Miia Rannikmäe

The Nature of Science Education for Enhancing Scientific Literacy.

This article explores the meaning of the nature of science education to enhance scientific literacy. It argues that the teaching approach for science education should be regarded as “education through science”, rather than “science through education”. A model of the nature of science education is proposed, having its foundations based on activity theory rather than logical positivism. This encompasses an understanding of the nature of science, with links to achievement of goals in the personal domain, stressing intellectual and communication skill development, as well as the promotion of character and positive attitudes, plus achievement of goals in the social education domain, stressing cooperative learning and socio‐scientific decision‐making. Although the nature of science is seen as an important component of science education, the over‐riding target for science teaching in school, as an aspect of relevant education, is seen as responsible citizenry, based on enhancing scientific and technological literacy. The meaning of scientific and technological literacy is discussed.

An Instrument for Measuring Students’ Perceived Digital Competence According to the DIGCOMP Framework

The ability to use digital technologies to live, work and learn in today’s knowledge-based society is considered to be an essential competence. In schools, digital technologies such as smart devices offer new possibilities to improve student learning, but research is still needed to explain how to effectively apply them. In this paper we developed an instrument to investigate the digital competences of students based on constructs from the DIGCOMP framework and in the contexts of learning science and mathematics in school and outside of school. Pilot testing results of 173 students from the 6th and 9th grades (M = 12.7 and 15.7 years of age, respectively) were analyzed to remove unnecessary items from the instrument. The pilot study also showed preliminary smart device usage patterns that require confirmation by a large-scale study. Digitally competent use of smart devices may help facilitate widespread use of computer-based resources in science education.

A Competence-Based Science Learning Framework Illustrated through the Study of Natural Hazards and Disaster Risk Reduction.

This article proposes a competence-based learning framework for science teaching, applied to the study of ‘big ideas’, in this case to the study of natural hazards and disaster risk reduction (NH&DRR). The framework focuses on new visions of competence, placing emphasis on nurturing connectedness and behavioral actions toward resilience and sustainability. The framework draws together competences familiarly expressed as cognitive knowledge and skills, plus dispositions and adds connectedness and action-related behaviors, and applies this by means of a progression shift associated with NH&DRR from abilities to capabilities. The target is enhanced scientific literacy approached through an education through science focus, amplified through the study of a big idea, promotion of sustained resilience in the face of disaster and the taking of responsibilities for behavioral actions. The framework is applied to a learning progression for each interrelated education dimension, thus serving as a guide for both the development of abilities and as a platform for stimulating student capabilities within instruction and assessment.

Design and Evaluation of a Smart Device Science Lesson to Improve Students’ Inquiry Skills

The prevalence of smart devices among young people is undeniably large, but concerns that they distract learning may be limiting their use in schools. In this study we demonstrate how tablet computers can be used effectively for teaching science. A digital biology lesson was designed in the Go-Lab environment and tested with 28 students (16–18 years old). Among the multiple tasks in the lesson, students had to search the internet for information, share digital data, formulate research questions and hypotheses using Go-Lab inquiry apps and interact with a virtual laboratory. Two conditions which differed only in the level of scaffolding provided by inquiry apps were studied. Results from pre- to posttest scores showed a statistically significant improvement in inquiry skills for students in both conditions. Overall, the findings suggest that an effective way to apply smart devices in science lessons is with digital materials that engage students in inquiry-based learning.

Motivational Science Teaching Using a Context-Based Approach

This chapter recognises the important need for a motivational approach to science teaching and advocates a context-based focus, particularly promoting the relevance of the learning in the eyes of the students. The goal of education is seen as none other than scientific and technological literacy (STL), and in striving towards this, the context-based focus uses an education through science approach. This approach can be described in terms of teaching by means of a three-stage model. Initially the relevance is established through a social setting or scenario. This stage is also identified with determining prior learning and in setting the pathway towards conceptual learning in a decontextualised second stage, seen as promoting inquiry-based science education (IBSE). The third stage relinks the science with society and through a recontextualised approach focuses the learning on decision-making within a socio-scientific issue (SSI) orientation. The chapter ends with an example of a teaching module, which relates to this approach and illustrates the various sections that can be incorporated into a module to support the teacher. These include a foreword to indicate the intended learning outcomes, student activities, teacher guide and ideas for formative/summative assessment of students, as well as additional notes to provide more on the scientific background.

Context-Based Teaching and Socio-Scientific Issues

This chapter introduces the concept of context-based teaching and the value of teaching through socio-scientific issues in science teaching.

Enhancing the Value of Active Learning Programs for Students’ Knowledge Acquisition by Using the Concept Mapping Method

The use of active learning programs in combination with new learning and assessment methods like concept mapping could be lead to the more student oriented learning and teaching. The aim of the study is to evaluate active learning programs by using a Concept Mapping method and to make suggestion for further development of the programs. In the study 414 concept maps from 207 basic school students were collected before and after participation in on of the active learning programs (ALPs). The results showed that active learning programs helped the students to acquire new knowledge and reduce misconceptions. To increase the efficiency of the ALPs it is recommended to increase the duration and also compose one-class multi-day programs.