Petros Kariotoglou

Causal structures and counter‐intuitive experiments in electricity

This study focuses on the similarities and differences in structure and meaning between pupils’ conceptions about steady state tasks and evolutionary tasks, in which the system under study undergoes changes over time. A nine‐item written questionnaire was given to 197 Greek secondary school pupils. Results showed that the majority of pupils employ causal structures for their predictions. Two models were identified: a ‘give’ model, applied by pupils in steady‐state tasks; and a ‘take’ model, applied in evolutionary tasks. Structural similarities and semantic differences were identified between these models. In the light of these results, the study also examined the types of experiments in introductory electricity that would or would not obtain a counter‐intuitive reaction in pupils.

An epistemological analysis of the evolution of didactical activities in teaching–learning sequences: the case of fluids

In the present paper we propose a theoretical framework for an epistemological modelling of teaching–learning (didactical) activities, which draws on recent studies of scientific practice. We present and analyse the framework, which includes three categories: namely, Cosmos– Evidence–Ideas (CEI). We also apply this framework in order to model a posteriori the didactical activities included in three successive teaching–learning sequences in the field of fluids, developed gradually by the same researchers over several years under evolving dominant approaches to science teaching and learning (transmission, discovery, constructivist). For each sequence we analyse the planned activities included in student and teacher documents in terms of the CEI model. We deduce the suggested links (or lack of them) between the three categories and discuss the opportunities that students would have during science teaching to link in each sequence the world of theories with real things.

Science Teacher Education: Issues and Proposals

Research in science teacher thinking and constructivist pedagogy calls for an expanded knowledge base of teaching, and raising the issue of teaching and understanding of such knowledge by students during teacher education. In the present paper we discuss certain recent studies concerning teachers’ knowledge base; besides we present and discuss a framework for developing and investigating courses in science teacher education; finally, in the third part, we present aspects of a case study illustrating the suggested framework.

A Laboratory-based Teaching Learning Sequence on Fluids: Developing Primary Student Teachers’ Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge

This work is part of a long-term research programme concerning the design, development, application and evaluation of a laboratory-based teaching learning sequence (TLS) dealing with fluids. We have developed and discuss here an approach to the teaching of the conceptually demanding topic of fluids, which focuses on promoting student teachers’ conceptual and procedural development towards a suggested scientific model and experimental method. In this study we focus on the design aspects of the TLS as well as on selected results concerning students’ conceptual and, mainly, procedural knowledge.

Theoretical Issues Related to Designing and Developing Teaching-Learning Sequences

The design and implementation of topic-oriented teaching-learning sequences (TLS) is a flourishing area of research and development for improving science teaching. One distinguishing characteristic of a TLS is its inclusion in a gradual research-based evolutionary process aiming at iterative development and empirical refinement. In the present paper, we provide an overview of developments and trends with regard to TLS and their classroom implementation, discussing and comparing suggested design frames and their features, their commonalities and differences, several recent empirical studies, methodological tools and approaches to describing the design of sequences. We suggest that though there is progress more work is needed towards elaborating design principles for TLS. We also discuss relations of works within the tradition of TLS with works related to Design-Based Research and Learning Progression studies. On concluding the present review, we identify certain emerging trends and open issues which need further study namely the development of domain-based theories or design principles, the wider use of design frameworks by researchers, didactical transposition, the evidence-based decisions during iteration, the role of teachers in participative design, the specification of contextual constrains and the open or closed structure of a TLS. We conclude that work in TLS provides a fruitful recent advancement of science education research and development of empirically validated products.

Educational software for improving learning aspects of Newton's Third Law for student teachers

In this paper, we present the design, development, implementation and evaluation of educational software “Newton-3”, aiming at the learning of Newton’s Third Law by student-teachers who are not Physics majors. We describe the theoretical issues of our teaching approach and the various software tasks that we designed in order to promote students’ understanding. Specifically, the software is designed for the teaching of gravitational and electrostatic interactions between two distant bodies at rest. It is a web-based application and runs on a simple web browser with Macromedia Flash plug-in installed. The development of software and its integration into teaching–learning sequence is based on three main characteristics: the range of contexts in which the concept of force interaction applies, in the specification of the concept, and in an appropriate teaching learning environment (IDRF). We trialled the software on two groups of 8 primary school and 8 pre-school student-teachers, for 3 teaching periods, in the School of Education of our University. The research results indicate that the implementation was effective as the majority of the teacher-students improved their own knowledge concerning the existence and representation of gravitational and electrostatic interactions. An interesting result reveals that student-teachers have difficulty in perceiving the equality of magnitudes of action and reaction forces. This problem seems to be overcome after the teaching of the Inverse square law.

Modelling the Evolution of Teaching — Learning Sequences: from Discovery to Constructivism

In this study we study in retrospect three teaching learning sequences in the area of fluids developed over several years. We investigate the factors that affected the development of these sequences by analyzing the developers practice on the basis of Pickering’s theory of scientific practice. We argue that, in science education, the researchers’ practice towards meeting his/her/ objectives is influenced by the dominant approach to science teaching and learning but is also constrained by the material factor and the educational introduction.

The Evolutionary Refinement Process of a Teaching-Learning Sequence for Introducing Inquiry Aspects and Density as Materials’ Property in Floating/Sinking Phenomena

In this project, we designed, developed, implemented and refined a teaching-learning sequence (TLS) on density as materials’ property, applied into floating/sinking (F/S) phenomena. The main features of the TLS are the promotion of inquiry-based learning, enhanced by ICT tools and real experiments. A real-life scenario aimed to increase students’ interest and motivation, while in parallel, it was a link between science and technology. The main aims of the TLS were to improve fifth graders’ conceptual understanding of density and F/S, as well as procedural and epistemological understanding related to the control of variables strategy and the nature and role of models. In this paper, we are focusing both on the process of design and the refinement of the TLS. More specifically, we describe and justify the refinements from the first to the second implementation of the TLS, classifying them according both to Pickering’s model of scientific practice and to the origin of the data indicating the refinement. Most of the refinements refer to the procedural and the epistemological knowledge, while few concern the conceptual content of the TLS. In addition, the majority of refinements were guided by educational factors, and only a few, by scientific factors. The educational factor guides local-guided refinements, while the scientific factor guides holistic-open refinements.

Concluding Remarks: Science Education Research for Enhancing Classroom Learning

The Social Sciences undertake a dual role. On the one hand, they take on the responsibility to study the phenomena relating to human interactions and, through these studies, to contribute to our knowledge of the underlying mechanisms in a way that is coherent and generalizable, to the extent possible. On the other hand, they also take on the responsibility to contribute, through local action, to the organization and function of systems that tend to be highly local in their features and often contextualized in their intents.

APPLICATION OF A FRAMEWORK ApPROPRIATE FOR A MULTILEVEL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL MULTIMEDIA SOFTWARE IN SCIENCE (FEVES)

In this paper we attempt to apply a five -dimensional framework for the analysis and evaluation of educational software in Science, and in particular CD-ROMs. Our study was based on a forgone review of the relevant literature. The framework created includes educational, electronic, social/institutional, epistemological and pupil-focused variables which are not mutually exclusive. An application of this framework to two educational CD-ROMs demonstrated, on the one hand the applicability and flexibility of the framework and on the other the characteristics of the CD-ROMs. The study also revealed some of the teaching implications of incorporating parts of the CD-ROMs into formal and non-formal learning environments.