Samson Nashon

Development of an Instrument Designed to Investigate Elements of Science Students' Metacognition, Self-Efficacy and Learning Processes: The SEMLI-S.

The development and evaluation of science students’ metacognition, learning processes and self‐efficacy are important for improving science education. This paper reports on the development of an empirical self‐report instrument for providing a measure of students’ metacognition, self‐efficacy and constructivist science learning processes. A review of the range of literature related to metacognition, self‐regulation and constructivist learning processes resulted in the development of an initial bilingual (English and traditional Chinese) instrument composed of 72 items. This instrument was completed by 465 Hong Kong high school students. The data collected were subjected to exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis. The subsequent refinement process resulted in a final version of the Self‐Efficacy and Metacognition Learning Inventory—Science (SEMLI‐S) consisting of 30 items that can be used for either analysing and focusing on any or all of its dimensions or for assigning scores to individuals that enable comparison between them in relation to their metacognitive science learning orientations.

Promoting Teacher Learning Through Learning Study Discourse: The Case of Science Teachers in Singapore

The potential of a theory of variation-framed learning study, a teacher professional development approach, to help teachers overcome curricular and pedagogical challenges associated with teaching new science curricula content was explored. With a group of Singapore teachers collaboratively planning and teaching new genetics content, phenomenographic analysis of data corpus from classroom observations, teacher meetings and interviews revealed teacher learning that manifested in the teachers’ experiences. These were captured as (1) increased degrees of student-centered pedagogy and challenges to teachers’ prior assumptions about science pedagogy, (2) increased awareness of possibilities and limitations of their beliefs about science pedagogy, and (3) emergence of new understandings about new curricular content and science pedagogy. The possibility of transformative and generative learning is also discussed.

Teaching and learning high school physics in Kenyan classrooms using analogies

This study provides insights into the nature of the analogies deployed by Kenyan physics teachers and generated by students in class. The analogies looked at (both teacher- and student-generated) were largely environmental (drawn from students’ socio-cultural environment), anthropomorphic (life and human characteristics ascribed to analogues), and to a limited extent, scientific (analogue and target are science concepts). In some cases, anthropomorphic analogies proved problematic for students, sometimes resulting in serious misconceptions. Good analogy use is based on clear identification of matching and non-matching features of the analogue-target structure. Several models, including the General Model for Analogy Teaching (GMAT), Teaching with Analogy (TWA) and Working with Analogies (WWA) are discussed in this paper, with a view to providing a lens through which analogies can be understood. To transform students’ understanding from cultural belief systems to the science system of thinking, while respecting their socio-cultural backgrounds, can be a daunting task. Where it proves problematic for the students to ‘decamp’ from indigenous ways of reasoning, then collateral learning may be considered.RésuméUne analogie comprend deux composantes : l’analogue, c’est-à-dire la notion familière ou connue, et la cible, c’est-à-dire le concept nouveau, non encore familier. Elle est un outil fort utilisé en enseignement des matières scientifiques. Nécessairement, les analogues et les cibles sont tirés de domaines différents; seules les similarités sont exploitées pour entraîner une compréhension de la cible grâce au repérage, dans l’analogue, des caractéristiques ou attributs ayant des correspondants dans la cible. En d’autres termes, on se sert de la compréhension de l’analogue pour expliquer la cible.Les analogies ont des caractéristiques différentes selon la personne qui les a formulé et le contexte dans lequel elles sont utilisées. Le cas illustré dans cet article vise à éclairer la nature des analogies que les enseignants de physique kényens utilisent pour expliquer les concepts de la physique à leurs élèves de niveau deux (2) (≪ Form 2 ≫, équivalent de la troisième secondaire). Il vaut la peine de souligner que les écoles du Kenya suivent un curriculum commun centralisé et qu’elles ont l’anglais comme langue d’enseignement. La langue d’instruction est un facteur clé qui influence la nature des analogies utilisées par les enseignants et les étudiants.Les données ont été recueillies grâce à l’observation de trois classes de physique de niveau deux (2) sur une période de 14 semaines. De plus, les manuels, les programmes et les annotations des enseignants ont été recueillis et analysés. On a également réalisé des entrevues informelles avec les enseignants et avec certains étudiants ou groupes d’étudiants choisis au hasard. Au cours de la période d’observation, trois sujets principaux ont été enseignés : l’électricité, la cinématique et les machines. La plupart des analogies enregistrées concernaient l’électricité. Onze d’entre elles sont analysées dans cet article selon les modèles suivants : le GMAT de Zeitoun (Model for Analogical Teaching) (1984), le TWA de Glynn (Teaching with Analogies) (1991) et le WWA de Nashon (Working with Analogies) (2000).Les analogies (générées soit par les enseignants, soit par les étudiants) étaient en grande partie environnementales (dérivées du milieu socioculturel de l’étudiant), anthropomorphiques (attribuant à l’analogue des caractéristiques humaines ou biólogiques) et, dans une faible mesure, scientifiques (où l’analogue et la cible sont tous deux des concepts scientifiques). Dans certains cas, les analogies anthropomorphiques se sont avérées difficiles pour les étudiants et ont parfois conduit à de graves erreurs conceptuelles. Dans cet article, les analogies anthropomorphiques sont considérées comme environnementales, car elles restent liées aux contextes locaux et culturels. De telles analogies ne devraient être utilisées que dans le cas où les étudiants n’ont guère une connaissance scientifique préalable suffisante pour qu’on puisse en dériver des analogues. Si les étudiants possèdent déjà cette connaissance, les enseignants devraient s’efforcer d’utiliser ou d’exploiter des analogies scientifiques. On note un manque de systématicité évident dans la construction et l’exposition des analogies chez les enseignants en raison de leur incapacité d’exploiter les modèles structurels théoriques comme le GMAT, le TWA ou le WWA. Peu d’enseignants se sont servis d’une stratégie adéquate pour effectuer le passage de l’anthropomorphique au scientifique. L’auteur recommande que l’analogue et la cible soient dé-liés et que la signification de la cible serve à consolider la solution du problème. Une telle dissociation évitera que les étudiants ne confondent le sens de l’analogue et celui de la cible.

