摘要:

AbstractThe author is concerned about the methodology and instrumentation used to assess both graphing abilities and the impact of microcomputer‐based laboratories (MBL) on students' graphing abilities for four reasons: (1) the ability to construct and interpret graphs is critical for developing key ideas in science; (2) science educators need to have valid information for making teaching decisions; (3) educators and researchers are heralding the arrival of MBL as a tool for developing graphing abilities; and (4) some of the research which supports using MBL appears to have significant validity problems. In this article, the author will describe the research which challenges the validity of using multiple‐choice instruments to assess graphing abilities. The evidence from this research will identify numerous disparities between the results of multiple‐choice and free‐response instruments. In the first study, 72 subjects in the seventh, ninth, and eleventh grades were administered individual clinical interviews to assess their ability to construct and interpret graphs. A wide variety of graphs and situations were assessed. In three instances during the interview, students drew a graph that would best represent a situation and then explained their drawings. The results of these clinical graphing interviews were very different from similar questions assessed through multiple‐choice formats in other research studies. In addition, insights into students' thinking about graphing reveal that some multiple‐choice graphing questions from prior research studies and standardized tests do not discriminate between right answers/right reasons, right answers/wrong reasons, and answers scored “wrong” but correct for valid reasons. These results indicate that in some instances multiple‐choice questions are not a valid measure of graphing abilities. In a second study, the researcher continued to pursue the questions raised about the validity of multiple‐choice tests to assess graphing, researching the following questions: What can be learned about subjects' graphing abilities when students draw their own graphs compared to assessing by means of a multiple‐choice instrument? Does the methodology used to assess graphing abilities: (1) affect the percentage of subjects who answer correctly; (2) alter the percentage of subjects affected by the “picture of the event” phenomenon? Instruments were constructed consisting of three graphing questions that asked students: (a) multiple‐choice‐choose a graph that best represents the situation; (b) free‐response‐draw a graph that best represents the situation. The sample of 1416 subjects from an urbadsuburban area in cluded 50% boys/50% girls from grades 8 through 12; subjects from high, medium, and low ability groups; and subjects from both public and private schools. The subjects completed either the multiple‐choice or the free draw instrument. The free draw instrument was scored by comparing the subject's response to categories of possible answers that had been identified from the first study. The results show as much as 19% difference in correct responses, three times as many “picture of the events” from multiple‐choice instruments, and significant differences in how multiple‐choice and free‐response affect various ability levels and grade levels. As such, some of the research studies that used multiple‐choice instruments to examine giaphing and the impact of MBL on student's graphing abilit

ISSN:0036-8326    

DOI:10.1002/sce.3730780602

出版商:Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractA 100‐item survey was distributed to science teachers in eight states to determine characteristics of teachers, schools, programs, and perceived needs. Results from 1258 secondary science teachers indicate that they perceive the following to be among their greatest needs: (1) to motivate students to want to learn science; (2) to discover sources of free and inexpensive science materials; (3) to learn more about how to use computers to deliver and manage instruction; (4) to find and use materials about science careers; and (5) to improve problem solving skills among their students. Based on whether teachers classified themselves as nonrural or rural, rural teachers do not perceive as much need for help with multicultural issues in the classroom or maintaining student discipline as their nonrural peers. Rural teachers report using the following classroom activities less often than nonrural teachers: cooperative learning groups, hands‐on laboratory activities, individualized strategies, and inquiry teaching. More rural than nonrural teachers report problems with too many class preparations per day, a lack of career role models in the community, and lack of colleagues with whom to discuss problems. Among all secondary science teachers, the most pronounced problems reported by teachers were (in rank order): (1) insufficient student problem‐solving skills; (2) insufficient funds for supplies; (3) poor student reading ability; (4) lack of student interest in science: and (5) inadequate laboratory facilities. © 1994 John Wiley&Son

ISSN:0036-8326    

DOI:10.1002/sce.3730780603

出版商:Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractComputer environments could support students in engaging in cognitive activities that are essential to scientific practice and to the understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge, but that are difficult to manage in science classrooms. The authors describe a design for a computer‐based environment to assist students in conducting dialectical activities of constructing, comparing, and evaluating arguments for competing scientific theories. Their choice of activities and their design respond to educators' and theorists' criticisms of current science curricula. They give detailed specifications of portions of the environment. © 1994 John Wiley&Sons, I

ISSN:0036-8326    

DOI:10.1002/sce.3730780604

出版商:Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractThe nature of the contribution of analogies to conceptual change is far from straight forward. First, review of three studies and evidence from other sources point to a modest contribution of analogies to normal conceptual change. Second, the construct of conceptual change has been defined in many ways with more preeminence given to radical conceptual change. I point out that weak or normal conceptual change is worthy of equal attention from science educators. Third, conceptualizing conceptual change in terms of gradations on a continuum enables teachers and researchers to achieve a clearer understanding of the way in which analogies contribute to conceptual change. Fourth, in order to give analogies a fair evaluation, the conceptual change paradigm ought to endorse a broader conception of change which conjoins propositional and procedural knowledge and accounts for the affective and creative processes that are associated with the education of the whole person and not only the learning of specific concepts. © 1994 John Wiley&Sons, Inc

ISSN:0036-8326    

DOI:10.1002/sce.3730780605

出版商:Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0036-8326    

DOI:10.1002/sce.3730780601

出版商:Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY