This thesis analyses the method, purpose, and results of Aristotle's treatment of a select number of Presocratic and Platonic theses about the soul within the context of De Anima 1. Contrary to a prevalent interpretation of De Anima 1 which sees Aristotle's treatment of his predecessors' psychological views as dialectical, I argue that Aristotle treats his predecessors as having offered potentially viable hypotheses about the nature of the soul, and that these hypotheses are treated as attempts to explain the soul's basic powers. I further show that, in order to test the explanatory limits of these theories, Aristotle uses a version of the scientific method of inquiry advertised in the Prior and Posterior Analytics, which consists in setting out the basic psychological phenomena which psychology should explain, and then testing the extent to which his predecessors' definitions of the soul are able to accomplish this task. This thesis argues that, by demonstrating where his predecessors' first principles fall short, Aristotle is able to make theoretical progress towards establishing his own 'hylomorphic' first principle of soul, that soul is the 'first fulfilment of a natural instrumental body', and towards the idea that soul operates in the body of living beings as a formal, final, and efficient cause.

This action research thesis was performed to explore the research questions: How did the use of formative assessment affect student performance data in understanding the concepts of the Sun-Earth-Moon system?, How did the use of learning scales as formative techniques impact student self-assessment of their knowledge of the Sun-Earth-Moon system?, How did the implementation of formative assessment techniques affect student discourse on the topic of the Sun-Earth-Moon system? Formative assessment techniques including "talk-friendly" probes, sticky bars, and agree-disagree statements were used in the classroom to expose gaps in knowledge, to facilitate discourse, and promote self-assessment. A triangulation of data included a district-provided pre/post-test, teacher observation, written and oral student responses of formative assessment, self-assessment, discourse, and student self-assessment on a learning goal tracker. Data gathered from student responses to formative assessment techniques given during discourse, lab experiences, in written responses, and from the student learning scale tracker were analyzed to expose misconceptions and gaps in knowledge and guide classroom instruction. Data showed that student performance data improved overall and students narrowed gaps in knowledge of the Sun-Earth-Moon system. Improvement in student participation and skill of discourse was evident; however students needed more practice developing written explanations for phenomenon within the Sun-Earth-Moon system. Through the use of self-assessments students showed improvement in ability to self-assess and realized gained knowledge toward their learning goal.

No description available.

The international and national assessment results indicated that Turkish students&rsquo / conceptual understanding in science and basic inquiry skills are far behind the expected levels. The reason of low achievement could be attributed to many sources such as family background characteristics, students&rsquo / attitudes, and teaching methodologies. The low socioeconomic environment in the school and crowded classrooms are important facts that should be somehow considered by the educational researchers. The way a teacher teaches in a crowded classroom is important to help students&rsquo / understanding of concepts and development of inquiry skills. The present study aimed to propose a methodology that helps teachers to enhance students&rsquo / understanding of concepts and develop inquiry skills in many schools with various socio-economic-status environments and large classrooms. The method proposed could be called as guided (teacher-directed) inquiry to develop concepts, skills, and affective characteristics of the students such as attitudes. This study was conducted with 168 sixth grade public elementary school students in Ankara in 2006-07 academic year. Repeated measures design was used in the study. Intact groups received either traditional or teacher-directed inquiry instructions. The students in both groups were measured with the unit achievement and science process skills tests, and attitudes toward science questionnaire before and after the instructions, and repeatedly after no treatment by a retention or delayed test. It was found that while the guided (teacher-directed) inquiry instruction made a difference on student achievement in the first unit (Reproduction, Development and Growth in Living Things), it could not make a difference on student achievement in the second unit (Force and Motion). The instruction also made a difference on students&rsquo / science process skills test performance and both the composite and individual attitude scores. It is concluded that guided (teacher-directed) inquiry instruction generally helps students&rsquo / understanding of science concepts and results with achievement in science. It helps students&rsquo / development of scientific skills with authentic experiences. Guided (teacher-directed) inquiry instruction also has an effect on students&rsquo / development of positive attitudes toward science and technology course, specifically on self-concept, anxiety, interest, career, enjoyment, and usefulness dimensions.

The science and technology program developed by the Ministry of National Education of Turkey aims at training students as science and technology literates. In order to achieve this, method implemented by teachers should enhance science process skills, increase achievement and actualize differentiation in the conceptual structure of students. The present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of guided inquiry experiments over traditionally designed experiments on the acquisition of science process skills, content knowledge achievement and differentiating conceptual structure of 8th grade students about floating, sinking, buoyancy and pressure subjects. Guided inquiry laboratory manuals were developed for the experimental group. Traditional confirmation type laboratory manuals were developed for the control group. The study was conducted with 55 eighth grade students at a private elementary school in the Bah&ccedil / elievler district, Istanbul. In this quasi-experimental study, two of the three intact groups assigned as experimental group, while the control group. Unit achievement test (UAT), science process skills test (SPST) and two-tiered test for determining differentiation in conceptual structure (DDSCT) were used as data collection instruments. All of these instruments were administered to the students as pre-test and post-test. It was found that guided inquiry experiments were effective than traditional confirmation type experiments in differentiation of students&rsquo / conceptual structure about floating, sinking, buoyancy and pressure. However, there was not a significant difference in the effectiveness of both inquiry and traditional methods on enhancing the students&rsquo / science process skills and their achievement at the unit of force and motion.

