<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> <p align="left">The aim of the study was to investigate the nature of biology practical work and associated discourses in two Namibian secondary schools. The purposive sample consisted of three biology teachers and 36 grade 11 students who enrolled for NSSC Higher- and Ordinary-level biology in 2004 and 2005. The study adopted a descriptive and an in-depth qualitative design involving the use of interviews and observation schedules (Video Observation Quoting Schedules-VOQS). The quality of VOQS instruments were established through a panel of independent experts who critically assessed the quality of the items and later discussed to reach consensus. Their rating of the items helped in the establishment of interrater reliability.</p> </font></font></p>

This study investigated the effect of the epistemologically and metacognitively stimulated 7E learning cycle (EM-7ELC) on tenth grade students&rsquo / physics achievement and epistemological understandings in physics. The participants of the study included 107 (49 Female, 58 Male) tenth grade students at two Anatolian teacher training high schools in Ankara. A quasi-experimental with matching-only pretest-posttest control group design was employed. Two intact classes of each school were randomly assigned to the experimental and control group. The experimental group was instructed based on the EM-7ELC while the control group was taught with the traditional instruction. The study was conducted in 2009-2010 academic year. The Force and Motion Achievement Test-I and II were administered to assess the students&rsquo / achievement in force and motion unit. The Turkish Physics Expectation Survey was applied to probe the students&rsquo / epistemological understandings in physics. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was employed to examine the effect of the instruction relied on the EM-7ELC on the students&rsquo / epistemological understandings when their pre-epistemological understandings were controlled. The result indicated that there was a significant difference between two groups&rsquo / post epistemological understandings in favor of the EM-7ELC group. In this study, a statistically significant interaction between the mode of instruction and the students&rsquo / pre-epistemological understandings was observed. Aptitude treatment interaction (ATI) analysis was used to figure out the nature of this interaction. The result of the analysis demonstrated that the traditional instruction was more effective for promoting physics achievement for the students&rsquo / indicating very low epistemological stance. However, the EM-7ELC was more effective for the other types of the students.

<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> <p align="left">The aim of the study was to investigate the nature of biology practical work and associated discourses in two Namibian secondary schools. The purposive sample consisted of three biology teachers and 36 grade 11 students who enrolled for NSSC Higher- and Ordinary-level biology in 2004 and 2005. The study adopted a descriptive and an in-depth qualitative design involving the use of interviews and observation schedules (Video Observation Quoting Schedules-VOQS). The quality of VOQS instruments were established through a panel of independent experts who critically assessed the quality of the items and later discussed to reach consensus. Their rating of the items helped in the establishment of interrater reliability.</p> </font></font></p>

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The aim of the study was to investigate the nature of biology practical work and associated discourses in two Namibian secondary schools. The purposive sample consisted of three biology teachers and 36 grade 11 students who enrolled for NSSC Higher- and Ordinary-level biology in 2004 and 2005. The study adopted a descriptive and an in-depth qualitative design involving the use of interviews and observation schedules (Video Observation Quoting Schedules-VOQS). The quality of VOQS instruments were established through a panel of independent experts who critically assessed the quality of the items and later discussed to reach consensus. Their rating of the items helped in the establishment of interrater reliability.

