James A. Rye

An investigation of middle school students’ alternative conceptions of global warming

Because global warming presents a serious potential threat to our biosphere, it is receiving considerable attention by scientists, policy makers, and educators. This article presents alternative conceptions about global warming held by a sample of 24 grade 6 to 8 students. Students completed interviews on global’ warming approximately two weeks after instruction from a Science‐Technology‐Society (STS) global warming unit. The majority of students introduced ‘ozone layer’ or ‘ultraviolet radiation’ in response to the question, ‘When you think about global warming, what comes to mind?’ Approximately one‐half of the students held the alternative conceptions that ozone layer depletion is a major cause of global warming and that carbon dioxide destroys the ozone layer. These and other alternative conceptions evidenced by the students suggest that global warming instruction should help students clarify that ozone layer depletion and global warming are different environmental problems and that the ozone ‘hole’ d...

Impact of a Three-week Pedometer Intervention on High School Students' Daily Step Counts and Perceptions of Physical Activity

Abstract There is a pressing need to promote simple, healthy physical activities in West Virginia, especially to the growing number of inactive adolescents. The purpose of the study was to measure the impact of pedometers on daily step counts and perceptions of physical activity. Across four high schools, 165 students were recruited and randomly assigned to a pedometer-only group or a pedometer plus goal setting group. Students wore their pedometers daily for three weeks and reported steps on a weekly basis. Attrition was low for both survey (16%) and pedometer (22%) data, suggesting good internal validity for the intervention. Overall less than 25% of participants met recommended step guidelines, with mean daily steps ranging from 8800–9400. Further, neither of the two intervention groups significantly increased steps. There was no evidence that self-efficacy, barriers, or outcome expectations mediated changes in step counts, From the qualitative data, 70% of participants reported that their awareness or motivation towards health and physical activity was positively impacted by using pedometers. The short length of the pedometer intervention coupled with environmental barriers may have limited the effectiveness of the pedometer intervention in this setting.

Enhancing Teachers' Use of Technology through Professional Development on Electronic Concept Mapping.

The majority of public school teachers do not feel well prepared to use instructional technology. Professional development on computer-based concept mapping responds to this concern through focusing on a tool/software that has many applications and is not difficult to master. A subset (n = 18) of science teachers in a Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) completed a workshop on electronic concept mapping and were provided with school site licenses and other follow-up support (summer institute). They utilized the software in academic enrichment for underserved students, regular classroom instruction, and inservice training for colleagues. Triangulation of findings from data sources (electronic conferencing, lesson plans, workshop evaluations) revealed that HSTA teachers embrace electronic concept mapping as a versatile educational tool. Factors contributing to this enthusiasm included the ease with which students use the software, the transparent nature of the learning process for these students, and the positive attitudes of colleagues whom they have inserviced. The findings from this project are congruent with what experts contend to be critical features of effective teacher professional development: facilitating a community of learners and providing sustained support. This project now funds software use in over 45 public schools.

The health sciences and technology academy: utilizing pre-college enrichment programming to minimize post-secondary education barriers for underserved youth.

West Virginia is considered one of the most rural states in the nation, with over 60% of its population classified as rural. The state experiences relatively high unemployment, and it ranks among the lowest (49th) of all states in median household income. Fifty-eight percent of the students in West Virginia counties are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Furthermore, only 14.7% of adult residents 25 years and over have attained a bachelor’s degree or higher, putting the state 50th in higher education. The rural nature of the state coupled with economically depressed communities has limited the availability of secondary-level science courses required for health sciences majors in college. Additionally, most counties in West Virginia are considered medically underserved, and therefore it is important to increase the number of health care providers in rural areas of the state. However, if the state’s under-represented students do not receive adequate preparation in pre-college math and science, the proportion who can attend college and succeed will continue to be limited, and the pool for the health professions will be too small. To overcome some of these barriers, West Virginia University and 21 West Virginia counties have come together in the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) in a community–campus partnership. Its web site is ^http://www.wv-hsta.org\&. A precollege enrichment program, HSTA helps students learn tools to enable them to progress through high school, college, and professional school. The HSTA program consists of an on-campus (WVU) Summer Institute at West Virginia University where students and science teachers are engaged in learning activities facilitated by science and education faculty. These science teachers also facilitate HSTA community-based science clubs during the school year. The HSTA model uses the inquiry-based theory that encompasses problem posing, problem solving, and persuasion. Research suggests that inquiry activities emphasizing problem solving enhance middle-level students’ self-confidence in mastering science and their attitudes towards the discipline. Furthermore, inquirybased learning is considered fundamental to students’ understanding of science concepts and processes. The National Science Education Standards (NSES) call for greater emphasis on ‘‘inquiry into authentic questions generated from student experiences [which] is the central strategy for teaching science.’’ As a follow up to the NSES, a practical guide has been developed for educators who wish to emphasize inquiry-based instruction. A principal thrust within the community science clubs is inquiry-based learning of science through extended investigations and community service projects. The model also engages students in authentic learning processes (i.e., real-world problem-solving circumstances), which are both fun and challenging. Students’ projects often target health-related topics and may potentially inform and benefit various communities through dissemination at local and state levels.

