<p>  </p> <p>  The effects of science have remarkably changed our world and we should learn how to live effectively in a consistently evolving world. Scientific thinking is believed to be the key factor in developing the ability to use scientific knowledge in problem-solving (Norris & Philips, 2003; Zimmerman, 2000). Therefore, increasing adults’ ability to think scientifically would help them apply better problem-solving strategies in everyday routines. Unfortunately, not a lot has been done on advancing scientific thinking education among adults in formal and nonformal educational settings in the U.S. (Osborn, 2013). Hence, this study used case study approach, a qualitative research method, to explore Purdue Extension Master Gardener volunteers’ scientific thinking in the context of problem-solving through inquiry. The purpose of this study was to explore Purdue Extension Master Gardener volunteers’ scientific thinking throughout a home hydroponics inquiry-based project and to describe their experiences to complete the learning module. This study took over nine weeks of a virtual inquiry-based learning program with four Purdue Extension Master Gardener volunteers. Data collection included pre- and post-interview, project worksheets and exit notecards at the end of each online lesson.</p> <p>  </p> <p>There were three major findings. First, participants demonstrated scientific thinking skills by conducting experiments and acknowledging the effectiveness of scientific inquiry in problem-solving. Second, participants’ learning experiences were positive following the integration of adult learning theory assumptions into the learning module. Third, participants expressed intent to continue using scientific experiments to solve their gardening problems as a new skill they learned and found effective in helping them understand and solve problems. The findings of this study suggest that both domain-specific (prior knowledge and everyday life experience) and domain-general (scientific methods and reasoning processes) strategies are important to conduct scientific reasoning. In addition, motivation is a critical factor that drives the direction of inquiry, hypothesis, and helps in persisting to finish up the experiments. The findings also suggested that adults learn best when they have independence and self-direction in working on topics that align with the real-world problem-solving directly linked to their everyday life. </p> <p>  </p> <p>The findings of this study suggest that developing scientific thinking increases the ability of adults to appreciate valuable information, evaluate data source, and increase informed citizenry in general. Also, for teaching adults, instructors and instructional designers should concentrate on topics that have direct impact on adults’ life, mainly focusing on real-world problem-solving. Future studies could consider exploring scientific thinking using a different context than problem-solving used in this study. Future studies also should consider using larger populations with a variety of backgrounds to assess the role of prior knowledge in scientific thinking development. </p>

Syftet med uppgiften är att få kunskap om hur pedagoger uppfattar och ser på teknik i förskolan. För att undersöka detta har jag formulerat följande övergripande frågeställningar: Hur resonerar, uppfattar och ser pedagoger på begreppet teknik?, samt Hur arbetar pedagogerna med teknik i förskolan? Som metod har jag valt semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer som tolkas utifrån fenomenologisk teori och sex pedagoger vid sex olika verksamheter i en kommun har intervjuats. Pedagogerna i studien ser teknikämnet som något positivt och tycker det är kul, men framför att många i deras arbetslag finner en viss rädsla för ämnet. Teknik behöver inte vara svårt och går att fånga i vardagen på förskolan, men det svåra är att medvetandegöra för barnen att de arbetar med teknik. Av studiens resultat framkommer att teknik på förskolorna framför allt är bygg- och konstruktion med olika strukturerade och ostrukturerade material, och att aktiviteter sker främst spontant och äger rum året runt både inomhus och utomhus.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The effectiveness of a research methods course on the scientific thinking skills of a group of second year psychology students was recently reported on by Kagee, Allie and Lesch (2010). As part of this study they developed an instrument, The Scientific in Psychology Scale, comprising 11 questions each of which required (a) the endorsement of one of two binary choices and (b) a written explanation detailing the reasons for the choice. However, their findings were based only a statistical analysis of (a) which allowed for a comparison between a control group and an experimental group as a whole. The present study aims to characterize the patterns of thinking at a more detailed level, by analysing the qualitative data for one of the questions. To this end, an alphanumeric scheme was devised to code the data for the two groups mentioned; namely, first year psychology students who comprised the control group, and second year psychology students who comprised the experimental group. The coding was performed at a fine-grained level from which broader categories were constructed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Verslag oor die effektiwiteit van ʼn navorsingsmetodiek kursus op die wetenskaplike denkvaardighede van ʼn groep tweedejaar sielkunde studente, was onlangs waargeneem deur Kagee, Allie en Lesch (2010). As deel van hierdie studie het hul ʼn instrument ontwikkel, Die Wetenskaplik Denking in Sielkunde Skaal, wat bestaan uit 11 vrae wat elk ʼn (a) borg van een of twee binêre keuses en (b) ʼn geskrewe verduideliking wat die redes vir die besluit, omskryf. Hul bevindings was egter net gegrond op ʼn statistiese analise van (a) wat toegelaat het vir ʼn vergelyking tussen ʼn kontrole groep en eksperimentele groep as geheel. Hierdie studie beoog om die patrone van denke op ʼn meer gedetaileerde vlak te karakteriseer, deur analise van kwalitatiewe data van een van die vrae. Ten einde dit te bereik, is ʼn alfanumeriese skema geskep om die data van die twee reedsgenoemde groepe te kodeer; naamlik, eerste jaar studente wat deel gevorm het van die kontrole groep, en tweede jaar studente wat deel gevorm het van die eksperimentele groep. Die kodering was uitgevoer op ʼn hoogs gedetaileerde vlak waaruit wyer kategorieë gekonstrueer is.

