Sample records for student conceptual learning

  1. The effect of conceptual metaphors through guided inquiry on student's conceptual change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Menia, Meli; Mudzakir, Ahmad; Rochintaniawati, Diana

    2017-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify student's conceptual change of global warming after integrated science learning based guided inquiry through conceptual metaphors. This study used a quasi-experimental with a nonequivalent control group design. The subject was students of two classes of one of MTsN Salido. Data was collected using conceptual change test (pretest and posttest), observation sheet to observe the learning processes, questionnaire sheet to identify students responses, and interview to identifyteacher'srespons of science learning with conceptual metaphors. The results showed that science learning based guided inquiry with conceptual metaphors is better than science learning without conceptual metaphors. The average of posttest experimental class was 79,40 and control class was 66,09. The student's conceptual change for two classes changed significantly byusing mann whitney U testwith P= 0,003(P less than sig. value, P< 0,05). This means that there was differenceson student's conceptual changebeetwen integrated science learning based guided inquiry with conceptual metaphors class and integrated science learning without conceptual metaphors class. The study also showed that teachers and studentsgive positive responsesto implementation of integrated science learning based guided inquiry with conceptual metaphors.

  2. High school student's motivation to engage in conceptual change-learning in science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barlia, Lily

    1999-11-01

    This study investigated motivational factors that are related to engaging in conceptual change learning. While previous studies have recognized the resistance of students' scientific conception to change, few have investigated the role that non-cognitive factors might play when students are exposed to conceptual change instruction. Three research questions were examined: (a) What instructional strategies did the teacher use to both promote students' learning for conceptual change and increase their motivation in learning science? (b) What are the patterns of students' motivation to engage in conceptual change learning? And (c) what individual profiles can be constructed from the four motivational factors (i.e., goals, values, self-efficacy, and control beliefs) and how are these profiles linked to engagement (i.e., behavioral and cognitive engagement) in conceptual change learning of science? Eleven twelfth grade students (senior students) and the teacher in which conceptual change approach to teaching was used in daily activities were selected. Data collection for this study included student's self-reported responses to the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), classroom observation of students and the teacher, and structured interviews. Analysis of these data resulted in a motivational factor profile for each student and cross case analysis for entire group. Results from this study indicate that each student has different motivation factors that are mostly influenced individual student to learn science. Among these motivation factors, task value and control beliefs were most important for students. The implication of these findings are that teachers need to encourage students to find learning for conceptual change a valuable task, and that students need to find applications for their new conceptions within their everyday lives. In addition, teachers need to encourage students to develop learning strategies for conceptual understanding. Furthermore, students' motivation to learn was also influenced by other factors that are not directly related to the four motivational factors assessed by the MSLQ such as the teacher's unique personality had a positive influenced on student learning. The overall conclusions drawn from this study are that conceptual change instruction requires the teacher to be aware of the importance of affective aspects and motivational factors of students learning.

  3. College physics students' epistemological self-reflection and its relationship to conceptual learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    May, David B.; Etkina, Eugenia

    2002-12-01

    Students should develop self-reflection skills and appropriate views about knowledge and learning, both for their own sake and because these skills and views may be related to improvements in conceptual understanding. We explored the latter issue in the context of an introductory physics course for first-year engineering honors students. As part of the course, students submitted weekly reports, in which they reflected on how they learned specific physics content. The reports by 12 students were analyzed for the quality of reflection and some of the epistemological beliefs they exhibited. Students' conceptual learning gains were measured with standard survey instruments. We found that students with high conceptual gains tend to show reflection on learning that is more articulate and epistemologically sophisticated than students with lower conceptual gains. Some implications for instruction are suggested.

  4. Effects of Directed Learning Groups upon Students' Ability to Understand Conceptual Ideas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Karen Gabrielle; Galluzzo, Benjamin Jason

    2014-01-01

    Mathematical modeling and directed learning groups were employed in a terminal mathematics course to encourage university students to conceptualize real-world mathematics problems. Multiple assessments were utilized to determine whether students' conceptual development is enhanced by participating in directed learning groups conducted in a…

  5. How are learning physics and student beliefs about learning physics connected? Measuring epistemological self-reflection in an introductory course and investigating its relationship to conceptual learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    May, David B.

    2002-11-01

    To explore students' epistemological beliefs in a variety of conceptual domains in physics, and in a specific and novel context of measurement, this Dissertation makes use of Weekly Reports, a class assignment in which students reflect in writing on what they learn each week and how they learn it. Reports were assigned to students in the introductory physics course for honors engineering majors at The Ohio State University in two successive years. The Weekly Reports of several students from the first year were analyzed for the kinds of epistemological beliefs exhibited therein, called epistemological self-reflection, and a coding scheme was developed for categorizing and quantifying this reflection. The connection between epistemological self-reflection and conceptual learning in physics seen in a pilot study was replicated in a larger study, in which the coded reflections from the Weekly Reports of thirty students were correlated with their conceptual learning gains. Although the total amount of epistemological self-reflection was not found to be related to conceptual gain, different kinds of epistemological self-reflection were. Describing learning physics concepts in terms of logical reasoning and making personal connections were positively correlated with gains; describing learning from authority figures or by observing phenomena without making inferences were negatively correlated. Linear regression equations were determined in order to quantify the effects on conceptual gain of specific ways of describing learning. In an experimental test of this model, the regression equations and the Weekly Report coding scheme developed from the first year's data were used to predict the conceptual gains of thirty students from the second year. The prediction was unsuccessful, possibly because these students were not given as much feedback on their reflections as were the first-year students. These results show that epistemological beliefs are important factors affecting the conceptual learning of physics students. Also, getting students to reflect meaningfully on their knowledge and learning is difficult and requires consistent feedback. Research into the epistemological beliefs of physics students in different contexts and from different populations can help us develop more complete models of epistemological beliefs, and ultimately improve the conceptual and epistemological knowledge of all students.

  6. Improving Students' Conceptual Understanding of the Greenhouse Effect Using Theory-Based Learning Materials that Promote Deep Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reinfried, Sibylle; Aeschbacher, Urs; Rottermann, Benno

    2012-01-01

    Students' everyday ideas of the greenhouse effect are difficult to change. Environmental education faces the challenge of developing instructional settings that foster students' conceptual understanding concept of the greenhouse effect in order to understand global warming. To facilitate students' conceptual development with regard to the…

  7. Teaching for clinical reasoning - helping students make the conceptual links.

    PubMed

    McMillan, Wendy Jayne

    2010-01-01

    Dental educators complain that students struggle to apply what they have learnt theoretically in the clinical context. This paper is premised on the assumption that there is a relationship between conceptual thinking and clinical reasoning. The paper provides a theoretical framework for understanding the relationship between conceptual learning and clinical reasoning. A review of current literature is used to explain the way in which conceptual understanding influences clinical reasoning and the transfer of theoretical understandings to the clinical context. The paper argues that the connections made between concepts are what is significant about conceptual understanding. From this point of departure the paper describes teaching strategies that facilitate the kinds of learning opportunities that students need in order to develop conceptual understanding and to be able to transfer knowledge from theoretical to clinical contexts. Along with a variety of teaching strategies, the value of concept maps is discussed. The paper provides a framework for understanding the difficulties that students have in developing conceptual networks appropriate for later clinical reasoning. In explaining how students learn for clinical application, the paper provides a theoretical framework that can inform how dental educators facilitate the conceptual learning, and later clinical reasoning, of their students.

  8. Analogy-Integrated e-Learning Module: Facilitating Students' Conceptual Understanding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Florida, Jennifer

    2012-01-01

    The study deals with the development of an analogy-integrated e-learning module on Cellular Respiration, which is intended to facilitate conceptual understanding of students with different brain hemisphere dominance and learning styles. The module includes eight analogies originally conceptualized following the specific steps used to prepare…

  9. Diagnostic and Remedial Learning Strategy Based on Conceptual Graphs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jong, BinShyan; Lin, TsongWuu; Wu, YuLung; Chan, Teyi

    2004-01-01

    Numerous scholars have applied conceptual graphs for explanatory purposes. This study devised the Remedial-Instruction Decisive path (RID path) algorithm for diagnosing individual student learning situation. This study focuses on conceptual graphs. According to the concepts learned by students and the weight values of relations among these…

  10. Development of a Template Lesson Plan Based on 5e Model Enhanced with Computer Supported Applications and Conceptual Change Texts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seker, Burcu Sezginsoy; Erdem, Aliye

    2017-01-01

    Students learning a defined subject only perform by learning of thinking based on the concepts forming that subjects. Otherwise, students may move away from the scientific meaning of concepts and may fall into conceptual errors. Students' conceptual errors affect their following learning and cause them resist change. It is possible to prevent this…

  11. Predicting fifth-grade students' understanding of ecological science concepts with motivational and cognitive variables

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alao, Solomon

    The need to identify factors that contribute to students' understanding of ecological concepts has been widely expressed in recent literature. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between fifth grade students' prior knowledge, learning strategies, interest, and learning goals and their conceptual understanding of ecological science concepts. Subject were 72 students from three fifth grade classrooms located in a metropolitan area of the eastern United States. Students completed the goal commitment, interest, and strategy use questionnaire (GISQ), and a knowledge test designed to assess their prior knowledge and conceptual understanding of ecological science concepts. The learning goals scale assessed intentions to try to learn and understand ecological concepts. The interest scale assessed the feeling and value-related valences that students ascribed to science and ecological science concepts. The strategy use scale assessed the use of two cognitive strategies (monitoring and elaboration). The knowledge test assessed students' understanding of ecological concepts (the relationship between living organisms and their environment). Scores on all measures were examined for gender differences; no significant gender differences were observed. The motivational and cognitive variables contributed to students' understanding of ecological concepts. After accounting for interest, learning goals, and strategy use, prior knowledge accounted for 28% of the total variance in conceptual understanding. After accounting for prior knowledge, interest, learning goals, and strategy use explained 7%, 6%, and 4% of the total variance in conceptual understanding, respectively. More importantly, these variables were interrelated to each other and to conceptual understanding. After controlling for prior knowledge, learning goals, and strategy use, interest did not predict the variance in conceptual understanding. After controlling for prior knowledge, interest, and strategy use, learning goals did not predict the variance in conceptual understanding. And, after controlling for prior knowledge, interest, and learning goals, strategy use did not predict the variance in conceptual understanding. Results of this study indicated that prior knowledge, interest, learning goals, and strategy use should be included in theoretical models design to explain and to predict fifth grade students' understanding of ecological concepts. Results of this study further suggested that curriculum developers and science teachers need to take fifth grade students' prior knowledge of ecological concepts, interest in science and ecological concepts; intentions to learn and understand ecological concepts, and use of cognitive strategies into account when designing instructional contexts to support these students' understanding of ecological concepts.

  12. Attitudes of eighth-grade honors students toward the conceptual change methods of teaching science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heide, Clifford Lee

    1998-12-01

    The study researched the attitude of eighth grade honors science students toward the steps of the conceptual change teaching method. The attitudes of 25 students in an honors 8th grade science class in the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area were assessed using a multi-method approach. A quantitative method (student survey) and a qualitative method (focus group) were triangulated for convergence. Since conceptual change is a relatively new reform teaching modality, the study assessed students' attitudes utilizing this method. Conceptual change teaching is characterized by connections between concepts and facts which are organized around key ideas. Knowledge connected through concepts is constantly revised and edited by students as they continue to learn and add new concepts. The results of this study produced evidence that the conceptual change method of teaching science and its six process steps have qualities that foster positive student attitude. The study demonstrated that students' attitudes toward science is positively influenced through the conceptual change teaching method by enabling students to: (1) choose problems and find solutions to those problems (student directed); (2) work together in large and small groups; (3) learn through student oral presentations; (4) perform hands-on laboratory experiences; (5) learn through conceptual understanding not memorization; (6) implement higher order learning skills to make connections from the lab to the real world. Teachers can use the information in the study to become aware of the positive and negative attitudes of students taught with the conceptual change method. Even if the conceptual change teaching strategy is not the modality utilized by an educator, the factors identified by this study that affect student attitude could be used to help a teacher design lesson plans that help foster positive student attitudes.

  13. Examining the Factors That Influence Students' Science Learning Processes and Their Learning Outcomes: 30 Years of Conceptual Change Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Jing-Wen; Yen, Miao-Hsuan; Liang, Jia-Chi; Chiu, Mei-Hung; Guo, Chorng-Jee

    2016-01-01

    This study used content analysis to examine the most studied conceptual change factors that influence students' science learning processes and their learning outcomes. The reviewed research included empirical studies published since Posner et al. proposed their conceptual change model 30 years ago (from 1982 to 2011). One hundred sixteen SSCI…

  14. The development of a digital logic concept inventory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herman, Geoffrey Lindsay

    Instructors in electrical and computer engineering and in computer science have developed innovative methods to teach digital logic circuits. These methods attempt to increase student learning, satisfaction, and retention. Although there are readily accessible and accepted means for measuring satisfaction and retention, there are no widely accepted means for assessing student learning. Rigorous assessment of learning is elusive because differences in topic coverage, curriculum and course goals, and exam content prevent direct comparison of two teaching methods when using tools such as final exam scores or course grades. Because of these difficulties, computing educators have issued a general call for the adoption of assessment tools to critically evaluate and compare the various teaching methods. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education researchers commonly measure students' conceptual learning to compare how much different pedagogies improve learning. Conceptual knowledge is often preferred because all engineering courses should teach a fundamental set of concepts even if they emphasize design or analysis to different degrees. Increasing conceptual learning is also important, because students who can organize facts and ideas within a consistent conceptual framework are able to learn new information quickly and can apply what they know in new situations. If instructors can accurately assess their students' conceptual knowledge, they can target instructional interventions to remedy common problems. To properly assess conceptual learning, several researchers have developed concept inventories (CIs) for core subjects in engineering sciences. CIs are multiple-choice assessment tools that evaluate how well a student's conceptual framework matches the accepted conceptual framework of a discipline or common faulty conceptual frameworks. We present how we created and evaluated the digital logic concept inventory (DLCI).We used a Delphi process to identify the important and difficult concepts to include on the DLCI. To discover and describe common student misconceptions, we interviewed students who had completed a digital logic course. Students vocalized their thoughts as they solved digital logic problems. We analyzed the interview data using a qualitative grounded theory approach. We have administered the DLCI at several institutions and have checked the validity, reliability, and bias of the DLCI with classical testing theory procedures. These procedures consisted of follow-up interviews with students, analysis of administration results with statistical procedures, and expert feedback. We discuss these results and present the DLCI's potential for providing a meaningful tool for comparing student learning at different institutions.

  15. The impact of rigorous mathematical thinking as learning method toward geometry understanding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nugraheni, Z.; Budiyono, B.; Slamet, I.

    2018-05-01

    To reach higher order thinking skill, needed to be mastered the conceptual understanding. RMT is a unique realization of the cognitive conceptual construction approach based on Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) theory by Feurstein and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. This was quasi experimental research which was comparing the experimental class that was given Rigorous Mathematical Thinking (RMT) as learning method and control class that was given Direct Learning (DL) as the conventional learning activity. This study examined whether there was different effect of two learning method toward conceptual understanding of Junior High School students. The data was analyzed by using Independent t-test and obtained a significant difference of mean value between experimental and control class on geometry conceptual understanding. Further, by semi-structure interview known that students taught by RMT had deeper conceptual understanding than students who were taught by conventional way. By these result known that Rigorous Mathematical Thinking (RMT) as learning method have positive impact toward Geometry conceptual understanding.

  16. Facilitating Students' Conceptual Change and Scientific Reasoning Involving the Unit of Combustion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Chin-Quen; She, Hsiao-Ching

    2010-01-01

    This article reports research from a 3 year digital learning project to unite conceptual change and scientific reasoning in the learning unit of combustion. One group of students had completed the course combining conceptual change and scientific reasoning. The other group of students received conventional instruction. In addition to the…

  17. Excellence in Physics Education Award Talk: The Role of Physics Education Research in the Design and Assessment of Active Learning Curricula and Tools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thornton, Ronald

    2010-02-01

    For the Activity Based Physics Group (APB), research in student learning has been a cornerstone, for the past 22 years, of the development of activity-based curricula supported by real-time data collection, analysis, and modeling. This presentation, the first of three related talks, will focus on student learning, Priscilla Laws will describe the curriculum and tools developed, and David Sokoloff will describe dissemination efforts. One of the earliest examples of seminal research, done as part of the early MBL development for middle school at TERC, showed that delaying the display of a position-time graph by 10 seconds instead of displaying it in real-time resulted in a substantial learning decrease. This result assured the use of real-time data collection in our curricula. As we developed our early kinematics and dynamics curricula for college and high school, we interviewed many students before and after instruction, to understand where they started and what they had learned. We used the results of these interviews and written student explanations of their thinking to develop robust multiple-choice evaluations that were easy to give and allowed us to understand student thinking using both ``right and wrong'' responses. Work such as this resulted in Questions on Linear Motion, Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE), Heat and Temperature Conceptual Evaluation (HTCE), Electrical Circuit Conceptual Evaluation (ECCE), Light and Optics Conceptual Evaluation (LOCE) and others which guided our curriculum development and convinced many that standard instruction in physics did not result in substantial conceptual learning. Other evaluations measured mathematical understandings.evaluations also allowed us to look at a progression of student ideas as they learned (``Conceptual Dynamics''), study the behavior of students who did and did not learn conceptually (``Uncommon Knowledge''), study the efficacy of peer groups, and finally identify some of factors that led to conceptual learning for both women and men. (e.g. increases in spatial ability). )

  18. Peer Instruction in Chemistry Education: Assessment of Students' Learning Strategies, Conceptual Learning and Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gok, Tolga; Gok, Ozge

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of peer instruction on learning strategies, problem solving performance, and conceptual understanding of college students in a general chemistry course. The research was performed students enrolled in experimental and control groups of a chemistry course were selected. Students in the…

  19. A multidimensional framework of conceptual change for developing chemical equilibrium learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chanyoo, Wassana; Suwannoi, Paisan; Treagust, David F.

    2018-01-01

    The purposes of this research is to investigate the existing chemical equilibrium lessons in Thailand based on the multidimensional framework of conceptual change, to determine how the existing lessons could enhance students' conceptual change. This research was conducted based on qualitative perspective. Document, observations and interviews were used to collect data. To comprehend all students conceptions, diagnostic tests were applied comprised of The Chemical Equilibrium Diagnostic Test (the CEDT) and The Chemical Equilibrium Test for Reveal Conceptual Change (the CETforRCC). In addition, to study students' motivations, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (the MSLQ) and students' task engagement were applied. Following each perspective of conceptual change - ontological, epistemological, and social/affective - the result showed that the existing chemical equilibrium unit did not enhance students' conceptual change, and some issues were found. The problems obstructed students conceptual change should be remedy under the multidimensional framework of conceptual change. Finally, some suggestions were provided to enhance students' conceptual change in chemical equilibrium effectively

  20. The opportunities and challenges of guided inquiry science for students with special needs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Marianne

    Research in science education has been conducted with various goals for instruction. Four outcomes identified include: immediate and delayed recall, literal comprehension, science skills and processes, and conceptual understanding. The promise of developing important thinking skills exists for all students if science instruction is designed to teach students the products of science and the principled process of inquiry. Guided inquiry science seeks to develop conceptual understanding through the pursuit of meaningful questions using scientific problem solving to conduct investigations that are thoughtfully generated and evaluated. Using a social constructivist perspective, this study examines the learning experiences of four students, identified by their teachers as learning disabled or underachieving. Four case studies are presented of the students' participation in a guided inquiry investigation of the behavior of light. Measures of conceptual understanding included pre- and post-instruction assessments, interviews, journal writing, videotapes, and fieldnotes. All four students demonstrated improved conceptual understanding of light. Five patterns of relationships influenced the development of the students' thinking. First, differences in the culture of the two classrooms altered the learning environment, Second, the nature of teacher interaction with the target students affected conceptual understanding. Third, interactions with peers modified the learning experiences for the identified students. Fourth, the conceptual and procedural complexity of the tasks increased the tendency for the students to lose focus. Finally, the literacy requirements of the work were challenging for these students.

  1. Students' "Uses and Gratification Expectancy" Conceptual Framework in Relation to E-Learning Resources

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mondi, Makingu; Woods, Peter; Rafi, Ahmad

    2007-01-01

    This paper presents the systematic development of a "Uses and Gratification Expectancy" (UGE) conceptual framework which is able to predict students' "Perceived e-Learning Experience." It is argued that students' UGE as regards e-learning resources cannot be implicitly or explicitly explored without first examining underlying communication…

  2. Instruction of Learning Strategies: Effects on Conceptual Learning, and Learning Satisfactions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caliskan, Serap

    2011-01-01

    This study has investigated the effects of learning strategy instruction on conceptual learning, and student satisfactions in an introductory physics course at university level. In this study, pretest-posttest and quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group was used. A total of 36 sophomore students majoring in mathematics…

  3. Comparing student learning with multiple research-based conceptual surveys: CSEM and BEMA.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pollock, S. J.

    2008-10-01

    We present results demonstrating similar distributions of student scores, and statistically indistinguishable gains on two popular research-based assessment tools: the Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment (BEMA) and the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism(CSEM). To deepen our understanding of student learning in our course environment and of these assessment tools as measures of student learning, we identify systematic trends and differences in results from these two instruments. We investigate correlations of both pre- and post- conceptual scores with other measures including traditional exam scores and course grades, student background (earlier grades), gender, a pretest of scientific reasoning, and tests of attitudes and beliefs about science and learning science. Overall, for practical purposes, we find the BEMA and CSEM are roughly equivalently useful instruments for measuring student learning in our course.

  4. Learning Complex Scientific Information: Motivation Theory and Its Relation to Student Perceptions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hynd, Cynthia; Holschuh, Jodi; Nist, Sherrie

    2000-01-01

    Examines motivation in high school students' conceptual change about physics principles, and college students' motivation for biology learning. Finds grades and interest were important, but students did not report the importance of social support. Suggests similar motivations are important in both conceptual change and assimilation and help…

  5. Impact of Learning Model Based on Cognitive Conflict toward Student’s Conceptual Understanding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mufit, F.; Festiyed, F.; Fauzan, A.; Lufri, L.

    2018-04-01

    The problems that often occur in the learning of physics is a matter of misconception and low understanding of the concept. Misconceptions do not only happen to students, but also happen to college students and teachers. The existing learning model has not had much impact on improving conceptual understanding and remedial efforts of student misconception. This study aims to see the impact of cognitive-based learning model in improving conceptual understanding and remediating student misconceptions. The research method used is Design / Develop Research. The product developed is a cognitive conflict-based learning model along with its components. This article reports on product design results, validity tests, and practicality test. The study resulted in the design of cognitive conflict-based learning model with 4 learning syntaxes, namely (1) preconception activation, (2) presentation of cognitive conflict, (3) discovery of concepts & equations, (4) Reflection. The results of validity tests by some experts on aspects of content, didactic, appearance or language, indicate very valid criteria. Product trial results also show a very practical product to use. Based on pretest and posttest results, cognitive conflict-based learning models have a good impact on improving conceptual understanding and remediating misconceptions, especially in high-ability students.

  6. Impact of Additional Guidance in Science Education on Primary Students' Conceptual Understanding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Decristan, Jasmin; Hondrich, A. Lena; Büttner, Gerhard; Hertel, Silke; Klieme, Eckhard; Kunter, Mareike; Lühken, Arnim; Adl-Amini, Katja; Djakovic, Sanna-K.; Mannel, Susanne; Naumann, Alexander; Hardy, Ilonca

    2015-01-01

    A cognitive and a guidance dimension can describe the support of students' conceptual understanding in inquiry-based science education. The role of guidance for student learning has been intensively discussed. Furthermore, inquiry learning may pose particular challenges to students with low language proficiency. The present intervention in primary…

  7. Development and Uses of Upper-Division Conceptual Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilcox, Bethany R.; Caballero, Marcos D.; Baily, Charles; Sadaghiani, Homeyra; Chasteen, Stephanie V.; Ryan, Qing X.; Pollock, Steven J.

    2015-01-01

    The use of validated conceptual assessments alongside conventional course exams to measure student learning in introductory courses has become standard practice in many physics departments. These assessments provide a more standard measure of certain learning goals, allowing for comparisons of student learning across instructors, semesters,…

  8. Creative Writing and Learning in a Conceptual Astrophysics Course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berenson, R.

    2012-08-01

    Creative writing assignments in a conceptual astrophysics course for liberal arts students can reduce student anxiety. This study demonstrates that such assignments also can aid learning as demonstrated by significantly improved performance on exams.

  9. Analyzing Students' Learning Progressions Throughout a Teaching Sequence on Acoustic Properties of Materials with a Model-Based Inquiry Approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hernández, María Isabel; Couso, Digna; Pintó, Roser

    2015-04-01

    The study we have carried out aims to characterize 15- to 16-year-old students' learning progressions throughout the implementation of a teaching-learning sequence on the acoustic properties of materials. Our purpose is to better understand students' modeling processes about this topic and to identify how the instructional design and actual enactment influences students' learning progressions. This article presents the design principles which elicit the structure and types of modeling and inquiry activities designed to promote students' development of three conceptual models. Some of these activities are enhanced by the use of ICT such as sound level meters connected to data capture systems, which facilitate the measurement of the intensity level of sound emitted by a sound source and transmitted through different materials. Framing this study within the design-based research paradigm, it consists of the experimentation of the designed teaching sequence with two groups of students ( n = 29) in their science classes. The analysis of students' written productions together with classroom observations of the implementation of the teaching sequence allowed characterizing students' development of the conceptual models. Moreover, we could evidence the influence of different modeling and inquiry activities on students' development of the conceptual models, identifying those that have a major impact on students' modeling processes. Having evidenced different levels of development of each conceptual model, our results have been interpreted in terms of the attributes of each conceptual model, the distance between students' preliminary mental models and the intended conceptual models, and the instructional design and enactment.

  10. Learning to Deflect: Conceptual Change in Physics during Digital Game Play

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sengupta, Pratim; Krinks, Kara D.; Clark, Douglas B.

