Pedagogical Transformations of Science Content Knowledge in Korean Elementary Classrooms

Periódico International Journal of Science Education

Publicação: Volume 35, Number 9, 1 June 2013 , pp. 1590-1624(35)

Título do artigo: Pedagogical Transformations of Science Content Knowledge in Korean Elementary Classrooms

Autores: Oh, Phil Seok¹; Kim, Kyoung Suk²

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Abstract:

While a solid understanding of science content knowledge is important in developing expertise in science teaching, it is not necessarily a sufficient condition to teach science effectively in elementary schools. Teachers need to have the ability to transform their knowledge into forms learnable by students. Based on this perspective, the current study explored how science content knowledge was pedagogically transformed in Korean elementary classrooms. Data sources included video-recorded science lessons of five elementary teachers in a metropolitan city of Korea. The analysis of the data revealed that the Korean teachers often engaged in transforming science content knowledge by means of different semiotic modes, including language, pictures, materials, actions, and their complex combinations. Further, their representations of scientific knowledge were in diverse forms, such as personifications, analogies, quiz questions, pictorial models, diagrams, animations, real-life examples, hand demonstrations, videos, flash tools, and songs-and-dances. Future research involving a wider range of participants, such as students, content specialists, and teachers with weak and strong content understanding, was suggested to confirm the findings of this study and find more various ways of pedagogical transformation of science subject matter knowledge.

Keywords: Elementary teacher; Multimodal representation; Pedagogical transformation; Science content knowledge; Teacher expertise

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2012.719246

Elementary Teachers' Classroom Practices and Beliefs in Relation to US Science Education Reform: Reflections from within

Periódico: International Journal of Science Education,

Publicação: Volume 35, Number 11, 1 July 2013 , pp. 1800-1823(24)

Título do artigo: Elementary Teachers' Classroom Practices and Beliefs in Relation to US Science Education Reform: Reflections from within

Autores: Thomson, Margareta Maria¹; Gregory, Bradley²

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Abstract:

This study unveils the stories of 3 public school elementary teachers from the USA who reflected on their beliefs about science education reform, and implementation of the reform in their classroom teaching, in response to state recommendations for change in science education. The teachers' stories show how various factors assisted or impeded the implementations of reform in their teaching, the various challenges related to their grade-level teaching, and the teachers' personal struggles to make sense of reform recommendations. Within each case study, we describe 4 common themes from the teachers' interviews. These themes are related to teachers' science teaching strategies, their science teaching efficacy beliefs about adopting reform, the types of science learning outcomes teachers target, and the types of teaching resources available to them. Implications for teacher education and practice are discussed in relationship with study findings.

Keywords: Case studies; Classroom practices; Science education reform; Teaching beliefs

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2013.791956

Representing Nature of Science in a Science Textbook: Exploring author–editor–publisher interactions

Periódico: International Journal of Science Education, 
Publicação: Volume 36, Number 7, 3 May 2014 , pp. 1061-1082(22)

Título do artigo: Representing Nature of Science in a Science Textbook: Exploring author–editor–publisher interactions

Autores: DiGiuseppe, Maurice

Abstract:

Current reforms in elementary and secondary science education call for students and teachers to develop more informed views of the nature of science (NOS)—a process in which science textbooks play a significant role. This paper reports on a case study of the development of representations of the NOS in a senior high school chemistry textbook by the book's author, editor, and publisher. The study examines the multiple discourses that arose as the developers reflected on their personal and shared understandings of NOS; squared these with mandated curricula, the educational needs of chemistry students and teachers, and the exigencies of large-scale commercial textbook publishing. As a result, the team developed and incorporated, in the textbook, representations of NOS they believed were the most pedagogically suitable. Analysis of the data in this study indicates that a number of factors significantly influenced the development of representations of NOS, including representational accuracy (the degree to which representations of NOS conformed to informed views of the NOS), representational consistency (the degree to which representations of NOS in different parts of the book conveyed the same meaning), representational appropriateness (the age-, grade-, and reading-level appropriateness of the NOS representations), representational alignment (the degree to which NOS representations aligned with mandated curriculum), representational marketability (the degree to which NOS representations would affect sales of the textbook), and ‘Workplace Resources’ factors including availability of time, relevant expertise, and opportunities for professional development.

Keywords: Chemistry education; Nature of science; Textbook analysis

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2013.840405