by Scantlebury, Kathryn; Tal, Tali; Rahm, Jrène

DOI: 10.1007/s11422-006-9023-z
Online Date: 9/30/2006
Print publication date: 2/1/2007
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by Reveles, John M.; Kelly, Gregory J.; Durán, Richard P.

This ethnographic study of a third grade classroom examined elementary school science learning as a sociocultural accomplishment. The research focused on how a teacher helped his students acquire psychological tools for learning to think and engage in scientific practices as locally defined. Analyses of classroom discourse examined both how the teacher used mediational strategies to frame disciplinary knowledge in science as well as how students internalized and appropriated ways of knowing in science. The study documented and analyzed how students came to appropriate scientific knowledge as their own in an ongoing manner tied to their identities as student scientists. Implications for sociocultural theory in science education research are discussed.

DOI: 10.1007/s11422-006-9019-8
Online Date: 9/30/2006
Print publication date: 2/1/2007
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by Tucker-Raymond, Eli; Varelas, Maria; Pappas, Christine C.; Korzh, Alla; Wentland, Ashley

In this research we put forth a theoretical framework that explores the nature and value of multi-modal narratives as a tool for studying young children’s conceptions of themselves as scientists as they exist in relation to scientists out in the world. This framework shapes and is shaped by an empirical study that took place within the context of a year-long program that engaged children in integrated science-literacy experiences around two units — one on matter and one on a forest ecosystem. Thirty-six children were asked twice to draw and discuss two pictures of times they were scientists. We present our findings in two main ways. First, we use case studies of three students (one each in the first, second, and third grade) to show how the various constructs in the theoretical framework come together in the empirical study, and to explore in depth the various ideas that the children revealed. Second, we share a summative descriptive analysis of the differences between the pre and the post interviews. One of the important findings included the increase in the number of pictures from the pre-interview to the post interview in which children represented themselves as scientists (31 to 61). The children also showed themselves and scientists out in the world as engaging in practices with a range of materials, for a variety of purposes, and with particular kinds of epistemological commitments.

DOI: 10.1007/s11422-006-9017-x
Online Date: 9/30/2006
Print publication date: 2/1/2007
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by Geelan, David; Gilmer, Penny J.; Martin, Sonya N.

This forum discussion focuses on seven themes drawn from Sonya’s fascinating paper: the terminology of “cogenerative dialogues,” the roles of participants and their power relations within such dialogues, the use of metaphor and analogy in the paper, science and science education for all students, the ways in which students’ expectations about learning change in innovative classrooms, teacher research and the “theory-practice gap,” and the tension between conducting cogenerative dialogues with individual students or with whole classes. These themes by no means exhaust the ideas in Sonya’s paper, but we feel that they have allowed us to explore the classroom research she reports, and to extend our discussion beyond the paper to explore some of these themes more broadly.

DOI: 10.1007/s11422-006-9032-y
Online Date: 9/30/2006
Print publication date: 12/1/2006
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by Hutchison, Charles B.; Bailey, Lynne M.

International high school science teachers are crossing international and cultural borders to teach, raising important issues in education. In this article, we describe the cross-cultural assessment challenges that four international science teachers encountered when they migrated to teach in the United States. These included differences in grade expectations for a given quality of work, the weight given to final examinations, the assessment process, and cut-off scores for letter grades. To become proficient in their new teaching contexts, the participating teachers had to modify (or hybridize) their assessment philosophies and practices in order to conform to the expectations of their new schools. This hybridization process ushered them into what is proposed as the pedagogical imaginary; a transitional space between the “purity” of their native educational conventions and that of their American schools. The implications of these findings are discussed in hopes of improving high school science teaching experiences for international science teachers.

DOI: 10.1007/s11422-006-9028-7
Online Date: 9/29/2006
Print publication date: 12/1/2006
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By Stephen Ritchie (CSSE Blog Editor)

Were you one of the estimated 300 million television viewers of the Steve Irwin memorial service on Wednesday, September 20, 2006? For those who were not, the service was opened by the Prime Minister of Australia, chaired by the blue-shirted member of The Wiggles – arguably Australia’s best-known boy band – entertained by a True Blue Aussie singer, and consoled by several messages from Hollywood superstars. Crikey! What a turn out!

