Ronald K. Atwood

Fourth‐grade Elementary Students’ Conceptions of Standards‐based Lunar Concepts

Fourth‐grade students’ knowledge of observable moon phases and patterns of change, as well as conceptual understanding of the cause of moon phases, was investigated before and after special instruction. Pretest and post‐test data for 48 students were used to address the research question related to observable moon phases and patterns of change. Interviews were conducted with 10 students on a post‐only basis to provide data on understanding the cause of moon phases. The researchers used the constant comparative method to analyse data. Pretest results indicate these students had not met the expectations expressed in the U.S. Science Education Standards for lunar concepts. Post‐test results reveal a very positive performance on observable moon phases and patterns of change, as well as the cause of moon phases. Interpretation and implications of these findings are provided.

Effects of Instruction on Preservice Elementary Teachers' Conceptions of the Causes of Night and Day and the Seasons

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of brief instruction, based on Atwood and Atwood (1995, 1996), which addressed the causes of night and day and the seasons. 111c findings should be useful to science teacher educators who already are attempting to address these concepts as well as those who might choose to do so if the required time and resource commitments were shown to be modest.

Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Knowledge of Observable Moon Phases and Pattern of Change in Phases

The purpose of this study was to describe selected content knowledge held by 52 preservice elementary teachers about the observable phases of the moon and the monthly pattern of change in observable phases. Data were obtained from participants in a physics course before and after they received inquiry-based instruction designed to promote intentional learning of the cause of moon phases and the observable pattern of change in moon phases. Results indicated that, prior to instruction, most preservice teachers had major deficiencies in knowledge of observable moon phases and the pattern of monthly change in the phases. Fortunately, participants who completed the instruction were likely to show evidence of having addressed the deficiencies.

QUESTION AND RESPONSE LEVELS AND LAPSE TIME INTERVALS

AbstractOne hundred and eighty question-response diads were obtained from taped sessions of eleven elementary teachers interacting with a group of their students. Teachers had been trained in asking questions at higher levels on the Bloom taxonomy and had been sensitized to the critical problem of allowing students time to consider questions and formulate answers. The lapsed time between the end of the teacher’s question and the beginning of the student’s response was determined for each diad. Each question and each response was classified by level on the Bloom scale (3). It was found that lapse time differs by question level and by response level, but that lapse time does not increase directly with the hierarchial level of the question or the response. A strong relationship between the question level and the level of cognitive functioning of the elementary student as reflected in his level of responding was found.