International Journal of Science Education

Haworth, Claire M.A.; Dale, Philip; Plomin, Robert

doi: 10.1080/09500690701324190pmid: 20111670

We investigated for the first time the genetic and environmental aetiology behind scientific achievement in primary school children, with a special focus on possible aetiological differences for boys and girls. For a representative community sample of 2,602 twin pairs assessed at age nine years, scientific achievement in school was rated by teachers based on National Curriculum criteria in three domains: Scientific Enquiry, Life Processes, and Physical Processes. Results indicate that genetic influences account for over 60% of the variance in scientific achievement, with environmental influences accounting for the remaining variance. Environmental influences were mainly of the non‐shared variety, suggesting that children from the same family experience school environments differently. An analysis of sex differences considering differences in means, variances, and aetiology of individual differences found only differences in variance between the sexes, with boys showing greater variance in performance than girls.

Taber, Keith S.

doi: 10.1080/09500690701485082pmid: N/A

Many studies into learners’ ideas in science have reported that aspects of learners’ thinking can be represented in terms of entities described in such terms as alternative conceptions or conceptual frameworks, which are considered to describe relatively stable aspects of conceptual knowledge that are represented in the learner’s memory and accessed in certain contexts. Other researchers have suggested that learners’ ideas elicited in research are often better understood as labile constructions formed in response to probes and generated from more elementary conceptual resources (e.g. phenomenological primitives or ‘p‐prims’). This ‘knowledge‐in‐pieces perspective’ (largely developed from studies of student thinking about physics topics), and the ‘alternative conceptions perspective’, suggests different pedagogic approaches. The present paper discusses issues raised by this area of work. Firstly, a model of cognition is considered within which the ‘knowledge‐in‐pieces’ and ‘alternative conceptions’ perspectives co‐exist. Secondly, this model is explored in terms of whether such a synthesis could offer fruitful insights by considering some candidate p‐prims from chemistry education. Finally, areas for developing testable predictions are outlined, to show how such a model can be a ‘refutable variant’ of a progressive research programme in learning science.

Liu, Shiang‐Yao; Tsai, Chin‐Chung

doi: 10.1080/09500690701338901pmid: N/A

The purpose of this study was to examine whether science and non‐science major students have different scientific epistemological views (SEVs). A multidimensional instrument previously developed by the authors was used to assess differences in college students’ SEV of various aspects. A total of 220 freshmen (42% science and 58% non‐science majors) attending two public universities participated in this investigation. Results indicated that the science majors have less sophisticated beliefs in the theory‐laden and cultural‐dependent aspects of science than non‐science majors. Analysis of variance results further revealed significant differences in SEV dimensions among the three major fields: non‐science, pure science, and science education. Science education students gained the lowest scores on the entire scale among the groups. Findings of this study imply that science major (including science education) students might be involved longer in such an epistemic environment that described scientific knowledge as objective and universal. It is also possible that beliefs about certainty and objectivity lead these students to select science as their major field. Implications for future research and science teacher education are discussed.

Barmby, Patrick; Kind, Per M.; Jones, Karen

doi: 10.1080/09500690701344966pmid: N/A

This study, carried out in England, examined the variation of attitudes towards science over the first three years of secondary schooling and with gender. The study in question was part of an evaluation of the “Lab in a Lorry” project, and involved 932 pupils completing a pre‐measure questionnaire containing items looking at six separate attitude constructs. From these data, two main patterns emerged; pupils’ attitudes towards science declined as they progressed through secondary school, and this decline was more pronounced for female pupils. These conclusions are largely in agreement with previous studies in this field. However, in examining separate attitude constructs, we were also able to identify that the sharpest decline occurred specifically for pupils’ attitude towards learning science in school. Furthermore, using linear regression, we identified that, as pupils progress through school, this construct becomes a greater influence on attitudes towards future participation in science. Therefore, we also concluded that learning science in school is a particular area that needs to be concentrated upon, if we are to improve children’s attitudes towards science. In the final part of the paper, we drew on interview data obtained from 44 pupils involved in the Lab in a Lorry study. Pupils’ comments in these interviews provided further insight into why pupils are “switched off” by school science. We drew out the most prevalent themes that emerged in the interviews, in order to provide further insight into why pupils do not enjoy science in school.

Teichert, Melonie A.; Tien, Lydia T.; Anthony, Seth; Rickey, Dawn

doi: 10.1080/09500690701355301pmid: N/A

In the studies reported here, we investigate the effects of context on students’ molecular‐level ideas regarding aqueous solutions. During one‐on‐one interviews, 19 general chemistry students recruited from a two‐year community college and a research university in the United States were asked to describe their molecular‐level ideas about various aqueous solutions in the contexts of conductivity and boiling‐point (BP) elevation. Results indicate that context is important for determining the molecular‐level ideas that students express. Specifically, students were significantly more likely to draw pictures of aqueous NaCl as separated ions in the conductivity context compared with the BP elevation context, for which they more often drew “molecular” NaCl. This phenomenon was particularly striking because the students drew molecular‐level NaCl(aq) pictures in the BP elevation context just minutes after completing the identical task in the context of conductivity. Additional data from laboratory assignments and course examinations further indicate that, even if students are able to correctly represent the molecular level in some contexts, their knowledge may remain inert in slightly different contexts. The results emphasise the importance of the context dependence of molecular‐level ideas and have implications for designing instruction in which students develop robust, coherent understandings that they can apply appropriately in new contexts.

Baddock, Maree; Bucat, Robert

doi: 10.1080/09500690701528824pmid: N/A

In an action research study, 66 students from Year 11 in an Australian school were shown the colour of methyl violet indicator in some hydrochloric acid solutions, and then in an acetic acid solution. The intent was to create a cognitive conflict, resolution of which would lead to an understanding of the concept weak acid. Student learning emanating from the demonstration was evaluated by written answers to the following: ‘Describe the demonstration’, ‘What was the aim of the demonstration?’, ‘Explain the observations’, and ‘What do you think you have learned?’ Some students were also interviewed. Learning outcomes were disappointing, not because of failure to resolve the intended conflict, but because of failure to attend to the key features of the demonstration and failure to realize a conflict. Some interesting cases of unintended, and undesirable, learning occurred. The role of the teacher was a focus of this study, and recommendations to improve the conduct of cognitive conflict demonstrations were implemented in follow‐up years, and improved learning outcomes resulted.

Davis, Elizabeth A.

doi: 10.1080/09500690701880167pmid: N/A