    2015-01-01

    How does deep conceptual change occur when students play well-designed educational games? To answer this question, we present a case study in the form of a microgenetic analysis of a student's processes of knowledge construction as he played a conceptually-integrated digital game (SURGE Next) designed to support learning about Newtonian mechanics.…

  11. The Impact of Peer Instruction on College Students' Beliefs about Physics and Conceptual Understanding of Electricity and Magnetism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gok, Tolga

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to assess students' conceptual learning of electricity and magnetism and examine how these conceptions, beliefs about physics, and quantitative problem-solving skills would change after peer instruction (PI). The Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM), Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey…

  12. An educational ethnography of teacher-developed science curriculum implementation: Enacting conceptual change-based science inquiry with Hispanic students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brunsell, Eric Steven

    An achievement gap exists between White and Hispanic students in the United States. Research has shown that improving the quality of instruction for minority students is an effective way to narrow this gap. Science education reform movements emphasize that science should be taught using a science inquiry approach. Extensive research in teaching and learning science also shows that a conceptual change model of teaching is effective in helping students learn science. Finally, research into how Hispanic students learn best has provided a number of suggestions for science instruction. The Inquiry for Conceptual Change model merges these three research strands into a comprehensive yet accessible model for instruction. This study investigates two questions. First, what are teachers' perceptions of science inquiry and its implementation in the classroom? Second, how does the use of the Inquiry for Conceptual Change model affect the learning of students in a predominantly Hispanic, urban neighborhood. Five teachers participated in a professional development project where they developed and implemented a science unit based on the Inquiry for Conceptual Change model. Three units were developed and implemented for this study. This is a qualitative study that included data from interviews, participant reflections and journals, student pre- and post-assessments, and researcher observations. This study provides an in-depth description of the role of professional development in helping teachers understand how science inquiry can be used to improve instructional quality for students in a predominantly Hispanic, urban neighborhood. These teachers demonstrated that it is important for professional development to be collaborative and provide opportunities for teachers to enact and reflect on new teaching paradigms. This study also shows promising results for the ability of the Inquiry for Conceptual Change model to improve student learning.

  13. Students' Ideas about How and Why Chemical Reactions Happen: Mapping the conceptual landscape

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Fan; Talanquer, Vicente

    2015-12-01

    Research in science education has revealed that many students struggle to understand chemical reactions. Improving teaching and learning about chemical processes demands that we develop a clearer understanding of student reasoning in this area and of how this reasoning evolves with training in the domain. Thus, we have carried out a qualitative study to explore students reasoning about chemical causality and mechanism. Study participants included individuals at different educational levels, from college to graduate school. We identified diverse conceptual modes expressed by students when engaged in the analysis of different types of reactions. Main findings indicate that student reasoning about chemical reactions is influenced by the nature of the process. More advanced students tended to express conceptual modes that were more normative and had more explanatory power, but major conceptual difficulties persisted in their reasoning. The results of our study are relevant to educators interested in conceptual development, learning progressions, and assessment.

  14. Structuring Cooperative Learning for Motivation and Conceptual Change in the Concepts of Mixtures

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Belge Can, Hatice; Boz, Yezdan

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the effect of structuring cooperative learning based on conceptual change approach on grade 9 students' understanding the concepts of mixtures and their motivation, compared with traditional instruction. Among six classes of a high school, two of them were randomly assigned to cooperative learning group where students were…

  15. Equitable Access by Design. A Conceptual Framework for Integrated Student Supports within Linked Learning Pathways

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Velasco, Jorge Ruiz; Newman, Elizabeth; Borsato, Graciela

    2016-01-01

    This report proposes a conceptual framework for defining and implementing a system of integrated student supports that provides equitable access to college and career readiness via Linked Learning pathways in high schools. The framework emphasizes the central commitment of the Linked Learning approach to challenge prevailing norms of…

  16. Knowledgeable Learning and Conceptual Change: Value Adding to Teacher Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeigh, Tony

    2013-01-01

    This report concerns the use of pre and post responses to an online questionnaire as evidence of knowledgeable learning by education students at a regional Australian university. Factor analysis was used to reveal conceptual changes in the students' thinking about classroom management across a unit of learning they had undertaken. These changes…

  17. Active Learning session based on Didactical Engineering framework for conceptual change in students' equilibrium and stability understanding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Canu, Michael; Duque, Mauricio; de Hosson, Cécile

    2017-01-01

    Engineering students on control courses lack a deep understanding of equilibrium and stability that are crucial concepts in this discipline. Several studies have shown that students find it difficult to understand simple familiar or academic static equilibrium cases as well as dynamic ones from mechanics even if they know the discipline's criteria and formulae. Our aim is to study the impact of a specific and innovative classroom session, containing well-chosen situations that address students' misconceptions. We propose an example of Active Learning experiment based both on the Didactical Engineering methodology and the Conceptual Fields Theory that aims at promoting a conceptual change in students. The chosen methodology allows, at the same time, a proper design of the student learning activities, an accurate monitoring of the students' rational use during the tasks and provides an internal tool for the evaluation of the session's efficiency. Although the expected starting conceptual change was detected, it would require another activity in order to be reinforced.

  18. Learning Environment, Attitudes and Conceptual Development Associated with Innovative Strategies in Middle-School Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ogbuehi, Philip I.; Fraser, Barry J.

    2007-01-01

    This study of middle-school students in California focused on the effectiveness of using innovative teaching strategies for enhancing the classroom environment, students' attitudes and conceptual development. A sample of 661 students from 22 classrooms in four inner city schools completed modified forms of the Constructivist Learning Environment…

  19. Developing Conceptual Understanding and Procedural Fluency for Junior High School Students through Model-Facilitated Learning (MFL)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Laswadi; Kusumah, Yaya S.; Darwis, Sutawanir; Afgani, Jarnawi D.

    2016-01-01

    Conceptual understanding (CU) and procedural fluency (PF) are two important mathematical competencies required by students. CU helps students organizing their knowledge into a coherent whole, and PF helps them to find the right solution of a problem. In order to enhance CU and PF, students need learning experiences in constructing knowledge and…

  20. The Effect of Enriched Learning Environments on the Conceptual Understanding of Students: "The Erosion and Landslide"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Çoruhlu, Tülay Senel; Bilgin, Arzu Kirman; Nas, Sibel Er

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this research is to investigate the effect of enriched learning environments which have been developed in the framework of the "erosion and landslide" concepts on the conceptual understanding of students. A quasi-experimental method has been used in this research. The sample consists of 40 students. 5th grade students (aged…

  1. The Effect of Cooperative Learning Approach Based on Conceptual Change Condition on Students' Understanding of Chemical Equilibrium Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bilgin, Ibrahim; Geban, Omer

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the cooperative learning approach based on conceptual change conditions over traditional instruction on 10th grade students' conceptual understanding and achievement of computational problems related to chemical equilibrium concepts. The subjects of this study consisted of 87 tenth grade…

  2. Identification of Conceptual Understanding in Biotechnology Learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suryanti, E.; Fitriani, A.; Redjeki, S.; Riandi, R.

    2018-04-01

    Research on the identification of conceptual understanding in the learning of Biotechnology, especially on the concept of Genetic Engineering has been done. The lesson is carried out by means of discussion and presentation mediated-powerpoint media that contains learning materials with relevant images and videos. This research is a qualitative research with one-shot case study or one-group posttest-only design. Analysis of 44 students' answers show that only 22% of students understand the concept, 18% of students lack understanding of concepts, 57% of students have misconceptions, and 3% of students are error. It can be concluded that most students has misconceptions in learning the concept of Genetic Engineering.

  3. Using the Conceptual Change Instruction To Improve Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alparslan, Cem; Tekkaya, Ceren; Geban, Omer

    2003-01-01

    Investigates the effect of conceptual change instruction on grade 11 students' understanding of respiration. The Respiration Concept Test was developed and used to test students' misconceptions. Results indicate that the conceptual change instruction that explicitly addressed students' misconceptions produced significantly greater achievement in…

  4. Developing a Learning Progression of Buoyancy to Model Conceptual Change: A Latent Class and Rule Space Model Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Yizhu; Zhai, Xiaoming; Andersson, Björn; Zeng, Pingfei; Xin, Tao

    2018-06-01

    We applied latent class analysis and the rule space model to verify the cumulative characteristic of conceptual change by developing a learning progression for buoyancy. For this study, we first abstracted seven attributes of buoyancy and then developed a hypothesized learning progression for buoyancy. A 14-item buoyancy instrument was administered to 1089 8th grade students to verify and refine the learning progression. The results suggest four levels of progression during conceptual change when 8th grade students understand buoyancy. Students at level 0 can only master Density. When students progress to level 1, they can grasp Direction, Identification, Submerged volume, and Relative density on the basis of the prior level. Then, students gradually master Archimedes' theory as they reach level 2. The most advanced students can further grasp Relation with motion and arrive at level 3. In addition, this four-level learning progression can be accounted for by the Qualitative-Quantitative-Integrative explanatory model.

  5. Teaching and Learning about Force with a Representational Focus: Pedagogy and Teacher Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hubber, Peter; Tytler, Russell; Haslam, Filocha

    2010-01-01

    A large body of research in the conceptual change tradition has shown the difficulty of learning fundamental science concepts, yet conceptual change schemes have failed to convincingly demonstrate improvements in supporting significant student learning. Recent work in cognitive science has challenged this purely conceptual view of learning, emphasising the role of language, and the importance of personal and contextual aspects of understanding science. The research described in this paper is designed around the notion that learning involves the recognition and development of students’ representational resources. In particular, we argue that conceptual difficulties with the concept of force are fundamentally representational in nature. This paper describes a classroom sequence in force that focuses on representations and their negotiation, and reports on the effectiveness of this perspective in guiding teaching, and in providing insight into student learning. Classroom sequences involving three teachers were videotaped using a combined focus on the teacher and groups of students. Video analysis software was used to capture the variety of representations used, and sequences of representational negotiation. Stimulated recall interviews were conducted with teachers and students. The paper reports on the nature of the pedagogies developed as part of this representational focus, its effectiveness in supporting student learning, and on the pedagogical and epistemological challenges negotiated by teachers in implementing this approach.

  6. Understanding genetics: Analysis of secondary students' conceptual status

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsui, Chi-Yan; Treagust, David F.

    2007-02-01

    This article explores the conceptual change of students in Grades 10 and 12 in three Australian senior high schools when the teachers included computer multimedia to a greater or lesser extent in their teaching of a genetics course. The study, underpinned by a multidimensional conceptual-change framework, used an interpretive approach and a case-based design with multiple data collection methods. Over 4-8 weeks, the students learned genetics in classroom lessons that included BioLogica activities, which feature multiple representations. Results of the online tests and interview tasks revealed that most students improved their understanding of genetics as evidenced in the development of genetics reasoning. However, using Thorley's (1990) status analysis categories, a cross-case analysis of the gene conceptions of 9 of the 26 students interviewed indicated that only 4 students' postinstructional conceptions were intelligible-plausible-fruitful. Students' conceptual change was consistent with classroom teaching and learning. Findings suggested that multiple representations supported conceptual understanding of genetics but not in all students. It was also shown that status can be a viable hallmark enabling researchers to identify students' conceptual change that would otherwise be less accessible. Thorley's method for analyzing conceptual status is discussed.

  7. Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Extension, and Evaluation (5E) Learning Cycle and Conceptual Change Text as Learning Tools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balci, Sibel; Cakiroglu, Jale; Tekkaya, Ceren

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Extension, and Evaluation (5E) learning cycle, conceptual change texts, and traditional instructions on 8th grade students' understanding of photosynthesis and respiration in plants. Students' understanding of photosynthesis and respiration in…

  8. Student Engagement: Developing a Conceptual Framework and Survey Instrument

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burch, Gerald F.; Heller, Nathan A.; Burch, Jana J.; Freed, Rusty; Steed, Steve A.

    2015-01-01

    Student engagement is considered to be among the better predictors of learning, yet there is growing concern that there is no consensus on the conceptual foundation. The authors propose a conceptualization of student engagement grounded in A. W. Astin's (1984) Student Involvement Theory and W. A. Kahn's (1990) employee engagement research where…

  9. The Effects of Peer Instruction on Students' Conceptual Learning and Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gok, Tolga

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of peer instruction on college students' conceptual learning, motivation, and self-efficacy in an algebra-based introductory physics course for nonmajors. Variables were studied via a quasi-experiment, Solomon four-group design on 123 students. Treatment groups were taught by peer instruction.…

  10. Learning about Friction: Group Dynamics in Engineering Students' Work with Free Body Diagrams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berge, Maria; Weilenmann, Alexandra

    2014-01-01

    In educational research, it is well-known that collaborative work on core conceptual issues in physics leads to significant improvements in students' conceptual understanding. In this paper, we explore collaborative learning in action, adding to previous research in engineering education with a specific focus on the students' use of free body…

  11. Complex Dynamic Systems View on Conceptual Change: How a Picture of Students' Intuitive Conceptions Accrue from Dynamically Robust Task Dependent Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koponen, Ismo T.; Kokkonen, Tommi; Nousiainen, Maiji

    2017-01-01

    We discuss here conceptual change and the formation of robust learning outcomes from the viewpoint of complex dynamic systems (CDS). The CDS view considers students' conceptions as context dependent and multifaceted structures which depend on the context of their application. In the CDS view the conceptual patterns (i.e. intuitive conceptions…

  12. The nature of dissection: Exploring student conceptions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    York, Katharine

    The model of conceptual change in science describes the process of learning as a complete restructuring of knowledge, when learners discover or are shown more plausible, intelligent alternatives to existing conceptions. Emotions have been acknowledged as part of a learner's conceptual ecology, but the effects of emotions on learning have yet to be described. This research was conducted to examine the role that emotions have on learning for thirteen high school students, as they dissected cats in a Human Anatomy and Physiology class. The project also investigated whether a student's emotional reactions may be used to develop a sense of connectedness with the nonhuman world, which is defined as ecological literacy. This study utilized a grounded theory approach, in which student responses to interviews were the primary source of data. Interviews were transcribed, and responses were coded according to a constant comparative method of analysis. Responses were compared with the four conditions necessary for conceptual change to occur, and also to five principles of ecological literacy. Students who had negative reactions to dissection participated less in the activity, and demonstrated less conceptual change. Two female students showed the strongest emotional reactions to dissection, and also the lowest amount of conceptual change. One male student also had strong negative reactions to death, and showed no conceptual change. The dissection experiences of the students in this study did not generally reflect ecological principles. The two students whose emotional reactions to dissection were the most negative demonstrated the highest degree of ecological literacy. These results provide empirical evidence of the effects that emotions have on learning, and also supports the opinions of educators who do not favor dissection, because it does not teach students to respect all forms of life.

  13. Learner factors associated with radical conceptual change among undergraduates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olson, Joanne Kay

    Students frequently enter learning situations with knowledge inconsistent with scientific views. One goal of science instruction is to enable students to construct scientifically accepted ideas while rejecting inaccurate constructs. This process is called conceptual change. This study examined factors associated with students at three levels of conceptual change to elucidate possible influences on the conceptual change process. Factors studied included motivation (including utility value, interest, attainment value, mood, self efficacy, and task difficulty), prior experiences with science, perceptions of the nature of science, connections to objects or events outside the classroom, and specific activities that helped students learn. Four science classes for undergraduate preservice elementary teachers participated in the study, conducted during a three week unit on electricity. Data sources included concept maps, drawings, reflective journal entries, quizzes, a science autobiography assignment, and interviews. Concept maps, drawings, and quizzes were analyzed, and students were placed into high, moderate, and low conceptual change groups. Of the ninety-eight students in the study, fifty-seven were interviewed. Perhaps the most important finding of this study relates to the assessment of conceptual change. Interviews were conducted two months after the unit, and many items on the concept maps had decayed from students' memories. This indicates that time is an important factor. In addition, interview-derived data demonstrated conceptual change levels; concept maps were insufficient to indicate the depth of students' understanding. Factors associated with conceptual change include self efficacy and interest in topic. In addition, moderate conceptual change students cited specific activities as having helped them learn. Low and high students focused on the method of instruction rather than specific activities. Factors not found to be associated with conceptual change include: utility value, mood, task difficulty, and prior experiences with science, and connections to objects and events outside the classroom. Attainment value, perceptions of the nature of science, and mood cannot be ruled out as possible factors due to the problematic nature of assessing them within the context of this study.

  14. Inclusive jet cross sections in proton-proton collisions at 7.0 TeV center-of-mass energy with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park-Martinez, Jayne Irene

    The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of node-link mapping on students' meaningful learning and conceptual change in a 1-semester introductory life-science course. This study used node-link mapping to integrate and apply the National Research Council's (NRC, 2005) three principles of human learning: engaging students' prior knowledge, fostering their metacognition, and supporting their formulation of a scientific conceptual framework. The study was a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, control group design. The sample consisted of 68 primarily freshmen non-science majors enrolled in two intact sections of the targeted course. Both groups received the same teacher-centered instruction and student-centered activities designed to promote meaningful learning and conceptual change; however, the activity format differed. Control group activities were written; treatment group activities were node-link mapped. Prior to instruction, both groups demonstrated equivalent knowledge and misconceptions associated with genetics and evolution (GE), and ecology and environmental science (EE). Mean differences, pre-to-post instruction, on the GE and EE meaningful learning exam scores and the EE conceptual change inventory scores between the writing group (control) and the node-link mapping group (treatment) were analyzed using repeated measures MANOVAs. There were no significant mean pre-to-post differences between groups with respect to meaningful learning in the GE or EE units, or conceptual change in the EE unit. However, independent of group membership, the overall mean pre-to-post increases in meaningful learning and conceptual change were significant. These findings suggest that both node-link mapping and writing, when used in conjunction with the National Research Council's (NRC, 2005) three principles of human learning, can promote meaningful learning and conceptual change. The only significant interaction found with respect to meaningful learning, conceptual change, and learning styles (Kolb, 2005) was a positive effect of node-link mapping on converger's meaningful learning. However, that result was probably an artifact of small sample size rather than a true treatment effect. No other significant interactions were found. These results suggest that all students, regardless of their learning style, can benefit from either node-link mapping or writing to promote meaningful learning and conceptual change in general life-science courses.

  15. How Do Students Learn Theology?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saines, Don

    2009-01-01

    This paper explores the way students learn theology through a small qualitative research project. It is undertaken in conversation with current higher education learning theory. This learning theory suggests that it is important to discover how a student conceptualizes learning and how they perceive the teaching environment. Students interviewed…

  16. Research Trends in Science Education from 2008 to 2012: A systematic content analysis of publications in selected journals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Tzu-Chiang; Lin, Tzung-Jin; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2014-05-01

    This paper presents the third study of research trends in science education. In this review, a total of 990 papers published in the International Journal of Science Education, the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, and Science Education from 2008 to 2012 were analyzed. The results indicate that in the recent five years (2008-2012), the top three research topics in the published papers were those regarding the context of students' learning, science teaching, and students' conceptual learning. The changes in the most popular research topics in the past 15 years also evidentially indicate shifts in the journals' preferences and researchers' interest. For example, in 2003-2007, context of students' learning replaced students' conceptual learning, which was the most published research topic from 1998 to 2002. The research topic of students' learning contexts continued to rank the first in 2008-2012. Moreover, there was an increasing trend of research papers regarding science teaching from 1998 to 2012. The analysis of highly cited papers revealed that research topics such as argumentation, inquiry-based learning, and scientific modeling were recently highlighted by science educators. In recent 15 years, productive researchers' publications also focused on the topics about context of students' learning, science teaching, and students' conceptual learning.

  17. Verification of causal influences of reasoning skills and epistemology on physics conceptual learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ding, Lin

    2014-12-01

    This study seeks to test the causal influences of reasoning skills and epistemologies on student conceptual learning in physics. A causal model, integrating multiple variables that were investigated separately in the prior literature, is proposed and tested through path analysis. These variables include student preinstructional reasoning skills measured by the Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning, pre- and postepistemological views measured by the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey, and pre- and postperformance on Newtonian concepts measured by the Force Concept Inventory. Students from a traditionally taught calculus-based introductory mechanics course at a research university participated in the study. Results largely support the postulated causal model and reveal strong influences of reasoning skills and preinstructional epistemology on student conceptual learning gains. Interestingly enough, postinstructional epistemology does not appear to have a significant influence on student learning gains. Moreover, pre- and postinstructional epistemology, although barely different from each other on average, have little causal connection between them.

  18. Fostering radical conceptual change through dual-situated learning model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    She, Hsiao-Ching

    2004-02-01

    This article examines how the Dual-Situated Learning Model (DSLM) facilitates a radical change of concepts that involve the understanding of matter, process, and hierarchical attributes. The DSLM requires knowledge of students' prior beliefs of science concepts and the nature of these concepts. In addition, DSLM also serves two functions: it creates dissonance with students' prior knowledge by challenging their epistemological and ontological beliefs about science concepts, and it provides essential mental sets for students to reconstruct a more scientific view of the concepts. In this study, the concept heat transfer: heat conduction and convection, which requires an understanding of matter, process, and hierarchical attributes, was chosen to examine how DSLM can facilitate radical conceptual change among students. Results show that DSLM has great potential to foster a radical conceptual change process in learning heat transfer. Radical conceptual change can definitely be achieved and does not necessarily involve a slow or gradual process.

  19. Conceptual Understanding of Acids and Bases Concepts and Motivation to Learn Chemistry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cetin-Dindar, Ayla; Geban, Omer

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 5E learning cycle model oriented instruction (LCMI) on 11th-grade students' conceptual understanding of acids and bases concepts and student motivation to learn chemistry. The study, which lasted for 7 weeks, involved two groups: An experimental group (LCMI) and a control group (the…

  20. Conceptual Change and Science Achievement Related to a Lesson Sequence on Acids and Bases Among African American Alternative High School Students: A Teacher's Practical Arguments and the Voice of the "Other"

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wood, Lynda Charese

    The study of teaching and learning during the period of translating ideals of reform into classroom practice enables us to understand student-teacher-researcher symbiotic learning. In line with this assumption, the purpose of this study is threefold:(1) observe effects of the Common Knowledge Construction Model (CKCM), a conceptual change inquiry model of teaching and learning, on African American students' conceptual change and achievement; (2) observe the shift in teacher's practical arguments; and (3) narrate the voice of "the Other" about teacher professional learning. This study uses retrospective data from a mixed-method approach consisting of Phenomenography, practical arguments and story-telling. Data sources include audio-recordings of a chemistry teacher's individual interviews of her students' prior- and post-intervention conceptions of acids and bases; results of Acid-Base Achievement Test (ABA-T); video-recordings of a chemistry teacher's enactment of CKCM acid-base lesson sequence; audio-recordings of teacher-researcher reflective discourse using classroom video-clips; teacher interviews; and teacher and researcher personal reflective journals. Students' conceptual changes reflect change in the number of categories of description; shift in language use from everyday talk to chemical talk; and development of a hierarchy of chemical knowledge. ABA-T results indicated 17 students in the experimental group achieved significantly higher scores than 22 students in the control group taught by traditional teaching methods. The teacher-researcher reflective discourse about enactment of the CKCM acid-base lesson sequence reveals three major shifts in teacher practical arguments: teacher inadequate preparedness to adequate preparedness; lack of confidence to gain in confidence; and surface learning to deep learning. The developing story uncovers several aspects about teaching and learning of African American students: teacher caring for the uncared; cultivating student and teacher confidence; converting dependence on teacher and self to peer interdependence. The study outlines six implications: caring conceptual change inquiry model for the often unreached mind; developing simple chemical talk into coherent chemical explanation; using CKCM for alternative high school students' conceptual change and achievement; engaging teachers in elicitation and appraisal of practical arguments for reconstruction of beliefs; overcoming challenges in teacher practical argument research; and "storytelling" as a way of unpacking teacher transformation amidst complexities of classroom teaching and learning.

  1. The Collaboration of Cooperative Learning and Conceptual Change: Enhancing the Students' Understanding of Chemical Bonding Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eymur, Gülüzar; Geban, Ömer

    2017-01-01

    The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cooperative learning based on conceptual change approach instruction on ninth-grade students' understanding in chemical bonding concepts compared to traditional instruction. Seventy-two ninth-grade students from two intact chemistry classes taught by the same teacher in a public high…

  2. Prediction/Discussion-Based Learning Cycle versus Conceptual Change Text: Comparative Effects on Students' Understanding of Genetics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al khawaldeh, Salem A.

    2013-01-01

    Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparative effects of a prediction/discussion-based learning cycle (HPD-LC), conceptual change text (CCT) and traditional instruction on 10th grade students' understanding of genetics concepts. Sample: Participants were 112 10th basic grade male students in three classes of…

  3. Thinking Like a Chemist: Development of a Chemistry Card-Sorting Task to Probe Conceptual Expertise

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krieter, Felicia E.; Julius, Ryan W.; Tanner, Kimberly D.; Bush, Seth D.; Scott, Gregory E.

    2016-01-01

    An underlying goal in most chemistry curricula is to enable students to think like chemists, yet there is much evidence to suggest that students can learn to solve problems without thinking conceptually like a chemist. There are few tools, however, that assess whether students are learning to think like Ph.D. faculty, putative experts in the…

  4. A New Autonomy-Supportive Way of Teaching That Increases Conceptual Learning: Teaching in Students' Preferred Ways

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jang, Hyungshim; Reeve, Johnmarshall; Halusic, Marc

    2016-01-01

    We tested the educational utility of "teaching in students' preferred ways" as a new autonomy-supportive way of teaching to enhance students' autonomy and conceptual learning. A pilot test first differentiated preferred versus nonpreferred ways of teaching. In the main study, a hired teacher who was blind to the purpose of the study…

  5. Conceptualizing Learning Style Modalities for ESL/EFL Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wintergerst, Ann C.; DeCapua, Andrea; Verna, Marilyn Ann

    2003-01-01

    Reports results of testing a newly developed learning styles instrument on three groups of language learners: Russian English-as-a-Foreign-Language students, Russian English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students, and Asian ESL students to determine their learning style preference. Results indicate that these students learn English under three…

  6. The effects of a visualization-centered curriculum on conceptual understanding and representational competence in high school biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilder, Anna

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a visualization-centered curriculum, Hemoglobin: A Case of Double Identity, on conceptual understanding and representational competence in high school biology. Sixty-nine students enrolled in three sections of freshman biology taught by the same teacher participated in this study. Online Chemscape Chime computer-based molecular visualizations were incorporated into the 10-week curriculum to introduce students to fundamental structure and function relationships. Measures used in this study included a Hemoglobin Structure and Function Test, Mental Imagery Questionnaire, Exam Difficulty Survey, the Student Assessment of Learning Gains, the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking, the Attitude Toward Science in School Assessment, audiotapes of student interviews, students' artifacts, weekly unit activity surveys, informal researcher observations and a teacher's weekly questionnaire. The Hemoglobin Structure and Function Test, consisting of Parts A and B, was administered as a pre and posttest. Part A used exclusively verbal test items to measure conceptual understanding, while Part B used visual-verbal test items to measure conceptual understanding and representational competence. Results of the Hemoglobin Structure and Function pre and posttest revealed statistically significant gains in conceptual understanding and representational competence, suggesting the visualization-centered curriculum implemented in this study was effective in supporting positive learning outcomes. The large positive correlation between posttest results on Part A, comprised of all-verbal test items, and Part B, using visual-verbal test items, suggests this curriculum supported students' mutual development of conceptual understanding and representational competence. Evidence based on student interviews, Student Assessment of Learning Gains ratings and weekly activity surveys indicated positive attitudes toward the use of Chemscape Chime software and the computer-based molecular visualization activities as learning tools. Evidence from these same sources also indicated that students felt computer-based molecular visualization activities in conjunction with other classroom activities supported their learning. Implications for instructional design are discussed.

