Orientador: Hernandes Faustino de Carvalho / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-23T07:35:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Oliveira_MayaraLustosade_M.pdf: 4413688 bytes, checksum: 0a8f97c5671981f59c6a55ef98721b62 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: Os avanços tecnológicos dos últimos anos exigem novas posturas nos ambientes de ensino de modo a diminuir as distâncias entre o cotidiano dos estudantes e o dia-a-dia na sala de aula. O presente projeto teve por objetivo o desenvolvimento de uma interface adaptativa (IA), de modo a atender essa necessidade presente, estimulando os alunos ao estudo e facilitando o processo de ensino aprendizagem. O espaço virtual desenvolvido neste caso foi um site <http://biocelunicamp.wix.com/ppg>. Foram construídas três abas destinadas a três grupos de usuário: Básico (Ensino Fundamental), Médio (Ensino Médio) e Avançado (Ensino Superior). Todas as abas da IA tratam do tema "proliferação celular", no entanto, foram utilizados recursos e linguagem adaptados a cada nível. Para avaliação do recurso, o site foi aplicado para estudantes do ensino fundamental de escolas adventistas (4 classes - 117 alunos), do ensino médio do Colégio COTUCA (4 classes - 131 alunos) e do ensino superior para o curso de Ciências Biológicas da Unicamp (2 classes - 95 alunos). Todos os grupos foram divididos randomicamente em: experimental (recebe a aula com a IA) e controle (aula convencional sobre o mesmo assunto). Vale ressaltar que os estudantes do grupo controle também tiveram aula com a IA, após a avaliação da mesma. Antes da aplicação da IA, os estudantes responderam a um pré-teste para verificar os conhecimentos prévios e analisar a homogeneidade entre as turmas. Após a aplicação da aula com e sem a interface, todos os estudantes responderam a um pós-teste e construíram um mapa conceitual. Além destes instrumentos, as avaliações formais da disciplina também foram utilizadas para verificar a eficácia da IA. Entrevistas foram realizadas com os estudantes e uma carta avaliativa solicitada aos professores. Aplicando ANOVA (one way) aos resultados dos pré-testes, foi possível verificar que não houve diferença significativa entre as turmas do ensino médio (p=0.49), do ensino fundamental (p=0.92) e do ensino superior (p=0.09). Quando comparados os pós-testes, percebeu-se diferença significativa entre os grupos controle e experimental de todos os níveis (p<0.05), demonstrando que os estudantes que tiveram aula com a interface apreenderam melhor o conhecimento. Ao avaliar os mapas conceituais percebeu-se que os mapas dos grupos controle possuem um maior grau de generalidade, ou seja, são menos específicos e contêm menos conceitos em relação aos mapas dos grupos experimentais. Foi observada também uma menor quantidade de conectivos e proposições nos mapas dos grupos controle, diminuindo também o número de inter-relações na estrutura. A carta de todos os professores demonstrou aprovação à metodologia e interesse em aplicá-la em outras oportunidades. Sendo assim, podemos afirmar que esta sugestão de redesenho das aulas e da metodologia corrente, utilizando a IA, além de estimular os alunos a estudar de modo mais ativo e participativo, motivou os professores e, por conseguinte, permitiu a facilitação do processo de ensino-aprendizagem em mão dupla / Abstract: The technological advances of recent years require new attitudes in learning environments, in order to bridge the gaps between the daily lives of students, and the daily activities in the classroom. The aim of this project was to develop an adaptive interface (AI), in order to meet this current need, encouraging students to study and facilitating the teaching-learning process. The virtual space developed in this case was a website <http://biocelunicamp.wix.com/ppg>. Three tabs were built for three user groups: Basic (Elementary School), Medium (High School) and Advanced (College). All AI tabs had the same subject, cell proliferation. However, adapted resources and language were used for each model. For evaluation of the resource developed, the site was used with elementary school students from Adventist Schools (4 classes - 117 students), high school students from COTUCA school (4 classes - 131 students) and Higher Education students of the Biological Sciences course from Unicamp (2 classes - 95 students). All groups were randomly divided into experimental (receiving class with AI) and control groups (conventional lecture of the same subject). It is important to stress that students in the control group also had class with the AI, but only after the evaluation. Before the implementation of the AI, students answered a pre-test to verify the previous knowledge and examine whether there were differences between the groups. After applying the lesson, with and without the interface, all students answered a post-test and built a conceptual map. In addition to these instruments, formal evaluations of the course were also used to verify the effectiveness of the AI. Interviews were conducted with students and an evaluation letter was requested to the teachers. Applying ANOVA (one way) to the results of the pre-tests, we found that there was no significant difference between the high school (p = 0.49), the basic education (p = 0.92) and the college groups (p = 0.09). Comparing the post-test results, we noticed a significant difference between the control and experimental groups at all levels (p <0.05), demonstrating that students who had classes with the interface did get better grades. When evaluating the conceptual maps, we found that maps from the control groups had a higher degree of generality, ie, are less specific and contain less concepts in comparison with the experimental groups maps. There was also a smaller amount of connective propositions on the maps from the control groups, reducing the number of inter-linkages in the structure. The evaluation letters by the teachers showed approval and interest to apply the AI in other opportunities. Thus, we conclude that this suggestion of innovating the classes and the methodology currently applied, using the AI, besides of encouraging the students to study in a more active and participative way, it motivated the teachers, and therefore facilitated the teaching-learning process in both directions / Mestrado / Biologia Celular / Mestra em Biologia Celular e Estrutural

