Allan G. Harrison

A Typology of School Science Models.

Modelling is the essence of thinking and working scientifically. But how do secondary students view science models? Usually as toys or miniatures of real-life objects with few students actually understanding why scientists use multiple models to explain concepts. A conceptual typology of models is presented and explained to help teachers select models that are appropriate to the conceptual ability of their students. The article concludes by recommending that teachers model scientific modelling to their students, encourage the use of multiple models in science lessons, progressively introduce sophisticated models, systematically present in-class models using the Focus, Action and Reflection (FAR) guide and socially negotiate all model meanings.

Investigating a grade 11 student's evolving conceptions of heat and temperature

Many students enter physics courses with highly intuitive conceptions of nonobservable phenomena such as heat and temperature. The conceptions of heat and temperature are usually poorly differentiated and heat is often confused with internal energy. This article focuses on one students cognitive and affective changes which occurred during the Grade 11 topic of heat and temperature. The instruction used an inquiry approach coupled with concept substitution strategies aimed at restructuring alternative conceptions identified using pretests. A constructivist perspective drove both the teaching and research, and Ausubels theory of meaningful learning augmented the interpretive framework. The qualitative data comprising transcripts of all classroom discussions, student portfolios containing all of each students written work, and teacher/researcher observations and reflections were collected and interpreted to generate a case study for one student named Ken. Kens initial conceptual framework was undifferentiated with respect to heat and temperature. The course activities and concomitant use of concept substitution helped him differentiate these concepts and integrate them in a more scientifically acceptable way. A degree of affective and epistemological change was also identified as the course progressed. In-depth examination of the students prior, formative, and final conceptions showed that during this unit, the student progressively accepted greater responsibility for his learning, was willing to take cognitive risks, and became more critical and rigorous in both written and verbal problem solving.

Metaphor and Analogy in Science Education

This book brings together powerful ideas and new developments from internationally recognised scholars and classroom practitioners to provide theoretical and practical knowledge to inform progress in science education. This is achieved through a series of related chapters reporting research on analogy and metaphor in science education. Throughout the book, contributors not only highlight successful applications of analogies and metaphors, but also foreshadow exciting developments for research and practice. Themes include metaphor and analogy: best practice, as reasoning; for learning; applications in teacher development; in science education research; philosophical and theoretical foundations. Accordingly, the book is likely to appeal to a wide audience of science educators –classroom practitioners, student teachers, teacher educators and researchers.

Using an analogical teaching approach to engender conceptual change

This investigation set out to assess the efficacy of using analogies to engender conceptual change in students science learning about the refraction of light. Following instruction by the same teacher, two classes of students, one of which was taught analogically and one which was not, were interviewed three months after instruction using an interview‐about‐instances protocol. The verbatim transcripts and interviewer notes were interpreted from a constructivist perspective in an attempt to determine the status of each students conceptions of refraction of light. The findings from this study, described in terms of class results and three case studies, illustrate the utility of an analogical teaching approach for engendering conceptual change.

Teaching and Learning with Analogies

As we have illustrated in this chapter, on balance analogies are a friend to teachers and students alike but as we emphasise, analogies can be double-edged swords. In order that analogies are used as an effective tool in a science teacher’s repertoire, knowledge about their pedagogical function is essential.

How Do Teachers and Textbook Writers Model Scientific Ideas for Students

Ten experienced science teachers were interviewed about their understandings of the analogical models they use to explain science to their students. The aim was to investigate the notion that teaching pedagogy is influenced by the textbooks commonly used in class. A previously developed typology of analogical models was used to classify each teachers repertoire of models and the models found in the prescribed science textbooks. The classifications of teacher and textbook models were then compared to identify patterns, similarities and differences. In their interviews, eight of the 10 teachers volunteered that they regularly used models in their lessons. The claimed model use was least for chemistry teachers and highest for physics teachers. Textbook analysis showed that chemistry textbooks used the most models and physics textbooks the least with biology in between. Five teachers saw a need to negotiate with their students the shared and unshared attributes of teaching models and two consistently discussed the limitations of their models. Vignettes and extracts are used throughout the paper to explain how teachers and textbooks use and discuss models.

In search of explanatory frameworks: an analysis of Richard Feynman's lecture 'Atoms in motion'

Science is devoted to understanding and explaining the natural world and a goal of science education is to communicate science knowledge to novice science learners and non-scientists. Learners are often provided with descriptions of science phenomena rather than explanations and many students offer a description when an explanation is needed. In this study, firstly the various aspects of explanations that make up an explanatory framework and the notion of pedagogical content knowledge are discussed. Secondly, an exemplary set of physics explanations are analysed, namely from Richard Feynmans Six Easy Pieces, to identify the individual and holistic characteristics of an effective explanation. To date, this research indicates that a variable mix of science content, educational context, student factors and teacher factors contribute to effective explanations in educational settings. It is likely that teacher attention to the explanatory framework exhibited by Richard Feynman will enhance science classroom explanations.

What do students really learn from interactive multimedia? A physics case study

Interactive multimedia is promoted as an effective and stimulating medium for learning science, but students do not always interact with multimedia as intended by the designers. We discuss students’ interactions with an interactive multimedia program segment about projectile motion in the context of long jumping. Qualitative data were collected using a video camera and split-screen recorder to record each student’s image, voice, and student–program interactions. Left to themselves, students’ interactions were superficial, but when asked to explain their observations of projectile motion illustrations, they were observed to retain common intuitive conceptions. Only following researcher intervention did students develop an awareness of abstract aspects of the program. These results suggest that, despite interactivity and animated graphics, interactive multimedia may not produce the desired outcome for students learning introductory physics concepts.

Laboratory learning environments and practical tasks in senior secondary science classes

Laboratory work is seen as an integral part of most science courses; however, a significant proportion of laboratory activities remain highly prescriptive and fail to challenge many secondary science students. This study of senior high school biology, chemistry and physics laboratory environments drew data from student responses to theScience Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI) and a curriculum analysis of the implemented laboratory tasks. The study involved 387 biology, chemistry and physics students in 20 classes in Tasmania, Australia. The curriculum analysis was based on Lunetta and Tamir’sLaboratory Structure and Task Analysis Inventory and theLaboratory Task Analysis. The study found that the SLEI did differentiate between the three subject areas and that theLaboratory Structure and Task Analysis Inventory confirmed the more open-ended nature of the school physics in vestigations evident from students’ responses to the SLEI.

The Affective Dimension of Analogy

The paper’s examples — the wheels analogy, Dana’s story, Neil’s teaching and Ian’s interview show that analogies can interest students provided the stories are contextually, intellectually and socially familiar. Three recommendations seem pertinent: First, teachers need a rich and varied set of analogies that stimulate their own and their students’ creative imaginations. When teachers and students coconstruct analogical explanations using the students’ shared experiences, effective learning often results. Second, teachers need a systematic strategy for presenting analogies so that the analogy’s familiarity and interest is assured; the shared attributes are mapped in a way that enhances relational knowledge; and a means exists to check that the students realise when and where the analogy breaks down. This strategy is available in the FAR guide (see pp. 20–21). Third, it is important that we study which analogies interest students, why students are interested in these analogies, and which concepts are best developed using these analogies.