I was a viewer. I even became embarrassed when I realized I needed to swallow more frequently than usual, if you know what I mean. The service tugged a range of my emotions. While journalists highlighted Bindi’s (i.e., Steve’s 8-year-old daughter) polished cameo performance, I took most notice of a short speech from a research scientist who announced that, prior to Steve’s death, the University of Queensland was about to honor Steve by appointing him an Adjunct Professor in recognition of his contribution to a collaborative research project tracking large estuarine crocodiles – a project that has already realized several discoveries about crocodile behavior. While Steve was a passionate (some might even say crazy) entertainer, he was much more than this. He was an educator, conservationist, wildlife ambassador, and research scientist – albeit, without formal scientific qualifications. In his numerous television (plus one movie) appearances he connected with viewers like no other naturalist. So, how do we make sense of this? and how can the “Steve Irwin phenomenon” be explained from a socio-cultural perspective?

Perhaps it was Steve’s highly charged positive emotional energy that entrained our emotions towards the mutual focus of particular animals that hitherto had been feared or not appreciated, forming solidarity between the viewers (cf. Collins, 2004). This would explain why Germaine Greer’s poorly timed criticism of Steve’s antics copped an avalanche of hostile rebukes from politicians, scientists and the public in general – our memories of Steve Irwin became symbols of our solidarity that needed to be defended. But don’t we need to engage in successful interaction chains face-to-face for solidarity to bond us? What else could be at play?

More important than Steve Irwin’s capacity to entertain, was his educational impact. At a time when kids are turning their backs on formal science studies in high schools and universities around the world, Steve was able to communicate the message of conservation and environmental stewardship so effectively. It appears that children and adults alike DO like science; simply not the way it is taught in schools. What can science educators learn from Steve Irwin’s teaching practices? Are there implications for curriculum reformers and policy makers?

I invite you to comment on the questions posed here in the attempt that we might come to a better collective understanding of the Steve Irwin phenomenon. In so doing, our discussions might even lead to better school-based practices in science education.

Reference

Collins, R. (2004). Interaction ritual chains. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

by Tippins, Deborah J.; Hammond, Lorie; Hutchison, Charles B.

International high school science teachers are crossing international and cultural borders to teach, raising important issues in education. In this article, we describe the cross-cultural assessment challenges that four international science teachers encountered when they migrated to teach in the United States. These included differences in grade expectations for a given quality of work, the weight given to final examinations, the assessment process, and cutoff scores for letter grades. To become proficient in their new teaching contexts, the participating teachers had to modify (or hybridize) their assessment philosophies and practices in order to conform to the expectations of their new schools. This hybridization process ushered them into what is proposed as the Pedagogical imaginary; a transitional space between the “purity” of their native educational conventions and that of their American schools. The implications of these findings are discussed in hopes of improving high school science teaching experiences for international science teachers.

DOI: 10.1007/s11422-006-9029-6
Online Date: 9/15/2006
Print publication date: 12/1/2006
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by Tal, Tali; Kedmi, Yarden

The “Treasures in the Sea: Use and Abuse” unit that deals with authentic socioscientific issues related to the Mediterranean was developed as part of a national effort to increase scientific literacy. The unit aimed to enhance active participation of the learners and encourage higher order thinking in class by applying teaching methods that reduce the unfamiliarity felt by students. This was expected through an explicit use of a variety of teaching and assessment-for-learning methods, suitable for Science for All students. Our main goal was to examine the culture of Science for All classes in which the unit was enacted. In order to address the main learning objectives, we monitored students’ performances in tasks that required the higher order thinking skills of argumentation and value judgment, which are central constituents of decision-making processes. We show that while socioscientific issues were discussed in whole class and small group sessions, and students’ argumentation improved, there is still a long way to go in applying a thinking culture in non-science major classes. We suggest that science teachers should shift from traditional content-based and value-free approach, to a sociocultural approach that views science as a community practice and the students as active participants in decision-making processes.

DOI: 10.1007/s11422-006-9026-9
Online Date: 9/5/2006
Print publication date: 12/1/2006
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