The goal of this study was to examine the way preservice science teachers depict and develop their understanding of nature of science (NOS), from the perspective of the family resemblance approach (FRA). FRA defines NOS as a Cognitive-Epistemic and Social-Institutional system. Appling the dual-analytic approach via reflective drawing analysis, we…

One proven strategy to help students make sense of abstract concepts is to sequence instruction so students have exploratory opportunities to investigate science before being introduced to new science explanations (Abraham and Renner 1986; Renner, Abraham, and Birnie 1988). To help physical science teachers make sense of how to effectively…

School science systems tend to emphasize teaching and learning about achievements of science (such as laws and theories) at the expense of providing students with opportunities to develop realistic conceptions about science and science inquiry and expertise they could use to conduct their own science inquiry projects. Among reasons for such an…

Given a sociocultural framework of teaching and learning, argumentation and discourse become central elements of education, particularly in science education because of argumentation's key role in scientific communities. This study documents preservice teachers' perceptions of and aptitudes related to argumentation as they participated in a…

Generates a framework of categories to describe prospective teachers' change of attitude toward teaching science over the term of a science methods course. Sources of data for the three-year study include science journal entries. Contains 36 references. (DDR)

Explores the usefulness of the Conceptual Change Model for examining the relationship between the pedagogical experiences provided in a science methods class and preservice elementary teachers' changing concepts about teaching and learning science. A case study format is used to report and discuss findings. (LZ)

This study investigated the effect of three specific hands-on teaching strategies on the attainment and alteration of preservice elementary teachers' conceptions about earth-sun-moon relationships. The subjects (n=76) were enrolled in an elementary school science methods course. The descriptive nature of this study explored: (1) the effect of two…

Science teachers ask questions to assess students' cognitive abilities and to promote student motivation in learning. Cognitive questions are usually divided into low-order and high-order types. According to the conceptual change model of learning, teachers can also use questions to facilitate the construction of knowledge by students. These…

Explains that many preconceptions and misconceptions ethnically different children bring to science instruction originate in their particular cultural heritage. In many cases these conceptions inhibit or interfere with the learning of scientific concepts. It is advised to impart to teachers with information about this source of difficulties in…

Science notebooks can be a formative assessment tool for both teachers and students to determine: (1) prior knowledge and existing science ideas; (2) how conceptual understanding is being built; (3) procedural understanding; (4) mastery of curriculum goals; and (5) the ability to apply/transfer ideas to new context (Volkmann & Abell, 2003). Using…

This book addresses the question: What is being done to educate current and future teachers of science so that they will be successful in promoting meaningful learning of science? The authors of the 15 chapters in this yearbook explore various dimensions of the preparation and enhancement of teachers of science, including practical and…