  7. Promoting Conceptual Change through Active Learning Using Open Source Software for Physics Simulations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baser, Mustafa

    2006-01-01

    This paper reports upon an active learning approach that promotes conceptual change when studying direct current electricity circuits, using free open source software, "Qucs". The study involved a total of 102 prospective mathematics teacher students. Prior to instruction, students' understanding of direct current electricity was…

  8. The Effect of Multimedia-Based Learning on the Concept Learning Levels and Attitudes of Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beydogan, H. Ömer; Hayran, Zeynel

    2015-01-01

    Problem Statement: Rich stimuli received by sensory organs such as vision, hearing, and touch are important elements that affect an individual's perception, identification, classification, and conceptualization of the external world. In primary education, since students perform conceptual abstraction based upon concrete characteristics, when they…

  9. Learning Using Dynamic and Static Visualizations: Students' Comprehension, Prior Knowledge and Conceptual Status of a Biotechnological Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yarden, Hagit; Yarden, Anat

    2010-05-01

    The importance of biotechnology education at the high-school level has been recognized in a number of international curriculum frameworks around the world. One of the most problematic issues in learning biotechnology has been found to be the biotechnological methods involved. Here, we examine the unique contribution of an animation of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in promoting conceptual learning of the biotechnological method among 12th-grade biology majors. All of the students learned about the PCR using still images ( n = 83) or the animation ( n = 90). A significant advantage to the animation treatment was identified following learning. Students’ prior content knowledge was found to be an important factor for students who learned PCR using still images, serving as an obstacle to learning the PCR method in the case of low prior knowledge. Through analysing students’ discourse, using the framework of the conceptual status analysis, we found that students who learned about PCR using still images faced difficulties in understanding some mechanistic aspects of the method. On the other hand, using the animation gave the students an advantage in understanding those aspects.

  10. Investigating the Relationship between Instructors' Use of Active-Learning Strategies and Students' Conceptual Understanding and Affective Changes in Introductory Biology: A Comparison of Two Active-Learning Environments.

    PubMed

    Cleveland, Lacy M; Olimpo, Jeffrey T; DeChenne-Peters, Sue Ellen

    2017-01-01

    In response to calls for reform in undergraduate biology education, we conducted research examining how varying active-learning strategies impacted students' conceptual understanding, attitudes, and motivation in two sections of a large-lecture introductory cell and molecular biology course. Using a quasi-experimental design, we collected quantitative data to compare participants' conceptual understanding, attitudes, and motivation in the biological sciences across two contexts that employed different active-learning strategies and that were facilitated by unique instructors. Students participated in either graphic organizer/worksheet activities or clicker-based case studies. After controlling for demographic and presemester affective differences, we found that students in both active-learning environments displayed similar and significant learning gains. In terms of attitudinal and motivational data, significant differences were observed for two attitudinal measures. Specifically, those students who had participated in graphic organizer/worksheet activities demonstrated more expert-like attitudes related to their enjoyment of biology and ability to make real-world connections. However, all motivational and most attitudinal data were not significantly different between the students in the two learning environments. These data reinforce the notion that active learning is associated with conceptual change and suggests that more research is needed to examine the differential effects of varying active-learning strategies on students' attitudes and motivation in the domain. © 2017 L. M. Cleveland et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  11. Investigating the Relationship between Instructors’ Use of Active-Learning Strategies and Students’ Conceptual Understanding and Affective Changes in Introductory Biology: A Comparison of Two Active-Learning Environments

    PubMed Central

    Cleveland, Lacy M.; Olimpo, Jeffrey T.; DeChenne-Peters, Sue Ellen

    2017-01-01

    In response to calls for reform in undergraduate biology education, we conducted research examining how varying active-learning strategies impacted students’ conceptual understanding, attitudes, and motivation in two sections of a large-lecture introductory cell and molecular biology course. Using a quasi-experimental design, we collected quantitative data to compare participants’ conceptual understanding, attitudes, and motivation in the biological sciences across two contexts that employed different active-learning strategies and that were facilitated by unique instructors. Students participated in either graphic organizer/worksheet activities or clicker-based case studies. After controlling for demographic and presemester affective differences, we found that students in both active-learning environments displayed similar and significant learning gains. In terms of attitudinal and motivational data, significant differences were observed for two attitudinal measures. Specifically, those students who had participated in graphic organizer/worksheet activities demonstrated more expert-like attitudes related to their enjoyment of biology and ability to make real-world connections. However, all motivational and most attitudinal data were not significantly different between the students in the two learning environments. These data reinforce the notion that active learning is associated with conceptual change and suggests that more research is needed to examine the differential effects of varying active-learning strategies on students’ attitudes and motivation in the domain. PMID:28389428

  12. Learning about friction: group dynamics in engineering students' work with free body diagrams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berge, Maria; Weilenmann, Alexandra

    2014-11-01

    In educational research, it is well-known that collaborative work on core conceptual issues in physics leads to significant improvements in students' conceptual understanding. In this paper, we explore collaborative learning in action, adding to previous research in engineering education with a specific focus on the students' use of free body diagrams in interaction. By looking at details in interaction among a group of three engineering students, we illustrate how they collectively construct a free body diagram together when learning introductory mechanics. In doing so, we have focused on both learning possibilities and the dynamic processes that take place in the learning activity. These findings have a number of implications for educational practice.

  13. Effects of Node-Link Mapping on Non-Science Majors' Meaningful Learning and Conceptual Change in a Life-Science Survey Lecture Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park-Martinez, Jayne Irene

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of node-link mapping on students' meaningful learning and conceptual change in a 1-semester introductory life-science course. This study used node-link mapping to integrate and apply the National Research Council's (NRC, 2005) three principles of human learning: engaging students' prior…

  14. Investigating the Relationship between Instructors' Use of Active-Learning Strategies and Students' Conceptual Understanding and Affective Changes in Introductory Biology: A Comparison of Two Active-Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cleveland, Lacy M.; Olimpo, Jeffrey T.; DeChenne-Peters, Sue Ellen

    2017-01-01

    In response to calls for reform in undergraduate biology education, we conducted research examining how varying active-learning strategies impacted students' conceptual understanding, attitudes, and motivation in two sections of a large-lecture introductory cell and molecular biology course. Using a quasi-experimental design, we collected…

  15. Heterogeneous Performances of Conceptual Dis/continuity: A Dialectic Reading of Brown and Kloser's Article

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hwang, SungWon; Kim, Mijung

    2009-01-01

    We review Brown and Kloser's article, "Conceptual continuity and the science of baseball: using informal science literacy to promote students science learning" from a Vygotskian cultural-historical and dialectic perspective. Brown and Kloser interpret interview data with student baseball players and claim that students' conceptual understanding…

  16. The Effect of Brain Based Learning on Second Grade Junior Students' Mathematics Conceptual Understanding on Polyhedron

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suarsana, I. Made; Widiasih, Ni Putu Santhi; Suparta, I. Nengah

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study is to examine the effect of Brain Based Learning on second grade junior high school students? conceptual understanding on polyhedron. This study was conducted by using post-test only control group quasi-experimental design. The subjects of this study were 148 students that divided into three classes. Two classes were taken as…

  17. The Effect of the Conceptual Change Oriented Instruction through Cooperative Learning on 4th Grade Students' Understanding of Earth and Sky Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Celikten, Oksan; Ipekcioglu, Sevgi; Ertepinar, Hamide; Geban, Omer

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the conceptual change oriented instruction through cooperative learning (CCICL) and traditional science instruction (TI) on 4th grade students' understanding of earth and sky concepts and their attitudes toward earth and sky concepts. In this study, 56 fourth grade students from the…

  18. Supporting Learning from Illustrated Texts: Conceptualizing and Evaluating a Learning Strategy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schlag, Sabine; Ploetzner, Rolf

    2011-01-01

    Texts and pictures are often combined in order to improve learning. Many students, however, have difficulty to appropriately process text-picture combinations. We have thus conceptualized a learning strategy which supports learning from illustrated texts. By inducing the processes of information selection, organization, integration, and…

  19. Discrepant Events: A Challenge to Students' Intuition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    González-Espada, Wilson J.; Birriel, Jennifer; Birriel, Ignacio

    2010-11-01

    Studies on cognitive aspects of science education, especially how students achieve conceptual change, have been a focus of interest for many years. Researchers of student learning and conceptual change have developed several easily applicable teaching strategies. One of these strategies is known as discrepant events. Discrepant events are very powerful ways to stimulate interest, motivate students to challenge their covert science misconceptions, and promote higher-order thinking skills. The key point is that directly challenging students' naive ideas will lead to more quality science learning going on in the classroom. In this paper, we summarize the research-based role of discrepant events in conceptual change and we share several highly successful discrepant events we use in our own classes.

  20. Using conceptual metaphor and functional grammar to explore how language used in physics affects student learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brookes, David T.; Etkina, Eugenia

    2007-06-01

    This paper introduces a theory about the role of language in learning physics. The theory is developed in the context of physics students and physicists talking and writing about the subject of quantum mechanics. We found that physicists’ language encodes different varieties of analogical models through the use of grammar and conceptual metaphor. We hypothesize that students categorize concepts into ontological categories based on the grammatical structure of physicists’ language. We also hypothesize that students overextend and misapply conceptual metaphors in physicists’ speech and writing. Using our theory, we will show how, in some cases, we can explain student difficulties in quantum mechanics as difficulties with language.

  1. Enhancing Eight Grade Students' Scientific Conceptual Change and Scientific Reasoning through a Web-Based Learning Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liao, Ya-Wen; She, Hsiao-Ching

    2009-01-01

    This study reports the impacts of the Scientific Concept Construction and Reconstruction (SCCR) digital learning system on eighth grade students' concept construction, conceptual change, and scientific reasoning involving the topic of "atoms". A two-factorial experimental design was carried out to investigate the effects of the approach…

  2. The Effect of Geogebra on Students' Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge: The Case of Applications of Derivative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ocal, Mehmet Fatih

    2017-01-01

    Integrating the properties of computer algebra systems and dynamic geometry environments, Geogebra became an effective and powerful tool for teaching and learning mathematics. One of the reasons that teachers use Geogebra in mathematics classrooms is to make students learn mathematics meaningfully and conceptually. From this perspective, the…

  3. Concept-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schill, Bethany; Howell, Linda

    2011-01-01

    A major part of developing concept-based instruction is the use of an overarching idea to provide a conceptual lens through which students view the content of a particular subject. By using a conceptual lens to focus learning, students think at a much deeper level about the content and its facts (Erickson 2007). Therefore, the authors collaborated…

  4. Effects of Gender and Collaborative Learning Approach on Students' Conceptual Understanding of Electromagnetic Induction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adolphus, Telima; Omeodu, Doris

    2016-01-01

    The study investigates the effect of gender and collaborative learning approach on students' conceptual understanding of electromagnetic induction in Secondary Schools in Nigeria. Three research questions and 2 hypotheses were formulated to guide the research. The research design adopted for this study is the quasi-experimental design. In…

  5. Verification of Causal Influences of Reasoning Skills and Epistemology on Physics Conceptual Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ding, Lin

    2014-01-01

    This study seeks to test the causal influences of reasoning skills and epistemologies on student conceptual learning in physics. A causal model, integrating multiple variables that were investigated separately in the prior literature, is proposed and tested through path analysis. These variables include student preinstructional reasoning skills…

  6. Bridging Scientific Reasoning and Conceptual Change through Adaptive Web-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    She, Hsiao-Ching; Liao, Ya-Wen

    2010-01-01

    This study reports an adaptive digital learning project, Scientific Concept Construction and Reconstruction (SCCR), and examines its effects on 108 8th grade students' scientific reasoning and conceptual change through mixed methods. A one-group pre-, post-, and retention quasi-experimental design was used in the study. All students received tests…

  7. Encouraging Postgraduate Students of Literature and Art to Cross Conceptual Thresholds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wisker, Gina; Robinson, Gillian

    2009-01-01

    Much research into postgraduate student learning focuses on generic issues of research development. Early work, reported here, uses threshold concept theories and theories of conceptual threshold crossing to focus on the learning and supervisory support of postgraduates researching in the fields of literature and art. This paper is based on…

  8. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Physlet-Based Materials in Supporting Conceptual Learning About Electricity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ülen, Simon; Gerlič, Ivan; Slavinec, Mitja; Repnik, Robert

    2017-04-01

    To provide a good understanding of many abstract concepts in the field of electricity above that of their students is often a major challenge for secondary school teachers. Many educational researchers promote conceptual learning as a teaching approach that can help teachers to achieve this goal. In this paper, we present Physlet-based materials for supporting conceptual learning about electricity. To conduct research into the effectiveness of these materials, we designed two different physics courses: one group of students, the experimental group, was taught using Physlet-based materials and the second group of students, the control group, was taught using expository instruction without using Physlets. After completion of the teaching, we assessed students' thinking skills and analysed the materials with an independent t test, multiple regression analyses and one-way analysis of covariance. The test scores were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group ( p < 0.05). The results of this study confirmed the effectiveness of conceptual learning about electricity with the help of Physlet-based materials.

  9. Learning in a Physics Classroom Community: Physics Learning Identity Construct Development, Measurement and Validation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Sissi L.

    At the university level, introductory science courses usually have high student to teacher ratios which increases the challenge to meaningfully connect with students. Various curricula have been developed in physics education to actively engage students in learning through social interactions with peers and instructors in class. This learning environment demands not only conceptual understanding but also learning to be a scientist. However, the success of student learning is typically measured in test performance and course grades while assessment of student development as science learners is largely ignored. This dissertation addresses this issue with the development of an instrument towards a measure of physics learning identity (PLI) which is used to guide and complement case studies through student interviews and in class observations. Using the conceptual framework based on Etienne Wenger's communities of practice (1998), I examine the relationship between science learning and learning identity from a situated perspective in the context of a large enrollment science class as a community of practice. This conceptual framework emphasizes the central role of identity in the practices negotiated in the classroom community and in the way students figure out their trajectory as members. Using this framework, I seek to understand how the changes in student learning identity are supported by active engagement based instruction. In turn, this understanding can better facilitate the building of a productive learning community and provide a measure for achievement of the curricular learning goals in active engagement strategies. Based on the conceptual framework, I developed and validated an instrument for measuring physics learning identity in terms of student learning preferences, self-efficacy for learning physics, and self-image as a physics learner. The instrument was pilot tested with a population of Oregon State University students taking calculus based introductory physics. The responses were analyzed using principal component exploratory factor analysis. The emergent factors were analyzed to create reliable subscales to measure PLI in terms of physics learning self-efficacy and social expectations about learning. Using these subscales, I present a case study of a student who performed well in the course but resisted the identity learning goals of the curriculum. These findings are used to support the factors that emerged from the statistical analysis and suggest a potential model of the relationships between the factors describing science learning and learning identity in large enrollment college science classes. This study offers an instrument with which to measure aspects of physics learning identity and insights on how PLI might develop in a classroom community of practice.

  10. The Effect of Scientific Inquiry Learning Model Based on Conceptual Change on Physics Cognitive Competence and Science Process Skill (SPS) of Students at Senior High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sahhyar; Nst, Febriani Hastini

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to analyze the physics cognitive competence and science process skill of students using scientific inquiry learning model based on conceptual change better than using conventional learning. The research type was quasi experiment and two group pretest-posttest designs were used in this study. The sample were Class…

  11. Conceptions of how a learning or teaching curriculum, workplace culture and agency of individuals shape medical student learning and supervisory practices in the clinical workplace.

    PubMed

    Strand, Pia; Edgren, Gudrun; Borna, Petter; Lindgren, Stefan; Wichmann-Hansen, Gitte; Stalmeijer, Renée E

    2015-05-01

    The role of workplace supervisors in the clinical education of medical students is currently under debate. However, few studies have addressed how supervisors conceptualize workplace learning and how conceptions relate to current sociocultural workplace learning theory. We explored physician conceptions of: (a) medical student learning in the clinical workplace and (b) how they contribute to student learning. The methodology included a combination of a qualitative, inductive (conventional) and deductive (directed) content analysis approach. The study triangulated two types of interview data from 4 focus group interviews and 34 individual interviews. A total of 55 physicians participated. Three overarching themes emerged from the data: learning as membership, learning as partnership and learning as ownership. The themes described how physician conceptions of learning and supervision were guided by the notions of learning-as-participation and learning-as-acquisition. The clinical workplace was either conceptualized as a context in which student learning is based on a learning curriculum, continuity of participation and partnerships with supervisors, or as a temporary source of knowledge within a teaching curriculum. The process of learning was shaped through the reciprocity between different factors in the workplace context and the agency of students and supervising physicians. A systems-thinking approach merged with the "co-participation" conceptual framework advocated by Billet proved to be useful for analyzing variations in conceptions. The findings suggest that mapping workplace supervisor conceptions of learning can be a valuable starting point for medical schools and educational developers working with changes in clinical educational and faculty development practices.

  12. Conceptual Learning Outcomes of Virtual Experiential Learning: Results of Google Earth Exploration in Introductory Geoscience Courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bitting, Kelsey S.; McCartney, Marsha J.; Denning, Kathy R.; Roberts, Jennifer A.

    2018-06-01

    Virtual globe programs such as Google Earth replicate real-world experiential learning of spatial and geographic concepts by allowing students to navigate across our planet without ever leaving campus. However, empirical evidence for the learning value of these technological tools and the experience students gain by exploration assignments framed within them remains to be quantified and compared by student demographics. This study examines the impact of a Google Earth-based exploration assignment on conceptual understanding in introductory geoscience courses at a research university in the US Midwest using predominantly traditional college-age students from a range of majors. Using repeated-measures ANOVA and paired-samples t tests, we test the significance of the activity using pretest and posttest scores on a subset of items from the Geoscience Concept Inventory, and the interactive effects of student gender and ethnicity on student score improvement. Analyses show that learning from the Google Earth exploration activity is highly significant overall and for all but one of the concept inventory items. Furthermore, we find no significant interactive effects of class format, student gender, or student ethnicity on the magnitude of the score increases. These results provide strong support for the use of experiential learning in virtual globe environments for students in introductory geoscience and perhaps other disciplines for which direct observation of our planet's surface is conceptually relevant.

  13. Student beliefs and learning environments: Developing a survey of factors related to conceptual change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hanrahan, Mary

    1994-12-01

    This paper presents a model for the type of classroom environment believed to facilitate scientific conceptual change. A survey based on this model contains items about students' motivational beliefs, their study approach and their perceptions of their teacher's actions and learning goal orientation. Results obtained from factor analyses, correlations and analyses of variance, based on responses from 113 students, suggest that an empowering interpersonal teacher-student relationship is related to a deep approach to learning, a positive attitude to science, and positive self-efficacy beliefs, and may be increased by a constructivist approach to teaching.

  14. Using a Modelling Language for Supporting University Students' Orienting Activity When Studying Research Methods

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kosonen, Kari; Ilomäki, Liisa; Lakkala, Minna

    2015-01-01

    The present study focuses on examining how digitally guided conceptual mapping can be used in orienting students in higher education to learn complex domain content and practices. The outcomes of conceptual mapping were investigated as the orienting bases created by the students that used digitalized conceptual tools to construct an external…

  15. The Nature of Student Teachers' Regulation of Learning in Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Endedijk, Maaike D.; Vermunt, Jan D.; Verloop, Nico; Brekelmans, Mieke

    2012-01-01

    Background: Self-regulated learning (SRL) has mainly been conceptualized to involve student learning within academic settings. In teacher education, where learning from theory and practice is combined, student teachers also need to regulate their learning. Hence, there is an urgent need to extend SRL theories to the domain of teacher learning and…

  16. Enhancement of Student Learning Performance Using Personalized Diagnosis and Remedial Learning System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Ling-Hsiu

    2011-01-01

    Although conventional student assessments are extremely convenient for calculating student scores, they do not conceptualize how students organize their knowledge. Therefore, teachers and students rarely understand how to improve their future learning progress. The limitations of conventional testing methods indicate the importance of accurately…

  17. The effect of directive tutor guidance on students' conceptual understanding of statistics in problem-based learning.

    PubMed

    Budé, Luc; van de Wiel, Margaretha W J; Imbos, Tjaart; Berger, Martijn P F

    2011-06-01

    Education is aimed at students reaching conceptual understanding of the subject matter, because this leads to better performance and application of knowledge. Conceptual understanding depends on coherent and error-free knowledge structures. The construction of such knowledge structures can only be accomplished through active learning and when new knowledge can be integrated into prior knowledge. The intervention in this study was directed at both the activation of students as well as the integration of knowledge. Undergraduate university students from an introductory statistics course, in an authentic problem-based learning (PBL) environment, were randomly assigned to conditions and measurement time points. In the PBL tutorial meetings, half of the tutors guided the discussions of the students in a traditional way. The other half guided the discussions more actively by asking directive and activating questions. To gauge conceptual understanding, the students answered open-ended questions asking them to explain and relate important statistical concepts. Results of the quantitative analysis show that providing directive tutor guidance improved understanding. Qualitative data of students' misconceptions seem to support this finding. Long-term retention of the subject matter seemed to be inadequate. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

  18. Investigating High School Students' Conceptualizations of the Biological Basis of Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fulop, Rebecca M.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

    2012-01-01

    Students go to school to learn. How much, however, do students understand about the biological basis of this everyday process? Blackwell et al. (1) demonstrated a correlation between education about learning and academic achievement. Yet there are few studies investigating high school students' conceptions of learning. In this mixed-methods…

  19. Teaching and Learning about Matter in Grade 6 Classrooms: A Conceptual Change Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pimthong, Pattamaporn; Yutakom, Naruemon; Roadrangka, Vantipa; Sanguanruang, Sudjid; Cowie, Bronwen; Cooper, Beverley

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to enhance the teaching and learning of matter and its properties for grade 6 students. The development of a conceptual change approach instructional unit was undertaken for this purpose. Pre- and post-concept surveys, classroom observations, and student and teacher interviews were used to collect data. The teaching…

  20. An Inquiry-Based Augmented Reality Mobile Learning Approach to Fostering Primary School Students' Historical Reasoning in Non-Formal Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Efstathiou, Irene; Kyza, Eleni A.; Georgiou, Yiannis

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the contribution of a location-based augmented reality (AR) inquiry-learning environment in developing 3rd grade students' historical empathy and conceptual understanding. Historical empathy is an important element of historical thinking, which is considered to improve conceptual understanding and support the development of…

  1. The Effect of Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) on 11th Graders' Conceptual Understanding of Electrochemistry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sen, Senol; Yilmaz, Ayhan; Geban, Ömer

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) method compared to traditional teaching method on 11th grade students' conceptual understanding of electrochemistry concepts. Participants were 115 students from a public school in Turkey. Nonequivalent control group design was used. Two…

  2. Intertwining Lexical and Conceptual Learning Trajectories--A Design Research Study on Dual Macro-Scaffolding towards Percentages

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pöhler, Birte; Prediger, Susanne

    2015-01-01

    Monolingual or multilingual students with low academic language proficiency need to acquire conceptual understanding for percentages and the language to communicate about them. The design research study explores how these two learning goals can be fostered by a macro-scaffolding approach for seventh grade students. The dual hypothetical learning…

  3. Conceptual Tutoring Software for Promoting Deep Learning: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stott, Angela; Hattingh, Annemarie

    2015-01-01

    The paper presents a case study of the use of conceptual tutoring software to promote deep learning of the scientific concept of density among 50 final year pre-service student teachers in a natural sciences course in a South African university. Individually-paced electronic tutoring is potentially an effective way of meeting the students' varied…

  4. Cultivating the Ineffable: The Role of Contemplative Practice in Enactivist Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morgan, Patricia; Abrahamson, Dor

    2016-01-01

    We consider designs for conceptual learning where students first engage in pre-symbolic problem solving and then articulate their solutions formally. An enduring problem in these designs has been to support students in accessing their pre-conceptual situated process, so that they can reflect on it and couch it in mathematical form. Contemplative…

  5. Depicting the Possible Self: Work-Integrated Learning Students' Narratives on Learning to Become a Professional

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowen, Tracey

    2016-01-01

    Professionalism is not easily defined for newcomers to the workforce. While much of the work-ready research focuses on desired graduate attributes and skills, the larger issue is the ways in which students conceptualize professionalism from their observations and experiences of others, and how these conceptualizations affect their professional…

  6. A Cultural Comparison of Trust in eLearning Artifacts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simmons, Lakisha L.; Simmons, Chris B.; Hayek, Mario; Parks, Rachida; Mbarika, Victor W.

    2012-01-01

    A significant body of literature focuses on learning mediated by technology (eLearning). We conceptually develop and empirically test a model of trust antecedents with online undergraduate students. Contributing to the student eLearning success literature, we posit that eLearning students require the support of technologies and trust in those…

  7. The interactive learning toolkit: technology and the classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lukoff, Brian; Tucker, Laura

    2011-04-01

    Peer Instruction (PI) and Just-in-Time-Teaching (JiTT) have been shown to increase both students' conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills. However, the time investment for the instructor to prepare appropriate conceptual questions and manage student JiTT responses is one of the main implementation hurdles. To overcome this we have developed the Interactive Learning Toolkit (ILT), a course management system specifically designed to support PI and JiTT. We are working to integrate the ILT with a fully interactive classroom system where students can use their laptops and smartphones to respond to ConcepTests in class. The goal is to use technology to engage students in conceptual thinking both in and out of the classroom.

