Science Teaching Practices Research Articles

Evaluation of knowledge in science lessons: an analysis of epistemic practices in an 8th grade classroom

ABSTRACT This paper analyses how 8th graders build epistemic practices of evaluation of knowledge. Guided by Ethnography in Education, we followed a group in their science lessons through one year, using participant observation. Following Kelly's propositions concerning epistemic practices, we selected key events towards an analysis of discursive interactions. The results indicate a trajectory of changes in constructing practices of evaluation of knowledge over time. The repertoire built by the group throughout 8th grade allowed students to evaluate knowledge claims in order to value alleged scientific evidence to the detriment of other rationalities. Evidence, in this case, was being used as a tool for students to support and communicate their propositions, but they were not evaluated. Events that broke with rationality based on the use of evidence generated opportunities for the group to start engaging in practices such as: evaluating the quality of alleged scientific evidence, pondering possible errors, or proposing alternative interpretations. Future events in the history of the group throughout 9th grade indicate that this type of practice became part of their discussions. We discuss implications for pedagogical practice and research in science education.

‘If you wanted to take this model and throw nitrogen at it, it would fit’: synthesis approach to modelling to learn about biogeochemical cycles

ABSTRACT The literature on scientific modelling practices in science education has provided a fruitful discussion on how learners tend to view models vs. how and what they should think about them. One approach is to teach students that models are abstractions so that they do not view them as a copy of phenomena they represent. Although teaching students that models are abstractions is a successful strategy in modelling instruction, we still do not know how students engage in and work towards the process of abstraction while they develop a model to understand scientific ideas. This qualitative study examines how a group of undergraduate and graduate students in an upper-level ecosystem ecology course at a research university in the southeastern part of the United States engage in a task that requires constructing an abstract representation of how biogeochemical cycles work by using a specific approach to modelling, namely synthesis modelling. Data corpus entailed paired interviews with ten students and their artefacts. The findings centred upon four episodes regarding how students engage in abstraction through a synthesis approach to modelling as they make sense of the system of biogeochemical cycles: working with surface similarities, abstracting ideas, abstracting structures, and checking on model-source fit.

Epistemological beliefs and values as predictors of preservice science teachers' environmental moral reasoning

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to test predictability of environmental moral reasoning patterns of preservice science teachers (PSTs) by their epistemological beliefs and values. Four environmental moral dilemma scenarios that reflect different environmental moral dilemma situations taking place in four outdoor recreation contexts (i.e., hiking, picnicking, fishing, camping) were used to trigger and examine environmental moral reasoning of PSTs. Centers of moral concerns (i.e., ecocentric, anthropocentric, egocentric) and underlying reasons of environmental moral considerations (e.g., aesthetical concerns, justice issues) were used to investigate PSTs' environmental moral reasoning patterns. Data were collected from 1524 PSTs enrolled in six universities located in Central Anatolia region of Türkiye. A path model was proposed to test relationships of PSTs' epistemological beliefs and values to their environmental moral reasoning for each environmental moral dilemma scenario. Results indicated good‐fit between study data and the path model tested for each environmental moral reasoning scenario. Variances in environmental moral reasoning scores that were explained by the path models had small to medium effect size values of 0.06 to 0.26. Statistical significance and direction of the tested relationships showed changes depending on the moral dilemma scenario context and focus of environmental moral reasoning. Nevertheless, path analyses consistently revealed positively significant relationships between environmental moral reasoning categories and epistemological beliefs in omniscient authority and self‐transcendence and tradition values. Implications for science education policy and practice are discussed.

Unravelling early childhood pre-service teachers’ implicit stereotypes of scientists by using the repertory grid technique

