생들의 반성적 탐구의 특징을 알아봄으로써 수업의 맥락에서 학생들의 반성적 탐구의 실제를 이해하고, 탐구활동 수업에서 반성적 탐구를 촉진하기 위한 시사점을 얻고자 하였다. 기존의 탐구활동수업과 본 연구에서 개발한 반성적 탐구활동수업에서 반성적 탐구의 차이를 조사한 결과 반성적 탐구를 촉진하기 위해 개발된 반성적 탐구활동수업은 자료맥락의 다양한 요소와 연결된 반성적 탐구진술이 많아, 반성적 탐구의 양적 및 다양성의 측면에서 학생들의 반성적 탐구에 긍정적인 효과가 있었다. 이러한 결과로부터 학생들의 반성적 탐구를 활성화시키는 탐구활동 수업개발의 시사점을 얻을 수 있었다. The purpose of this study was to understand characteristics of students' reflective inquiry disposition in the contexts of classroom and to find educational implications for the promotion of the reflective inquiry activity in the inquiry-based class. In this study, we determined a characteristic of the reflection inquiry by examining students' responses showed in response to the different class types in high school earth science inquiry class. The result of the study indicated that the difference between the newly developed class type to promote the reflective inquiry and the existing inquiry class type was found significant. The newly developed reflective inquiry class had a multitude of reflective inquiry statements related to various elements of data context in terms of the quantity and diversity of the reflective inquiry. In conclusion, we found that the newly developed class type had a positive impact on the students' reflective inquiry activity. We believe that the development of the inquiry activity to promote students' reflective inquiry is critical.

야외 지질 학습에 대한 초임 지구과학 교사의 인식

본 연구의 목적은 초임 지구과학 교사들이 야외 지질 학습에 대하여 어떻게 인식하고 있는지를 알아보는 것이다. 이를 위하여 2006년 1급 정교사 자격 연수를 받고 있는 지구과학 교사 116명을 대상으로 야외 지질 학습의 필요성과 교육적 가치, 교사의 야외 지질 학습 경험, 야외 지질 학습의 어려운 점과 바람직한 야외 지질 학습의 방법에 관한 인식을 조사하였다. 연구 결과, 초임 지구과학 교사들은 지구과학에서 야외 지질 학습은 필요하다고 인식하고 있었고, 교육적 가치에 대해서도 긍정적인 반응을 보였다. 대부분의 교사들은 교사양성과정에서 야외 지질 답사를 경험하였지만, 야외 지질 학습을 지도하는 방법을 배운 교사는 많지 않았다. 교직에 들어와서 야외 지질 답사를 다녀본 경험이나 학생들을 인솔하여 야외 지질 학습을 지도한 경험은 적은 것으로 나타났다. 많은 지구과학 교사들이 야외 지질 학습을 지도하기 어렵다고 인식하였으며, 가장 어려운 이유로 교사 자신의 경험 부족이라고 인식하였다. 이를 해결하기 위한 방안으로 현직 교사 연수를 통한 야외 지질 학습의 교육이 필요하다고 제안하였다 또한 바람직한 야외 지질 학습이 이루어지기 위해서는 야외 지질 학습의 사전 활동으로 야외 지질 학습 장소의 지질학적인 소개나 설명이 필요하다고 보았고, 활동 중에는 교사의 안내와 학생들의 협동학습이 바람직하다고 인식하였다. 그리고 사후 활동으로는 야외 지질 학습 결과에 대한 발표 및 토론이 적합하다고 보았다. The purpose of this study was to investigate beginning earth science teachers' perceptions about Learning in Geologic Field Trip. The hundred and sixteen high school earth science teachers who were in the training for their promotion answered the questionnaire of Learning in Geologic Field Trip. It was divided into five parts: needs and educational values, teachers' experiences and their difficulties, and desirable teaching methods of Learning in Geologic Field Trip. Results indicated that the participants perceived Learning in Geologic Field Trip important in earth science education and responded positively to the educational values of Learning in Geologic Field Trip. Most of the beginning teachers had experience of geologic field trip, but did not learn how to teach it to their students during the geologic field trip in the pre-service training program. It was shown that only a few teachers had experience of geologic field trip and of teaching students in the outdoor of geologic fields after they became a classroom teacher. Most of the participants perceived that teaching students about the geologic field trip is difficult because of lack of their experience. In order to overcome the difficulty, teachers suggested that they need to learn how to teach the geologic field trip to students through their in-service training. leachers suggested that a desirable teaching method of the geologic field trip is to provide teachers with a teacher's manual including geological explanation and information about field trip sites before their visit so that they can scaffold it and facilitate the students' cooperative group activity during the field trip. As a follow up activity, the participants agreed that the presentation and discussion about the results should concur.