  8. Student Restraints to Reform: Conceptual Change Issues in Enhancing Students' Learning Processes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Gregory P.

    1999-01-01

    Describes a teacher-researcher's investigation into barriers to student adoption of an alternative referent for learning and its consequential learning strategies in an 11th-grade chemistry class. Suggests that various contextual factors influenced students' willingness to adopt the alternative referent, and that students' beliefs, trust of the…

  9. Learning style and concept acquisition of community college students in introductory biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bobick, Sandra Burin

    This study investigated the influence of learning style on concept acquisition within a sample of community college students in a general biology course. There are two subproblems within the larger problem: (1) the influence of demographic variables (age, gender, number of college credits, prior exposure to scientific information) on learning style, and (2) the correlations between prior scientific knowledge, learning style and student understanding of the concept of the gene. The sample included all students enrolled in an introductory general biology course during two consecutive semesters at an urban community college. Initial data was gathered during the first week of the semester, at which time students filled in a short questionnaire (age, gender, number of college credits, prior exposure to science information either through reading/visual sources or a prior biology course). Subjects were then given the Inventory of Learning Processes-Revised (ILP-R) which measures general preferences in five learning styles; Deep Learning; Elaborative Learning, Agentic Learning, Methodical Learning and Literal Memorization. Subjects were then given the Gene Conceptual Knowledge pretest: a 15 question objective section and an essay section. Subjects were exposed to specific concepts during lecture and laboratory exercises. At the last lab, students were given the Genetics Conceptual Knowledge Posttest. Pretest/posttest gains were correlated with demographic variables and learning styles were analyzed for significant correlations. Learning styles, as the independent variable in a simultaneous multiple regression, were significant predictors of results on the gene assessment tests, including pretest, posttest and gain. Of the learning styles, Deep Learning accounted for the greatest positive predictive value of pretest essay and pretest objective results. Literal Memorization was a significant negative predictor for posttest essay, essay gain and objective gain. Simultaneous multiple regression indicated that demographic variables were significant positive predictors for Methodical, Deep and Elaborative Learning Styles. Stepwise multiple regression resulted in number of credits, Read Science and gender (female) as significant predictors of learning styles. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of learning styles in conceptual understanding of the gene and the correlation of nonformal exposure to science information with learning style and conceptual understanding.

  10. Validating a Technology Enhanced Student-Centered Learning Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kang, Myunghee; Hahn, Jungsun; Chung, Warren

    2015-01-01

    The Technology Enhanced Student Centered Learning (TESCL) Model in this study presents the core factors that ensure the quality of learning in a technology-supported environment. Although the model was conceptually constructed using a student-centered learning framework and drawing upon previous studies, it should be validated through real-world…

  11. Facilitating conceptual change in students’ understanding of concepts related to pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ozkan, Gulbin; Sezgin Selcuk, Gamze

    2016-09-01

    The aim of this research was to explore the effects of three different types of methods of learning physics (conceptual change-based, real life context-based and traditional learning) on high school physics students in the 11th grade in terms of conceptual change they achieved in learning about the various topics (pressure exerted by solids, pressure in stagnant liquids and gases, buoyancy, Bernoulli’s principle). In this study, a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental method with nonequivalent control group, involving a 3 (group) × 2 (time) factorial design was used. Study group 1 were given the conceptual change texts on the mentioned subjects, study group 2 were offered a teaching approach based on real life context-based learning, whereas the control group was taught in the traditional style. Data for the research were collected with the ‘pressure conceptual test’. As a result of research, the number of misconceptions had been reduced or shifted altogether in all three groups. After the instruction, it was seen that none of the students formed new misconceptions. It was found that the most positive change could be seen in the conceptual change text group followed by context-based and lastly traditional. The fact that none of the students formed new misconceptions is important, particularly since research such as the following shows that conceptual change is tenuous and inconsistent, taking time to shift in a sustained manner.

  12. Identifying and Remediating Student Misconceptions in Introductory Biology via Writing-to-Learn Assignments and Peer Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Halim, Audrey S.; Finkenstaedt-Quinn, Solaire A.; Olsen, Laura J.; Gere, Anne Ruggles; Shultz, Ginger V.

    2018-01-01

    Student misconceptions are an obstacle in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses and unless remediated may continue causing difficulties in learning as students advance in their studies. Writing-to-learn assignments (WTL) are characterized by their ability to promote in-depth conceptual learning by allowing students to explore…

  13. Multiple intelligences and alternative teaching strategies: The effects on student academic achievement, conceptual understanding, and attitude

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baragona, Michelle

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the interactions between multiple intelligence strengths and alternative teaching methods on student academic achievement, conceptual understanding and attitudes. The design was a quasi-experimental study, in which students enrolled in Principles of Anatomy and Physiology, a developmental biology course, received lecture only, problem-based learning with lecture, or peer teaching with lecture. These students completed the Multiple Intelligence Inventory to determine their intelligence strengths, the Students' Motivation Toward Science Learning questionnaire to determine student attitudes towards learning in science, multiple choice tests to determine academic achievement, and open-ended questions to determine conceptual understanding. Effects of intelligence types and teaching methods on academic achievement and conceptual understanding were determined statistically by repeated measures ANOVAs. No significance occurred in academic achievement scores due to lab group or due to teaching method used; however, significant interactions between group and teaching method did occur in students with strengths in logical-mathematical, interpersonal, kinesthetic, and intrapersonal intelligences. Post-hoc analysis using Tukey HSD tests revealed students with strengths in logical-mathematical intelligence and enrolled in Group Three scored significantly higher when taught by problem-based learning (PBL) as compared to peer teaching (PT). No significance occurred in conceptual understanding scores due to lab group or due to teaching method used; however, significant interactions between group and teaching method did occur in students with strengths in musical, kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and spatial intelligences. Post-hoc analysis using Tukey HSD tests revealed students with strengths in logical-mathematical intelligence and enrolled in Group Three scored significantly higher when taught by lecture as compared to PBL. Students with strengths in intrapersonal intelligence and enrolled in Group One scored significantly lower when taught by lecture as compared to PBL. Results of a repeated measures ANOVA for student attitudes showed significant increases in positive student attitudes toward science learning for all three types of teaching method between pretest and posttest; but there were no significant differences in posttest attitude scores by type of teaching method.

  14. Developing and Implementing a Framework of Participatory Simulation for Mobile Learning Using Scaffolding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yin, Chengjiu; Song, Yanjie; Tabata, Yoshiyuki; Ogata, Hiroaki; Hwang, Gwo-Jen

    2013-01-01

    This paper proposes a conceptual framework, scaffolding participatory simulation for mobile learning (SPSML), used on mobile devices for helping students learn conceptual knowledge in the classroom. As the pedagogical design, the framework adopts an experiential learning model, which consists of five sequential but cyclic steps: the initial stage,…

  15. Young children learning about living things: A case study of conceptual change from ontological and social perspectives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Venville, Grady

    2004-05-01

    Although research from a developmental/psychological perspective indicates that many children do not have a scientific understanding of living things, even by the age of 10 years, little research has been conducted about how students learn this science topic in the classroom. This exploratory research used a case-study design and qualitative data-collection methods to investigate the process of conceptual change from ontological and social perspectives when Year 1 (5- and 6-year-old) students were learning about living things. Most students were found to think about living things with either stable, nonscientific or stable, scientific framework theories. Transitional phases of understanding also were identified. Patterns of conceptual change observed over the 5-week period of instruction included theory change and belief revision as well as reversals in beliefs. The predominant pattern of learning, however, was the assimilation of facts and information into the students' preferred framework theory. The social milieu of the classroom context exposed students' scientific and nonscientific beliefs that influenced other individuals in a piecemeal fashion. Children with nonscientific theories of living things were identified as being least able to benefit from socially constructed, scientific knowledge; hence, recommendations are made for teaching that focuses on conceptual change strategies rather than knowledge enrichment.

  16. The Comparative Effects of Prediction/Discussion-Based Learning Cycle, Conceptual Change Text, and Traditional Instructions on Student Understanding of Genetics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yilmaz, Diba; Tekkaya, Ceren; Sungur, Semra

    2011-01-01

    The present study examined the comparative effects of a prediction/discussion-based learning cycle, conceptual change text (CCT), and traditional instructions on students' understanding of genetics concepts. A quasi-experimental research design of the pre-test-post-test non-equivalent control group was adopted. The three intact classes, taught by…

  17. Improving the Conceptual Understanding in Kinematics Subject Matter with Hypertext Media Learning and Formal Thinking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manurung, Sondang R.; Mihardi, Satria

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of hypertext media based kinematic learning and formal thinking ability to improve the conceptual understanding of physic prospective students. The research design used is the one-group pretest-posttest experimental design is carried out in the research by taking 36 students on from…

  18. Using Conceptual Metaphor and Functional Grammar to Explore How Language Used in Physics Affects Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brookes, David T.; Etkina, Eugenia

    2007-01-01

    This paper introduces a theory about the role of language in learning physics. The theory is developed in the context of physics students and physicists talking and writing about the subject of quantum mechanics. We found that physicists' language encodes different varieties of analogical models through the use of grammar and conceptual metaphor.…

  19. Strategic Improvement of Mathematical Problem-Solving Performance of Secondary School Students Using Procedural and Conceptual Learning Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adeleke, M. A.

    2007-01-01

    The paper examined the possibility of finding out if improvements in students' problem solving performance in simultaneous linear equation will be recorded with the use of procedural and conceptual learning strategies and in addition to find out which of the strategies will be more effective. The study adopted a pretest, post test control group…

  20. On-Line Synchronous Scientific Argumentation Learning: Nurturing Students' Argumentation Ability and Conceptual Change in Science Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeh, Kuan-Hue; She, Hsiao-Ching

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the difference in effectiveness between two on-line scientific learning programs--one with an argumentation component and one without an argumentation component--on students' scientific argumentation ability and conceptual change. A quasi-experimental design was used in this study. Two classes of 8th grade…

  1. Colorado Upper-Division Electrostatics Diagnostic: A Conceptual Assessment for the Junior Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chasteen, Stephanie V.; Pepper, Rachel E.; Caballero, Marcos D.; Pollock, Steven J.; Perkins, Katherine K.

    2012-01-01

    As part of an effort to systematically improve our junior-level E&M I course, we have developed a tool to assess student conceptual learning of electrostatics at the upper division. Together with a group of physics faculty, we established a list of learning goals for the course that, with results from student observations and interviews,…

  2. Developing the conceptual instructional design with inquiry-based instruction model of secondary students at the 10th grade level on digestion system and cellular degradation issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rotjanakunnatam, Boonthida; Chayaburakul, Kanokporn

    2018-01-01

    The aims of this research study was to develop the conceptual instructional design with the Inquiry-Based Instruction Model (IBIM) of secondary students at the 10th grade level on Digestion System and Cellular Degradation issue using both oxygen and oxygen-degrading cellular nutrients were designed instructional model with a sample size of 45 secondary students at the 10th Grade level. Data were collected by asking students to do a questionnaire pre and post learning processes. The questionnaire consists of two main parts that composed of students' perception questionnaire and the questionnaire that asked the question answer concept for the selected questionnaire. The 10-item Conceptual Thinking Test (CTT) was assessed students' conceptual thinking evaluation that it was covered in two main concepts, namely; Oxygen degradation nutrients and degradation nutrients without oxygen. The data by classifying students' answers into 5 groups and measuring them in frequency and a percentage of students' performances of their learning pre and post activities with the Inquiry-Based Instruction Model were analyzed as a tutorial. The results of this research found that: After the learning activities with the IBIM, most students developed concepts of both oxygen and oxygen-degrading cellular nutrients in the correct, complete and correct concept, and there are a number of students who have conceptual ideas in the wrong concept, and no concept was clearly reduced. However, the results are still found that; some students have some misconceptions, such as; the concept of direction of electron motion and formation of the ATP of bioactivities of life. This cause may come from the nature of the content, the complexity, the continuity, the movement, and the time constraints only in the classroom. Based on this research, it is suggested that some students may take some time, and the limited time in the classroom to their learning activity with content creation content binding and dramatic storytelling increases in a relaxed classroom learning environment.

  3. Utilization of blended learning to teach preclinical endodontics.

    PubMed

    Maresca, Cristina; Barrero, Carlos; Duggan, Dereck; Platin, Enrique; Rivera, Eric; Hannum, Wallace; Petrola, Frank

    2014-08-01

    Blended learning (BL) is the integration of classroom learning with an online environment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether dental students who experienced BL in a preclinical endodontic course demonstrated better manual skills, conceptual knowledge, and learning experience compared to those experiencing traditional learning. All eighty-one students (100 percent) in a preclinical endodontics course agreed to participate and were assigned to either the traditional or BL group. A root canal procedure was used to determine the level of manual skills gained by each group. Pre- and post-intervention quizzes were given to all students to evaluate conceptual knowledge gained, and the students' perspectives on the methods were evaluated with a survey. The BL group scored better than the traditional group on the manual skills exercise at a statistically significant level (p=0.0067). There were no differences in the post-intervention quiz scores between the two groups, and the students' opinions were positive regarding BL. With BL, the students were able to learn and demonstrate dental skills at a high level.

  4. Explicating the Role of Mathematical Tasks in Conceptual Learning: An Elaboration of the Hypothetical Learning Trajectory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simon, Martin A.; Tzur, Ron

    2004-01-01

    Simon's (1995) development of the construct of hypothetical learning trajectory (HLT) offered a description of key aspects of planning mathematics lessons. An HLT consists of the goal for the students' learning, the mathematical tasks that will be used to promote student learning, and hypotheses about the process of the students' learning.…

  5. An examination of conceptual change in undergraduate biology majors while learning science concepts including biological evolution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McQuaide, Glenn G.

    2006-12-01

    Without adequate understanding of science, we cannot make responsible personal, regional, national, or global decisions about any aspect of life dealing with science. Better understanding how we learn about science can contribute to improving the quality of our educational experiences. Promoting pathways leading to life-long learning and deep understanding in our world should be a goal for all educators. This dissertation project was a phenomenological investigation into undergraduate understanding and acceptance of scientific theories, including biological evolution. Specifically, student descriptions of conceptual change while learning science theory were recorded and analyzed. These qualitative investigations were preceded by a survey that provided a means of selecting students who had a firmer understanding of science theory. Background information and survey data were collected in an undergraduate biology class at a small, Southern Baptist-affiliated liberal arts school located in south central Kentucky. Responses to questions on the MATE (Rutledge and Warden, 1999) instrument were used to screen students for interviews, which investigated the way by which students came to understand and accept scientific theories. This study identifies some ways by which individuals learn complex science theories, including biological evolution. Initial understanding and acceptance often occurs by the conceptual change method described by Posner et al. (1982). Three principle ways by which an individual may reach a level of understanding and acceptance of science theory were documented in this study. They were conceptual change through application of logic and reasoning; conceptual change through modification of religious views; and conceptual change through acceptance of authoritative knowledge. Development of a deeper, richer understanding and acceptance of complex, multi-faceted concepts such as biological evolution occurs in some individuals by means of conceptual enrichment. Conceptual enrichment occurs through addition of new knowledge, and then examining prior knowledge through the perspective of this new knowledge. In the field of science, enrichment reinforces complex concepts when multiple, convergent lines of supporting evidences point to the same rational scientific conclusion.

  6. Third Grade Students' Mental Models of Blood Circulation Related to Exercise

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pasco, Denis; Ennis, Catherine D.

    2015-01-01

    Students' prior knowledge has been identified to play an important role in the learning process through conceptual change. In physical education, positive changes in students' lifestyles may come from changes in their conceptual understanding. In this study 45 third grade students (mean age = 8.54 years) were interviewed during their regular…

  7. Conceptual Blending Monitoring Students' Use of Metaphorical Concepts to Further the Learning of Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fredriksson, Alexandra; Pelger, Susanne

    2018-03-01

    The aim of this study is to explore how tertiary science students' use of metaphors in their popular science article writing may influence their understanding of subject matter. For this purpose, six popular articles written by students in physics or geology were analysed by means of a close textual analysis and a metaphor analysis. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the students. The articles showed variation regarding the occurrence of active (non-conventional) metaphors, and metaphorical concepts, i.e. metaphors relating to a common theme. In addition, the interviews indicated that students using active metaphors and metaphorical concepts reflected more actively upon their use of metaphors. These students also discussed the possible relationship between subject understanding and creation of metaphors in terms of conceptual blending. The study suggests that students' process of creating metaphorical concepts could be described and visualised through integrated networks of conceptual blending. Altogether, the study argues for using conceptual blending as a tool for monitoring and encouraging the use of adequate metaphorical concepts, thereby facilitating students' opportunities of understanding and influencing the learning of science.

  8. A Conceptual Framework for Educational Design at Modular Level to Promote Transfer of Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Botma, Yvonne; Van Rensburg, G. H.; Coetzee, I. M.; Heyns, T.

    2015-01-01

    Students bridge the theory-practice gap when they apply in practice what they have learned in class. A conceptual framework was developed that can serve as foundation to design for learning transfer at modular level. The framework is based on an adopted and adapted systemic model of transfer of learning, existing learning theories, constructive…

  9. Clickers don't always help: Classroom context and goals can mitigate clicker effects on student learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shapiro, Amy; O'Rielly, Grant; Sims-Knight, Judith

    2014-03-01

    Clickers are commonly used in large-enrollment introductory courses in order to encourage attendance, increase student engagement and improve learning. We report the results from a highly controlled study of factual and conceptual clicker questions in calculus-based introductory physics courses, on students' performance on the factual and conceptual exam questions they targeted. We found that clicker questions did not enhance student performance on either type of exam question. The use of factual clicker questions actually decreased student performance on conceptual exam questions, however. Directing students' attention to surface features of the course content may distract them from the important underlying concepts. The conceptual clicker questions were likely ineffective because the practice students got on homework questions had a stronger effect than the single question posed in class. Interestingly, the same studies in general education biology and psychology courses show a strong, positive effect of clickers on student learning. This study suggest that the usefulness of clickers should be weighed in the context of other course activities and goals. Secondary analyses will explore the effect of students' GPA, motivation and study strategies on the results. This work was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, US Dept. of Education, through Grant R305A100625 to UMass Dartmouth. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the US Dept. of Education.

  10. Flexible Learning Itineraries Based on Conceptual Maps

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agudelo, Olga Lucía; Salinas, Jesús

    2015-01-01

    The use of learning itineraries based on conceptual maps is studied in order to propose a more flexible instructional design that strengthens the learning process focused on the student, generating non-linear processes, characterising its elements, setting up relationships between them and shaping a general model with specifications for each…

  11. Fifth Graders as App Designers: How Diverse Learners Conceptualize Educational Apps

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Israel, Maya; Marino, Matthew T.; Basham, James D.; Spivak, Wenonoa

    2013-01-01

    Instructional designers are increasingly considering how to include students as participants in the design of instructional technologies. This study provides a lens into participatory design with students by examining how students conceptualized learning applications in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by designing paper…

  12. The effectiveness of conceptual change texts and concept clipboards in learning the nature of science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Çil, Emine; Çepni, Salih

    2016-01-01

    Background: One of the most important goals of science education is to enable students to understand the nature of science (NOS). However, generally regular science teaching in classrooms does not help students improve informed NOS views. Purpose: This study investigated the influence of an explicit reflective conceptual change approach compared with an explicit reflective inquiry-oriented approach on seventh graders' understanding of NOS. Sample: The research was conducted with seventh grade students. A total of 44 students participated in the study. Design and method: The study was an interpretive study because this study focused on the meanings that students attach to target aspects of NOS. Participants were divided into two groups, each consisting of 22 students. One of the groups learned NOS with an explicit reflective conceptual change approach. The requirements of conceptual change were provided through the use of conceptual change texts and concept cartoons. The other group learned NOS with an explicit reflective inquiry-oriented approach. The data were collected through open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. These instruments were employed in a pre-test, a post-test and a delayed test. Students' views of the aspects of NOS were categorized as naive, transitional and informed. Results: The result of this study indicated that before receiving instruction, most of the participants had transitional views of the tentative, empirical and imaginative and creative aspects of the NOS, and they had naive understandings of the distinction between observation and inference. The instruction in the experimental group led to a 60% - a 25% increase in the number of students who possessed an informed understanding of the tentative, empirical, creative and observation and inference aspect of the NOS. The instruction in the control group led to a 30% - a 15% increase in the informed NOS views. Conclusion: The explicit reflective conceptual change approach is more effective than the explicit reflective inquiry-oriented approach in improving participants' NOS conceptions. Another conclusion of this study is that if NOS is taught within the explicit reflective conceptual change approach, learners can retain learned views long after instruction.

  13. Conceptual Framework to Help Promote Retention and Transfer in the Introductory Chemical Engineering Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanyak, Michael E., Jr.

    2015-01-01

    In an introductory chemical engineering course, the conceptual framework of a holistic problem-solving methodology in conjunction with a problem-based learning approach has been shown to create a learning environment that nurtures deep learning rather than surface learning. Based on exam scores, student grades are either the same or better than…

  14. A Study on the Efficacy of Project-Based Learning Approach on Social Studies Education: Conceptual Achievement and Academic Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ilter, Ilhan

    2014-01-01

    In this research, an experimental study was carried out in social studies 4th grade students to develop students' conceptual achievement and motivation to succeed academically. The study aims to investigate the effectiveness of project-based learning (PBL) in social studies. A quasi-experimental research design (pre- and posttest) was used in the…

  15. The Effects of Activities Based on the Multiple Intelligence Theory of Students' Conceptual Learning and Their Retention: A Case of Circle and Cylinder

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gurbuz, Ramazan; Birgin, Osman; Catlioglu, Hakan

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of activities based on the Multiple Intelligence Theory (MIT) of seventh grade students' conceptual learning and their retention in two consecutive subjects, namely "The Circumference and the Area of a Circle" and "The Surface Area of the Vertical Cylinder". The…

  16. Concepts of a Higher Hierarchical Level Require More Dual Situated Learning Events for Conceptual Change: A Study of Air Pressure and Buoyancy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    She, Hsiao-Ching

    2002-01-01

    Examines the process of students' conceptual changes with regard to air pressure and buoyancy as a result of teaching with the dual situated learning model. Uses a model designed according to the students' ontological viewpoint on science concepts as well as the nature of these concepts. (Contains 40 references.) (Author/YDS)

  17. Trajectories of collaborative scientific conceptual change: Middle school students learning about ecosystems in a CSCL environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Lei

    The dissertation aims to achieve two goals. First, it attempts to establish a new theoretical framework---the collaborative scientific conceptual change model, which explicitly attends to social factor and epistemic practices of science, to understand conceptual change. Second, it report the findings of a classroom study to investigate how to apply this theoretical framework to examine the trajectories of collaborative scientific conceptual change in a CSCL environment and provide pedagogical implications. Two simulations were designed to help students make connections between the macroscopic substances and the aperceptual microscopic entities and underlying processes. The reported study was focused on analyzing the aggregated data from all participants and the video and audio data from twenty focal groups' collaborative activities and the process of their conceptual development in two classroom settings. Mixed quantitative and qualitative analyses were applied to analyze the video/audio data. The results found that, overall participants showed significant improvements from pretest to posttest on system understanding. Group and teacher effect as well as group variability were detected in both students' posttest performance and their collaborative activities, and variability emerged in group interaction. Multiple data analyses found that attributes of collaborative discourse and epistemic practices made a difference in student learning. Generating warranted claims in discourse as well as the predicting, coordinating theory-evidence, and modifying knowledge in epistemic practices had an impact on student's conceptual understanding. However, modifying knowledge was found negatively related to students' learning effect. The case studies show how groups differed in using the computer tools as a medium to conduct collaborative discourse and epistemic practices. Only with certain combination of discourse features and epistemic practices can the group interaction lead to successful convergent understanding. The results of the study imply that the collaborative scientific conceptual change model is an effective framework to study conceptual change and the simulation environment may mediate the development of successful collaborative interactions (including collaborative discourse and epistemic practices) that lead to collaborative scientific conceptual change.

  18. Using computer simulations to facilitate conceptual understanding of electromagnetic induction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Yu-Fen

    This study investigated the use of computer simulations to facilitate conceptual understanding in physics. The use of computer simulations in the present study was grounded in a conceptual framework drawn from findings related to the use of computer simulations in physics education. To achieve the goal of effective utilization of computers for physics education, I first reviewed studies pertaining to computer simulations in physics education categorized by three different learning frameworks and studies comparing the effects of different simulation environments. My intent was to identify the learning context and factors for successful use of computer simulations in past studies and to learn from the studies which did not obtain a significant result. Based on the analysis of reviewed literature, I proposed effective approaches to integrate computer simulations in physics education. These approaches are consistent with well established education principles such as those suggested by How People Learn (Bransford, Brown, Cocking, Donovan, & Pellegrino, 2000). The research based approaches to integrated computer simulations in physics education form a learning framework called Concept Learning with Computer Simulations (CLCS) in the current study. The second component of this study was to examine the CLCS learning framework empirically. The participants were recruited from a public high school in Beijing, China. All participating students were randomly assigned to two groups, the experimental (CLCS) group and the control (TRAD) group. Research based computer simulations developed by the physics education research group at University of Colorado at Boulder were used to tackle common conceptual difficulties in learning electromagnetic induction. While interacting with computer simulations, CLCS students were asked to answer reflective questions designed to stimulate qualitative reasoning and explanation. After receiving model reasoning online, students were asked to submit their revised answers electronically. Students in the TRAD group were not granted access to the CLCS material and followed their normal classroom routine. At the end of the study, both the CLCS and TRAD students took a post-test. Questions on the post-test were divided into "what" questions, "how" questions, and an open response question. Analysis of students' post-test performance showed mixed results. While the TRAD students scored higher on the "what" questions, the CLCS students scored higher on the "how" questions and the one open response questions. This result suggested that more TRAD students knew what kinds of conditions may or may not cause electromagnetic induction without understanding how electromagnetic induction works. Analysis of the CLCS students' learning also suggested that frequent disruption and technical trouble might pose threats to the effectiveness of the CLCS learning framework. Despite the mixed results of students' post-test performance, the CLCS learning framework revealed some limitations to promote conceptual understanding in physics. Improvement can be made by providing students with background knowledge necessary to understand model reasoning and incorporating the CLCS learning framework with other learning frameworks to promote integration of various physics concepts. In addition, the reflective questions in the CLCS learning framework may be refined to better address students' difficulties. Limitations of the study, as well as suggestions for future research, are also presented in this study.