<p>The process of scientific inquiry is critical for students to understand how knowledge is developed and validated. Representations of the process of inquiry have varied over time, from simple to complex, but some concepts are persistent – such as the concept of a scientific hypothesis. Current guidelines for undergraduate biology education prioritize developing student competence in generating and evaluating hypotheses but fail to define the concept and role of hypotheses. The nature of science literature points to the hypothetico-deductive method of inquiry originated by Karl Popper as a widely accepted conception of scientific hypotheses. Popper characterized a hypothesis as a falsifiable explanation of observed phenomena deduced from previously established knowledge. Alongside hypotheses, Popper also emphasizes the role of predictions, which are logically derived from hypotheses and characterized as testable expectations regarding the outcomes of an experiment or study. Together, hypotheses and predictions are thought to provide a framework for establishing rigorous conclusions in scientific studies. However, the absence of explicit definitions of hypotheses, or predictions, in guidelines and assessment for biology higher education makes it difficult to determine the current relevance of this perspective on hypotheses and predictions in teaching and learning. This leaves us with an unanswered question – what do biology undergraduate students need to know about scientific hypotheses? We addressed this question over three studies each investigating conceptions of scientific hypotheses, and the related concept of predictions, in a different context – (a) contemporary biology research communications, (b) a case study of biology faculty, graduate teaching assistants, and undergraduate students at a single institution, and (c) a national survey of biology faculty members. We found that the terms “hypothesis” and “prediction” used in varied ways in biology research communication and, most notably, often not connected with each other. We also found variation in conceptions of both hypothesis and prediction among faculty members, both in our case study and in the national survey. Our results indicate that faculty members did not always distinguish between the terms hypothesis and prediction in research or teaching or approach them the same way in research contexts. However, they had largely consistent ideas of the underlying reasoning connecting these concepts to each other and to scientific inquiry. Among graduate teaching assistants and undergraduate students in the case study, we found variation in conceptions of both hypotheses and predictions that was different from conceptions held by faculty members. Both graduate teaching assistants and undergraduate students often did not connect the two concepts in terms of underlying reasoning. Overall, our results indicate that there are some misalignments between students’ and instructors’ conceptions of hypotheses and predictions and their role in inquiry. We further discuss these findings in the context of teaching implications for undergraduate biology.</p>

No description available.

The Federal Government has called for an overhaul of STEM education, saying that we as a nation must increase "opportunities for young Americans to gain strong STEM skills" (Office of Science and Technology Policy, 2013, p.1). Economically, these skills expand beyond those that make good doctors, professors, and engineers; there is a world of jobs going unfilled because our students are graduating without the skills or knowledge that such opportunities exist. To increase the future STEM workforce, we first need to increase student awareness of a variety of STEM careers early on (Tai et al., 2006). Career decisions are being made by students as early as middle school (Tai et al., 2006); and very little if any STEM career exploration is occurring before high school. This lack of early exposure to STEM career options means that students are likely making decisions about career choices without accurate information; choosing a path before knowing about all the options. This research is broken into two manuscripts; the first of which examined the impacts of design-based learning and scientific inquiry curriculum treatments with embedded career content on the career interest of fifth-grade students as compared to traditional classroom methods. It found that there is an upward trend in career interest with the use of these curriculum treatments, but it is not a significant change, likely due to the short time period of the unit and/or small n. The second manuscript examined the effect of a design-based learning curriculum treatment implementation for a single unit on Radford City Schools fifth-grade students' STEM attitudes and interest in STEM careers through a pre/post design. The study showed statistically significant growth in overall STEM attitudes and within the science subtest specifically. Career interest in the general field of science showed a significant increase, while a change of interest in specific career areas was not statistically significant. Collectively, this research serves as a foundation for the effectiveness of having career awareness and career exposure opportunities built into active learning instruction, which does not occur currently. Built on secondary principles, but at a level appropriate for elementary students, using active learning opportunities with embedded career connections has the potential to be an effective solution to students' premature exclusion of STEM-related study and work options identified in the literature. Through preliminary exposure to this unique combination at the elementary level, a stronger foundation can be built for both ability and interest in STEM. / Ph. D. / The Federal Government has called for an overhaul of STEM education, saying that we as a nation must increase “opportunities for young Americans to gain strong STEM skills” (Office of Science and Technology Policy, 2013, p.1). Economically, these skills expand beyond those that make good doctors, professors, and engineers; there is a world of jobs going unfilled because our students are graduating without the skills or knowledge that such opportunities exist. To increase the future STEM workforce, we first need to increase student awareness of a variety of STEM careers early on (Tai et al., 2006). Career decisions are being made by students as early as middle school (Tai et al., 2006); and very little if any STEM career exploration is occurring before high school. This lack of early exposure to STEM career options means that students are likely making decisions about career choices without accurate information; choosing a path before knowing about all the options. This research is broken into two manuscripts; the first of which examined the impacts of design-based learning and scientific inquiry curriculum treatments with embedded career content on the career interest of fifth-grade students as compared to traditional classroom methods. It found that there is an upward trend in career interest with the use of these curriculum treatments, but it is not a significant change, likely due to the short time period of the unit and/or small n. The second manuscript examined the effect of a design-based learning curriculum treatment implementation for a single unit on Radford City Schools fifth-grade students’ STEM attitudes and interest in STEM careers through a pre/post design. The study showed statistically significant growth in overall STEM attitudes and within the science subtest specifically. Career interest in the general field of science showed a significant increase, while a change of interest in specific career areas was not statistically significant. Collectively, this research serves as a foundation for the effectiveness of having career awareness and career exposure opportunities built into active learning instruction, which does not occur currently. Built on secondary principles, but at a level appropriate for elementary students, using active learning opportunities with embedded career connections has the potential to be an effective solution to students’ premature exclusion of STEM-related study and work options identified in the literature. Through preliminary exposure to this unique combination at the elementary level, a stronger foundation can be built for both ability and interest in STEM.