Participation rates in physics 12 in BC: Science teachers’ and students’ views

In recent years, participation rates in the British Columbia (BC) provincial physics exams have been low, compared with chemistry and biology. A qualitative study employing questionnaire and interview methods sought the views of teachers and students of senior science courses on why this is the case. Data analysis revealed that students’ decisions about Physics 12 were influenced by their perceptions of the mathematical content of physics, the physics teachers’ personalities and teaching styles, the perceived difficulty of physics, and prior experience of physics. We conclude that enhancing student interest in taking physics at advanced high school levels may necessitate a wider, more articulated exposure to topics in physics, together with more careful attention to mathematical background and skills.RésuméAu cours des dernières années, le taux de participation aux examens provinciaux de physique en Colombie Britannique a été nettement plus bas que celui des examens en chimie et en biologie. Au moyen d’une étude quantitative basée sur des méthodes utilisant des questionnaires et des entrevues, nous avons tenté de cerner l’opinion des enseignants et des étudiants des cours de dernière année en sciences à ce sujet. Une analyse des données révèle que les décisions des étudiants sur la physique de cinquième secondaire sont influencées par leur perception des contenus mathématiques des cours de physique, par la personnalité et le style d’enseignement des professeurs, par la difficulté qu’ils attribuent à cette matière et par leurs expériences passées qui y sont associées. En conclusion, nous estimons que si l’on souhaite favoriser l’intérêt des étudiants pour la physique de niveau avancé au secondaire, il sera peut-être nécessaire d’exposer ces derniers à une plus vaste gamme de sujets dans ce domaine, plus articulés et plus détaillés, et d’accorder une attention plus soignée aux connaissances et aux compétences de base en mathématiques.

Promoting Teachers' Collaborative Exploration of a New Science Curriculum: The Case of a Singapore Learning Study.

Through a case study, we explore how four Grade 9–10 biology teachers in Singapore experienced their collaborative approach to curriculum and addressed challenges associated with newly prescribed science curricula, such as the perceived lack of clarity and pressure to complete teaching curricular content. With the teachers participating in a variation theory-framed learning study as part of their professional development, we employed a thematic analysis of the data corpus, focusing on teacher interviews and reflective journals to elucidate the teachers’ experiences of approaching curriculum. Themes constructed included teachers drawing on prescribed curriculum as an ‘enabling constraint’ to promote increasing clarity, developing greater coherence in curriculum interpretation, integrating variation theory, and drawing on different resources to enhance their approach to curriculum. We further reflected on these findings to reveal notions of teacher empowerment and to urge for teachers’ more powerful ways of approaching curriculum, as we cautioned against the potential danger of the rhetoric of teachers moving away from technical implementation of curriculum. We also emphasized closing the gap between prescribed curriculum carefully conceptualized by the central authority and its subsequent implementation by teachers, in order to avoid ‘wasting’ the deliberation efforts of the central authority when teachers implement curriculum unreflectively.