  19. Transforming the junior level: Outcomes from instruction and research in E&M

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chasteen, Stephanie V.; Pollock, Steven J.; Pepper, Rachel E.; Perkins, Katherine K.

    2012-12-01

    Over the course of four years, we have researched and transformed a key course in the career of an undergraduate physics major—junior-level electricity and magnetism. With the aim of educating our majors based on a more complete understanding of the cognitive and conceptual challenges of upper-division courses, we used principles of active engagement and learning theory to develop course materials and conceptual assessments. Our research results from student and faculty interviews and observations also informed our approach. We present several measures of the outcomes of this work at the University of Colorado at Boulder and external institutions. Students in the transformed courses achieved higher learning gains compared to those in the traditionally taught courses, particularly in the areas of conceptual understanding and ability to articulate their reasoning about a problem. The course transformations appear to close a gender gap, improving female students’ scores on conceptual and traditional assessments so that they are more similar to those of male students. Students enthusiastically support the transformations, and indicate that several course elements provide useful scaffolding in conceptual understanding, as well as physicists’ “habits of mind” such as problem-solving approaches and work habits. Despite these positive outcomes, student conceptual learning gains do not fully meet faculty expectations, suggesting that it is valuable to further investigate how the content and skills indicative of “thinking like a physicist” can be most usefully taught at the upper division.

  20. The Effect of Concept Mapping on Student Understanding and Correlation with Student Learning Styles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mosley, William G.

    This study investigated the use of concept mapping as a pedagogical strategy to promote change in the learning styles of pre-nursing students. Students' individual learning styles revealed two subsets of students; those who demonstrated a learning style that favors abstract conceptualization and those who demonstrated a learning style that favors concrete experience. Students in the experimental groups performed concept mapping activities designed to facilitate an integrative understanding of interactions between various organ systems of the body while the control group received a traditional didactic instruction without performing concept mapping activities. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected in order to measure differences in student achievement. Analysis of the quantitative data revealed no significant change in the learning styles of students in either the control or experimental groups. Learning style groups were analyzed qualitatively for recurring or emergent themes that students identified as facilitating their learning. An analysis of qualitative data revealed that most students in the pre-nursing program were able to identify concepts within the class based upon visual cues, and a majority of these students exhibited the learning style of abstract conceptualization. As the laboratory experience for the course involves an examination of the anatomical structures of the human body, a visual identification of these structures seemed to be the most logical method to measure students' ability to identify anatomical structures.

  1. Students' Conceptions as Dynamically Emergent Structures

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, David E.

    2014-01-01

    There is wide consensus that learning in science must be considered a process of conceptual change rather than simply information accrual. There are three perspectives on students' conceptions and conceptual change in science that have significant presence in the science education literature: students' ideas as misconceptions, as…

  2. Discrepant Events: A Challenge to Students' Intuition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalez-spada, Wilson J.; Birriel, Jennifer; Birriel, Ignacio

    2010-01-01

    Studies on cognitive aspects of science education, especially how students achieve conceptual change, have been a focus of interest for many years. Researchers of student learning and conceptual change have developed several easily applicable teaching strategies. One of these strategies is known as "discrepant events". Discrepant events are very…

  3. Students' Perceptions of Statistics: An Exploration of Attitudes, Conceptualizations, and Content Knowledge of Statistics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bond, Marjorie E.; Perkins, Susan N.; Ramirez, Caroline

    2012-01-01

    Although statistics education research has focused on students' learning and conceptual understanding of statistics, researchers have only recently begun investigating students' perceptions of statistics. The term perception describes the overlap between cognitive and non-cognitive factors. In this mixed-methods study, undergraduate students…

  4. `Teaching What I Learned': Exploring students' Earth and Space Science learning experiences in secondary school with a particular focus on their comprehension of the concept of `geologic time'

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoon, Sae Yeol; Peate, David W.

    2015-06-01

    According to the national survey of science education, science educators in the USA currently face many challenges such as lack of qualified secondary Earth and Space Science (ESS) teachers. Less qualified teachers may have difficulty teaching ESS because of a lack of conceptual understanding, which leads to diminished confidence in content knowledge. More importantly, teachers' limited conceptual understanding of the core ideas automatically leads to a lack of pedagogical content knowledge. This mixed methods study aims to explore the ways in which current secondary schooling, especially the small numbers of highly qualified ESS teachers in the USA, might influence students' learning of the discipline. To gain a better understanding of the current conditions of ESS education in secondary schools, in the first phase, we qualitatively examined a sample middle and high school ESS textbook to explore how the big ideas of ESS, particularly geological time, are represented. In the second phase, we quantitatively analyzed the participating college students' conceptual understanding of geological time by comparing those who had said they had had secondary school ESS learning experience with those who did not. Additionally, college students' perceptions on learning and teaching ESS are discussed. Findings from both the qualitative and quantitative phases indicate participating students' ESS learning experience in their secondary schools seemed to have limited or little influence on their conceptual understandings of the discipline. We believe that these results reflect the current ESS education status, connected with the declining numbers of highly qualified ESS teachers in secondary schools.

  5. Testing a Conception of How School Leadership Influences Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leithwood, Kenneth; Patten, Sarah; Jantzi, Doris

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: This article describes and reports the results of testing a new conception of how leadership influences student learning ("The Four Paths"). Framework: Leadership influence is conceptualized as flowing along four paths (Rational, Emotions, Organizational, and Family) toward student learning. Each path is populated by multiple…

  6. Virtual Manipulatives: Tools for Teaching Mathematics to Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shin, Mikyung; Bryant, Diane P.; Bryant, Brian R.; McKenna, John W.; Hou, Fangjuan; Ok, Min Wook

    2017-01-01

    Many students with learning disabilities demonstrate difficulty in developing a conceptual understanding of mathematical topics. Researchers recommend using visual models to support student learning of the concepts and skills necessary to complete abstract and symbolic mathematical problems. Virtual manipulatives (i.e., interactive visual models)…

  7. Professional Learning in Initial Teacher Education: Vision in the Constructivist Conception of Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tang, Sylvia Y. F.; Wong, Angel K. Y.; Cheng, May M. H.

    2012-01-01

    With the constructivist view of learning as a conceptual lens, this paper examines student teachers' professional learning in initial teacher education (ITE). A mixed-method study was conducted with student teachers of a Bachelor of Education Programme in Hong Kong. The quantitative element of the study reveals that student teachers held a…

  8. Evaluation of the Learning Process of Students Reinventing the General Law of Energy Conservation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Logman, Paul; Kaper, Wolter; Ellermeijer, Ton

    2015-01-01

    To investigate the relationship between context and concept we have constructed a conceptual learning path in which students reinvent the concept of energy conservation and embedded this path in two authentic practices. A comparison of the expected learning outcome with actual student output for the most important steps in the learning path gives…

  9. Explorations of Year 10 Students' Conceptual Change during Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hubber, Peter

    2005-01-01

    This article reports on a classroom-based case study of a group of six Year 10 students, within a class of 23 students. The study implemented constructivist-informed teaching and learning approaches within a classroom setting in the topic of optics and documented any changes in the conceptual understanding students had about seven central concepts…

  10. Student-Student Online Coaching: Conceptualizing an Emerging Learning Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hrastinski, Stefan; Stenbom, Stefan

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to describe student-student online coaching, defined as "an online service where a student gets support on a specific subject matter from a more experienced student". Student-student online coaching emphasizes learning a subject matter by giving a student the opportunity to get coached by a coach, i.e. a more experienced…

  11. Using LEGO for learning fractions, supporting or distracting?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rejeki, Sri; Setyaningsih, Nining; Toyib, Muhamad

    2017-05-01

    The role of games used for learning mathematics is still in debate. However, many research revealed that it gave positive effects on both students' motivation and performance in mathematics. Therefore, this study aims at investigating the effects of using LEGO-as one of games which students are familiar with, for learning mathematics, on both students' conceptual knowledge of fractions and students' attitude in learning mathematics. A set of learning activities consisting three meetings of fractions learning was designed for this study. The activities were mainly about solving word-context problems using LEGO as the model. Thirty students of seven grade with high-ability in mathematics and thirty two students with low-ability in mathematics were involved in this study. The data were collected through students' written works, video registration and field notes during the teaching and learning activities. The results indicate that in general the use of LEGO in learning activities support the conceptual understanding on fractions for both students with high-ability and low-ability in mathematics. Moreover, for students with low-ability in mathematics, it promotes the computational skill of fractions operation. The evidences also suggest that bringing LEGO into classroom activities improve students' motivation and engagement. However, in some cases, students were more focus on playing than learning. Therefore, teachers play important roles on providing clear pedagogical instructions about the way to use LEGO properly.

  12. Applying Learning Analytics for the Early Prediction of Students' Academic Performance in Blended Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lu, Owen H. T.; Huang, Anna Y. Q.; Huang, Jeff C. H.; Lin, Albert J. Q.; Ogata, Hiroaki; Yang, Stephen J. H.

    2018-01-01

    Blended learning combines online digital resources with traditional classroom activities and enables students to attain higher learning performance through well-defined interactive strategies involving online and traditional learning activities. Learning analytics is a conceptual framework and is a part of our Precision education used to analyze…

  13. Learning as Conceptual Change: Factors Mediating the Development of Preservice Elementary Teachers' Views of Nature of Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad; Akerson, Valarie L.

    2004-01-01

    This study assessed, and identified factors in participants' learning ecologies that mediated, the effectiveness of an explicit reflective instructional approach that satisfied conditions for learning as conceptual change on preservice elementary teachers' views of nature of science (NOS). Participants were 28 undergraduate students enrolled in an…

  14. Teaching Conceptually Oriented Social Science Education Programs in the Elementary School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mahlios, Marc C.

    Approaches to elementary social studies education that focus on concept and inquiry learning are outlined. The basic goal of the teacher in concept teaching is to aid the student in developing relationships among factual learning, conceptualization, and personal behavior. Learning activities should focus on the process concept (i.e., one that is…

  15. Learning science in small groups: The relationship of conversation to conceptual understanding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McDonald, James Tarleton

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between conversation and conceptual understanding of erosion. The objective of this study was to investigate how fifth grade students' conceptions of erosion changed while they used stream tables and worked in groups of four within an inquiry-based curriculum. This study used symbolic interactionism and sociocognitive frameworks to interpret science learning in the elementary classroom. The research focused on the conceptual understanding of the focal group students, their use of classroom discourse to talk about their understandings of erosion, and the expertise that emerged while using stream tables. This study took place over a one-semester long study on erosion. Key informants were eight fifth graders. The data sources consisted of children's journals; transcripts of audiotaped interviews with the key informants before, during, and after the erosion unit; transcripts of videotapes of the students using the stream tables; and field notes recording children's discourse and activity. Individual and group cases were constructed during the study. The knowledge of the eight focal group children was placed on a hierarchy of conceptual understanding that contained 8 components of the erosion process. All four of the students whose ideas were examined in depth gained in their conceptual understanding of erosion. Students' individual expertise enhanced their own conceptual understanding. The contribution of classroom discourse and expertise to conceptual understanding differed between the two focal groups. Group 1 used essential expertise to sustain generative conversations, maximizing their learning opportunities. Students in Group 1 got along with one another, rotated assigned roles and jobs, and were able to start their own generative conversations. Members of Group 1 asked generative questions, connected stream table events to real life situations, and involved everyone in the group. Group 2 engaged in a predominance of procedural discourse and had fewer learning opportunities. Group 2 had two dominant personalities who developed a conflict over roles and jobs, keeping their peers out of the conversation. Students in Group 2 had generative conversations, but these were not sustained due to the lack of acknowledgment of peer expertise and the starting their own generative conversations.

  16. The ability to understand and use conceptual change pedagogy as a function of prior content learning experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stofflett, René T.; Stoddart, Trish

    This research examined the relationship between content instruction and the development of elementary teacher candidates' understanding of conceptual change pedagogy. Undergraduate students (n = 27) enrolled in two sections of a science methods course received content instruction through either traditional or conceptual change methods, followed by instruction about conceptual change pedagogy. Candidates were interviewed pre- and postinstruction about their content and pedagogical knowledge and also wrote conceptual change lessons. Twelve of the 27 subjects were videotaped teaching in the field. Results indicate that prior to instruction, most candidates had weak content knowledge and held traditional pedagogical conceptions. After instruction, students in the conceptual change group had significantly larger gains in their content knowledge than those in the traditional group, gave qualitatively stronger pedagogical responses, and used conceptual change strategies more consistently in practice. These results indicate that personal experience of learning science content through conceptual change methods facilitated the development of understanding and use of conceptual change pedagogy in teaching practice. Thus if conceptual change methods are to be incorporated into teacher candidates' repertoire, science content courses that students take prior to teacher education should be taught using conceptual change pedagogy. In addition, courses in science education should use pedagogy more in line with that taught in methods courses.

  17. The Evaluation of Conceptual Learning and Epistemological Beliefs on Physics Learning by Think-Pair-Share

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gok, Tolga

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of the research was to investigate the effects of think pair share (TPS) instructional strategy on students' conceptual learning and epistemological beliefs on physics and physics learning. The research was conducted with two groups. One of the groups was the experimental group (EG) and the other group was the control group (CG). 35…

  18. Grade 12 Students' Conceptual Understanding and Mental Models of Galvanic Cells before and after Learning by Using Small-Scale Experiments in Conjunction with a Model Kit

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Supasorn, Saksri

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to develop the small-scale experiments involving electrochemistry and the galvanic cell model kit featuring the sub-microscopic level. The small-scale experiments in conjunction with the model kit were implemented based on the 5E inquiry learning approach to enhance students' conceptual understanding of electrochemistry. The…

  19. The Effects of Learning Activities Based on Argumentation on Conceptual Understanding of 7th Graders about "Force and Motion" Unit and Establishing Thinking Friendly Classroom Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buber, Ayse; Coban, Gul Unal

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of learning activities based on argumentation about "Force and Motion" unit on conceptual understanding and views about establishing thinking friendly classroom environment of 7th graders. The study was conducted with total 39 students (20 students in experimental group and 19…

  20. Assessment of student learning with hypermedia tools in first-year college chemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Skov, Neil Martin

    Learning chemistry is difficult for some students. In response to this difficulty, many educators argue that hypermedia technology can promote learning of abstract chemistry concepts. This research assesses learning outcomes and use patterns exhibited by first-year college general chemistry students using an instructional hypermedia system called Seeing Through Chemistry (STC) as part of their first course. STC was designed to help students with inadequate preparation for college chemistry. The assessment answers two questions: (a) do students learn from instructional hypermedia, and (b) what kind of students benefit from this medium? This non-experimental, quantitative research involved 82 student volunteers in their first college chemistry course. Data include SAT scores, high school science and mathematics grades, career orientation, chemistry placement score, motivation, laboratory and lecture section enrollment, and chemistry course grade. The investigation requires two specialized assessment tools: a measure of conceptual understanding of acids and bases, and a measure of cognitive engagement with hypermedia. Data analysis methods include two causal path models to examine hypermedia use and learning outcomes: one showing STC's effect on overall chemistry course performance, and the other demonstrating the effect of a single STC module on students' conceptual knowledge of acids and bases. Though there is no significant effect on course grade, the second analysis shows statistically significant learning from students' work with instructional hypermedia. Both causal models demonstrate that students with poorer preparation for college chemistry used STC more than students with better preparation, which matches the designers' intent. Some better prepared students were relatively more motivated to use the hypermedia system. Other findings show positive effects of high school science and college laboratory coursework on concept learning. This research informs the field of hypermedia design. Since STC's developers used particular parameters to guide their design, the medium's positive effect on learning indirectly supports the underlying design parameters. This research also demonstrates an effective method for assessing hypermedia learning in large course settings. In addition, the study exhibits a new tool for investigating conceptual understandings of large numbers of students, and a new way to measure cognitive engagement of students using instructional hypermedia.

  1. Structured feedback on students' concept maps: the proverbial path to learning?

    PubMed

    Joseph, Conran; Conradsson, David; Nilsson Wikmar, Lena; Rowe, Michael

    2017-05-25

    Good conceptual knowledge is an essential requirement for health professions students, in that they are required to apply concepts learned in the classroom to a variety of different contexts. However, the use of traditional methods of assessment limits the educator's ability to correct students' conceptual knowledge prior to altering the educational context. Concept mapping (CM) is an educational tool for evaluating conceptual knowledge, but little is known about its use in facilitating the development of richer knowledge frameworks. In addition, structured feedback has the potential to develop good conceptual knowledge. The purpose of this study was to use Kinchin's criteria to assess the impact of structured feedback on the graphical complexity of CM's by observing the development of richer knowledge frameworks. Fifty-eight physiotherapy students created CM's targeting the integration of two knowledge domains within a case-based teaching paradigm. Each student received one round of structured feedback that addressed correction, reinforcement, forensic diagnosis, benchmarking, and longitudinal development on their CM's prior to the final submission. The concept maps were categorized according to Kinchin's criteria as either Spoke, Chain or Net representations, and then evaluated against defined traits of meaningful learning. The inter-rater reliability of categorizing CM's was good. Pre-feedback CM's were predominantly Chain structures (57%), with Net structures appearing least often. There was a significant reduction of the basic Spoke- structured CMs (P = 0.002) and a significant increase of Net-structured maps (P < 0.001) at the final evaluation (post-feedback). Changes in structural complexity of CMs appeared to be indicative of broader knowledge frameworks as assessed against the meaningful learning traits. Feedback on CM's seemed to have contributed towards improving conceptual knowledge and correcting naive conceptions of related knowledge. Educators in medical education could therefore consider using CM's to target individual student development.

  2. Using Computer Simulations To Enhance Conceptual Change: The Roles of Constructivist Instruction and Student Epistemological Beliefs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Windschitl, Mark; Andre, Thomas

    1998-01-01

    Investigates the effects of a constructivist versus objectivist learning environment on college students' conceptual change using a computer simulation of the human cardiovascular system as an instructional tool. Contains 33 references. (DDR)

  3. Learners' strategies for reconstructing cognitive frameworks and navigating conceptual change from prior conception to consensual genetics knowledge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parrott, Annette M.

    Problem. Science teachers are charged with preparing students to become scientifically literate individuals. Teachers are given curriculum that specifies the knowledge that students should come away with; however, they are not necessarily aware of the knowledge with which the student arrives or how best to help them navigate between the two knowledge states. Educators must be aware, not only of where their students are conceptually, but how their students move from their prior knowledge and naive theories, to scientifically acceptable theories. The understanding of how students navigate this course has the potential to revolutionize educational practices. Methods. This study explored how five 9th grade biology students reconstructed their cognitive frameworks and navigated conceptual change from prior conception to consensual genetics knowledge. The research questions investigated were: (1) how do students in the process of changing their naive science theories to accepted science theories describe their journey from prior knowledge to current conception, and (2) what are the methods that students utilize to bridge the gap between alternate and consensual science conceptions to effect conceptual change. Qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to gather and analyze the data. In depth, semi-structured interviews formed the primary data for probing the context and details of students' conceptual change experience. Primary interview data was coded by thematic analysis. Results and discussion. This study revealed information about students' perceived roles in learning, the role of articulation in the conceptual change process, and ways in which a community of learners aids conceptual change. It was ascertained that students see their role in learning primarily as repeating information until they could add that information to their knowledge. Students are more likely to consider challenges to their conceptual frameworks and be more motivated to become active participants in constructing their knowledge when they are working collaboratively with peers instead of receiving instruction from their teacher. Articulation was found to be instrumental in aiding learners in identifying their alternate conceptions as well as in revisiting, investigating and reconstructing their conceptual frameworks. Based on the assumptions generated, suggestions were offered to inform pedagogical practice in support of the conceptual change process.

  4. Using the Rasch Model to Measure the Extent to which Students Work Conceptually with Mathematics.

    PubMed

    Kaspersen, Eivind

    2015-01-01

    Differences between working conceptually and procedurally with mathematics are well documented. In short, working procedurally can be characterized as learning and applying rules without reason. Working conceptually, in contrast, means creating and applying a web of knowledge. To continue this line of research, an instrument that is able to measure the level of conceptual work, and that is based on the basic requirements of measurement, is desireable. As such, this paper presents a Rasch calibrated instrument that measures the extent to which students work conceptually with mathematics. From a sample of 133 student teachers and 185 Civil Engineering students, 20 items are concluded as being productive for measurement.

  5. Conceptions of How a Learning or Teaching Curriculum, Workplace Culture and Agency of Individuals Shape Medical Student Learning and Supervisory Practices in the Clinical Workplace

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strand, Pia; Edgren, Gudrun; Borna, Petter; Lindgren, Stefan; Wichmann-Hansen, Gitte; Stalmeijer, Renée E.

    2015-01-01

    The role of workplace supervisors in the clinical education of medical students is currently under debate. However, few studies have addressed how supervisors conceptualize workplace learning and how conceptions relate to current sociocultural workplace learning theory. We explored physician conceptions of: (a) medical student learning in the…

  6. Student Attitudes toward Learning, Level of Pre-Knowledge and Instruction Type in a Computer-Simulation: Effects on Flow Experiences and Perceived Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winberg, T. Mikael; Hedman, Leif

    2008-01-01

    Attitudes toward learning (ATL) have been shown to influence students' learning outcomes. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the ways in which the interaction between ATL, the learning situation, and the level of students' prior knowledge influence affective reactions and conceptual change. In this study, a simulation of acid-base…

  7. Enhancing Teachers' Technological Knowledge and Assessment Practices to Enhance Student Learning in Technology: A Two-year Classroom Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moreland, Judy; Jones, Alister; Northover, Ann

    2001-02-01

    This paper reports on a two-year classroom investigation of primary school (Years 1-8) technology education. The first year of the project explored emerging classroom practices in technology. In the second year intervention strategies were developed to enhance teaching, learning and assessment practices. Findings from the first year revealed that assessment was often seen in terms of social and managerial aspects, such as teamwork, turn taking and co-operative skills, rather than procedural and conceptual technological aspects. Existing formative interactions with students distorted the learning away from the procedural and conceptual aspects of the subject. The second year explored the development of teachers' technological knowledge in order to enhance formative assessment practices in technology, to inform classroom practice in technology, and to enhance student learning. Intervention strategies were designed to enhance the development of procedural, conceptual, societal and technical aspects of technology for teachers and students. The results from this intervention were very positive. This paper highlights the importance of developing teacher expertise pertaining to broad concepts of technology, detailed concepts in different technological areas and general pedagogical knowledge. The findings from this research therefore have implications for thinking about teaching, learning and assessment in technology.

  8. Biology Reflective Assessment Curriculum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bayley, Cheryl Ann

    Often students and educators view assessments as an obligation and finality for a unit. In the current climate of high-stakes testing and accountability, the balance of time, resources and emphasis on students' scores related to assessment have been slanted considerably toward the summative side. This tension between assessment for accountability and assessment to inform teaching strains instruction and educators' ability to use that information to design learning opportunities that help students develop deeper conceptual understanding. A substantive body of research indicates that formative and reflective assessment can significantly improve student learning. Biology Reflective Assessment Curriculum (BRAC) examines support provided for high school science students through assessment practices. This investigation incorporates the usage of reflective assessments as a guiding practice for differentiated instruction and student choice. Reflective assessment is a metacognitive strategy that promotes self-monitoring and evaluation. The goals of the curriculum are to promote self-efficacy and conceptual understanding in students learning biology through developing their metacognitive awareness. BRAC was implemented in a high school biology classroom. Data from assessments, metacognitive surveys, self-efficacy surveys, reflective journals, student work, a culminating task and field notes were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum. The results suggest that students who develop their metacognitive skills developed a deeper conceptual understanding and improved feelings of self-efficacy when they were engaged in a reflective assessment unit embedded with student choice. BRAC is a tool for teachers to use assessments to assist students in becoming metacognitive and to guide student choice in learning opportunities.

  9. Thai Grade 10 and 11 Students' Conceptual Understanding and Ability to Solve Stoichiometry Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dahsah, Chanyah; Coll, Richard K.

    2007-01-01

    Stoichiometry and related concepts are an important part of student learning in chemistry. In this interpretive-based inquiry, we investigated Thai Grade 10 and 11 students' conceptual understanding and ability to solve numerical problems for stoichiometry-related concepts. Ninety-seven participants completed a purpose-designed survey instrument…

  10. Cross-Grade Comparison of Students' Conceptual Understanding with Lenses in Geometric Optics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tural, G.

    2015-01-01

    Students commonly find the field of physics difficult. Therefore, they generally have learning problems. One of the subjects with which they have difficulties is optics within a physics discipline. This study aims to determine students' conceptual understanding levels at different education levels relating to lenses in geometric optics. A…

  11. Using Analogy and Model to Enhance Conceptual Change in Thai Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wichaidit, Sittichai; Wongyounoi, Somson; Dechsri, Precharn; Chaivisuthangkura, Parin

    2011-01-01

    This study examined conceptual change of Thai middle school students after learning photosynthesis with analogy and model. The analogy mapped key features from the analog (cooking food) to the target concept (photosynthesis). Modeling photosynthesis activity provided the opportunity for students to understand how plants use sugar to synthesize…

  12. Scaffolding software: How does it influence student conceptual understanding and motivation?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Butler, Kyle A.