Orientador: Hernandes Faustino de Carvalho / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-19T03:24:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Randi_MarcoAntonioFerreira_D.pdf: 2781895 bytes, checksum: 93ebae9e821938a5b437a4230c96b539 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: O aluno que se envolve com seu processo de aprendizagem aprende melhor. A partir dessa premissa, nosso objetivo no presente estudo foi desenvolver, aplicar e avaliar uma nova ferramenta didática em disciplinas de Biologia Celular, baseada em aulas com RPG (roleplaying game). O RPG é um sistema de jogo cooperativo onde os participantes têm objetivos comuns e precisam atuar em grupo para alcançá-los. Aplicado à educação, acreditamos que funciona como um facilitador da aprendizagem ativa, sendo o aluno o construtor de seu conhecimento enquanto participa da aula, orientado pelo professor. A criação e aplicação dessas aulas constitui desafio estimulante para professores, e a formação de professores também constituiu foco dentro desse estudo. A metodologia incluiu: pesquisas teóricas sobre o assunto a ser trabalhado na aula (um processo celular como síntese de ATP, por exemplo) e subsequente criação da aula na forma de uma aventura; testes das aulas criadas; aplicação das aulas a alunos de nível superior em diferentes cursos em três diferentes universidades; avaliação dos resultados através de notas em provas regulares das disciplinas, questionários, construção de mapas conceituais, depoimentos dos alunos e dos professores participantes, e observações dos alunos durante as aulas. Também foi avaliada a retenção do conteúdo em médio prazo, pela aplicação de um teste sem aviso prévio, um ano após a aula ter sido ministrada. Para comparar as médias de desempenho dos alunos as turmas foram divididas de forma que, enquanto metade dos alunos participou da aula com uso do RPG (GRPG), a outra metade participou de uma aula expositiva "tradicional" (GC). GC e GRPG tiveram notas iguais nas avaliações formais, exceto por uma questão na qual o GC teve melhor desempenho, embora ambos os grupos tenham tido notas muito baixas. Na avaliação de médio prazo, o GRPG foi melhor em duas questões. A maioria dos alunos que participaram do GRPG considerou que essa é uma boa metodologia didática que deve ser utilizada em sala de aula; entende que ela deve ser utilizada como ferramenta complementar à aula expositiva; sentiu-se estimulada a ler mais sobre os temas das aulas. Os alunos sentiram-se mais seguros em responder questões sobre os temas de Biologia Celular após as aulas com RPG. A análise dos mapas conceituais, construídos pelos alunos antes e depois da aula com RPG, permitiu concluir que novos conceitos foram incorporados à teia de conhecimento dos alunos, e que houve melhora significativa na forma como os conceitos foram correlacionados nos mapas. Professores e estudantes (voluntários e bolsistas, de graduação e pós-graduação), que atuaram como professores nas aulas consideraram essa ferramenta didática como um bom instrumento de aprendizagem. Nós concluímos que a aula com RPG é uma metodologia didática que pode trazer benefícios em termos da construção de conteúdos em Biologia Celular e é um potencial promotor da aprendizagem ativa e do desenvolvimento de habilidades como cooperação e criatividade / Abstract: Student who gets involved with their learning process learns better. Starting from this premise, the aim of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate a new teaching method in the disciplines of cell biology, the RPG-based class. The RPG (role-playing game) is a cooperative game where the players have common goals and must work together actively to achieve the goals. Each student builds his own knowledge while participating in the classroom guided by the teacher. Creating and implementing these classes was an exciting challenge for teachers, and teacher training using this approach was also a focus of this study. The methodology included: theoretical research on the topics of cellular biology (a cellular process such as ATP synthesis, for example) and the subsequent creation of the class in the form of an RPG adventure, testing the created classes, and applying the material to students of higher education in three different universities. The students attended either an RPG-based class (GRPG) or a lecture (GC) on specific cellular biology topics. Pre- and post-class questionnaires, conceptual maps, regular exam scores and on an unannounced test one year later (medium-term retention) were compared to assess student attitudes and learning in the two groups. The evaluation also consisted of testimonials from students, interviews with participating teachers, and observations of students during class. GC scored better than GRPG in 1 of 20 regular exam questions, but the score for this one question was very low in both groups. In the medium-term evaluation the RPG group showed higher scores on 2 of 22 questions and left fewer questions unanswered. Most students who participated in the GRPG considered that this is a good teaching/learning method, that it should be used as a complementary tool to lecture, and felt more confident and encouraged to read more about the class topics. The analysis of concept maps constructed by students before and after school, shows that new concepts were incorporated into the web of knowledge of students, and a significant improvement in the concepts' connections were established as assessed by concept maps. Teachers and students who acted as teachers in the RPG-based classes considered this a good teaching/learning tool, and were willing to apply this tool in their own classrooms. Our results showed that RPGs is quantitatively as good as formal lectures, but can be an educational tool that gives students the chance to learn actively and potentially lead to a better retention of the acquired knowledge / Doutorado / Biologia Celular / Doutor em Biologia Celular e Estrutural