O presente trabalho foi realizado com a premissa de que, desde os primeiros anos de escolarização, os alunos precisam ser envolvidos em processos de investigação científica. Com a inserção de crianças de 6 anos no Ensino Fundamental (EF), surgiu uma série de indagações relacionadas ao Ensino de Ciências (EC), dentre as quais emerge a questão central desta pesquisa: É possível verificar o engajamento das crianças de 6 anos em processos de investigação científica?. Com enfoque essencialmente qualitativo e perspectiva de estudo de caso, estruturou-se uma Sequência de Ensino Investigativa (SEI) para os alunos dessa faixa etária, pertencentes a uma escola de Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo. As atividades que compõem a SEI foram divididas em três momentos: pré-investigação, investigação e pós-investigação. Com foco no processo de aprendizagem e significação de conceitos, a sequência teve o intuito de verificar algumas habilidades associadas ao fazer científico. Para tanto, foram analisadas as discussões orais, a partir da gravação de aulas e transcrição das falas, bem como as representações gráficas dos alunos, compondo, portanto, três fontes de dados: vídeos, falas e desenhos. Esses dados foram examinados com base em categorias relacionadas ao processo de investigação científica e ao conhecimento do ser vivo estudado. Por meio da observação de um ciclo de vida completo, os alunos vivenciaram oportunidades reais para levantar hipóteses, testar suas ideias, manusear materiais, coletar dados, manipular tabelas e gráficos, registrar informações, assim como articular, avaliar e revisar seus modelos de crescimento e desenvolvimento dos seres vivos. Os desenhos produzidos pelos alunos foram capazes de comunicar as atividades realizadas, tanto no que diz respeito ao ser vivo estudado como em relação aos materiais utilizados no processo de investigação. As habilidades empregadas pelos alunos, em suas comunicações orais ou representações gráficas, são ferramentas necessárias para o envolvimento com a cultura científica. Assim, acredita-se que as discussões científicas, no contexto da sala de aula, possuem implicação direta com o EC e devem ser fomentadas desde os primeiros anos do EF, visando à construção de novos conceitos e ferramentas científicas e ao envolvimento crescente dos alunos em processos de Alfabetização Científica (AC). / The present paper was developed with the premise that, since the early years in school, the students need to be involved in scientific inquiry-based processes. With the insertion of 6-year-old children in the Elementary School, a series of inquiries related to Science teaching came up, among which emerges the central question in this research: \"Is it possible to check the engagement of 6-year-old children in scientific inquiry-based processes?\". With essentially qualitative focus and case study perspective, an Inquiry-Based Teaching Sequence (IBTS) was structured to the students this age who belong to a school in Ribeirão Preto, in São Paulo state. The activities that make up the IBTS were divided in three moments: preinquiry, inquiry and postinquiry. Focusing in the learning process and in the meaning of concepts, the sequence had the intention to check some skills associated with the scientific doing. For this, oral discussions were analysed, starting with the recordings of the classes and the speech\'s transcription, as well as the students\' graphic representations which then made up three data sources: videos, speech and drawings. These data were examined based on categories related to the scientific inquiry-based process and the knowledge of the studied living being. Through the watching of a complete life cycle, the students experienced real opportunities to make hypothesis, test their ideas, handle materials, collect data, handle charts and graphics, and register information, as well as articulate, evaluate and review their growth models and living beings development. The drawings made by the students could communicate the performed activities, concerning both to the studied living being and to the materials used in the inquiry-based process. The skills used by the students in their oral communications or graphic representations are necessary tools to the engagement with the scientific culture. Therefore, it is believed that the scientific discussions, in the classroom context, have direct implication with the ST and must be encouraged since the early years in Science teaching, leading to the building of new concepts and scientific tools and also the growing engagement of the students in Scientific Literacy processes.