    The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of scaffolding software on student conceptual understanding and motivation. This study also provides insight on how students use the scaffolding features found in Artemis and the extent to which features show a relationship to student conceptual understanding and motivation. A Randomized Solomon Four Group Design was used in this study. As students worked through a project based unit over photosynthesis, the students performed information seeking activities that were based on their own inquiry. For this purpose, the students in the experimental group used an example of scaffolding software called Artemis, while the students in the control group used a search engine of their choice. To measure conceptual understanding, the researcher analyzed student generated concept maps on photosynthesis using three different methods (quantitative, qualitative, hierarchical). To measure motivation, the researcher used a survey that measured motivation on five different indicators: intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, task value, control of learning beliefs, self-efficacy for learning and performance. Finally, the researcher looked at the relationship and influence of the scaffolding features on two student performance scores at the end of the unit. This created a total of ten dependent variables in relationship to the treatment. Overall, the students used the collaborative features 25% of the time, the maintenance features 0.84% of the time, the organizational features 16% of the time, the saving/viewing features 7% of the time and the searching features 51% of the time. There were significant correlations between the saving/viewing features hits and the students' task value (r = .499, p < .05), the searching features hits and the students' self-efficacy for learning and performance (r = .553, p < .01), the collaborative features hits and the students' essay performance scores (r = .519, p < .05) and the maintenance features time and the qualitative analysis of the concept maps (r = .576, p < .01). Finally, the results indicated that the scaffolding features in Artemis did not influence student conceptual understanding and motivation.

  13. Students' Learning of a Generalized Theory of Sound Transmission from a Teaching-Learning Sequence about Sound, Hearing and Health

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    West, Eva; Wallin, Anita

    2013-04-01

    Learning abstract concepts such as sound often involves an ontological shift because to conceptualize sound transmission as a process of motion demands abandoning sound transmission as a transfer of matter. Thus, for students to be able to grasp and use a generalized model of sound transmission poses great challenges for them. This study involved 199 students aged 10-14. Their views about sound transmission were investigated before and after teaching by comparing their written answers about sound transfer in different media. The teaching was built on a research-based teaching-learning sequence (TLS), which was developed within a framework of design research. The analysis involved interpreting students' underlying theories of sound transmission, including the different conceptual categories that were found in their answers. The results indicated a shift in students' understandings from the use of a theory of matter before the intervention to embracing a theory of process afterwards. The described pattern was found in all groups of students irrespective of age. Thus, teaching about sound and sound transmission is fruitful already at the ages of 10-11. However, the older the students, the more advanced is their understanding of the process of motion. In conclusion, the use of a TLS about sound, hearing and auditory health promotes students' conceptualization of sound transmission as a process in all grades. The results also imply some crucial points in teaching and learning about the scientific content of sound.

  14. Approaches to Learning in a Second Year Chemical Engineering Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Case, Jennifer M.; Gunstone, Richard F.

    2003-01-01

    Investigates student approaches to learning in a second year chemical engineering course by means of a qualitative research project which utilized interview and journal data from a group of 11 students. Identifies three approaches to learning: (1) conceptual; (2) algorithmic; and (3) information-based. Presents student responses to a series of…

  15. Conceptual Change through Vicarious Learning in an Authentic Physics Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muller, Derek A.; Sharma, Manjula D.; Eklund, John; Reimann, Peter

    2007-01-01

    Recent research on principles of best practice for designing effective multimedia instruction has rarely taken into account students' alternative conceptions, which are known to strongly influence learning. The goal of this study was to determine how well students of quantum mechanics could learn "vicariously" by watching a student-tutor dialogue…

  16. Using Students' Performance to Improve Ontologies for Intelligent E-Learning System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Icoz, Kutay; Sanalan, Vehbi A.; Ozdemir, Esra Benli; Kaya, Sukru; Cakar, Mehmet Akif

    2015-01-01

    Ontologies have often been recommended for E-learning systems, but few efforts have successfully incorporated student data to represent knowledge conceptualizations. Defining key concepts and their relations between each other establishes the backbone of our E-learning system. The system guides an individual student through his/her course by…

  17. Learning Illustrated: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Drawing Analysis of Students' Conceptions of Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsieh, Wen-Min; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2018-01-01

    Using the draw-a-picture technique, the authors explored the learning conceptions held by students across grade levels. A total of 1,067 Taiwanese students in Grades 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 participated in this study. Participants were asked to use drawing to illustrate how they conceptualize learning. A coding checklist was developed to analyze…

  18. A Framework for Implementing Individualized Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ness, Bryan M.; Middleton, Michael J.

    2012-01-01

    Self-regulated learning (SRL) is a conceptual model that can be used to design and implement individualized learning strategies for students with learning disabilities. Students who self-regulate their learning engage in planning, performance, and self-evaluation during academic tasks. This article highlights one approach for teaching SRL skills…

  19. Unintended knowledge learnt in primary science practical lessons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Jisun; Abrahams, Ian; Song, Jinwoong

    2016-11-01

    This study explored the different kinds of unintended learning in primary school practical science lessons. In this study, unintended learning has been defined as student learning that was found to occur that was not included in the teachers learning objectives for that specific lesson. A total of 22 lessons, taught by five teachers in Korean primary schools with 10- to 12-year-old students, were audio-and video recorded. Pre-lesson interviews with the teachers were conducted to ascertain their intended learning objectives. Students were asked to write short memos after the lesson about what they learnt. Post-lesson interviews with students and teachers were undertaken. What emerged was that there were three types of knowledge that students learnt unintentionally: factual knowledge gained by phenomenon-based reasoning, conceptual knowledge gained by relation- or model-based reasoning, and procedural knowledge acquired by practice. Most unintended learning found in this study fell into the factual knowledge and only a few cases of conceptual knowledge were found. Cases of both explicit procedural knowledge and implicit procedural knowledge were found. This study is significant in that it suggests how unintended learning in practical work can be facilitated as an educative opportunity for meaningful learning by exploring what and how students learnt.

  20. Seventh Grade Students' Conceptual Understanding about Citizenship: Does a Constructivist Social Studies Program Make a Difference?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sabanci, Osman; Kurnaz, Sefika; Yürük, Nejla

    2016-01-01

    Many studies have shown that students at different age levels come into classrooms with a variety of alternative conceptions. Commonly held alternative conceptions are the main source of the difficulties that students and teachers face in learning and teaching. The aim of this study was to compare the conceptual understanding of students who were…

  1. On the Roots of Difficulties in Learning about Cell Division: Process-Based Analysis of Students' Conceptual Development in Teaching Experiments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riemeier, Tanja; Gropengiesser, Harald

    2008-01-01

    Empirical investigations on students' conceptions of cell biology indicate major misunderstandings of scientific concepts even after thorough teaching. Therefore, the main aim of our research project was to investigate students' difficulties in learning this topic and to study the impact of learning activities on students' conceptions. Using the…

  2. Counseling Students' Transformative Learning through a Study Abroad Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Jayne E.; McAuliffe, Garrett; Rippard, Kelly S.

    2014-01-01

    Research on the impact of study abroad curricula on student learning is limited. In this study, data were collected from students the last day abroad and 2 weeks and 6 to 9 months after returning home from a study abroad program. Eight codes conceptualized a grounded theory of student learning during and after completion of the study abroad…

  3. Developing Students' Capacity for Learning and Thinking through Integrated Curriculum and Team Learning Experiences.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jutras, Phillip F.

    Regis College (Massachusetts) has expanded student learning skills through through changes in the management program toward increasing integration of management and liberal arts disciplines and increased opportunities for cooperative and experiential learning. The program stresses making conceptual connections and part/whole relations in…

  4. Assessing Students' Attitudes In A College Physics Course In Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de la Garza, Jorge; Alarcon, Hugo

    2010-10-01

    Considering the benefits of modeling instruction in improving conceptual learning while students work more like scientists, an implementation was made in an introductory Physics course in a Mexican University. Recently Brewe, Kramer and O'Brien have observed positive attitudinal shifts using modeling instruction in a course with a reduced number of students. These results are opposite to previous observations with methodologies that promote active learning. Inspired in those results, the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) was applied as pre and post tests in two Mechanics courses with modeling. In comparison to the different categories of the CLASS, significant positive shifts have been determined in Overall, Sophistication in Problem Solving, and Applied Conceptual Understanding in a sample of 44 students.

  5. Mapping students' ideas about chemical reactions at different educational levels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Fan

    Understanding chemical reactions is crucial in learning chemistry at all educational levels. Nevertheless, research in science education has revealed that many students struggle to understand chemical processes. Improving teaching and learning about chemical reactions demands that we develop a clearer understanding of student reasoning in this area and of how this reasoning evolves with training in the discipline. Thus, we have carried out a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews as the main data collection tool to explore students reasoning about reaction mechanism and causality. The participants of this study included students at different levels of training in chemistry: general chemistry students (n=22), organic chemistry students (n=16), first year graduate students (n=13) and Ph.D. candidates (n=14). We identified major conceptual modes along critical dimensions of analysis, and illustrated common ways of reasoning using typical cases. Main findings indicate that although significant progress is observed in student reasoning in some areas, major conceptual difficulties seem to persist even at the more advanced educational levels. In addition, our findings suggest that students struggle to integrate important concepts when thinking about mechanism and causality in chemical reactions. The results of our study are relevant to chemistry educators interested in learning progressions, assessment, and conceptual development.

  6. The Effects of Inquiry-Based Computer Simulation with Cooperative Learning on Scientific Thinking and Conceptual Understanding of Gas Laws

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abdullah, Sopiah; Shariff, Adilah

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of inquiry-based computer simulation with heterogeneous-ability cooperative learning (HACL) and inquiry-based computer simulation with friendship cooperative learning (FCL) on (a) scientific reasoning (SR) and (b) conceptual understanding (CU) among Form Four students in Malaysian Smart…

  7. Exploring the Conceptual Compatibility of Transformative Learning Theory in Accounts of Christian Spiritual Renewal at Wheaton College in 1995

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McLaughlin, Richard J.

    2014-01-01

    This research explored the conceptual compatibility of Transformative Learning Theory in accounts of Christian spiritual renewal at Wheaton College in 1995. The literature review examined two domains: Transformative Learning Theory (TLT) and renewal of spiritual life in American students. TLT was applied as quadrants of experience, critical…

  8. Concept Development in Learning Physics: The Case of Electric Current and Voltage Revisited

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koponen, Ismo T.; Huttunen, Laura

    2013-01-01

    In learning conceptual knowledge in physics, a common problem is the development and differentiation of concepts in the learning process. An important part of this development process is the re-organisation or re-structuring process in which students' conceptual knowledge and concepts change. This study proposes a new view of concept…

  9. Removing Preconceptions with a "Learning Cycle."

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gang, Su

    1995-01-01

    Describes a teaching experiment that uses the Learning Cycle to achieve the reorientation of physics' students conceptual frameworks away from commonsense perspectives toward scientifically rigorous outlooks. Uses Archimedes' principle as the content topic while using the Learning Cycle to remove students' nonscientific preconceptions. (JRH)

  10. What Should Common Core Assessments Measure?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chandler, Kayla; Fortune, Nicholas; Lovett, Jennifer N.; Scherrer, Jimmy

    2016-01-01

    The Common Core State Standards for mathematics promote ideals about learning mathematics by providing specific standards focused on conceptual understanding and incorporating practices in which students must participate to develop conceptual understanding. Thus, how we define learning is pivotal because our current definition isn't aligned with…

  11. Exploring Task- and Student-Related Factors in the Method of Propositional Manipulation (MPM)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leppink, Jimmie; Broers, Nick J.; Imbos, Tjaart; van der Vleuten, Cees P. M.; Berger, Martijn P. F.

    2011-01-01

    The method of propositional manipulation (MPM) aims to help students develop conceptual understanding of statistics by guiding them into self-explaining propositions. To explore task- and student-related factors influencing students' ability to learn from MPM, twenty undergraduate students performed six learning tasks while thinking aloud. The…

  12. Improving students' understanding by using on-going education research to refine active learning activities in a first-year electronics course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peter Mazzolini, Alexander; Arthur Daniel, Scott

    2016-05-01

    Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (ILDs) have been used across introductory university physics as a successful active learning (AL) strategy to improve students' conceptual understanding. We have developed ILDs for more complex topics in our first-year electronics course. In 2006 we began developing ILDs to improve students' conceptual understanding of Operational Amplifiers (OAs) and negative feedback in amplification circuits. The ILDs were used after traditional lecture instruction to help students consolidate their understanding. We developed a diagnostic test, to be administered to students both before and after the ILDs, as a measure of how effective the ILDs were in improving students' understanding.

  13. Argumentation as a Strategy for Conceptual Learning of Dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eskin, Handan; Ogan-Bekiroglu, Feral

    2013-10-01

    Researchers have emphasized the importance of promoting argumentation in science classrooms for various reasons. However, the study of argumentation is still a young field and more research needs to be carried out on the tools and pedagogical strategies that can assist teachers and students in both the construction and evaluation of scientific arguments. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of argumentation on students' conceptual learning in dynamics. True-experimental design using quantitative research methods was carried out for the study. The participants of the study were tenth graders studying in two classes in an urban all-girls school. There were 26 female students in each class. Five argumentations promoted in the different contexts were embedded through the dynamics unit over a 10-week duration. The study concludes that engaging in the argumentative process that involves making claims, using data to support these claims, warranting the claims with scientific evidence, and using backings, rebuttals, and qualifiers to further support the reasoning, reinforces students' understanding of science, and promotes conceptual change. The results suggest that argumentation should be employed during instruction as a way to enable conceptual learning.

  14. Students' Motivation to Learn in Middle School--A Self-Regulated Learning Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paulino, Paula; Sá, Isabel; Lopes da Silva, Adelina

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: The self-regulation of motivation (SRM) is conceptualized as a meta-motivational process that guides students' efforts and persistence when performing tasks. This process regulates students' behavior through strategies that are influenced by motivational beliefs. SRM allows students to motivate themselves and guides their behavior.…

  15. Effects of Learning Styles and Interest on Concentration and Achievement of Students in Mobile Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Xiaojie; Yang, Xianmin

    2016-01-01

    Learning concentration deserves in-depth investigation in the field of mobile learning. Therefore, this study examined the interaction effects of learning styles and interest on the learning concentration and academic achievement of students who were asked to learn conceptual knowledge via their mobile phones in a classroom setting. A total of 92…

  16. The effectiveness of interactive computer simulations on college engineering student conceptual understanding and problem-solving ability related to circular motion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chien, Cheng-Chih

    In the past thirty years, the effectiveness of computer assisted learning was found varied by individual studies. Today, with drastic technical improvement, computers have been widely spread in schools and used in a variety of ways. In this study, a design model involving educational technology, pedagogy, and content domain is proposed for effective use of computers in learning. Computer simulation, constructivist and Vygotskian perspectives, and circular motion are the three elements of the specific Chain Model for instructional design. The goal of the physics course is to help students remove the ideas which are not consistent with the physics community and rebuild new knowledge. To achieve the learning goal, the strategies of using conceptual conflicts and using language to internalize specific tasks into mental functions were included. Computer simulations and accompanying worksheets were used to help students explore their own ideas and to generate questions for discussions. Using animated images to describe the dynamic processes involved in the circular motion may reduce the complexity and possible miscommunications resulting from verbal explanations. The effectiveness of the instructional material on student learning is evaluated. The results of problem solving activities show that students using computer simulations had significantly higher scores than students not using computer simulations. For conceptual understanding, on the pretest students in the non-simulation group had significantly higher score than students in the simulation group. There was no significant difference observed between the two groups in the posttest. The relations of gender, prior physics experience, and frequency of computer uses outside the course to student achievement were also studied. There were fewer female students than male students and fewer students using computer simulations than students not using computer simulations. These characteristics affect the statistical power for detecting differences. For the future research, more intervention of simulations may be introduced to explore the potential of computer simulation in helping students learning. A test for conceptual understanding with more problems and appropriate difficulty level may be needed.

  17. Teaching 5th grade science for aesthetic understanding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Girod, Mark A.

    Many scientists speak with great zeal about the role of aesthetics and beauty in their science and inquiry. Few systematic efforts have been made to teach science in ways that appeal directly to aesthetics and this research is designed to do just that. Drawing from the aesthetic theory of Dewey, I describe an analytic lens called learning for aesthetic understanding that finds power in the degree to which our perceptions of the world are transformed, our interests and enthusiasm piqued, and our actions changed as we seek further experiences in the world. This learning theory is contrasted against two other current and popular theories of science learning, that of learning for conceptual understanding via conceptual change theory and learning for a language-oriented or discourse-based understanding. After a lengthy articulation of the pedagogical strategies used to teach for aesthetic understanding the research is described in which comparisons are drawn between students in two 5th grade classrooms---one taught for the goal of conceptual understanding and the other taught for the goal of aesthetic understanding. Results of this comparison show that more students in the treatment classroom had aesthetic experiences with science ideas and came to an aesthetic understanding when studying weather, erosion, and structure of matter than students in the control group. Also statistically significant effects are shown on measures of interest, affect, and efficacy for students in the treatment class. On measures of conceptual understanding it appears that treatment class students learned more and forgot less over time than control class students. The effect of the treatment does not generally depend on gender, ethnicity, or prior achievement except in students' identity beliefs about themselves as science learners. In this case, a significant interaction for treatment class females on science identity beliefs did occur. A discussion of these results as well as elaboration and extension of the pedagogical model used in teaching for aesthetic understanding is discussed.

  18. An overview of conceptual understanding in science education curriculum in Indonesia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Widiyatmoko, A.; Shimizu, K.

    2018-03-01

    The purpose of this article is to discuss the term of “conceptual understanding” in science education curriculum in Indonesia. The implementation of 2013 Curriculum focuses on the acquisition of contextual knowledge in respective areas and environments. The curriculum seeks to develop students' evaluation skills in three areas: attitude, technical skills, and scientific knowledge. It is based on two layers of competencies: core and basic competencies. The core competencies in the curriculum 2013 represent the ability level to achieve the gradute competency standards of a students at each grade level. There are four mandatory core competencies for all educational levels and all subjects including science, which are spiritual, social, knowledge and skills competencies. In terms of knowledge competencies, conceptual understanding is an inseparable part of science concept since conceptual understanding is one of the basic competencies in science learning. This competency is a part of science graduation standard indicated in MoEC article number 20 in 2016. Therefore, conceptual understanding is needed by students for learning science successfully.

  19. Impact of Math Snacks Games on Students' Conceptual Understanding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winburg, Karin; Chamberlain, Barbara; Valdez, Alfred; Trujillo, Karen; Stanford, Theodore B.

    2016-01-01

    This "Math Snacks" intervention measured 741 fifth grade students' gains in conceptual understanding of core math concepts after game-based learning activities. Teachers integrated four "Math Snacks" games and related activities into instruction on ratios, coordinate plane, number systems, fractions and decimals. Using a…

  20. How Students Combine Resources to Make Conceptual Breakthroughs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richards, A. J.; Jones, Darrick C.; Etkina, Eugenia

    2018-04-01

    We use the framework of cognitive resources to investigate how students construct understanding of a complex physics topic, namely, a photovoltaic cell. By observing students as they learn about how a solar cell functions, we identified over 60 distinct resources that learners may activate while thinking about photovoltaic cells. We classify these resources into three main types: phenomenological primitives, conceptual resources, and epistemological resources. Furthermore, we found a pattern that suggests that when students make conceptual breakthroughs they may be more likely to activate combinations of resources of different types in concert, especially if a resource from each of the three categories is used. This pattern suggests that physics instructors should encourage students to activate multiple types of prior knowledge during the learning process. This can result from instructors deliberately and explicitly connecting new knowledge to students' prior experience both in and outside the formal physics classroom, as well as allowing students to reflect metacognitively on how the new knowledge fits into their existing understanding of the natural world.

  1. Adaptive Computerized Instruction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ray, Roger D.; And Others

    1995-01-01

    Describes an artificially intelligent multimedia computerized instruction system capable of developing a conceptual image of what a student is learning while the student is learning it. It focuses on principles of learning and adaptive behavioral control systems theory upon which the system is designed and demonstrates multiple user modes.…

  2. Learning Processes of Students in Pre-Vocational Secondary Education: Relations between Goal Orientations, Information Processing Strategies and Development of Conceptual Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koopman, Maaike; Den Brok, Perry; Beijaard, Douwe; Teune, Peter

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate relations between goal orientations, information processing strategies and development of conceptual knowledge of pre-vocational secondary education students (n = 719; 14 schools). Students' preferences for certain types of goals and information processing strategies were examined using questionnaires.…

  3. Student Learning of Complex Earth Systems: Conceptual Frameworks of Earth Systems and Instructional Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scherer, Hannah H.; Holder, Lauren; Herbert, Bruce

    2017-01-01

    Engaging students in authentic problem solving concerning environmental issues in near-surface complex Earth systems involves both developing student conceptualization of Earth as a system and applying that scientific knowledge using techniques that model those used by professionals. In this first paper of a two-part series, we review the state of…

  4. The Effect of Perspective on Misconceptions in Psychology: A Test of Conceptual Change Theory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Amsel, Eric; Johnston, Adam; Alvarado, Elly; Kettering, Jack; Rankin, Lauren; Ward, Melissa

    2009-01-01

    To test whether students' knowledge about psychology undergoes a conceptual change when learning about the discipline, 227 Introductory Psychology students from six different classes were given the Psychology as a Science (PAS) Scale in one of two conditions. Students were randomly assigned to complete the questionnaire from their own (Self…

  5. Feedback That Corrects and Contrasts Students' Erroneous Solutions with Expert Ones Improves Expository Instruction for Conceptual Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Asterhan, Christa S. C.; Dotan, Aviv

    2018-01-01

    In the present study, we examined the effects of feedback that corrects and contrasts a student's own erroneous solutions with the canonical, correct one (CEC&C feedback) on learning in a conceptual change task. Sixty undergraduate students received expository instruction about natural selection, which presented the canonical, scientifically…

  6. A Conceptual Framework for Evolving, Recommender Online Learning Systems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peiris, K. Dharini Amitha; Gallupe, R. Brent

    2012-01-01

    A comprehensive conceptual framework is developed and described for evolving recommender-driven online learning systems (ROLS). This framework describes how such systems can support students, course authors, course instructors, systems administrators, and policy makers in developing and using these ROLS. The design science information systems…

  7. Workplace learning from a socio-cultural perspective: creating developmental space during the general practice clerkship.

    PubMed

    van der Zwet, J; Zwietering, P J; Teunissen, P W; van der Vleuten, C P M; Scherpbier, A J J A

    2011-08-01

    Workplace learning in undergraduate medical education has predominantly been studied from a cognitive perspective, despite its complex contextual characteristics, which influence medical students' learning experiences in such a way that explanation in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes and single determinants of instructiveness is unlikely to suffice. There is also a paucity of research which, from a perspective other than the cognitive or descriptive one, investigates student learning in general practice settings, which are often characterised as powerful learning environments. In this study we took a socio-cultural perspective to clarify how students learn during a general practice clerkship and to construct a conceptual framework that captures this type of learning. Our analysis of group interviews with 44 fifth-year undergraduate medical students about their learning experiences in general practice showed that students needed developmental space to be able to learn and develop their professional identity. This space results from the intertwinement of workplace context, personal and professional interactions and emotions such as feeling respected and self-confident. These forces framed students' participation in patient consultations, conversations with supervisors about consultations and students' observation of supervisors, thereby determining the opportunities afforded to students to mind their learning. These findings resonate with other conceptual frameworks and learning theories. In order to refine our interpretation, we recommend that further research from a socio-cultural perspective should also explore other aspects of workplace learning in medical education.

  8. Student Perspectives of Self-Directed Language Learning: Implications for Teaching and Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Du, Fengning

    2013-01-01

    This article presents findings from a qualitative study examining students' perspectives of engaging in an autonomous learning project at a community college. Through the conceptual prism of self-directed learning, this study describes how students view the benefits of SDL as well as the roles of teachers. It also touches on factors contributing…

  9. What Motivates Students to Provide Feedback to Teachers about Teaching and Learning? An Expectancy Theory Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caulfield, Jay

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this empirical research study was to investigate what motivates students to provide formative anonymous feedback to teachers regarding their perceptions of the teaching and learning experience in order to improve student learning. Expectancy theory, specifically Vroom's Model, was used as the conceptual framework for the study.…

  10. Regulatory Teaching and Self-Regulated Learning in College Students: Confirmatory Validation Study of the IATLP Scales

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de la Fuente, Jesus; Zapata, Lucia; Martinez-Vicente, J. M.; Cardelle-Elawar, Maria; Sander, Paul; Justicia, Fernando; Pichardo, M. C.; Garcia-Belen, A. B.

    2012-01-01

    Introduction: The purpose of this study was to empirically confirm two conceptual interactions proposed by the IATLP Scales: (1) the combination of the teacher's regulatory teaching and the student's self-regulated learning, in order to produce satisfaction with learning; (2) the relationship of this interaction with students' prior…

  11. A Conceptual Model and Set of Instruments for Measuring Student Engagement in Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldspink, Christopher; Foster, Margot

    2013-01-01

    This work has its origins with research into the effects of pedagogy on student engagement and learning outcomes. It summarises the development of self-report and observation instruments for measuring student engagement suitable for early years to senior secondary. The measures are sensitive to the context and experience of learning rather than,…

  12. Exploring Relations among College Students' Prior Knowledge, Implicit Theories of Intelligence, and Self-Regulated Learning in a Hypermedia Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greene, Jeffrey Alan; Costa, Lara-Jeane; Robertson, Jane; Pan, Yi; Deekens, Victor M.

    2010-01-01

    Researchers and educators continue to explore how to assist students in the acquisition of conceptual understanding of complex science topics. While hypermedia learning environments (HLEs) afford unique opportunities to display multiple representations of these often abstract topics, students who do not engage in self-regulated learning (SRL) with…

  13. An investigation of meaningful understanding and effectiveness of the implementation of Piagetian and Ausubelian theories in physics instruction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Williams, Karen Ann

    One section of college students (N = 25) enrolled in an algebra-based physics course was selected for a Piagetian-based learning cycle (LC) treatment while a second section (N = 25) studied in an Ausubelian-based meaningful verbal reception learning treatment (MVRL). This study examined the students' overall (concept + problem solving + mental model) meaningful understanding of force, density/Archimedes Principle, and heat. Also examined were students' meaningful understanding as measured by conceptual questions, problems, and mental models. In addition, students' learning orientations were examined. There were no significant posttest differences between the LC and MVRL groups for students' meaningful understanding or learning orientation. Piagetian and Ausubelian theories explain meaningful understanding for each treatment. Students from each treatment increased their meaningful understanding. However, neither group altered their learning orientation. The results of meaningful understanding as measured by conceptual questions, problem solving, and mental models were mixed. Differences were attributed to the weaknesses and strengths of each treatment. This research also examined four variables (treatment, reasoning ability, learning orientation, and prior knowledge) to find which best predicted students' overall meaningful understanding of physics concepts. None of these variables were significant predictors at the.05 level. However, when the same variables were used to predict students' specific understanding (i.e. concept, problem solving, or mental model understanding), the results were mixed. For forces and density/Archimedes Principle, prior knowledge and reasoning ability significantly predicted students' conceptual understanding. For heat, however, reasoning ability was the only significant predictor of concept understanding. Reasoning ability and treatment were significant predictors of students' problem solving for heat and forces. For density/Archimedes Principle, treatment was the only significant predictor of students' problem solving. None of the variables were significant predictors of mental model understanding. This research suggested that Piaget and Ausubel used different terminology to describe learning yet these theories are similar. Further research is needed to validate this premise and validate the blending of the two theories.