Building Scientific Literacy in HIV/AIDS Education: A case study of Uganda

The term scientific literacy is defined differently in different contexts. The term literacy simply refers to the ability for one to read and write, but recent studies in language literacy have extended this definition. New literacy research seeks a redefinition in terms of how skills are used rather than how they are learned. Contemporary perspectives on literacy as a transfer of learned skills into daily life practises capture the understanding of what it means to be scientifically literate. Scientific literacy requires students to be able to use their scientific knowledge independently in the everyday world. Some models for teaching towards scientific literacy have been suggested including inquiry‐based learning embedded in constructivist epistemologies. The inquiry‐based model is posited to be effective at bringing about in‐depth understanding of scientific concepts through engaging students’ preconceptions. In order to establish whether directly engaging students’ preconceptions can lead to in‐depth understanding of the science of HIV/AIDS, a case study was designed to elucidate students’ prior knowledge. From questionnaires and classroom observations, Ugandan Grade 11 students’ persistent preconceptions were explored in follow‐up focus group discussions. The inquiry process was used to engage students with their own perceptions of HIV/AIDS during the focus group discussions. Findings suggest that students need to dialogue with each other as they reflect on their beliefs about HIV/AIDS. Dialogue enabled students to challenge their beliefs while making connections between ‘school’ and ‘home’ knowledge.

Interpreting Kenyan Science Teachers’ Views About the Effect of Student Learning Experiences on Their Teaching

Analysis of views from a select group of Kenyan science teachers regarding the effect of student learning experiences on their teaching after implementing a contextualized science unit revealed that the teachers’ (a) literal interpretation and adherence to the official curriculum conflicted with the students’ desires to understand scientific phenomena embedded within their local environment; (b) inability or ability to sustain students’ motivations for understanding science through the local environment, which depended on initial teacher preparation; and (c) implementation of the contextualized science reduced the gulf that often hindered free student-teacher dialogue due to the teachers’ endeavors to maintain science and science teacher statuses.RésuméÀ la suite de l’enseignement contextualisé d’une unité scientifique, l’analyse de l’opinion d’un groupe d’enseignants des sciences au Kenya quant à l’effet des expériences d’apprentissage de leurs étudiants sur leur enseignement, révèle que: (a) l’interprétation littérale et l’application stricte du curriculum officiel sont en contradiction avec la volonté des étudiants de comprendre les phénomènes scientifiques en tant que partie intégrante de leur environnement local; (b) la capacité ou l’incapacité de soutenir la motivation des étudiants lorsqu’il s’agit de comprendre les sciences dans un contexte local dépend du niveau de préparation des enseignants; et (c) la pratique d’un enseignement contextualisé des sciences réduit les difficultés qui entravent souvent le dialogue entre étudiants et professeurs en raison du fait que les enseignants de sciences veulent maintenir la différence de statut qui existe entre eux et leurs élèves.

The essence of student visual-spatial literacy and higher order thinking skills in undergraduate biology.

Science, engineering and mathematics-related disciplines have relied heavily on a researcher’s ability to visualize phenomena under study and being able to link and superimpose various abstract and concrete representations including visual, spatial, and temporal. The spatial representations are especially important in all branches of biology (in developmental biology time becomes an important dimension), where 3D and often 4D representations are crucial for understanding the phenomena. By the time biology students get to undergraduate education, they are supposed to have acquired visual–spatial thinking skills, yet it has been documented that very few undergraduates and a small percentage of graduate students have had a chance to develop these skills to a sufficient degree. The current paper discusses the literature that highlights the essence of visual–spatial thinking and the development of visual–spatial literacy, considers the application of the visual–spatial thinking to biology education, and proposes how modern technology can help to promote visual–spatial literacy and higher order thinking among undergraduate students of biology.

Guest Editorial: Rethinking the Place of African Worldviews and Ways of Knowing in Education

The essays in this special issue of Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education (DIME) are selections from presentations made at a 1-day symposium on African Education: Worldviews, Ways of Knowing, and Pedagogy held by the Centre for Culture, Identity, and Education at the Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia in late November, 2006. The idea for the symposium came about from discussions among Handel Kashope Wright (part of whose work includes reconceptualizing Africa and Africans from a cultural studies perspective)1 and Samson Nashon and David Anderson (who recently received a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grant for a project on East African Students’ Ways of Knowing in Science Discourse).2 The three are guest co-editors of this themed issue of DIME. The day-long seminar included a keynote address by Ali Abdi with a response by discussant Kogila Moodley and several individual and panel presentations as well as in-depth discussions in break-out sessions.

Transformations in Kenyan Science Teachers’ Locus of Control: The Influence of Contextualized Science and Emancipated Student Learning

This study investigated Kenyan science teachers’ pedagogical transformations, which manifested as they enacted and experienced a reformed contextualized science curriculum in which students’ learning experiences were critical catalysts of teacher change. Twelve high school teachers voluntarily participated in the study and were interviewed about their pedagogical transformations following their enactment of a reformed contextualized science curriculum. The outcomes demonstrated that students’ emancipated behaviours, learning and performance, qualitatively influenced teacher change and pedagogical reform. Specifically, changes in students, as a result of the ways the science curriculum was implemented, resulted in epiphanies and dilemmas for teachers who subsequently resolved to surrender their tightly held pedagogical control (locus of control) for the betterment of the learning environment and their sense of professional satisfaction.