abstract: In order to maintain its global position, the United States needs to increase the number of students opting for science careers. Science teachers face a formidable challenge. Students are not choosing science because they do not think coursework is interesting or applies to their lives. These problems often compound for adolescents in urban areas. This action research investigated an innovation aimed at engaging a group of adolescents in the science learning process through cognitive processes and conceptual understanding. It was hoped that this combination would increase students' engagement in the classroom and proficiency in science. The study was conducted with 28 juniors and sophomores in an Environmental Science class in an urban high school with a student body of 97% minority students and 86% students receiving free and reduced lunch. The study used a mixed-methods design. Instruments included a pre- and post-test, Thinking Maps, transcripts of student discourse, and a two-part Engagement Observation Instrument. Data analysis included basic descriptives and a grounded theory approach. Findings show students became engaged in activities when cognitive processes were taught prior to content. Furthermore it was discovered that Thinking Maps were perceived to be an easy tool to use to organize students' thinking and processing. Finally there was a significant increase in student achievement. From these findings implications for future practice and research are offered. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2014

No description available.

no / Over the last century there have been a number of proposals to ground both local and cosmic arrows of time: from the Second law to the Growing Block Universe, from Decoherence to Earman’s time-direction heresy. The latter proposal rejects the traditional association of the Second law of thermodynamics with arrows of time. But it seems that notions like entropy and related notions – phase space volumes and typicality – are not easily banned from discussions of temporal arrows. A close reading of Eddington’s thinking on these questions reveals that his views underwent a considerable development. In particular Eddington abandoned his identification of the arrows of time with the increase in entropy and began to see the Second law as a criterion for temporal arrows. In the process, Eddington also developed an argument against Loschmidt’s reversibility objections, in terms of an expanding universe. This latter argument brings his contribution close to contemporary thinking in terms of Liouville’s theorem, the topology of phase space and typicality arguments. Their reliability to deliver arrows of time will therefore be considered. Are there arrows of time? This question is related to the epistemological views of both Eddington and Wheeler. They insisted on the role of inferences in scientific thinking. Physical reality was to be inferred from data (Eddington) or information (Wheeler) about the physical universe. The paper will conclude that the arrows of time are equally to be regarded as conceptual inferences from various physical criteria – not just entropy – which the universe makes available to us.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T13:45:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 CELMA LAURINDA FREITAS COSTA.pdf: 1522303 bytes, checksum: 7a902ead673fb6e20f68605d88678a88 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-11-09 / This present doctoral thesis presents a reading of Bachelards epistemological and scientific thinking using six works of his: Essay on Approximate Knowledge; The New Scientific Spirit; The Formation of the Scientific Mind: Contribution to a Psychoanalysis of Objective Knowledge; The Philosophy of No: A Philosophy of The New Scientific Mind; The Applied Rationalism ; Rational Materialism. Bachelard as an epistemological of physical sciences narrates in a critical way the history of physics and chemistry from the XVIII to the XX century, passing through the alchemy and the first experiments with electricity to the Theory of Relativity of Einstein and his followers with the microphysics, the quantum physics, and wave physics. Bachelard developed the applied rationalism , while he criticized the philosophers who gave opinions without real knowledge of the object of these sciences. For