  14. Cooperative Learning Instruction for Conceptual Change in the Concepts of Chemical Kinetics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirik, Ozgecan Tastan; Boz, Yezdan

    2012-01-01

    Learning is a social event and so the students need learning environments that enable them to work with their peers so that they can learn through their interactions. This study discusses the effectiveness of cooperative learning compared to traditional instruction in terms of students' motivation and understanding of chemical kinetics in a high…

  15. Anatomy by whole body dissection: a focus group study of students' learning experience.

    PubMed

    Burgess, Annette; Ramsey-Stewart, George

    2015-01-01

    The social construction of knowledge within medical education is essential for learning. Students' interactions within groups and associated learning artifacts can meaningfully impact learning. Situated cognition theory poses that knowledge, thinking, and learning are located in experience. In recent years, there has been a reported decline in time spent on anatomy by whole body dissection (AWBD) within medical programs. However, teaching by surgeons in AWBD provides unique opportunities for students, promoting a deeper engagement in learning. In this study, we apply situated cognition theory as a conceptual framework to explore students' perceptions of their learning experience within the 2014 iteration of an 8-week elective AWBD course. At the end of the course, all students (n=24) were invited to attend one of three focus groups. Framework analysis was used to code and categorize data into themes. In total, 20/24 (83%) students participated in focus groups. Utilizing situated cognition theory as a conceptual framework, we illustrate students' learning experiences within the AWBD course. Students highlighted opportunities to create and reinforce their own knowledge through active participation in authentic dissection tasks; guidance and clinical context provided by surgeons as supervisors; and the provision of an inclusive learning community. Situated cognition theory offers a valuable lens through which to view students' learning experience in the anatomy dissection course. By doing so, the importance of providing clinical relevance to medical teaching is highlighted. Additionally, the value of having surgeons teach AWBD and the experience they share is illustrated. The team learning course design, with varying teaching methods and frequent assessments, prompting student-student and student-teacher interaction, was also beneficial for student learning.

  16. How online learning modules can improve the representational fluency and conceptual understanding of university physics students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hill, M.; Sharma, M. D.; Johnston, H.

    2015-07-01

    The use of online learning resources as core components of university science courses is increasing. Learning resources range from summaries, videos, and simulations, to question banks. Our study set out to develop, implement, and evaluate research-based online learning resources in the form of pre-lecture online learning modules (OLMs). The aim of this paper is to share our experiences with those using, or considering implementing, online learning resources. Our first task was to identify student learning issues in physics to base the learning resources on. One issue with substantial research is conceptual understanding, the other with comparatively less research is scientific representations (graphs, words, equations, and diagrams). We developed learning resources on both these issues and measured their impact. We created weekly OLMs which were delivered to first year physics students at The University of Sydney prior to their first lecture of the week. Students were randomly allocated to either a concepts stream or a representations stream of online modules. The programme was first implemented in 2013 to trial module content, gain experience and process logistical matters and repeated in 2014 with approximately 400 students. Two validated surveys, the Force and Motion Concept Evaluation (FMCE) and the Representational Fluency Survey (RFS) were used as pre-tests and post-tests to measure learning gains while surveys and interviews provided further insights. While both streams of OLMs produced similar positive learning gains on the FMCE, the representations-focussed OLMs produced higher gains on the RFS. Conclusions were triangulated with student responses which indicated that they have recognized the benefit of the OLMs for their learning of physics. Our study shows that carefully designed online resources used as pre-instruction can make a difference in students’ conceptual understanding and representational fluency in physics, as well as make them more aware of their learning processes. In particular, the representations-focussed modules offer more advantages.

  17. Enhancing Simulation Learning with Team Mental Model Mapping

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goltz, Sonia M.

    2017-01-01

    Simulations have been developed for many business courses because of enhanced student engagement and learning. A challenge for instructors using simulations is how to take this learning to the next level since student reflection and learning can vary. This article describes how to use a conceptual mapping game at the beginning and end of a…

  18. Understanding the Role of Academic Language on Conceptual Understanding in an Introductory Materials Science and Engineering Course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kelly, Jacquelyn

    Students may use the technical engineering terms without knowing what these words mean. This creates a language barrier in engineering that influences student learning. Previous research has been conducted to characterize the difference between colloquial and scientific language. Since this research had not yet been applied explicitly to engineering, conclusions from the area of science education were used instead. Various researchers outlined strategies for helping students acquire scientific language. However, few examined and quantified the relationship it had on student learning. A systemic functional linguistics framework was adopted for this dissertation which is a framework that has not previously been used in engineering education research. This study investigated how engineering language proficiency influenced conceptual understanding of introductory materials science and engineering concepts. To answer the research questions about engineering language proficiency, a convenience sample of forty-one undergraduate students in an introductory materials science and engineering course was used. All data collected was integrated with the course. Measures included the Materials Concept Inventory, a written engineering design task, and group observations. Both systemic functional linguistics and mental models frameworks were utilized to interpret data and guide analysis. A series of regression analyses were conducted to determine if engineering language proficiency predicts group engineering term use, if conceptual understanding predicts group engineering term use, and if conceptual understanding predicts engineering language proficiency. Engineering academic language proficiency was found to be strongly linked to conceptual understanding in the context of introductory materials engineering courses. As the semester progressed, this relationship became even stronger. The more engineering concepts students are expected to learn, the more important it is that they are proficient in engineering language. However, exposure to engineering terms did not influence engineering language proficiency. These results stress the importance of engineering language proficiency for learning, but warn that simply exposing students to engineering terms does not promote engineering language proficiency.

  19. Reduction of cognitive conflict and learning style impact towards student-teacher's misconception load

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    A'yun, Kurroti; Suyono, Poedjiastoeti, Sri; Bin-Tahir, Saidna Zulfiqar

    2017-08-01

    The most crucial issue in education is a misconception that is caused by the misconception of the students themselves. Therefore, this study provided the solution to improve the quality of teaching chemistry in the schools through the remediation of misconceptions to the chemistry teacher candidates. This study employed a mixed method approach using concurrent embedded designs where it tended more to the qualitative research, but it still relied on the quantitative research in the assessment of the learning impact. The results of this study were the students with higher levels of cognitive conflict still have high loads of misconceptions (MC), it possibly due to the type of students' learning styles that is the sequential-global balanced. To facilitate the cognitive conflict character and the learning style of sequential-global balanced, the researchers created an integrated worksheet conceptual change with peer learning (WCCPL). The peer learning undertaken in the last stages of conceptual change of WCCPL can increase the resistance of students' concept in a category of knowing the concept significantly, but it should be examined in an in-depth study related to the long-term memory.

  20. Chinese Students Making Sense of Problem-Based Learning and Western Teaching--Pitfalls and Coping Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gram, Malene; Jaeger, Kirsten; Liu, Junyang; Qing, Li; Wu, Xiangying

    2013-01-01

    Culturally different imaginations of student and teacher roles, incongruent perceptions of academic standards, and diverging conceptualizations of learning may cause "difficult times" for institutions and individual learners involved in international education. Universities practicing alternative approaches to teaching and learning, for…

  1. The Remedial Effect of a Biological Learning Game.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blum, Abraham

    1979-01-01

    Investigates the effectiveness of a structured learning game in overcoming learning difficulties encountered by Israeli students when studying the life cycles of fungi because of lack of structural conceptualization. The Fungi Life Cycle Game (FLCG) was used by undergraduate students enrolled in a phytopathology course. (HM)

  2. Social Learning: Medical Student Perceptions of Geriatric House Calls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abbey, Linda; Willett, Rita; Selby-Penczak, Rachel; McKnight, Roberta

    2010-01-01

    Bandura's social learning theory provides a useful conceptual framework to understand medical students' perceptions of a house calls experience at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Social learning and role modeling reflect Liaison Committee on Medical Education guidelines for "Medical schools (to) ensure that the learning…

  3. Developing Coherent Conceptual Storylines: Two Elementary Challenges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanuscin, Deborah; Lipsitz, Kelsey; Cisterna-Alburquerque, Dante; Arnone, Kathryn A.; van Garderen, Delinda; de Araujo, Zandra; Lee, Eun Ju

    2016-01-01

    The "conceptual storyline" of a lesson refers to the flow and sequencing of learning activities such that science concepts align and progress in ways that are instructionally meaningful to student learning of the concepts. Research demonstrates that when teachers apply lesson design strategies to create a coherent science content…

  4. Enhancing Conceptual Knowledge of Energy in Biology with Incorrect Representations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wernecke, Ulrike; Schütte, Kerstin; Schwanewedel, Julia; Harms, Ute

    2018-01-01

    Energy is an important concept in all natural sciences, and a challenging one for school science education. Students' conceptual knowledge of energy is often low, and they entertain misconceptions. Educational research in science and mathematics suggests that learning through depictive representations and learning from errors, based on the theory…

  5. Future Elementary School Teachers' Conceptual Change Concerning Photosynthesis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahopelto, Ilona; Mikkila-Erdmann, Mirjamaija; Anto, Erkki; Penttinen, Marjaana

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine conceptual change among future elementary school teachers while studying a scientific text concerning photosynthesis. Students' learning goals in relation to their learning outcomes were also examined. The participants were future elementary school teachers. The design consisted of pre- and post-tests. The…

  6. Digital Video as a Personalized Learning Assignment: A Qualitative Study of Student Authored Video Using the ICSDR Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Laurie O.; Cox, Thomas D.

    2018-01-01

    Students within this study followed the ICSDR (Identify, Conceptualize/Connect, Storyboard, Develop, Review/Reflect/Revise) development model to create digital video, as a personalized and active learning assignment. The participants, graduate students in education, indicated that following the ICSDR framework for student-authored video guided…

  7. Development of the Modes of Collaboration Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pawlak, Alanna; Irving, Paul W.; Caballero, Marcos D.

    2018-01-01

    Group work is becoming increasingly common in introductory physics classrooms. Understanding how students engage in these group learning environments is important for designing and facilitating productive learning opportunities for students. We conducted a study in which we collected video of groups of students working on conceptual electricity…

  8. Learning science through talk: A case study of middle school students engaged in collaborative group investigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zinicola, Debra Ann

    Reformers call for change in how science is taught in schools by shifting the focus towards conceptual understanding for all students. Constructivist learning is being promoted through the dissemination of National and State Science Standards that recommend group learning practices in science classrooms. This study examined the science learning and interactions, using case study methodology, of one collaborative group of 4 students in an urban middle school. Data on science talk and social interaction were collected over 9 weeks through 12 science problem solving sessions. To determine student learning through peer interaction, varied group structures were implemented, and students reflected on the group learning experience. Data included: field notes, cognitive and reflective journals, audiotapes and videotapes of student talk, and audiotapes of group interviews. Journal data were analyzed quantitatively and all other data was transcribed into The Ethnograph database for qualitative analysis. The data record was organized into social and cognitive domains and coded with respect to interaction patterns to show how group members experienced the social construction of science concepts. The most significant finding was that all students learned as a result of 12 talk sessions as evidenced by pre- and post-conceptual change scores. Interactions that promoted learning involved students connecting their thoughts, rephrasing, and challenging ideas. The role structure was only used by students about 15% of the time, but it started the talk with a science focus, created awareness of scientific methods, and created an awareness of equitable member participation. Students offered more spontaneous, explanatory talk when the role structure was relaxed, but did not engage in as much scientific writing. They said the role structure was important for helping them know what to do in the talk but they no longer needed it after a time. Gender bias, status, and early adolescent developmental factors influenced many of the group's interactions. Recommendations are that: collaborative group problem solving be used frequently to promote conceptual change, teachers begin with a role structure to guide interactions, create heterogeneous groups, keep the same students together for a significant period of time, and monitor, guide, and teach during group learning sessions.

  9. Effect of a Science Diagram on Primary Students' Understanding About Magnets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Preston, Christine

    2016-12-01

    The research investigated the effect of a science diagram on primary students' conceptual understanding about magnets. Lack of research involving students of primary age means that little is known about the potential of science diagrams to help them understand abstract concepts such as magnetism. Task-based interviews were conducted individually with 19 year 3 and year 5 students from a single school. Data captured students' prior ideas about magnets and changes in their understanding in response to a diagram as the only intervention. Results revealed a variety of outcomes—conceptual understanding was enhanced, reduced, simultaneously enhanced and reduced or not changed. Particular diagram features constrained students' learning for some students. The study confirms the individual nature of primary students' learning and has implications for teachers about instructional methods using science diagrams.

  10. Efficacy of a Meiosis Learning Module Developed for the Virtual Cell Animation Collection

    PubMed Central

    Goff, Eric E.; Reindl, Katie M.; Johnson, Christina; McClean, Phillip; Offerdahl, Erika G.; Schroeder, Noah L.; White, Alan R.

    2017-01-01

    Recent reports calling for change in undergraduate biology education have resulted in the redesign of many introductory biology courses. Reports on one common change to course structure, the active-learning environment, have placed an emphasis on student preparation, noting that the positive outcomes of active learning in the classroom depend greatly on how well the student prepares before class. As a possible preparatory resource, we test the efficacy of a learning module developed for the Virtual Cell Animation Collection. This module presents the concepts of meiosis in an interactive, dynamic environment that has previously been shown to facilitate learning in introductory biology students. Participants (n = 534) were enrolled in an introductory biology course and were presented the concepts of meiosis in one of two treatments: the interactive-learning module or a traditional lecture session. Analysis of student achievement shows that students who viewed the learning module as their only means of conceptual presentation scored significantly higher (d = 0.40, p < 0.001) than students who only attended a traditional lecture on the topic. Our results show the animation-based learning module effectively conveyed meiosis conceptual understanding, which suggests that it may facilitate student learning outside the classroom. Moreover, these results have implications for instructors seeking to expand their arsenal of tools for “flipping” undergraduate biology courses. PMID:28188282

  11. Evaluating a Novel Instructional Sequence for Conceptual Change in Physics Using Interactive Simulations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fan, Xinxin; Geelan, David; Gillies, Robyn

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the effectiveness of a novel inquiry-based instructional sequence using interactive simulations for supporting students' development of conceptual understanding, inquiry process skills and confidence in learning. The study, conducted in Beijing, involved two teachers and 117 students in four classes. The teachers…

  12. Critical Thinking: Thinking with Concepts.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elder, Linda; Paul, Richard

    2001-01-01

    Urges education to help students learn through conceptual thinking. States that the first step must be to teach the subtleties of words--without a command of the language, important discriminations can be confused. Asserts that if students are to think well conceptually, surface language must dissolve, and alternative ways to communicate must be…

  13. A Conceptual Approach to Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellis, Mark W.; Bryson, Janet L.

    2011-01-01

    The absolute value learning objective in high school mathematics requires students to solve far more complex absolute value equations and inequalities. When absolute value problems become more complex, students often do not have sufficient conceptual understanding to make any sense of what is happening mathematically. The authors suggest that the…

  14. Systems Learning with a Conceptual Representation: A Quasi-Experimental Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hmelo-Silver, Cindy E.; Jordan, Rebecca; Eberbach, Catherine; Sinha, Suparna

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, we share results from a classroom intervention that used a conceptual representation to support reasoning about ecosystems. Engaging students in modeling allows them to make their ideas visible while being malleable and available for discussion, which enables students to make meaning out of systems. Further, the…

  15. Implementation of 5E Inquiry Incorporated with Analogy Learning Approach to Enhance Conceptual Understanding of Chemical Reaction Rate for Grade 11 Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Supasorn, Saksri; Promarak, Vinich

    2015-01-01

    The main purpose of this study was to enhance student understanding of the scientific concepts of chemical reaction rate. Forty-four grade 11 students were the target group. The treatment tools were seven learning plans of 5E inquiry incorporated with an analogy learning approach during 15 hours of class time. In each learning plan, the students…

  16. Writing-to-learn in undergraduate science education: a community-based, conceptually driven approach.

    PubMed

    Reynolds, Julie A; Thaiss, Christopher; Katkin, Wendy; Thompson, Robert J

    2012-01-01

    Despite substantial evidence that writing can be an effective tool to promote student learning and engagement, writing-to-learn (WTL) practices are still not widely implemented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, particularly at research universities. Two major deterrents to progress are the lack of a community of science faculty committed to undertaking and applying the necessary pedagogical research, and the absence of a conceptual framework to systematically guide study designs and integrate findings. To address these issues, we undertook an initiative, supported by the National Science Foundation and sponsored by the Reinvention Center, to build a community of WTL/STEM educators who would undertake a heuristic review of the literature and formulate a conceptual framework. In addition to generating a searchable database of empirically validated and promising WTL practices, our work lays the foundation for multi-university empirical studies of the effectiveness of WTL practices in advancing student learning and engagement.

  17. How Students' Epistemological Beliefs in the Domain of Physics and Their Conceptual Change Are Related?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaymak, Ercan; Ogan-Bekiroglu, Feral

    2013-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to determine high school students' epistemological beliefs in the domain of physics and to explore and explain the possible relationship between their beliefs and their conceptual change in physics by taking the students' learning strategies into account. A multi-case study design was used for the research…

  18. Students' Conceptual Knowledge of Limits in Calculus: A Two-Part Constructivist Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Margaret Smolinka

    2013-01-01

    This case study investigated students' conceptual knowledge of limits in calculus by implementing semi-structured interviews. The constructivist learning principles of Piaget and Inhelder as well as theories of understanding by Skemp guided the study. In Phase I, a pilot study was conducted with 15 students from a Calculus III class. By using…

  19. Actively Engaging Students in Asynchronous Online Classes. IDEA Paper #64

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riggs, Shannon A.; Linder, Kathryn E.

    2016-01-01

    Active learning activities and pedagogical strategies can look different in online learning environments, particularly in asynchronous courses when students are not interacting with the instructor, or with each other, in real time. This paper suggests a three-pronged approach for conceptualizing active learning in the online asynchronous class:…

  20. Writing-to-Learn Activities to Provoke Deeper Learning in Calculus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jaafar, Reem

    2016-01-01

    For students with little experience in mathematical thinking and conceptualization, writing-to-learn activities (WTL) can be particularly effective in promoting discovery and understanding. For community college students embarking on a first calculus course in particular, writing activities can help facilitate the transition from an "apply…

  1. Using a Class Blog for Student Experiential Learning Reflection in Business Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferguson, Jodie L.; Makarem, Suzanne C.; Jones, Rebecca E.

    2016-01-01

    Reflective observation is an important component of experiential learning that allows students to draw meaning from their experiences and incorporate that meaning into new learning conceptualizations. However, the present study indicates that business educators rarely incorporate reflection after concrete experiences into curricula. This research…

  2. Relationships between Student Cognitions and Their Effects on Study Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferla, Johan; Valcke, Martin; Schuyten, Gilberte

    2008-01-01

    Using Vermunt's model [Vermunt, J. D. (1998). "The regulation of constructive learning processes". "British Journal of Educational Psychology", 68, 149-171] of self-regulated learning as a conceptual framework, this study aims to contribute to the development of finer grained models of higher education students' learning by (1) investigating…

  3. The impact of CmapTools utilization towards students' conceptual change on optics topic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rofiuddin, Muhammad Rifqi; Feranie, Selly

    2017-05-01

    Science teachers need to help students identify their prior ideas and modify them based on scientific knowledge. This process is called as conceptual change. One of essential tools to analyze students' conceptual change is by using concept map. Concept Maps are graphical representations of knowledge that are comprised of concepts and the relationships between them. Constructing concept map is implemented by adapting the role of technology to support learning process, as it is suitable with Educational Ministry Regulation No.68 year 2013. Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) has developed CmapTools, a client-server software for easily construct and visualize concept maps. This research aims to investigate secondary students' conceptual change after experiencing five-stage conceptual teaching model by utilizing CmapTools in learning Optics. Weak experimental method through one group pretest-posttest design is implemented in this study to collect preliminary and post concept map as qualitative data. Sample was taken purposively of 8th grade students (n= 22) at one of private schools Bandung, West Java. Conceptual change based on comparison of preliminary and post concept map construction is assessed based on rubric of concept map scoring and structure. Results shows significance conceptual change differences at 50.92 % that is elaborated into concept map element such as prepositions and hierarchical level in high category, cross links in medium category and specific examples in low category. All of the results are supported with the students' positive response towards CmapTools utilization that indicates improvement of motivation, interest, and behavior aspect towards Physics lesson.

  4. Student Sensemaking with Science Diagrams in a Computer-Based Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Furberg, Anniken; Kluge, Anders; Ludvigsen, Sten

    2013-01-01

    This paper reports on a study of students' conceptual sensemaking with science diagrams within a computer-based learning environment aimed at supporting collaborative learning. Through the microanalysis of students' interactions in a project about energy and heat transfer, we demonstrate "how" representations become productive social and cognitive…

  5. A discussion group program enhances the conceptual reasoning skills of students enrolled in a large lecture-format introductory biology course.

    PubMed

    Peteroy-Kelly, Marcy A

    2007-01-01

    It has been well-established that discussion groups enhance student learning in large lecture courses. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of a discussion group program on the development of conceptual reasoning skills of students enrolled in a large lecture-format introductory biology course. In the discussion group, students worked on problems based on topics discussed in lecture. The program was evaluated using three assessment tools. First, student responses to pre- and posttests were analyzed. The test question asked the students to demonstrate the relationships between 10 different but related terms. Use of a concept map to link the terms indicated an advanced level of conceptual reasoning skills. There was a 13.8% increase in the use of concept maps from pre- to posttest. Second, the students took a Likert-type survey to determine the perceived impact of the program on their conceptual reasoning skills. Many of the students felt that the program helped them understand and use the main course concepts to logically solve problems. Finally, average exam grades increased as the semester progressed. The average final grade in the course was 75%. Students enrolled in the course the previous year (where the lecture component of the course did not assess or reflect student learning in the discussion group) had an average final grade of 69%. The results of this study demonstrate that the discussion group program improves the conceptual reasoning skills of students enrolled in a large lecture-format introductory biology course.

  6. Hierarchies and Learning in the Conservatoire: Exploring What Students Learn through the Lens of Bourdieu

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perkins, Rosie

    2013-01-01

    This article explores the intersection between institutional hierarchies and learning at a UK conservatoire. Conceptualizing learning as a social practice situated in a hierarchical social space, the article draws on the theorization of Bourdieu to understand how students are positioned in the conservatoire field and what this means in terms of…

  7. Does Comparing Solution Methods Facilitate Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge? An Experimental Study on Learning to Solve Equations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Star, Jon R.

    2007-01-01

    Encouraging students to share and compare solution methods is a key component of reform efforts in mathematics, and comparison is emerging as a fundamental learning mechanism. To experimentally evaluate the effects of comparison for mathematics learning, the authors randomly assigned 70 seventh-grade students to learn about algebra equation…

  8. Challenging Students' Intuitions—the Influence of a Tangible Model of Virus Assembly on Students' Conceptual Reasoning About the Process of Self-Assembly

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Larsson, Caroline; Tibell, Lena A. E.

    2015-10-01

    A well-ordered biological complex can be formed by the random motion of its components, i.e. self-assemble. This is a concept that incorporates issues that may contradict students' everyday experiences and intuitions. In previous studies, we have shown that a tangible model of virus self-assembly, used in a group exercise, helps students to grasp the process of self-assembly and in particular the facet "random molecular collision". The present study investigates how and why the model and the group exercise facilitate students' learning of this particular facet. The data analysed consist of audio recordings of six group exercises ( n = 35 university students) and individual semi-structured interviews ( n = 5 university students). The analysis is based on constructivist perspectives of learning, a combination of conceptual change theory and learning with external representations. Qualitative analysis indicates that perceived counterintuitive aspects of the process created a cognitive conflict within learners. The tangible model used in the group exercises facilitated a conceptual change in their understanding of the process. In particular, the tangible model appeared to provide cues and possible explanations and functioned as an "eye-opener" and a "thinking tool". Lastly, the results show signs of emotions also being important elements for successful accommodation.

  9. Refining a learning progression of energy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yao, Jian-Xin; Guo, Yu-Ying; Neumann, Knut

    2017-11-01

    This paper presents a revised learning progression for the energy concept and initial findings on diverse progressions among subgroups of sample students. The revised learning progression describes how students progress towards an understanding of the energy concept along two progress variables identified from previous studies - key ideas about energy and levels of conceptual development. To assess students understanding with respect to the revised learning progression, we created a specific instrument, the Energy Concept Progression Assessment (ECPA) based on previous work on assessing students' understanding of energy. After iteratively refining the instrument in two pilot studies, the ECPA was administered to a total of 4550 students (Grades 8-12) from schools in two districts in a major city in Mainland China. Rasch analysis was used to examine the validity of the revised learning progression and explore factors explaining different progressions. Our results confirm the validity of the four conceptual development levels. In addition, we found that although following a similar progression pattern, students' progression rate was significantly influenced by environmental factors such as school type. In the discussion of our findings, we address the non-linear and complex nature of students' progression in understanding energy. We conclude with illuminating our research's implication for curriculum design and energy teaching.