Considering teachers’ roles in developing children’s scientific literacy in preschools, a better understanding of pre-service teachers’ conceptualizations about scientific inquiry and scientists’ practices that have an impact on the science teaching practices offered to their future students is very much needed. Stereotypes were examined here as a component or root for many of the explanations for pre-service teachers’ conceptualizations about scientists. Aligned with the interpretivist paradigm, this phenomenographic study was, mostly qualitative in nature, specifically concerned with exploring pre-service teachers’ stereotypes of scientists by using the repertory grid technique, in which they perceived and differentiated between scientists. 119 early childhood pre-service teachers were recruited. Various types of analysis were carried out to analyze the data gathered in each repertory grid. We investigated the original 66 elicited bipolar constructs into 28 aggregated bi-polar construct groupings, systematically categorized into four bi-polar categories: (1) Recognition vs. Disregarded, (2) Scientific Integrity vs. Misconduct, (3) Communal vs. Dissociation, and (4) Agentic vs. Passivity. The findings suggest that pre-service teachers had typical stereotypical traits of scientists like being introverted, intelligent loners, into experiments and masters in their field with often-unrecognizable female figures. However, there was no association between gender, grade, and stereotypes of scientists elicited in the study. These types of stereotypes of scientists might potentially threaten effective science teaching at early ages. Science education practices can be rooted in these stereotypes of pre-service teachers. Considering these findings, structural changes in science education practices in teacher education programs are very much needed. This study also seems to confirm the importance of using the repertory grid technique as a good starting point to expose especially the implicit stereotypes of pre-service teachers about “who does science”, “how scientists think” and “what scientists do” before their actual actions in future classrooms.

Re-centring and recovering knowledge about climate-friendly agriculture: Learning from a woman African indigenous knowledge holder

abstract Patriarchal capitalist colonisation has bestowed on the world civilisational crises, including climate change and the spread of virulent pandemics. The agri-food model, which has been moulded by the contours of the modern capitalist enterprise, is a key source of chemical pollution from artificial fertilisers, and air pollution from greenhouse gases. The consequent killing of soil and water biomes, and the warming of the planet from these pollutants, increases vulnerability of those who bear the brunt of socio-economic, gender and cultural inequity. We departed from the focus on vulnerable populations in climate change disasters, and adopted a feminist critical approach, by casting our gaze towards geo-epistemic Southern regions. In our qualitative research project, we sought intersectional solutions to climate change in the form of educational interventions. We tapped into the knowledge repository of one purposively selected woman African indigenous knowledge holder, who taught fifteen practising science teachers who were enrolled in an Honours degree about climate friendly agriculture. Bringing the voice of a woman African indigenous knowledge holder to the centre repositioned the locus of enunciation and generated a fertile Southern feminist context for collaboration. Teachers experienced hands-on learning under the guidance of the indigenous knowledge holder. Among other practices they used animal waste, which they worked into the soil, and hoes to manually turn soil, thereby limiting disturbance to the soil ecosystem. Teachers documented their learning in portfolios of evidence, and written reflections, which were subjected to content analysis. The careful use of manure from animals and limiting the use of fossil fuels in creating food gardens, were insights gained by the teachers. Hegemonic rules about who qualifies as a legitimate teacher in higher education and what can be admitted as legitimate scientific knowledge, were blurred. The woman who taught about how African indigenous knowledge can inform sustainable food production, contributed towards the building of epistemic justice within the broader social justice context. Through this intercultural dialogue teachers learned to teach about African medicinal plants, the advantages of crop rotation, as well as preparing soil for garden beds. Teachers embraced knowledge from the South and transcended curriculum boundaries.

Construct validity analysis with messick validity approach and rasch model application on scientific reasoning test items

The Scientific Reasoning Test is basically inseparable from the three aspects of the Scientific Literacy Test. This study aims to test the feasibility of the instrument for measuring scientific reasoning in terms of content validity, psychometrics, and constructs. The form of this research is Research and Development (Research and Development). In the instrument development research design using the ADDIE procedural model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation). This test was given to 194 high school students in Math and Natural Sciences class XII in the 2022-2023 academic year. Analysis of the validity of the test using Rasch modeling. The type of validity applied is Messick's validity which includes content validity, psychometric validity and construct validity consisting of content aspects, substantive aspects, structural aspects and external aspects. The results show that of the 50 questions made, there are 25 items that are feasible to use as measumenet in scientific reasoning test. This research contributes to the improvement of assessment practice in science education.