New Frontiers in Microbiology

Extremophiles in Kamchatka: Looking for Life in the Hot Springs of the Russian Far East. 2006. Created and developed by The Exploratorium and the Kamcharka Microbial Observatory at the University of Georgia, funded by the National Science Foundation Microbial Observatories; the NASA Astrobiology Institution the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the McBean Family Foundation. www.exploratorium.edu/kamchatka. Accessed on December 8, 2006. System Requirements Adobe Flash 7 Player Extremophiles in Kamchatka: Looking for Life in the Hot Springs of the Russian Far East allows students to follow American and Russian scientists from various science disciplines while they do their research on the Kamchatka peninsula in Eastern Siberia in the hot springs area of a collapsed volcano called the Uzon Caldera. It is appropriate for students of high school biology and Earth science courses and more advanced, and a general audience interested in this type of research. The research began in fall of 2005, and the videos and pictures used in the presentations are some of the first to be taken of the area: The exciting presentations are focused on the scientists gathering data about the environment of this area and about the tiny microbes called extremophiles that live in the Scalding hot and highly acidic waters in the springs in this remote location. The presentations explain how the study of these microbes may help scientists better understand the beginning of life on Earth and perhaps the development of life on other planets as well. Having the students follow the researchers in a natural outdoor laboratory allows for an effective presentation. The site has a simple and practical layout. The Home page has a dramatic image that shows scientists gathering samples along a hot spring. This image sets the tone of the research experience that is described in the site. There are links to four sequential slideshows, which are comprehensive descriptions of the research. There are also links to an article that has more information about the study, various videos, a map, classroom activities, and a list of pertinent links. The slideshows give an overall understanding of the extremophile research and the other sections provide excellent details and extend the information presented in the slideshows. The slideshows have dramatic and descriptive images of the highest quality and composition, similar to those in a National Geographic Magazine, and the shows are narrated. The audio is crisp and the comments of the scientists are presented along with the corresponding background audio of the bubbling springs and other scientists working that helps to share the field experience of the scientists with the audience. Slideshows 1 to 3 are exciting and very effective. They present many important biology concepts in an interesting way, and they make a career as a research scientist appear to be very exciting and rewarding. …

The Effects of a Web-Based Learning Environment on Student Motivation in a High School Earth Science Course

Collaborating closely with a tenth-grade science teacher, we designed a Web-Based Learning Environment (Web-LE) to improve the students' motivation to learn science. Factors believed to enhance intrinsic motivation (challenge, control, curiosity, and fantasy) were integrated into the instructional design of the Web-based learning tool. The Web-LE was implemented in the teacher's tenth-grade classroom as a three-day student- centered learning activity. Data collection methods included individual student interviews, teacher interviews, motivation questionnaires, and obser- vations. This study revealed multiple forms of evidence that the Web-LE and the associated learning activity improved students' motivation. This study illustrates the benefits of educational researchers working closely with teachers using design-based research methods to successfully solve instruc- tional problems and identify reusable design principles. Design principles for the integration of intrinsic motivation factors into the development of similar Web-LEs are presented as well as directions for future research.

The effects of a web-based learning environment on student motivation in a high school earth science course

The effects of a web-based learning environment on student motivation in a high school earth science course

Earth sciences and public schools

More than a year ago (Eos 85(49), 523, 2004), the Eos Forum column featured an article by Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, administrator for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Charles Groat, who at that time was Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, concerning the status of the Earth sciences in the public school curriculum. A very small percentage of high school students take an Earth science course, and that number is dropping every day As a retired high school Earth science teacher and science department chair, I often found myself defending our Earth science requirement to some parents and school committee members.

Differences Between a Standards-Based Curriculum and Traditional Textbooks in High School Earth Science

This study investigates differences between a curriculum based on the National Science Education Standards and curricula following two traditional textbooks. Earth System Science in the Community (EarthComm) and the “most used” high school earth science textbooks in the United States and Korea were analysed in terms of general features, questioning style, and level of laboratory activities by two experts using Textbook Questioning Strategies Assessment Instrument and Herron's four levels of activities. The inter-rater reliability varied from 0.91 to 0.97 for questioning style depending on each individual book and 0.99 for laboratory activities. The results showed that the standards-based curriculum EarthComm included the largest number of pages and laboratory activities with the least number of chapters and concepts among the three textbooks compared. The standards-based curriculum included by far more questions and the largest percentage of experiential questions compared to both of the most-used traditional textbooks. Non-experiential questions tend to be “open-ended” in standards-based curriculum, “direct information” in the Korean textbook, and both “open-ended” and “direct information” in the most used U.S. textbook. Higher-order questions are featured in standards-based curriculum, which call for inferences and application. These findings explicitly stress that high school earth science textbooks should be inquiry-oriented in teaching and learning. The study further discusses its meanings and implications for student learning in earth science.

A Formative Assessment of Geologic Time for High School Earth Science Students

Earth science courses typically include the concept of geological time. Traditional approaches to teaching geologic time have turned to constructivist methodologies in an attempt to increase student understanding, but these lessons often result in students determining the scale of geologic time instead of gaining an increased understanding of the geologic time scale. Here students create a geologic time scale based on an older adult's life complete with relative and absolute dates for the events in their lives. Students write a reflective paper about the process of constructing the time scale and compare their scales to the geologic time scale. The project is used as a formative assessment which serves to inform instruction, rather than assess students on the project. To that end, students submit project drafts for review and are given immediate feedback regarding improvements to the project. Through this process the teacher gains valuable insight into the direction instruction should take based on common misunderstandings or questions that arise during conversations with students.

Using Poetry to Teach about Minerals in Earth Science Class

Incorporating poetry in science teaching expands the curriculum beyond content knowledge or process skills and enhances learning in creativity and affective skills. A high school earth science teacher and a college education professor team-taught a lesson to ninth graders on using poetry to learn about minerals. The professor, a geologist, shared an electronic slide show of poems (Diamond and Tiger Eye are included in the article) she had composed about gem minerals that incorporated physical properties, formation, uses, and other information. After instruction, students researched a mineral of choice and wrote poems that contained facts and a personal reaction to the mineral. Students' most difficult aspect was finding words to express their ideas in rhyme. The most satisfying part was the sense of accomplishment in producing a scientific poem. About half of the students changed their perceptions of earth science as a result of mineral poetry exploration. Another benefit of the collaboration involved career education. Students commented that they now understood more of the job of a mineralogist and the passion one can bring to a subject through poetry.