ISSN 1087-3430 Vol. 7 - No. 1 - September 2002
Thank you for your interest in the Electronic Journal of Science Education, the first electronic journal of its kind devoted to the timely sharing of science education issues via the World Wide Web. The editors and review board hope you find the enclosed articles academically and professionally valuable.
John R. Cannon, Editor and Publisher
David T. Crowther, Associate Editor and Publisher
University of Nevada, Reno
Table of Contents
Editor's note: The EJSE will no longer be published in HTML as of February 2003. The format that will be used in future publications will be PDF. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, please click on the "Get Reader" graphic below to download the program free of charge. Once the Acrobat Reader loads the article, use the back button on your browser to return to the EJSE.
.
Guest Editorial...
A Partnership in Science Education by Edmund A. Marek
University of Oklahoma
EJSE Editorial...
We're back...thanks for waiting...and a renewal!
John R. Cannon
Editor and Publisher
Article One
Mentoring Preservice Teachers of Primary Science
by
Peter Hudson
and
Keith Skamp
Southern Cross University
phudson@scu.edu.au Abstract Perceptions of mentors' practices related to primary science teaching were obtained from final year preservice teachers after a 4-week practicum. Responses to a survey (n=59), constructed through literature-based practices and attributes of effective mentors, identified perceived strengths and weaknesses in the area of mentoring preservice teachers of primary science. Through exploratory factor analysis, this pilot study also tested the unidimensionality of mentoring practices and attributes assigned to categories (factors) that may characterise mentoring in primary science teaching. These suggested factors, namely, personal attributes, system requirements, pedagogical knowledge, modelling, and feedback had Cronbach alpha coefficients of internal consistency reliability of 0.93, 0.78, 0.94, 0.90, and 0.81 respectively. Survey responses indicated that mentors generally do not provide specific mentoring in primary science teaching. It is argued that science education reform requires the identification of factors and associated attributes and practices of mentoring primary science in order to effectively develop preservice teachers in primary science teaching.
Article Two
Mentors and Modelling Primary Science Teaching Practices
by
Peter Hudson
NSW Department of Education and Training
Queensland University of Technology
phudson@scu.edu.auAbstract
Final year preservice teachers' perceptions of their mentoring in primary science teaching were gathered through a survey from two separate studies. The two studies (n=331, n=60) provided an indication of the degree mentors model primary science teaching practices. This research argues that mentors need to model primary science teaching particularly in the areas of modelling: enthusiasm, classroom management and a rapport with students, science teaching, and effective science teaching with well-designed lessons that include hands-on experiences. Mentors also need to model syllabus language so that mentees develop appropriate discourse towards understanding science teaching practices. The key study results (n=331, from nine Australian universities involved in primary teacher education) indicated that on average 55% of mentors did not model primary science teaching in each of the associated mentoring practices (mean range: 2.68 to 3.66, standard deviation range: 1.22 to 1.30).
Article Three
by
Paul C. Jablon
Lesley University
pjablon@comcast.netAbstract
The last study of science education doctoral programs in the United States was completed over two decades ago. Since then there have been major standards, curriculum and school change initiatives that should have had an impact on framing the structure of these doctoral programs. This article synthesizes and analyzes the data from two surveys regarding science education doctoral programs. The first survey elicited data from 64 science education doctoral program heads about the status of their programs. The second elicited data from deans and heads of schools and departments of education about the need for and qualities expected of science education doctoral graduates. The findings, although encompassing the broad scope of content and skills of doctoral programs, have a particular focus on the need for enrichment in the areas of urban science teaching, the nature of science, and effective school change strategies in science education.