A Science Teacher's Teaching Moves about Low and High Achieving Students: A Belief System Approach

Closing the science achievement gap between low achieving (LA) and high achieving (HA) students has become an important part of educational policies, particularly in Turkey. Bearing this in mind, the purpose of the present study is to reveal a science teacher’s teaching moves about LA and HA students and the pedagogical belief system behind these moves. This single case study relates to one science teacher (Mehmet), who performed explicit teaching moves. In order to determine the moves being used with LA and HA students, Mehmet is asked to write questions that he often uses in his lessons and explain the moves that he has applied during the questioning and solution phases. In addition, semi-structured interviews regarding teaching motivation, science teaching motivation, science teaching practices and beliefs about LA and HA students are conducted so as to reveal the belief-oriented background of these moves. The results show that the teaching moves varying according to the achievement differences is a complex phenomenon. Mehmet changes the structure of his scaffolding, his scientific practices and classroom technologies according to the achievement differences. He produces these teaching moves using a nested structure in which he contextualizes his teaching strategies in is daily science teaching practices.

A Practice-Based Theory of Teaching Analysis of Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Prior Knowledge of Science Instruction

ABSTRACT Science teacher education literature has emphasized the importance of prospective teachers’ prior knowledge of their K-12 experiences as a key factor influencing their professional development as future science teachers. The purpose of the study was to identify the teaching practices in prospective teachers’ prior knowledge of science instruction before their enrollment in a science teaching methods course. Constructs from the practice-based theory of teaching, reform-based science instruction, and the pedagogy of poverty framework collectively served as the conceptual lens to focus on teaching practices. Three-hundred and sixty-one prospective teachers took part in this qualitative study. Visual (drawings) and written (narratives) served as the data and thematic analysis was used to identify and categorize teaching practices. The predominant teaching practices were framed by the pedagogy of poverty (68.4%) (giving information and directions). Other teaching practices were framed by a combination of teaching practices (pedagogy of poverty and core science teaching practices) (28.0%) (giving information and directions, engaging students in investigations, and facilitating classroom discourse), and teaching practices that reflected only core science teaching practices (8.0%) (engaging students in investigations and facilitating classroom discourse). Prospective teachers in this study had identified and accepted as knowledge-for-practice from their K-12 experiences a set of limited teaching practices. The findings indicated that prospective teachers’ prior knowledge of science instruction reflected the inclusion and an over reliance on specific teaching practices that contradicted or limited current reforms in science education and imply that they are yet to experience science instruction as stipulated by the current reforms.

Community‐driven science and science education: Living in and navigating the edges of equity, justice, and science learning

Community‐driven science and science education: Living in and navigating the edges of equity, justice, and science learning

ФІЛОСОФСЬКА ПАРАДИГМА НАУКОВОЇ ОСВІТИ: КОНЦЕПТУАЛЬНА ЕКСПЛІКАЦІЯ

The relevance of the development of science education provokes new discussions about its philosophical foundations, which cover the attributes of progress in this field since antiquity and offer new projects and perspectives for the development of a philosophical paradigm of science education in view of the challenges and requirements of today. The article is devoted to the analysis of three main approaches to define the philosophical paradigm of science education: interiorization, interrelational, and multiperspective. The interiorization approach to defining the philosophical paradigm of science education involves the development of the "philosophy of science education" as an "internal philosophy". The interrelational approach to delineating the philosophical paradigm of science education is based on identifying the relationship between the philosophy of science and science education, the relationships between sections of philosophy and scientific inquiry. The most comprehensive approach to defining the philosophical paradigm of science education is multi-perspective, which is based on addressing various philosophical trends and their understanding of scientific meaning and rationality, mutual influences and contradictions, determining the contribution of each of them to the progress of the theory and practice of science education. This approach usually develops the concept of science education through the prism of such philosophical trends as John Dewey's pragmatism, constructivism, rationalist school, classical empiricism, and postmodernism. Each of the mentioned directions is analyzed in the article in the context of the dialectics of science education.

Relations between Australian primary teachers’ approaches to student choice and their reported science teaching efficacy beliefs and teaching practices

ABSTRACT As a myriad of student-centred practices in primary science education have been established as valuable, effective cornerstones of teachers’ repertoires, there is now space to further consider student choice in science education. This paper seeks to examine the role of student choice in primary science education by exploring the relationship between primary teachers’ attitudes towards student-choice (minimal, emergent, and planned) and their science teaching efficacy beliefs and reported science teaching practices. A sample of 206 Australian primary teachers responded to a digital quantitative survey comprised of items that included professional demographics, the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument A (STEBI-A), science teaching approaches, and student-choice in science teaching. Descriptive statistics, T-tests, ANOVAs and Chi Squares were used in data analysis. The results showed that teachers who reportedly embraced student-choice were more efficacious and reported more expansive arrays of science teaching approaches than those who purported to minimise choice. Although there is a need for follow-up proximal research to elucidate these findings, some speculative interpretations and recommendations are discussed.

