Zuway-R Hong

An Investigation of Students’ Personality Traits and Attitudes toward Science

The purposes of this study were to validate an instrument of attitudes toward science and to investigate grade level, type of school, and gender differences in Taiwan’s students’ personality traits and attitudes toward science as well as predictors of attitudes toward science. Nine hundred and twenty‐two elementary students and 1,954 secondary students completed the School Student Questionnaire in 2008. Factor analyses, correlation analyses, ANOVAs, and regressions were used to compare the similarities and differences among male and female students in different grade levels. The findings were as follows: female students had higher interest in science and made more contributions in teams than their male counterparts across all grade levels. As students advanced through school, student scores on the personality trait scales of Conscientiousness and Openness sharply declined; students’ scores on Neuroticism dramatically increased. Elementary school and academic high school students had significantly higher total scores on interest in science than those of vocational high and junior high school students. Scores on the scales measuring the traits of Agreeableness, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness were the most significant predictors of students’ attitudes toward science. Implications of these findings for classroom instruction are discussed.

Effects of a Collaborative Science Intervention on High Achieving Students’ Learning Anxiety and Attitudes toward Science

This study investigated the effects of a collaborative science intervention on high achieving students’ learning anxiety and attitudes toward science. Thirty‐seven eighth‐grade high achieving students (16 boys and 21 girls) were selected as an experimental group who joined a 20‐week collaborative science intervention, which integrated and utilized an innovative teaching strategy. Fifty‐eight eighth‐grade high achieving students were selected as the comparison group. The Secondary School Student Questionnaire was conducted to measure all participants’ learning anxiety and attitudes toward science. In addition, 12 target students from the experimental group (i.e., six active and six passive students) were recruited for weekly classroom observations and follow‐up interviews during the intervention. Both quantitative and qualitative findings revealed that experimental group students experienced significant impact as seen through increased attitudes and decreased anxiety of learning science. Implications for practice and research are provided.

The Interplay of the Classroom Learning Environment and Inquiry‐based Activities

This quasi‐experimental study investigates how the classroom learning environment changed after inquiry‐based activities were introduced and student questioning was encouraged. Three science teachers and three classes of fifth graders (n=92) participated in this study. The analysis of covariance reveals that although the experimental group students perceived that their teacher’s support was significantly lower than that for the comparison group did (p< 0.05), they were significantly more involved in learning (p< 0.05) than their counterparts. Classroom observations of student questioning and inquiry activities revealed that those students with high quality levels in asking or responding to questions outperformed their counterparts in the inquiry ability of designing experimental procedures.

The Effect of Integrating Aesthetic Understanding in Reflective Inquiry Activities

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of integrating aesthetic understanding in reflective inquiry activities. Three typical classes of Taiwanese eighth graders (n = 106) and nine additional low‐achieving students in the same school participated in the study. The treatment for experimental students emphasized scaffolding aesthetic understanding and reflections on inquiry strategies. It was found that the experimental group students consistently outperformed their counterparts on the post‐test and the delayed post‐test in conceptual understanding and application of science knowledge. In addition, the low‐achieving students were motivated by the treatment and made significant progress on the two tests. The results of interview and classroom observation also revealed that the intervention made a difference in students’ affective perceptions.

Promoting and Scaffolding Elementary School Students' Attitudes Toward Science and Argumentation Through a Science and Society Intervention

This study investigated the effects of a science and society intervention on elementary school students’ argumentation skills and their attitudes toward science. One hundred and eleven fifth grade students volunteered as an experimental group to join a 12-week intervention; another 107 sixth grade students volunteered to be the comparison group. All participants completed the Student Questionnaire at the beginning and end of this study. Observation and interview results were used to triangulate and consolidate the quantitative findings. The data showed that after the intervention, the quality of the experimental group students’ arguments and their attitudes toward science were significantly higher than their comparison group counterparts. In addition, the experimental group boys made significantly greater progress in the quality of their argumentation from the pretest to posttest than the girls; and low achievers made the most significant progress in their attitudes toward science and quality of argumentation. Interviews and observations indicated that their understandings of explanation and argumentation changed over the intervention. This indicated that a science and society intervention can enhance both the ability of students to develop strong arguments and their attitudes toward science.