Article Four
by
Elaine AbuSharbain
Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville
eabusha@mail.siue.eduAbstract
This paper summarizes a two-year professional development project with twenty-three inservice teachers. Teachers were charged with the task of developing inquiry investigations correlated with the Illinois Standards in a state funded project titled "Connecting Outdoor Instruction to the Illinois Learning Standards" (COIILS). Scientific investigations on the school grounds were developed, piloted and peer tested. Students then field-tested and redesigned the activities to test student-derived hypotheses. One purpose of this project was to facilitate a shift in teachers' constructivist epistemology. Positive changes were found in teacher's endorsements of the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey - Teacher Form. Significant change was noted in students' knowledge about scientific process. The utilization of this inquiry-based investigation design/redesign model may be one step in developing an effective professional development program for teachers in the area of science education. The project can be viewed at http://web.stclair.k12.il.us/splashd/Experimt.htm
Article Five
by
Aram deKoven
and
Deborah J. Trumbull
Cornell UniversityAbstract
Science outreach programs, in which university personnel offer educational services to their communities, are becoming more common. As yet there is little research documenting effects of these programs. The current research examined how participation in outreach affected science graduate students. This study used a survey and in-depth interviews with 25 doctoral students and one post-doctoral student. Students most involved in outreach education experienced a sense of accomplishment, legitimate breaks from their research, and an enhanced ability to communicate and conceptualize science concepts. Graduate students less involved in outreach activities indicated aspects of graduate study that made participation in scientific outreach work difficult. Information about these benefits and barriers is valuable as science outreach programs are being developed, supported, and evaluated.
Article Six
Collaborating to Study Science Teaching: A Case Study
by
Frank E. Crawley
East Carolina University
and
Jon E. Pedersen
University of Oklahoma
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to form a science teacher and graduate-student researcher team in which its members engaged in a study of science teaching, and to examine the progress of the team's work through the creation of a case study. A graduate student and science teacher team was formed in one high school, and used collaborative action research methods to investigate students' learning in a general education biology course. As well, the action research project was used to examine the attempt of the research team (graduate student and teacher) to change instructional patterns in the teacher's classroom. Records were maintained throughout the project and examined to arrive at the study results, which revealed mixed success in improving learning and making change within the context of the classroom. Three tentative conclusions were warranted from an examination of the results of the case study:
1. A chain of reasoning exists that inhibits reform of existing teaching practices in ways that engage students,
2. Formation of a science teacher-graduate student team facilitates the adoption of a critical perspective on instruction, and
3. Beliefs about science teaching are firmly established and difficult to alter.
Article Seven
Visual Thinking Networking Promotes Problem Solving Achievement for 9th Grade Earth Science Students
by
Palma J. Longo
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
plongo@UMassD.Edu
O.R. Anderson
Columbia University, Teachers College, New Yorkand
Paul Wicht
Byram Hills High School,Armonk, N.YAbstract
An experimental (pre-post control) and interview based-design was used to test the efficacy of a new generation of knowledge representation and metacognitive learning strategies called visual thinking networking (VTN). These new strategies are conceptualized from the current understanding of how one builds a picture of the external world, stores, and recalls this new knowledge from memory. Students constructed network diagrams on paper using black pens or colored pencils to make their drawings, These network diagrams contained words (semantic elements) and figural elements connected by lines and other representations of linkages to represent knowledge relationships. This article addresses one of the main research questions; i.e., to what extent earth science learning was improved by students utilizing VTN strategies compared to controls who used other strategies of learning including writing assignments. A multi-covariate analysis was conducted on the pre-post gain scores of the AGI/NSTA Earth Science Examination (Part 1) from fifty-six 9th grade earth science students. Findings from this analysis significantly established a causal relationship between the improvement of earth science learning and the utilization of visual thinking networks. Earth science learning was improved in the area of problem solving for those students who used VTN strategies (color and black/white). Students who used the VTN strategies (color or black/white) had a significantly higher mean gain score on the problem solving criterion test items than students who used the writing strategy for learning science
(p =.005). Earth science learning was most improved in the area of problem solving for those students who used color VTNs. Students who used the color VTN strategies for learning science had a significantly higher mean gain score on the problem solving criterion test items than students who used the black/white VTN (p = .003) and the control group that used writing strategies (p < .001) for learning science. The use of color VTN strategies enhanced problem solving achievement gains for female students. The findings indicated the importance of using color in VTN strategies. The use of color promoted the encoding and reconstruction of earth science knowledge in memory and enhanced the higher order thinking skills of problem solving. A new metacognitive learning theory (ENACT-AC) is proposed as an explanation for these findings.
Exemplar Lesson Plan
Lewis and Clark, the Scientific Method, and the Learning Cycle
by
David McConnell
and
Katharine Owens
University of Akron
kowens@uakron.edu
Special Section: Resources and Programs in Higher Education
compiled by David T. Crowther, Associate Editor, EJSE
To the top of the page.
To the EJSE Archive page.