Unpacking Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Beliefs on Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Mathematics and Science Teaching for English Language Learners

With an increasing number of English Language Learners (ELLs), the landscape of public schools in the United States has been rapidly changing. However, ELLs’ academic performance is consistently lower than their native English-speaking peers’ and many in-service teachers feel ill-prepared to teach ELLs in a culturally and linguistically responsive way. This is especially true for mainstream teachers who teach STEM-related subjects. This study explores how pre-service elementary school teachers perceive culturally and linguistically responsive mathematics and science teaching practices for ELLs. A qualitative research design with interviews and constant comparative analysis was employed. Pre-service teachers’ lively voices that unpack their beliefs on the characteristics of culturally and linguistically responsive math and science teaching are illustrated around teachers’ scaffolding strategies, ELLs’ learning experiences, and environments. Suggestions for teacher educators, education scholars, and practitioners are provided to advance the discourse of how to better prepare teachers to teach mathematics and science to ELLs.

The Effects of Standardized Tests on Incorporating 21st Century Skills in Science Classrooms

Purpose of the study: The aim of this article was to investigate how the unintended side effects of standardized testing cause teachers not to integrate 21st century skills i.e., communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, into science classes. In addition, this study also cross-examineed if certain features of standardized testing have any beneficial impact on the adoption of 21st century skills in science teaching.
 Methodology: This paper followed the method of narrative review. 85 papers were initially selected after the primary searches. Finally, 30 papers were used to answer two research questions in this article.
 Main Findings: After analyzing the selected papers, this narrative review revealed three unintended outcomes of standardized testing on the practice of 21st century skills, which are: teachers often prioritize testing over teaching, which results in the fact that there is not enough time for innovative instruction, and the time spent on the actual content of the curriculum is often shortened. On the other hand, the review also found that standardized tests can motivate teachers and enable them to offer their students new opportunities to incorporate 21st century skills into science education by following Assessment guidelines and expanding curricular opportunities. 
 Novelty/Originality of this study: This study revealed how standardized test-based education practices in science teaching can be analyzed and customized to create a space for cultivating 21st century skills for students.

Preschool teachers’ science teaching practices: earth and space

Preschool teachers’ science teaching practices: earth and space

Complexities of care in a college microbiology laboratory

ABSTRACT Recognising effects of care departs from previous conceptions of care within science education as an idealised, ethical, and normative dimension of being, thinking and relating. In this article, we hesitate with care’s moralistic qualities to render visible disruptive and complicit moments of care in complex ethical and political situated practices. We follow care inside a college microbiology laboratory, documenting three practices: caring for bacteria, caring for logbooks, and caring for a nation. We show how these care practices potentialise/disrupt bacteria as technoscientific commodities and biotechnicians as a labour force for markets and nations organised along racial and gendered lines. Our paper attends to the complexities of care as an assembling force with its ambivalent ethical and political orientations. We conclude by reflecting on the possibilities of ‘care-full’ science educational analyses. How can we better care for care? What might care offer science education research and practice that other more popular explanatory units (such as concepts and effectiveness) do not?

Examining the Metropolitan and Non-metropolitan Educational Divide: Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs and Teaching Practices of Australian Primary Science Educators

The provision of quality science education is a global priority beset by longstanding challenges, which can be amplified in rural and regional contexts. This creates a dual problem where stakeholders must focus on the improvement of science education outcomes whilst being cognisant of the established divided between metropolitan and non-metropolitan learners. Considering the recent positive TIMSS results which showed equitable science results for regional, remote and metropolitan Australian year 4 students, this paper aims to examine the relationship between primary teachers’ school location and their science teaching efficacy beliefs and reported science teaching practices. A total of 206 Australian primary science educators responded to a cross sectional quantitative survey. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square analyses found no statistically significant differences between metropolitan and non-metropolitan teachers on measures of science teaching efficacy beliefs and reported science teaching approaches. This apparent contradiction of established research themes merits deeper school and student-focused research to understand the practical implications that could arise from these findings.