The Impact of Collaborative Reflections on Teachers’ Inquiry Teaching

This study investigates the impact of collaborative reflections on teachers’ inquiry teaching practices and identifies supportive actions relating to their professional development. Three science teachers in the same elementary school worked as a cooperative and collaborative group. They attended workshops and worked collaboratively through observing colleagues’ teaching practices and discussing with university professors about their own inquiry teaching. The pre- and post-treatment classroom observations and comparisons of their teaching reveal that the three teachers were more focussed on asking inquiry-oriented questions in the post-treatment teaching. With additional qualitative data analysis, this study identified supportive resources of professional development. Workshop training sessions and sample unit served as the initiative agent in the beginning stage. Discussions with peers and reflective observation of peer teaching acted as a facilitative agent. Finally, student responses and researchers’ on-site visit comments worked as a catalytic agent for their professional development.

Investigation of effective strategies for developing creative science thinking

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of the creative inquiry-based science teaching on students’ creative science thinking and science inquiry performance. A quasi-experimental design consisting one experimental group (N = 20) and one comparison group (N = 24) with pretest and post-test was conducted. The framework of the intervention focused on potential strategies such as promoting divergent and convergent thinking and providing an open, inquiry-based learning environment that are recommended by the literature. Results revealed that the experimental group students outperformed their counterparts in the comparison group on the performances of science inquiry and convergent thinking. Additional qualitative data analyses from classroom observations and case teacher interviews identified supportive teaching strategies (e.g. facilitating associative thinking, sharing impressive ideas, encouraging evidence-based conclusions, and reviewing and commenting on group presentations) for developing students’ creative science thinking.

The Effects of Aesthetic Science Activities on Improving At-Risk Families Children's Anxiety about Learning Science and Positive Thinking.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of aesthetic science activities on improving elementary school at-risk families’ childrens positive thinking, attitudes toward science, and decreasing their anxiety about learning science. Thirty-six 4th-grade children from at-risk families volunteered to participate in a 12-week intervention and formed the experimental group; another 97 typical 4th graders were randomly selected to participant in the assessment and were used as the comparison group. The treatment for experimental group children emphasized scaffolding aesthetic science activities and inquiry strategies. The Elementary School Student Questionnaire was administered to assess all childrens positive thinking, attitudes toward science, and anxiety about learning science. In addition, nine target children from the experimental group with the lowest scores on either positive thinking, or attitudes toward science, or with the highest scores on anxiety about learning science in the pre-test were recruited to be interviewed at the end of the intervention and observed weekly. Confirmatory factor analyses, analyses of covariance, and content theme analysis assessed the similarities and differences between groups. It was found that the at-risk families’ children were motivated by the treatment and made significant progress on positive thinking and attitudes toward science, and also decreased their anxiety about learning science. The findings from interviews and classroom observations also revealed that the intervention made differences in childrens affective perceptions of learning science. Implication and research recommendation are discussed.

Impacts of a Book Reading Club Intervention on Enhancing Parents’ Positive Thinking

This study investigated the effects of participating in a book reading club on improving parents’ positive interactions with children and positive thinking. A total of 85 parent volunteers were randomized into the experimental or comparison group. The Parent Questionnaire was used to measure positive thinking and interaction with children. Additionally interview results were used to triangulate and elucidate the findings. The findings revealed a positive impact on parents’ positive thinking and interaction with children and that these were significant predictors of parents’ positive thinking. Implications and recommendations are presented.

Using a modified argument-driven inquiry to promote elementary school students’ engagement in learning science and argumentation

ABSTRACT This study explored the effects of a modified argument-driven inquiry approach on Grade 4 students’ engagement in learning science and argumentation in Taiwan. The students were recruited as an experimental group (EG, n = 36) to join a 12-week study, while another 36 Grade 4 students from the same schools were randomly selected to be the comparison group (CG). All participants completed a questionnaire at the beginning and end of this study. In addition, four target students with the highest and the other four students with the lowest pretest engagement in learning science or argumentation to be observed weekly and interviewed following the posttest. Initial results revealed that the EG students’ total engagement in learning science and argumentation and the claim and warrant components were significantly higher than the CG students. In addition, the EG students’ anxiety in learning science significantly decreased during the study; and their posttest total engagement in learning science scores were positively associated with their argumentation scores. Interview and observation results were consistent with the quantitative findings. Instructional implications and research recommendations are discussed.