Beverley Bell

When is an animal, not an animal?

The concepts of ‘animal’ held by some New Zealand primary, secondary, and tertiary students were explored using both an interview and multiplechoice survey approach. The results indicate that many students of all ages have a restricted concept of ‘animal’ compared with that of a biologist. The implications of these results for teaching are discussed.

Students' Ideas about Plant Nutrition: What are They?.

Currently, there is much research work investigating the teaching and learning of plant nutrition in several different countries. This article briefly summarizes the findings of some of this work, including the work undertaken by the Childrens Learning in Science Project (Bell and Driver, 1984).

Language, culture and science education

An area for future research in science education is that of the interaction of language, culture and science education. This paper outlines the background to current debates and development work in language, culture and science education in New Zealand, with respect to the indigenous Maori people. Concern about the participation and achievement of Maori students in science education has led to considerations of their culture (beliefs, traditions, knowledge, heritage, experiences and values) and the Maori language in science lessons. A bicultural‐only approach to science education has been discarded by Maori in favour of educating for bilingual students. Further research to inform future policy making by Maori is discussed.

Towards a scientific concept of ‘animal’

Many students, even at a senior secondary level, do not have a scientifically acceptable concept of an animal. This paper describes the evaluation of some teaching activities focusing on the scientific concept of ‘animal’.

Using sociocultural views of learning to investigate the enculturation of students into the scientific community through work placements

Abstract: Cooperative education (co‐op) is a strategy of education that includes a requirement for successful completion of both formal classroom work and work placements in order to gain a qualification. The work placement immerses the student in relevant, productive work, and is seen as an integral part of the educational program. There is anecdotal and research data in the literature about the success of co‐op programs in securing career jobs for students. However, little theorizing and research about learning in placements has been published that could help us understand how undertaking work placements in science can assist students to make the transition into the scientific workplace. Sociocultural views of learning that depict learning as a mediated, situated and participatory activity within a socially and culturally determined community of practice provide a theoretical perspective for investigating the enculturation of science students into the science community through work placements. This pape...

Pedagogies developed in the learning in science projects and related theses

Research into effective pedagogy was a major strand of the science education research programme at the University of Waikato for the 20 years of the 1980s and 1990s, being done in all five Learning in Science Projects and related theses. The research was closely connected to constructivist and sociocultural views of learning, current national curriculum learning goals, and current classroom practice in New Zealand schools. In the main, the researchers were qualified and experienced teachers of science. This research parallelled that done internationally, but as contextualized research it has informed New Zealand curriculum policy, initial teacher education and teacher development.

I know about lisp but how do i put it into practice

This paper outlines some initial findings of the Learning in Science Project (Teacher Development) on the process of teacher development with respect to implementing the findings of the previous Learning in Science Projects. The findings on course components, the ‘pay-offs’ for the teachers, reflection and support for the change process are discussed as are the implications of these for further research.

Learning in science project (teacher development): The framework

The Centre for Science and Mathematics Education Research at the University of Waikato is now undertaking the fourth Learning in Science Project, LISP(Teacher Development). The project builds on the findings of the previous three projects on the nature of learning and how to improve learning of science in classrooms. This two-year project is investigating the process of teacher development (as change in behaviour and beliefs) in the context of two kinds of teacher courses that acknowledge and take into account teachers’ existing ideas. This paper summarises the planning done for the first phase of the project as detailed in Bell, Kirkwood and Pearson (1990).

The Characteristics of Formative Assessment

In summary, the ten characteristics of formative assessment that were identified by the teachers and students were that formative assessment is seen as being responsive; it is often a tacit process; it relies on student disclosure; it uses professional knowledge and experiences; it is an integral part of teaching and learning; it is done by teachers and students; it is a highly contextualised process; and it involves the management of dilemmas. Important considerations are the sources of evidence, including student disclosure and the purposes for which formative assessment is done. All-in-all, formative assessment is a highly complex and skilled activity for both the teacher and the student. Formative assessment is not something teachers are likely to learn to do in a short session in an inservice course. It is a professional skill that develops with increasing professional experience, awareness and reflection.

A Review of the Relevant Literature

Formative assessment involves the exchange of information between teachers and students about the students’ learning. It is an essential component of effective teaching and learning. As a process, it is interactive and contextualised and it involves teachers and students eliciting, interpreting and acting on information about student learning. Ideally, it should support the development of students’ personal, social and science development (Cowie, Boulter, Bell, 1996).