Teachers use student grouping to reduce the complexities of the classroom. Grouping has been credited with making behavior more predictable, improving interpersonal skills, and making instruction easier by increasing homogeneity. Research suggests that teachers' grouping decisions are influenced by characteristics of the student, the teacher, the task, and the environment. Research on grouping has centered on elementary classes, with little investigation of secondary classes. The purpose of this study was to describe the influences on secondary laboratory teachers' grouping decisions in a naturally occurring secondary school setting.

The problem of this study was to compare the achievement and attitude of students in an individualized biology program, modeled after parts of the Proposed Texas Science Framework, with the achievement and attitude of students in conventional biology classes. The subjects used for the study were tenth grade, first year biology students in three high schools in a large North Central Texas city. Each of the three high schools was selected to represent a particular category of high schools. The categories were based upon the mean achievement scores for the students within a school. The categories of schools were above average, medium low, and very low. In each of the schools the classes and teachers in the experimental group and the control group were matched as closely as possible.

M.Ed. (Science Education) / Evolution was introduced as a new section of Life Sciences in the National Curriculum Statement in 2008, anecdotal evidence indicating that this incorporation was not welcomed by all teachers, learners, parents and schools with the same enthusiasm. For example, many Christian teachers and learners seem to have religious objections, but while there is ample research available in the United States of America and Great Britain on their views of evolution, that on the South African Life Sciences classroom is limited. Therefore, this study strives to determine the lived experiences of these teachers and learners and how they relate to the topic. The objectives were to investigate how Christian teachers of Life Sciences experience the teaching of evolution in the classroom; the knowledge and skills they have in order to teach natural selection and evolutionary biology, as prescribed by the National Curriculum Statement; and the barriers they face in the teaching of evolution and natural selection. Meanwhile, Grade 12 learners completed a questionnaire before and after receiving tuition on evolution in order to determine their lived experiences. This study is part of a trilogy within a Research Niche Area of the University of Johannesburg, with the other two researchers focusing on Islam perspectives (Yalvac, 2011) and the Hindu perspective (Reddy, 2012). This is an explanatory sequential mixed method study with an element of phenomenology. Quantitative data was collected which informed the qualitative research, the latter being used to examine the lived experiences of Life Sciences teachers, the former to determine learners’ attitudes toward evolution as well as gauging the teachers’ general understanding of the theory of evolution. Third generation Cultural Historical Activity theory (CHAT) was used as the theoretical framework through which the lived experiences of Christian teachers and learners were analysed. This is appropriate for this study as it views the teachers and learners holistically, by taking their culture and history into account, and it provides a vehicle for looking at what Pintrich, Marx and Boyle (1993) call, the “hot” factors associated with controversial conceptual change. The findings of my study show that many Christian teachers and learners experience conflict between their religion and evolution and many tensions arise in the activity system when using CHAT as a lens. These tensions mainly arise due to a lack of the teachers’ PCK and the conflict arising because of religious objections. The findings furthermore show that learners have a relative naïve understanding of evolution before tuition and have many misconceptions regarding it. A clear polarisation can be seen after tuition as learners move from a neutral stance with regards to evolution to either a more creationistic or scientific point of view. In the final chapter I make recommendations on how the teaching and learning of evolution can be improved in the South African classroom.