O presente trabalho foi realizado com a premissa de que, desde os primeiros anos de escolarização, os alunos precisam ser envolvidos em processos de investigação científica. Com a inserção de crianças de 6 anos no Ensino Fundamental (EF), surgiu uma série de indagações relacionadas ao Ensino de Ciências (EC), dentre as quais emerge a questão central desta pesquisa: É possível verificar o engajamento das crianças de 6 anos em processos de investigação científica?. Com enfoque essencialmente qualitativo e perspectiva de estudo de caso, estruturou-se uma Sequência de Ensino Investigativa (SEI) para os alunos dessa faixa etária, pertencentes a uma escola de Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo. As atividades que compõem a SEI foram divididas em três momentos: pré-investigação, investigação e pós-investigação. Com foco no processo de aprendizagem e significação de conceitos, a sequência teve o intuito de verificar algumas habilidades associadas ao fazer científico. Para tanto, foram analisadas as discussões orais, a partir da gravação de aulas e transcrição das falas, bem como as representações gráficas dos alunos, compondo, portanto, três fontes de dados: vídeos, falas e desenhos. Esses dados foram examinados com base em categorias relacionadas ao processo de investigação científica e ao conhecimento do ser vivo estudado. Por meio da observação de um ciclo de vida completo, os alunos vivenciaram oportunidades reais para levantar hipóteses, testar suas ideias, manusear materiais, coletar dados, manipular tabelas e gráficos, registrar informações, assim como articular, avaliar e revisar seus modelos de crescimento e desenvolvimento dos seres vivos. Os desenhos produzidos pelos alunos foram capazes de comunicar as atividades realizadas, tanto no que diz respeito ao ser vivo estudado como em relação aos materiais utilizados no processo de investigação. As habilidades empregadas pelos alunos, em suas comunicações orais ou representações gráficas, são ferramentas necessárias para o envolvimento com a cultura científica. Assim, acredita-se que as discussões científicas, no contexto da sala de aula, possuem implicação direta com o EC e devem ser fomentadas desde os primeiros anos do EF, visando à construção de novos conceitos e ferramentas científicas e ao envolvimento crescente dos alunos em processos de Alfabetização Científica (AC). / The present paper was developed with the premise that, since the early years in school, the students need to be involved in scientific inquiry-based processes. With the insertion of 6-year-old children in the Elementary School, a series of inquiries related to Science teaching came up, among which emerges the central question in this research: \"Is it possible to check the engagement of 6-year-old children in scientific inquiry-based processes?\". With essentially qualitative focus and case study perspective, an Inquiry-Based Teaching Sequence (IBTS) was structured to the students this age who belong to a school in Ribeirão Preto, in São Paulo state. The activities that make up the IBTS were divided in three moments: preinquiry, inquiry and postinquiry. Focusing in the learning process and in the meaning of concepts, the sequence had the intention to check some skills associated with the scientific doing. For this, oral discussions were analysed, starting with the recordings of the classes and the speech\'s transcription, as well as the students\' graphic representations which then made up three data sources: videos, speech and drawings. These data were examined based on categories related to the scientific inquiry-based process and the knowledge of the studied living being. Through the watching of a complete life cycle, the students experienced real opportunities to make hypothesis, test their ideas, handle materials, collect data, handle charts and graphics, and register information, as well as articulate, evaluate and review their growth models and living beings development. The drawings made by the students could communicate the performed activities, concerning both to the studied living being and to the materials used in the inquiry-based process. The skills used by the students in their oral communications or graphic representations are necessary tools to the engagement with the scientific culture. Therefore, it is believed that the scientific discussions, in the classroom context, have direct implication with the ST and must be encouraged since the early years in Science teaching, leading to the building of new concepts and scientific tools and also the growing engagement of the students in Scientific Literacy processes.

No description available.