Over two decades, many researchers (e.g., Lave & Wenger, 1991) have been interested in knowing and learning in terms of practices. Roth (1998) views practices as patterned activities that people participate to understand the world. Practices are viewed as ways of engaging with the social world to develop, share and maintain knowledge (Wenger, 1998). Practices as activities reify and build understandings of individuals who become a member of a community (Barab & Hay, 2001). However, practices can vary in different social contexts—school science and real (authentic) science. For example, while scientists can generate and use mathematical models in order to understand bats’ cardiovascular system in science-in-the-making process, science learners can generate research question, conduct their experiment, participate in class discussion and argue their results with other class members about a particular ready-made fact of science.
Science classroom can be viewed as sites that establish communities in which knowing and learning occur through socially participating in an activity, negotiating and sharing the meaning in a collective manner (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998; Roth, 1995, 2006; Hogan & Corey, 2001). School science communities, unlike professional science research communities, introduce ready-made-science facts (Latour, 1987) to students. Science learners are provided opportunities to learn science and learn about science, not to do science (Hodson, 1998). They are presumably engaged in collective activities in a science classroom or laboratory, but their practical works, knowledge and discursive practices are bounded within their classroom community and they interact with members in that community (Bowen, 2005).
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...rovided and their teacher gives directions (Chinn & Malhotra, 2002). The lack of authenticity in their activities leads them to learn following instructions (Roth, 2006) and complete the task given rather than learning from it (Berry et al., 1999; Höngström et al., 2010). Laboratory works associated to hands-on activities ignore the importance of discussion and negotiation of meaning in the end (Jiménez-Aleixandre et al., 2000, Driver et al., 2000; Duschl et al., 2007). Even these activities are limited to cognitive aspects of doing science (i.e., making observations, deducing consequences from the hypothesis). They do not mirror epistemological and social processes of doing science (Duschl, 2008; Duschl &Grandy, 2008). Thus, incorporating some ideas from social studies of science into this study can help us reconsider what science is learned in science classrooms.
Stetsenko, A. 2008. From relational ontology to transformative activist stance on development and learning: expanding Vygotsky’s (CHAT) project. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 3: 465-485.
Rebecca Skloot’s novel, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks told the story of the injustice done a a young African American woman, and her family. Henrietta’s cancerous cells were taken from her without her consent, and turned out to be immortal. They were sold all over the world for billions of dollars, while her family, struggling to put food on the table, did not receive a penny of it. Rebecca Skloot uncovers the hidden story of the HeLa cells, and provides a novel not only highly informational, but also with insight to the workings of science. This book outlines the process of scientific inquiry, reveals the contrary forces of altruism and profit that influenced HeLa, and the risks and benefits of profit guiding research as well as the obstacles faced when conducting research for purely altruistic reasons.
The continental drift was a theory comprised from the scientist Alfred Wegener. His thoughts were that at one time the continents were of one space or an “Urkontinent” in his words. He theorized that the land had been drifting apart for centuries.
In the article, “How to Read and Understand Scientific Research,” the author Chris Kresser explains different kinds of scientific research, how to find the research papers and ways to get a good understanding of the papers. Scientific research can be largely classified into two types- original research and review papers. Original research is established on the researcher’s own conclusions through experimental or observational studies. Whereas, a review paper is built upon others’ research works published previously, with a different perspective on the conclusion. According to Kresser, reading review articles is a good way to begin research on a topic. Because different studies performed, and results deduced by other authors provide a good background
Scaffolding & cooperative learning. Human learning and instruction. New York: City College of the City University of New York. Isbell, R. & Raines, S. (2003). "The Species of the World.
Schlager, Neil, and Josh Lauer. Science and Its Times: Understanding the Social Significance of Scientific Discovery. Detroit: Gale Group, 2000. Print.
Mak, D. K. (2009). Solving Everyday Problems With the Scientific Method: Thinking Like a Scientist. Singapore: World Scientific.
“Science is not a body of facts”. Science is a state of mind” (Angier 490). While both essays, “The Canon” by Natalie Angier, and “Scientific Literacy and the Habit of Discourse” by Thomas W. Martin, discuss the fact that science is practiced through actions and is not a set of facts to be learned, these two articles approach the topic differently. By using different rhetorical modes and having alternate styles, these two articles appear different but contain the same foundation of science and make similar points. Even though the article’s main points have similarities, the essays also contain many differences through their rhetorical mode, approach, and appeal.
Demarcation between science and non-science or pseudo science is particularly important in scientific education, as it determines, for almost every member of our society, what they will accept as true regarding science, particularly creationism and evolution. Having public ...
By incorporating NOS in science textbooks, not only we will be addressing the problem suggested by Sutton (1998), but, also, as teachers, we will be reinforcing scientific expertise needed in to develop active citizens while attaining two roles in scientific understandings that are “knowing how” science was established and “knowing that” which is constituted of facts and scientific knowledge (Bellous &Siegel, 1991). Finally, Sutton’s chapter provides a concise framework for teachers and research scholars to view science teaching and scientific knowledge from a different perspective. Such that the science content and teaching should be viewed from the scientists’ perspective to the extent that collaboration between scientific community is needed to reach such
5. How did your lesson plan and instruction change over time to consider your student’s language and home culture? How have you ensured that you have made science learning accessible and relevant to
Public understanding of science is considered to be one of the most important issues facing educators in today’s technological world. It is see...
When we sit in a science class, most of the time we are bored as bored can get. We really do not get a chance to explore on our own to find out what’s really out there. Teachers sometimes are not able to get in depth outside the textbook because they are required to teach that all throughout the year. That is why a lot of kids do not really get into science because they are stuck in the book all the time. Some kids love science and do not really care about the work they have to do.
Science is everywhere; you always see it in every day life. Like when you get a ride to school from your parents, watch TV, talk on the phone, and listen to music, that’s using science. When you pass buildings science was used to build them.
In Science, teachers serve as the facilitator of learning, guiding them through the inquiry process. Teachers must ask open-ended questions, allow time for the students to answer, avoid telling students what to do, avoid discouraging students’ ideas or behaviors, encourage to find solutions on their own, encourage collaboration, maintain high standards and order, develop inquiry-based assessments to monitor students’ progress, and know that inquiry may be challenging for some students so be prepared to provide more guidance. There are three types of Science inquiry: structured, guided, and open. Structured is the most teacher-centered form of inquiry. This type of inquiry is mainly seen in laboratory exercises where the teacher needs to provide structure, however the students are the ones who conduct the experiment and find conclusions. Guided inquiry is where the students are given tools to develop a process and find the results. As an example, the teacher would instruct the students to build a rocket, but not tell them how to design it. This leaves creativity and uniqueness for the students to be able to apply their knowledge and skills. Open inquiry is when students determine the problem, i...