Student Understanding of Global Warming Implications for STS Education beyond 20001

Many experts believe humans are imperiling the ecology of the earth by enhancing the natural greenhouse effect, which may result in global warming. Others suggest, however, that we do not yet fully understand all the factors operating in the earth’s system and their complex interactions, so it is possible that the warming observed during the past century may be due to natural variation. Whether or not there is a discernible human influence on global climate, global warming is an STS issue that will continue to be debated far into the next century. The potential significance of global warming makes it the STS issue that will shape STS education as STS enters the new millennium.

What Should We Grow in Our School Garden to Sell at the Farmers' Market? Initiating Statistical Literacy through Science and Mathematics Integration.

ABSTRACT Statistical literacy is essential to scientific literacy, and the quest for such is best initiated in the elementary grades. The Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics set forth practices (e.g., asking questions, using tools strategically to analyze and interpret data) and content (e.g., statistics) to guide the development of statistical literacy. This article portrays how statistical literacy can be initiated at the upper elementary level through integrated science–mathematics instruction in an authentic context: project-based learning focused on a farmers’ market project and school gardening. The shared classroom examples illustrate how to scaffold students’ understanding of statistical questions and develop their ability to formulate good survey questions. Science practices and science and mathematics content extend to analyzing, interpreting, and representing data as well as structure and function. This article helps teachers find an appropriate balance between offering students the freedom to explore on their own and providing them with guidance to achieve the goal of enhancing the statistical problem solving process. Student learning is extended through seed germination and related experimentation, raising produce, and vending at a local farmers’ market.

The Views of Four Elementary Teachers on the Importance of Modeling Responsible Citizenship Action.

Modeling continues to be commonly acknowledged as an effective teaching strategy for citizenship behaviors. Yet, it is absent from the recent science education literature. This is surprising given the rise in science education of STS with its emphasis on citizenship action. The views held by four upper elementary teachers involved in STS instruction on global warming about teachers serving as models of responsible citizenship action were examined. Understanding the extent to which the four teachers considered global warming a threat and the degree to which they took actions in support of their position on global warming, was considered essential to understanding their views on teachers serving as models of responsible citizenship action. Relevant responsive journal entries and interview responses from a two-year period during which the teachers were developing and field testing an STS unit on global warming were the data sources. The teachers appeared to operate under the belief that teachers must “practice what they preach” where responsible citizenship action is concerned, and if teachers show active interest and involvement in taking citizenship action, then students are more likely to do the same.

Pedometer and Human Energy Balance Applications for Science Instruction.

Teachers can use pedometers to facilitate inquiry learning and show students the need for mathematics in scientific investigation. The authors conducted activities with secondary students that investigated intake and expenditure components of the energy balance algorithm, which led to inquiries about pedometers and related data. By investigating the accuracy of pedometers and variables that may impact reported step counts, students can better understand experimental design and statistical concepts. Students can also examine other data (distance walked, kilocalories expended) using multifunction pedometers and apply the concepts of correlation and regression. This topic fits well with thematic learning and responds to concerns about excess energy intake and insufficient physical activity in the U.S. population.

Teachers’ Noticing of Students’ Thinking in Science Through Classroom Artifacts: In What Ways Are Science and Engineering Practices Evident?

ABSTRACT Building on the work of teacher noticing, this study investigated teachers’ noticing of students’ thinking evident in artifacts from their science teaching context. Prior work on teachers’ noticing in science has generally focused on noticing students’ thinking surrounding specific disciplinary content. We asked 20 elementary teachers to identify and discuss an artifact that represented their students’ thinking in science. Rather than discuss specific disciplinary content, teachers described what students were “doing” in producing that artifact. The results of this study demonstrate attending to what students are doing is one way teachers notice students’ thinking in science, and in these descriptions of “doing” lie important connections to the scientific and engineering practices of the Next Generation Science Standards. This study can inform the design of teacher learning experiences in which artifacts and teachers’ tendency to focus on what students are doing can be leveraged toward learning to notice students’ thinking in science.

A modular-based dietetic education program

Summary The Arizona Department of Health Services and Central Arizona College are developing a Dietetic Education Program (DEP) based on Personalized Systems of Instruction (PSI) to train Community Nutrition Workers (CNWs). The Program includes a 30-credit-hour community nutrition worker certificate and a 64-credit-hour associate of applied arts degree in applied science, the latter being designed according to the American Dietetic Association guidelines for the education of Dietetic Technicians. Out of 43 CNWs enrolled in one or more courses, 17 had completed the course Introduction to Health Care as of August 29, 1977. The mean course grade was 96%.