Standardized test data indicate that student achievement in science is a problem both nationally and locally. At the study site, only a small percentage of fifth-grade students score at the advanced level on the Maryland state science assessment (MSA). In addition, the performance of African American, economically disadvantaged, and special education students is well below that of the general student population. Some studies have shown that teacher self-efficacy affects student achievement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between fifth-grade teacher inquiry science instruction self-efficacy scores and the scores of their students on the MSA. Bandura's work on the effect of self-efficacy on human behavior provided the theoretical basis for this study. The research questions examined the relationship between teacher inquiry science instructional self-efficacy scores and students' science MSA scores as well as the relationship by student subgroups. A correlational research design was used. The Teaching Science as Inquiry survey instrument was used to quantify teacher self-efficacy, and archival MSA data were the source for student scores. The study included data from 22 teachers and 1,625 of their students. A 2-tailed Pearson coefficient analysis revealed significant, positive relationships with regard to overall student achievement (r20 = .724, p < .01) and the achievement of each of the subgroups (African American: r20 = .549, p < .01; economically disadvantaged: r20 = .655, p < .01; and special education: r18 = .532, p < .05). The results of this study present an opportunity for positive social change because the local school system can provide professional development that may increase teacher inquiry science instruction self-efficacy as a possible means to improve overall science achievement and to reduce achievement gaps.

No description available.

本研究成果冀望對於減輕圖書教師或館員在圖書館利用教育實施上的負擔，以發展結合網路學習讓學習者自學的有效圖書館利用教育模式。據此本研究探討發展之「合作式網路探究圖書館利用教育模式」對於學習者的學習成效、網路態度、科技接受度及學習滿意度，是否優於目前普遍被採用的「網路式圖書館利用教育模式」。此外，本研究亦探討場地獨立型與場地相依型不同認知風格及高低網路自我效能學習者利用「合作式網路探究圖書館利用教育模式」進行圖書館利用教育學習，在提升學習成效、網路態度、科技接受度及學習滿意度上是否與「網路式圖書館利用教育模式」具有顯著的差異，希望據此探討這兩個背景變項對於「合作式網路探究圖書館利用教育模式」輔以圖書館利用教育實施的影響。 本研究採用準實驗研究法，隨機選取新北市某公立小學六年級二個班為研究對象，一班為實驗組，共有30人，採用「合作式網路探究圖書館利用教育模式」學習模式；一班為控制組，共有31人，採用「網路式圖書館利用教育模式」學習模式，在90分鐘共二堂課時間內，分別實施不同模式之圖書館利用教育課程。 實驗結果顯示利用「合作式網路探究圖書館利用教育模式」進行學習的實驗組學習者，在學習成效及網路態度上皆顯著優於採用「網路式圖書館利用教育模式」的控制組學習者。在學習滿意度上兩組則無顯著差異。科技接受度的「認知有用性」上，實驗組學習者顯著優於控制組學習者；但是在科技接受度的「認知易用性」方面，兩組之間則無顯著差異。另外，本研究所發展的「合作式網路探究圖書館利用教育模式」對於場地相依型和網路自我效能較低的學習者的學習成效特別具有助益。但是「合作式網路探究圖書館利用教育模式」對於學習者的網路態度，並不會因不同個人認知風格與網路自我效能而有所差異。 / The research aims to explore the influences on students' learning effectiveness and internet attitude by using inquiry-based learning skills of Collaborative Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (CWISE) library instruction. Besides, it also find out the difference of learning effectiveness, internet attitude and learning satisfaction between field-independence and field-dependence cognitive styles, as well as high and low internet self-efficacy learners when using CWISE library instruction. The study would also help to reduce the burden on teachers or librarians and to provide self inquiry-based library instruction. The quasi-experimental design is used under the restriction of education environment. Two grade 6 classes of a public elementary school in New Taipei City are chosen randomly and devided into two groups. 30 students in experimental group is proceeded with CWISE library instruction, and 31 students in control group is proceeded with web-based library instruction. Both library instruction model are taken for 90 minutes in two periods. The results show that learning outcomes from CWISE group are better than traditional web-based instruction group in all aspects. In addition, the instruction of CWISE is benefit to learning outcomes for field-dependent cognitive style and low internet self- efficacy learners. However, the students' internet attitude isn't influenced by cognitive style and internet self-efficacy after CWISE library instruction.