Data Science and Machine Learning Teaching Practices with Focus on Vocational Education and Training

With the development of technology allowing for a rapid expansion of data science and machine learning in our everyday lives, a significant gap is forming in the global job market where the demand for qualified workers in these fields cannot be properly satisfied. This worrying trend calls for an immediate action in education, where these skills must be taught to students at all levels in an efficient and up-to-date manner. This paper gives an overview of the current state of data science and machine learning education globally and both at the high school and university levels, while outlining some illustrative and positive examples. Special focus is given to vocational education and training (VET), where the teaching of these skills is at its very beginning. Also presented and analysed are survey results concerning VET students in Slovenia, Serbia, and North Macedonia, and their knowledge, interests, and prerequisites regarding data science and machine learning. These results confirm the need for development of efficient and accessible curricula and courses on these subjects in vocational schools.

Learning outcomes of transforming cutting-edge iPSC research into informal science courses for upper secondary school students

ABSTRACT Interest affects learning; it also affects students’ attitude towards science and career choices. It is therefore urgent to increase students’ interest and improve their attitude towards science to face the complex challenges of the future. This study transformed cutting-edge induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) research into an informal science course to explore the effect of students’ situational interest (SI), concept understanding and attitude towards science. A total of 52 tenth-grade students of upper secondary school participated in an informal science course including a one-day workshop and exploration in a science museum, and one-day of lab work in a university laboratory. The questionnaire data were analysed by pre- and post-t test to explore the learning outcomes, and the learning experience reports were content analysed to explore the influencing factors. Results showed that 1) students’ SI was significantly enhanced, with the trigger and affective components of SI scoring, but not the value component; 2) Students’ iPSC concept understanding was significantly enhanced; 3) The course enhanced students’ SI, iPSC concept understanding and attitude towards science via different influencing factors; 4) The value factors may influence students’ positive attitude towards science and engagement in science. We also present some suggestions for informal science course design and teaching practice.

Fostering research literate science teachers: Science teacher educators’ views on research-based teacher education

Science teacher educators (STEs) are key actors for implementing research-based science teacher education (RBSTE). Based on group interviews with 29 STEs from seven different teacher education (TE) institutions in Norway, this study reports how STEs view RBSTE. The STEs did not express a comprehensive understanding of the term RBSTE; however, their descriptions of the aims of science TE were in line with educating research literate teachers - critical and reflective teachers who can develop their practice based on research. They regarded their own competence as decisive for RBSTE and described modelling research-based practices in science education as a way of teaching science and science education simultaneously. However, the STEs described tension between prioritising natural science and science education research. We conclude that STEs’ goals and practices are in line with the aims for RBSTE, but a stronger common understanding of what RBSTE entails is needed to further strengthen science TE.

Scientific Intelligence: Recognising It to Nurture It.

Successful scientists need to think carefully about the particular aspect of the world around them they are investigating. They build on what is known in their area of science to identify how they might examine the issue or problem they are concerned with to offer further insights. Through investigating natural phenomena, they can solve problems and communicate new ways of looking at the world. Their work serves to address global and societal challenges and often offers improved ways of living. The ways that scientists' work can have implications for educational processes designed to prepare would-be scientists or scientifically aware citizens of the future. Eliciting reflections from experienced scientists recounting how they came to develop their scientific intellect, expertise and problem-solving know-how is useful to inform science education. This article reports on an aspect of a larger project involving 24 scientists specialising in biological or physical science research from Higher Education Institutions, located in either Manchester, Oxford or London. The study adopts a retrospective phenomenographical methodology and applies two fresh theoretical perspectives to eight in-depth interviews with professional scientists working in university departments involved in ground-breaking research. Conversations with the scientists were framed to explore the nature and extent of formal and informal learning influences affecting the development of their inventiveness and expertise in becoming scientists. The reified perspectives collated here show how a range of experiences have afforded expert scientists the opportunity to apply their intellectual capabilities. These kinds of demonstrable abilities have enabled them to scientifically contribute to being able to solve real-world problems. Additionally, a cross-case analysis of scientists' reported learning experiences could inform science education policy and practice.