Warren Beasley

A study of conceptual development in early childhood

This paper reports part of a study which investigated young childrens conceptions of scientific and technological phenomena and the conceptual change that occurs during the teaching of science in pre-school, Transition/Year One and Year Two/Three classrooms. Science lessons from each school/centre were audio and video taped for a period of six months. Informal interviewing of teachers occurred in direct response to lessons observed. Informal interviewing of children was conducted to determine current scientific thinking in relation to the science lessons presented by the teacher.Two main elements emerged. First, different types of teacher-child interactions were evident during the science lessons observed and it was found that specifically focused interactions led to conceptual development in young children. Second, childrens views (whether scientific or not) were maintained over a three month period.

The impact of assessment changes on the science curriculum a descriptive account

ConclusionQueensland has adopted an achievement-based system of certification and instruction. Put simply, the traditional assumptions that the capacity to learn can be demonstrated by measuring the speed of learning, and that knowledge can be simply transferred from the teacher or the textbook to the student—have been deliberately dropped. This has created a home for the science education research dealing with the significance of prior concepts in science teaching. The teachers are on the move towards the goal.

Forging the visions: senior school science education across Australia

In Australia, education is the responsibility of each of the six states and two territories. Consequently there are significant differences between the science curricula offered by these eight educational authorities. This research analyses the educational significance of these curricular variations. A five‐level categorization of curriculum was used as the framework for the analysis. These five levels extend from the statement of the vision for the learning of science to the assessment of learning. The goal of the analysis was to determine the individual visions and whether they were consistently expressed in the syllabus documents published by the authorities. The study was restricted to physics, biology and chemistry in the senior school. The conclusion is that there is a richness of curriculum design within Australia and much can be learnt from the implicit curriculum experiment that is being undertaken with Australian school students.

Teacher classroom management styles with beginning high school students

Initial encounters are uncertain, problematic and exploratory in character compared to routine encounters when the rules have been stabilised. More needs to be known about the strategic resources brought into play by teachers and puplis as they mould the social and academic, topography of different kinds of classrooms (Beynon, 1985, p. 4).

Emerging issues concerning the future directions of Australian senior science education: The Queensland experience

Australias changing political, social and economic agendas have triggered a critical analysis of school curriculum. Part of this consideration has been concern over the future of science education within the context of senior schooling. Following the completion of the Senior Science Future Directions Project commissioned by the Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies, fifteen issues were identified. These issues, grouped by the needs of the science disciplines, society and the individual student, are discussed with the view of understanding the future design of senior science syllabuses.

Student teaching: Perceived confidence at attaining teaching competencies during preservice courses

TMany trainee teachers have learned through bitter experience those teaching competencies experienced teachers hold most important. This paper describes the confidence at which fifty‐five science method students would approach sixty developmental tasks at strategic points during the preservice course of teacher education. The end‐of‐course outcomes are compared with the views of heads of school science department on the importance of these competencies for beginning science teachers.