This study aimed to investigate how Grade 11 Biology teachers mediate learning through code-switching from English to Oshiwambo. It was triggered by my experience as a teacher when I came to observe that the majority of teachers still use the home language during their lessons though the language policy for schools in Namibia clearly states that English should be used as a medium of instruction from Grade Four onwards. The research was carried out at Happy Secondary School (pseudonym), a rural government school in Omusati Region, Namibia. It was a qualitative case study underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. The unit of analysis was the mediation of learning through codeswitching from English to Oshiwambo. Document analysis, questionnaires, interviews (semistructured, focus group, stimulated recall interviews) and lesson observations were used as data gathering techniques, to ensure adequate coverage, validity and trustworthiness of the data gathered. The study adopted Vygotsky’s social constructivism and the socio-cultural perspective in conjunction with Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) as the theoretical frameworks. The data analysis process entailed organising data into themes from which four analytical statements were then derived in relation to the research questions. The study found that both Biology teachers and learners view code-switching as a useful tool in making learners understand the biological concepts. The study revealed that Biology teachers code-switch from English to Oshiwambo to make learners understand better, increase participation, explain concepts, elaborate, for disciplinary purposes, when giving examples of everyday knowledge events and when asking questions. The study also revealed that learners code-switch mainly for good communication, easier self-expression, due to loss of words, when unprepared to explain concepts and due to fear of making mistakes. It emerged, however, that both teachers and learners experience some challenges when codeswitching from English to Oshiwambo is used to mediate learning in Biology lessons. These include time constraints, lack of biological terms in Oshiwambo, different Oshiwambo dialects and the language policy. In addition, learners also lose the opportunity to learn English and find it difficult to answer questions in the examinations. The study revealed that Biology teachers and learners try to overcome these challenges by good lesson preparation, mini-teaching, using English/Oshindonga dictionaries or simply by adhering to the language policy.

This study explored three aspects related to ESL students in a mainstream grade 11 biology classroom: 1) the nature of students' participation in classroom activities, 2) the factors that enhanced or constrained ESL students' engagement in social interactions, and 3) the role of language in the learning of science. Ten ESL students were observed over an eight-month period in this biology classroom. Data were collected using qualitative research methods such as participant observation, audio-recordings of lessons, field notes, semi-structured interviews, short lesson recall interviews and students' written work. The study was framed within sociocultural perspectives, particularly the social constructivist perspectives of Vygotsky (1962,1978) and Wertsch (1991). Data were analysed with respect to the three research aspects. Firstly, the findings showed that ESL students' preferred and exhibited a variety of participation practices that ranged from personal-individual to socio-interactive in nature. Both personal-individual and socio-interactive practices appeared to support science and language learning. Secondly, the findings indicated that ESL students' engagement in classroom social interactions was most likely influenced by the complex interactions between a number of competing factors at the individual, interpersonal and community/cultural levels (Rogoff, Radziszewska, & Masiello, 1995). In this study, six factors that appeared to enhance or constrain ESL students' engagement in classroom social interactions were identified. These factors were socio-cultural factors, prior classroom practice, teaching practices, affective factors, English language proficiency, and participation in the research project. Thirdly, the findings indicated that language played a significant mediational role in ESL students' learning of science. The data revealed that the learning of science terms and concepts can be explained by a functional model of language that includes: 1) the use of discourse to construct meanings, 2) multiple semiotic representations of the thing/process, and 3) constructing taxonomies and ways of reasoning. Other important findings were: talking about language is integral to biology teaching and learning, ESL students' prior knowledge of everyday words does not necessarily help them interpret written questions on worksheets, and ESL students' prior knowledge of concepts in their first language does not necessarily support concept learning in the second language. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

Science is taught at all grade levels, yet there exists a deficiency in the amount of emphasis placed on science training for elementary teachers. As a result, teachers often feel inadequate in their knowledge of scientific areas and in their ability to develop science process skills in their students. As a result in this lack of training, a need exists to provide programs to increase skill and confidence of elementary teachers not only in teaching science concepts but science process skills as well. One means of meeting this need was the development of an activity-based, process-oriented inservice curriculum designed specifically for elementary science. The curriculum was designed as an inservice component of 60 hours that emphasized process skills as well as updating science concepts. The curriculum was designed for use in grades 1-6 and stressed "hands-on" experiences using readily available materials and a minimum of specialized equipment. The curriculum was field tested as a component of the Clay county, Florida Summer Inservice Institute. Thirty eight teachers, whose teaching assignments ranged from kindergarten to sixth grade, participated in the field test. At the beginning of the Institute, no participant scored 80% or better on a pretest of knowledge of concepts and process skills. Each participant completed each 'activity in the role of a student, including forming a hypothesis, collecting data, and drawing a conclusion. Activities were then discussed stressing process skills used and an indepth review of concepts involved. On the final day of the Institute, 84% of the participants scored 80% or better on the posttest. Furthermore, evaluations of the component by particiPants indicated a marked improvement in confidence in and enthusiasm for teaching science process skills. Overall the curriculum met the objective of increasing elementary teachers' ability and willingness to teach science process skills as well as science concepts.

No description available.

This project reviews the basic chemical and geographical features of the ocean, biological classification of marine life, background of the ocean's flora and fauna, and the ocean's environment. These facts are presented through an underwater documentary filmed at various sites along Southern California's coast and complemented with lesson plans designed for grades K - 4.