him, the applied rationalism represents the relation between the reason and emotion, in other words, the theory and the practice or the matter and the scientific speech, using mathematics as basis. Employing the poliphilosophy concept, he exposed the path of physics and chemistry, going through several philosophies: realism, empiricism, positivism, simple rationalism, complex rationalism, dialectic rationalism, or surrationalism. His work shows a breaking up between the common sense or vulgar knowledge and the objective scientific knowledge, from the assertoric to the apoditic and axiomatic level in the physical sciences. Using concepts such as dialectizing and psychoanalyze , epistemological obstacles and approximate knowledge , among others, Bachelard describes the dialectical movements of physical sciences in its evolution with their ruptures and corrections, becoming a solid universal patrimony under the vigilance of the scientific community. These procedures forms what he designates as scientific education - ideas that he applies to the scholar teaching, an area where there are also epistemological and pedagogical obstacles to be overcome. Bachelard idealizes an utopian school, involving teachers, students and methods in a dialectical process of psychoanalisation and rationale similar to the scientific process. / Esta tese de doutorado apresenta uma leitura do pensamento epistemológicocientífico e pedagógico de Bachelard a partir de seis obras da sua produção epistemológica: Ensaio sobre o conhecimento aproximado; O novo espírito científico; A formação do espírito científico: contribuição para uma psicanálise do conhecimento; Filosofia do novo espírito científico: a filosofia do não; O racionalismo aplicado; O materialismo racional. Bachelard, como epistemólogo das ciências físicas, narra de modo crítico a história da física e da química do século XVIII ao XX, indo da alquimia e primeiras experiências com a eletricidade à revolução da Teoria da Relatividade, de Einstein e seguidores, com a microfísica, a física quântica e ondulatória. Criticando os filósofos por opinarem sem conhecimento sobre objetos dessas ciências, Bachelard desenvolveu o racionalismo aplicado , que representa a relação entre a razão e a experiência, ou seja, entre a teoria e a prática, ou matéria e discurso científico, com base na matemática. Com o conceito de polifilosofia, ele expõe o trajeto da física e da química, passando por diversas filosofias: realismo, empirismo, positivismo, racionalismo simples, racionalismo complexo, racionalismo dialético ou surracionalismo. Seu trabalho objetiva mostrar a ruptura entre o senso comum ou conhecimento vulgar e o conhecimento científico objetivo, indo do nível assertórico ao nível apodítico e axiomático nas ciências físicas. Com os conceitos de dialetizar e psicanalisar , de obstáculos epistemológicos e conhecimento aproximado , e outros, ele descreve o movimento dialético das ciências físicas em sua evolução, com rupturas e retificações, tornando-se um sólido patrimônio universal sob a vigilância da comunidade científica. Todo esse processo constitui o que ele designa de educação científica ideias que ele aplica ao ensino escolar, onde também há obstáculos epistemológicos e pedagógicos a serem superados. Bachelard idealiza uma escola utópica, envolvendo professores, alunos e métodos, em um processo dialético de psicanalisação e racionalidade, à semelhança do processo científico.

Scientific thinking is an essential skill for full application in society associated with responsible human decision-making. The development of research skills and knowledge also contributes to its complexity. For the possibility of their systematic development, it is necessary to map the current situation of students in primary schools. The aim of the work was to find out what are the research skills of these students in the field of correctly formulating a research question based on specific problem and after finding a solution to formulate an answer to a given research question. Four research-oriented tasks were used, which were solved by 58 students from the seventh grade of primary school. It was found that more than half of the students are not able to formulate the research question correctly and more than one third of the students are unable to formulate the answer to the given research question correctly.