  10. Effects of student ontological position on cognition of human origins

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ervin, Jeremy Alan

    In this study, the narratives from a hermeneutical dialectic cycle of three high school students were analyzed to understand the influences of ontological position on the learning of human origins. The interpretation of the narratives provides the reader an opportunity to consider the learning process from the perspective of worldview and conceptual change theories. Questions guiding this research include: Within a context of a worldview, what is the range of ontological positions among a high school AP biology class? To what extent does ontological position influence the learning of scientific concepts about human origins? If a student's ontological position is contradictory to scientific explanation of human origins, how will learning strategies and motivations change? All consenting students in an AP biology class were interviewed in order to select three students who represented three different ontological positions of a worldview: No Supernatural, Supernatural Without Impact, or Supernatural Impact. The issue of worldview is addressed at length in this work. Consenting students had completed the graduation requirements in biology, but were taking an additional biology course in preparation for college. Enrollment in an AP biology course was assumed to indicate that the selected students have an understanding of the concept of human origins at a comprehensive level, but not necessarily at an apprehension level, both being needed for conceptual change. Examination of the narratives reveals that students may alternate between two ontological positions in order to account for inconsistencies within a situation. This relativity enables the range of ontological positions to vary depending on concepts being considered. Not all Supernatural Impact positions conflict with biological understanding of human origins due to the ability of some to create a dichotomy between religion and school. Any comprehended concepts within this dichotomy lead to plagiaristic knowledge rather than conceptual change. When conflicts occur, students employ alternate learning strategies for comprehension, but not apprehension, which result in plagiaristic knowledge. These findings suggest that teachers consider the ontological positions of student worldviews because of the potential influence on knowledge construction and conceptual change, especially about topics involving the theory of evolution.

  11. The Vocabulary of Physics and Its Impact on Student Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Itza-Ortiz, Salomon F.; Rebello, N. Sanjay; Zollman, Dean A.

    The everyday meaning and usage of several words can differ significantly from their meaning and usage in physics. Examining these differences, and how students respond to them, may shed some light on students' physical learning difficulties. We surveyed (N=154) students in a conceptual physics course on their use of some words, "force", "momentum"…

  12. "Pluto Has Been a Planet My Whole Life!" Emotions, Attitudes, and Conceptual Change in Elementary Students' Learning about Pluto's Reclassification

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Broughton, Suzanne H.; Sinatra, Gale M.; Nussbaum, E. Michael

    2013-01-01

    Learning about certain scientific topics has potential to spark strong emotions among students. We investigated whether emotions predicted students' attitudes after engaging in independent rereading and/or rereading plus discussion about Pluto's reclassification. Fifth and sixth grade students read a refutation text on Pluto's reclassification.…

  13. Investigating the Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Instruction on Students with Different Prior Knowledge and Reading Abilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Jing-Ru; Wang, Yuh-Chao; Tai, Hsin-Jung; Chen, Wen-Ju

    2010-01-01

    This study examined the differential impacts of an inquiry-based instruction on conceptual changes across levels of prior knowledge and reading ability. The instrument emphasized four simultaneously important components: conceptual knowledge, reading ability, attitude toward science, and learning environment. Although the learning patterns and…

  14. The Blended Space between Third and First Person Learning: Drama, Cognition and Transfer

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duffy, Peter B.

    2014-01-01

    This essay considers whether the neuroscientific concepts of conceptual blending (from cognitive linguistics) embodiment and analogy offer insights into why and how drama-based pedagogies strengthen classroom learning. Pilot writing samples from eight-and nine-year-old students suggest that conceptual blending is enhanced through drama-based…

  15. Effect of Writing-to-Learn Strategy on Undergraduates' Conceptual Understanding of Electrostatics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atasoy, Sengül

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of Writing-to-Learn (WTL) strategy on undergraduates' conceptual understanding of electrostatics. The sample of the study was 54 university students registered at elementary school mathematics education department. While the experimental group was asked to conduct WTL activities like explanatory…

  16. Engineering Design Activities and Conceptual Change in Middle School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schnittka, Christine G.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of engineering design classroom activities on conceptual change in science, and on attitudes toward and knowledge about engineering. Students were given a situated learning context and a rationale for learning science in an active, inquiry-based method, and worked in small collaborative…

  17. Unifying Computer-Based Assessment across Conceptual Instruction, Problem-Solving, and Digital Games

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, William L.; Baker, Ryan S.; Rossi, Lisa M.

    2014-01-01

    As students work through online learning systems such as the Reasoning Mind blended learning system, they often are not confined to working within a single educational activity; instead, they work through various different activities such as conceptual instruction, problem-solving items, and fluency-building games. However, most work on assessing…

  18. A conceptual approach to the development of motivational strategies.

    PubMed

    Wong, J; Wong, S; Mensah, L L

    1983-03-01

    Teachers in both general and professional education are well aware of the importance of motivation as the basis of effective teaching. Heidgerken maintains that a major problem that faces nursing educators is to select the right type of motivation and to know how to effect motivation. The authors propose a conceptual model for developing strategies to deal with motivational problems. This model is an application of Vroom's value/expectancy theory and Rotter's social learning theory, and is based on the premise that nursing faculty are in strategic positions to enhance student motivation for learning by manipulating variables that are believed to influence motivation. These suggested strategies include: enhancing student's need value by rewarding them with rewards that they value the most; increasing student's perceptions of a strong link between performance and rewards; providing students with consistent and clear role perceptions; improving student satisfaction towards learning.

  19. A view of the tip of the iceberg: revisiting conceptual continuities and their implications for science learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brown, Bryan A.; Kloser, Matt

    2009-12-01

    We respond to Hwang and Kim and Yeo's critiques of the conceptual continuity framework in science education. First, we address the criticism that their analysis fails to recognize the situated perspective of learning by denying the dichotomy of the formal and informal knowledge as a starting point in the learning process. Second, we address the critique that students' descriptions fail to meet the "gold standard" of science education—alignment with an authoritative source and generalizability—by highlighting some student-expert congruence that could serve as the foundation for future learning. Third, we address the critique that a conceptual continuity framework could lead to less rigorous science education goals by arguing that the ultimate goals do not change, but rather that if the pathways that lead to the goals' achievement could recognize existing lexical continuities' science teaching may become more efficient. In sum, we argue that a conceptual continuities framework provides an asset, not deficit lexical perspective from which science teacher educators and science educators can begin to address and build complete science understandings.

  20. Correlates of gender and achievement in introductory algebra based physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Rachel Clara

    The field of physics is heavily male dominated in America. Thus, half of the population of our country is underrepresented and underserved. The identification of factors that contribute to gender disparity in physics is necessary for educators to address the individual needs of students, and, in particular, the separate and specific needs of female students. In an effort to determine if any correlations could be established or strengthened between sex, gender identity, social network, algebra skill, scientific reasoning ability, and/or student attitude, a study was performed on a group of 82 students in an introductory algebra based physics course. The subjects each filled out a survey at the beginning of the semester of their first semester of algebra based physics. They filled out another survey at the end of that same semester. These surveys included physics content pretests and posttests, as well as questions about the students' habits, attitudes, and social networks. Correlates of posttest score were identified, in order of significance, as pretest score, emphasis on conceptual learning, preference for male friends, number of siblings (negatively correlated), motivation in physics, algebra score, and parents' combined education level. Number of siblings was also found to negatively correlate with, in order of significance, gender identity, preference for male friends, emphasis on conceptual learning, and motivation in physics. Preference for male friends was found to correlate with, in order of significance, emphasis on conceptual learning, gender identity, and algebra score. Also, gender identity was found to correlate with emphasis on conceptual learning, the strongest predictor of posttest score other than pretest score.

  1. Conceptual Change in Understanding the Nature of Science Learning: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    DiBenedetto, Christina M.

    This study is the first of its kind to explore the thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and values of secondary educators as they experience conceptual change in their understanding of the nature of science learning vis a vis the Framework for K-12 Science Education published by the National Research Council. The study takes aim at the existing gap between the vision for science learning as an active process of inquiry and current pedagogical practices in K-12 science classrooms. For students to understand and explain everyday science ideas and succeed in science studies and careers, the means by which they learn science must change. Focusing on this change, the study explores the significance of educator attitudes, beliefs and values to science learning through interpretive phenomenological analysis around the central question, "In what ways do educators understand and articulate attitudes and beliefs toward the nature of science learning?" The study further explores the questions, "How do educators experience changes in their understanding of the nature of science learning?" and "How do educators believe these changes influence their pedagogical practice?" Study findings converge on four conceptions that science learning: is the action of inquiry; is a visible process initiated by both teacher and learner; values student voice and changing conceptions is science learning. These findings have implications for the primacy of educator beliefs, attitudes and values in reform efforts, science teacher leadership and the explicit instruction of both Nature of Science and conceptual change in educator preparation programs. This study supports the understanding that the nature of science learning is cognitive and affective conceptual change. Keywords: conceptual change, educator attitudes and beliefs, framework for K-12 science education, interpretive phenomenological analysis, nature of science learning, next generation science standards, science professional development, secondary science education.

  2. Professional development design considerations in climate change education: teacher enactment and student learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drewes, Andrea; Henderson, Joseph; Mouza, Chrystalla

    2018-01-01

    Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing society, and climate change educational models are emerging in response. This study investigates the implementation and enactment of a climate change professional development (PD) model for science educators and its impact on student learning. Using an intrinsic case study methodology, we focused analytic attention on how one teacher made particular pedagogical and content decisions, and the implications for student's conceptual learning. Using anthropological theories of conceptual travel, we traced salient ideas through instructional delivery and into student reasoning. Analysis showed that students gained an increased understanding of the enhanced greenhouse effect and the implications of human activity on this enhanced effect at statistically significant levels and with moderate effect sizes. However, students demonstrated a limited, though non-significant gain on the likely effects of climate change. Student reasoning on the tangible actions to deal with these problems also remained underdeveloped, reflecting omissions in both PD and teacher enactment. We discuss implications for the emerging field of climate change education.

  3. Middle School Students' Conceptual Learning from the Implementation of a New NSF Supported Curriculum: Interactions in Physical Science[TM

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eick, Charles J.; Dias, Michael; Smith, Nancy R. Cook

    2009-01-01

    A new National Science Foundation supported curriculum, Interactions in Physical Science[TM], was evaluated on students' conceptual change in the twelve concept areas of the national physical science content standard (B) for grades 5-8. Eighth grade students (N = 66) were evaluated pre and post on a 31-item multiple-choice test of conceptual…

  4. Using a Computer-Adapted, Conceptually Based History Text to Increase Comprehension and Problem-Solving Skills of Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Twyman, Todd; Tindal, Gerald

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to improve the comprehension and problem-solving skills of students with disabilities in social studies using a conceptually framed, computer-adapted history text. Participants were 11th and 12th grade students identified with learning disabilities in reading and writing from two intact, self-contained social studies…

  5. Coulombic Interaction in Finnish Middle School Chemistry: A Systemic Perspective on Students' Conceptual Structure of Chemical Bonding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Joki, Jarkko; Lavonen, Jari; Juuti, Kalle; Aksela, Maija

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to design a novel and holistic way to teach chemical bonding at the middle school level according to research on the teaching and learning of bonding. A further aim was to investigate high achieving middle school students' conceptual structures concerning chemical bonding by using a systemic perspective. Students in one…

  6. Conceptual assessment tool for advanced undergraduate electrodynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baily, Charles; Ryan, Qing X.; Astolfi, Cecilia; Pollock, Steven J.

    2017-12-01

    As part of ongoing investigations into student learning in advanced undergraduate courses, we have developed a conceptual assessment tool for upper-division electrodynamics (E&M II): the Colorado UppeR-division ElectrodyNamics Test (CURrENT). This is a free response, postinstruction diagnostic with 6 multipart questions, an optional 3-question preinstruction test, and accompanying grading rubrics. The instrument's development was guided by faculty-consensus learning goals and research into common student difficulties. It can be used to gauge the effectiveness of transformed pedagogy, and to gain insights into student thinking in the covered topic areas. We present baseline data representing 500 students across 9 institutions, along with validity, reliability, and discrimination measures of the instrument and scoring rubric.

  7. Effect of Instruction Based on Conceptual Change Activities on Students' Understanding of Static Electricity Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baser, Mustafa; Geban, Omer

    2007-01-01

    This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of learning activities based on conceptual change conditions and traditionally designed physics instruction on tenth-grade students' understanding of static electricity concepts and their attitudes toward physics as a school subject. Misconceptions related to static electricity concepts…

  8. The Impact of Recurrent On-Line Synchronous Scientific Argumentation on Students' Argumentation and Conceptual Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Chien-Hsien; She, Hsiao-Ching

    2012-01-01

    This study reports the impact of Recurrent On-Line Synchronous Scientific Argumentation learning on 8th grade students' scientific argumentation ability and conceptual change involving physical science. The control group (N = 76) were recruited to receive conventional instruction whereas the experimental group (N = 74) received the Recurrent…

  9. Promoting Conceptual Change for Complex Systems Understanding: Outcomes of an Agent-Based Participatory Simulation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rates, Christopher A.; Mulvey, Bridget K.; Feldon, David F.

    2016-01-01

    Components of complex systems apply across multiple subject areas, and teaching these components may help students build unifying conceptual links. Students, however, often have difficulty learning these components, and limited research exists to understand what types of interventions may best help improve understanding. We investigated 32 high…

  10. A Preliminary Discourse Analysis of Constructivist-Oriented Mathematics Instruction for a Student with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xin, Yan Ping; Liu, Jia; Jones, Sarah R.; Tzur, Ron; Si, Luo

    2016-01-01

    Reform efforts in mathematics education arose, in part, in response to constructivist works on conceptual learning. However, little research has examined how students with learning disabilities (LD) respond to constructivist-oriented instruction in mathematics, particularly in moment-to-moment interactions. To understand the nature of…

  11. Bioliteracy and Teaching Efficacy: What Biologists Can Learn from Physicists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klymkowsky, Michael W.; Garvin-Doxas, Kathy; Zeilik, Michael

    2003-01-01

    The introduction of the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) by David Hestenes and colleagues in 1992 produced a remarkable impact within the community of physics teachers. An instrument to measure student comprehension of the Newtonian concept of force, the FCI demonstrates that active learning leads to far superior student conceptual learning than…

  12. Learning Progressions, Vertical Scales, and Testable Hypotheses: Promising Intuitions and Points for Clarification

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maul, Andrew

    2015-01-01

    Briggs and Peck [in "Using Learning Progressions to Design Vertical Scales That Support Coherent Inferences about Student Growth"] call for greater care in the conceptualization of the target attributes of students, or "what it is that is growing from grade to grade." In particular, they argue that learning progressions can…

  13. Threshold Concepts, Student Learning and Curriculum: Making Connections between Theory and Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barradell, Sarah; Kennedy-Jones, Mary

    2015-01-01

    Threshold concepts, student learning and curriculum are constructs within a learning and teaching discourse foregrounded by Meyer and Land. In this paper, we introduce a conceptual model that integrates these three constructs and identifies desired outcomes at the intersects: namely the processes of (1) ways of thinking and practising, (2)…

  14. Idea-Based Learning: A Course Design Process to Promote Conceptual Understanding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hansen , Edmund J.

    2011-01-01

    Synthesizing the best current thinking about learning, course design, and promoting student achievement, this is a guide to developing college instruction that has clear purpose, is well integrated into the curriculum, and improves student learning in predictable and measurable ways. The process involves developing a transparent course blueprint,…

  15. Mobile or Not? Assessing the Instructional Value of Mobile Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nickerson, Catherine; Rapanta, Chrysi; Goby, Valerie Priscilla

    2017-01-01

    Our aim was to explore the influence of mobile learning on students' acquisition of conceptual knowledge of business communication, as well as on the development of their communication skills. We compared the performance of three groups of students according to the pedagogical approach that we used with them: a mobile learning group, a…

  16. Adapting Team-Based Learning for Application in the Basic Electric Circuit Theory Sequence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Connell, Robert M.

    2015-01-01

    Team-based learning (TBL) is a form of student-centered active learning in which students independently study new conceptual material before it is treated in the classroom, and then subsequently spend considerable classroom time working in groups on increasingly challenging problems and applications based on that new material. TBL provides…

  17. Addressing Gender Disparity in Introductory Physics Courses: Are existing reforms enough?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Finkelstein, Noah; Pollock, Steven; Dubson, Michael

    2007-03-01

    Previously researchers have reported that by transforming teaching practices in introductory physics, it is possible to eliminate the disparity in achievement of males and females on measures of conceptual learning. [1] We follow-up on the studies of the original researchers by comparing achievement of male and female students on measures of conceptual learning in the introductory physics courses at a large public research university. Just as the original authors find, we observe that reform teaching practices, such as the use of Peer Instruction [2] increase the learning gains of all students in introductory physics. Additionally, we observe a significant reduction in this gender gap in learning gains in some but not all of our transformed courses. Notably, however, the gender gap does not completely disappear in any of our courses. In addition to discussing learning gains, we analyze shifts in student beliefs [3] and examine correlations between student beliefs and learning gains. [1] Lorenzo, M et al. (2006).Am. J. Phys. 74(2): 118-122 [2] Mazur, E. (1997). Peer Instruction (Prentice Hall). [3] Adams, W.K et al. Physical Review, ST:PER. 2,1,010101.

  18. Transforming an Introductory Programming Course: From Lectures to Active Learning via Wireless Laptops

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barak, Miri; Harward, Judson; Kocur, George; Lerman, Steven

    2007-08-01

    Within the framework of MIT's course 1.00: Introduction to Computers and Engineering Problem Solving, this paper describes an innovative project entitled: Studio 1.00 that integrates lectures with in-class demonstrations, active learning sessions, and on-task feedback, through the use of wireless laptop computers. This paper also describes a related evaluation study that investigated the effectiveness of different instructional strategies, comparing traditional teaching with two models of the studio format. Students' learning outcomes, specifically, their final grades and conceptual understanding of computational methods and programming, were examined. Findings indicated that Studio-1.00, in both its extensive- and partial-active learning modes, enhanced students' learning outcomes in Java programming. Comparing to the traditional courses, more students in the studio courses received "A" as their final grade and less failed. Moreover, students who regularly attended the active learning sessions were able to conceptualize programming principles better than their peers. We have also found two weaknesses in the teaching format of Studio-1.00 that can guide future versions of the course.

  19. Prediction/discussion-based learning cycle versus conceptual change text: comparative effects on students' understanding of genetics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    khawaldeh, Salem A. Al

    2013-07-01

    Background and purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparative effects of a prediction/discussion-based learning cycle (HPD-LC), conceptual change text (CCT) and traditional instruction on 10th grade students' understanding of genetics concepts. Sample: Participants were 112 10th basic grade male students in three classes of the same school located in an urban area. The three classes taught by the same biology teacher were randomly assigned as a prediction/discussion-based learning cycle class (n = 39), conceptual change text class (n = 37) and traditional class (n = 36). Design and method: A quasi-experimental research design of pre-test-post-test non-equivalent control group was adopted. Participants completed the Genetics Concept Test as pre-test-post-test, to examine the effects of instructional strategies on their genetics understanding. Pre-test scores and Test of Logical Thinking scores were used as covariates. Results: The analysis of covariance showed a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the favor of experimental groups after treatment. However, no statistically significant difference between the experimental groups (HPD-LC versus CCT instruction) was found. Conclusions: Overall, the findings of this study support the use of the prediction/discussion-based learning cycle and conceptual change text in both research and teaching. The findings may be useful for improving classroom practices in teaching science concepts and for the development of suitable materials promoting students' understanding of science.

  20. Role of Pre-Course Student Characteristics on Student Learning in Interactive Teaching Environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Kelly Anne

    The goal of this dissertation is to broaden our understanding of interactive teaching strategies, in the context of the introductory physics classroom at the undergraduate level. The dissertation is divided into four main projects, each of which investigates a specific aspect of teaching physics interactively. All four projects look towards improving the effectiveness of interactive teaching by understanding how pre-course student characteristics affect the way students learn interactively. We first discuss lecture demonstrations in the context of an interactive classroom using Peer Instruction. We study the role of predictions in conceptual learning. We examine how students' predictions affect what they report having seen during a demonstration. We also examine how student predictions affect what they recall as the outcome of the demonstration at the end of the semester. We then analyze student response patterns to conceptual questions posed during Peer Instruction. We look at the relationship between a student's tendency to switch their answer and pre-course student characteristics like science self-efficacy. Next we elucidate response timing to conceptual questions posed over the course of the semester, in two introductory physics classes taught using Peer Instruction. We look at the relationship between student response times and student characteristics like pre-course physics knowledge, science self-efficacy and gender. We study response times as a way of gaining insight into students thinking in Peer Instruction environments as well as to improve the implementation of Peer Instruction. Finally, we present work on the role of NB, an online collaborative textbook annotation tool, in a flipped, project based, physics class. We analyze the relationship between students' level of online engagement and traditional learning metrics to understand the effectiveness of NB in the context of flipped classrooms. We also report the results of experiments conducted to explore ways to steer discussion forums to produce high-quality learning interactions.

  1. Conceptual change strategies in teaching genetics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Batzli, Laura Elizabeth

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of utilizing conceptual change strategies when teaching high school genetics. The study examined the effects of structuring instruction to provide students with cognitive situations which promote conceptual change, specifically instruction was structured to elicit students' prior knowledge. The goal of the study was that the students would not only be able to solve genetics problems and define basic terminology but they would also have constructed more scientific schemas of the actual processes involved in inheritance. This study is based on the constructivist theory of learning and conceptual change research which suggest that students are actively involved in the process of relating new information to prior knowledge as they construct new knowledge. Two sections of biology II classes received inquiry based instruction and participated in structured cooperative learning groups. However, the unique difference in the treatment group's instruction was the use of structured thought time and the resulting social interaction between the students. The treatment group students' instructional design allowed students to socially construct their cognitive knowledge after elicitation of their prior knowledge. In contrast, the instructional design for the control group students allowed them to socially construct their cognitive knowledge of genetics without the individually structured thought time. The results indicated that the conceptual change strategies with individually structured thought time improved the students' scientific mastery of genetics concepts and they maintained fewer post instructional alternative conceptions. Although all students gained the ability to correctly solve genetics problems, the treatment group students were able to explain the processes involved in terms of meiosis. The treatment group students were also able to better apply their knowledge to novel genetic situations. The implications for genetics instruction from these results were discussed.

  2. Effect of Reflective Practice on Student Recall of Acoustics for Speech Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walden, Patrick R.; Bell-Berti, Fredericka

    2013-01-01

    Researchers have developed models of learning through experience; however, these models are rarely named as a conceptual frame for educational research in the sciences. This study examined the effect of reflective learning responses on student recall of speech acoustics concepts. Two groups of undergraduate students enrolled in a speech science…

  3. Teaching Scientific Core Ideas through Immersing Students in Argument: Using Density as an Example

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Ying-Chih; Lin, Jia-Ling; Chen, Yen-Ting

    2014-01-01

    Argumentation is one of the central practices in science learning and helps deepen students' conceptual understanding. Students should learn how to communicate ideas including procedure tests, data interpretations, and investigation outcomes in verbal and written forms through argument structure. This article presents a negotiation model to…

  4. Using Inquiry-Based Instruction for Teaching Science to Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aydeniz, Mehmet; Cihak, David F.; Graham, Shannon C.; Retinger, Larryn

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of inquiry-based science instruction for five elementary students with learning disabilities (LD). Students participated in a series of inquiry-based activities targeting conceptual and application-based understanding of simple electric circuits, conductors and insulators, parallel circuits, and…

  5. Investigating Effects of Embedding Collaboration in an Intelligent Tutoring System for Elementary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olsen, Jennifer K.; Rummel, Nikol; Aleven, Vincent

    2016-01-01

    Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) are beneficial for individual students learning in several domains, including mathematics where they have been used to support both secondary and elementary students. Collaborative learning may be beneficial to include in ITSs, particularly for conceptual knowledge. There is little work on collaborative ITSs,…

  6. Experiential Internships: Understanding the Process of Student Learning in Small Business Internships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Varghese, Mary E.; Parker, Loran Carleton; Adedokun, Omolola; Shively, Monica; Burgess, Wilella; Childress, Amy; Bessenbacher, Ann

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative study examines the process of student learning in a small-business experiential internship programme that pairs highly qualified undergraduates with local small or start-up companies. The Cognitive Apprenticeship model developed by Collins et al (1991) was used to conceptualize students' reported experiences. The results revealed…

  7. Promoting Student Learning through the Integration of Lab and Lecture: The Seamless Biology Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burrowes, Patricia; Nazario, Gladys

    2008-01-01

    The authors engaged in an education experiment to determine if the integration of lab and lecture activities in zoology and botany proved beneficial to student learning and motivation toward biology. Their results revealed that this strategy positively influenced students' academic achievement, conceptual understanding, and ability to apply…

  8. Considering the Role of Affect in Learning: Monitoring Students' Self-Efficacy, Sense of Belonging, and Science Identity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trujillo, Gloriana; Tanner, Kimberly D.

    2014-01-01

    Conceptual learning is a uniquely human behavior that engages all aspects of individuals: cognitive, metacognitive, and affective. The affective domain is key in learning. In this paper, that authors have explored three affective constructs that may be important for understanding biology student learning: self-efficacy--the set of beliefs that one…

  9. Training the Brain or Tending a Garden? Students' Metaphors of Learning Predict Self-Reported Learning Patterns

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wegner, Elisabeth; Nückles, Matthias

    2015-01-01

    Conceptions of learning are seen as an important factor in shaping students' patterns of learning. However, conceptions are often implicit and difficult to assess. Metaphors have been proposed as a method to assess conceptions, because metaphors are closely linked to the conceptual system. Therefore, in our study we assessed which conceptions of…

  10. Journal writing as a mode of thinking for RN-BSN students: a leveled approach to learning to listen to self and others.

    PubMed

    Hodges, H F

    1996-03-01

    Returning to academe, RNs are conceptualized as adult learners, as gendered authors, and as developing students. For most RNs prior learning has evolved from the rational-technical model from which they have learned to look at the world from a distance, relying on empirical evidence and negating or denying personal knowledge. Carefully constructed assignments in journal writing based on educational and developmental theory can be an effective means to assist RN-BSN students in social, cognitive, and professional development. Journal writing in response to assigned readings and clinical experiences provides a safe environment for RN-BSN students to explore critically the ideas of others, to look seriously at authorial intention and point of argument, and to articulate their own views of the world. Conceptually supported by student development and learning theories of Perry (1970) and Knowles (1984), and qualitative research with women's ways of knowing (Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, & Tarule, 1986), a leveled model of journal writing for RN-BSN students is described as a vehicle for the development of writing and thinking critically.

  11. Effectiveness of Dry Cell Microscopic Simulation (DCMS) to Promote Conceptual Understanding about Battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Catur Wibowo, Firmanul; Suhandi, Andi; Rusdiana, Dadi; Samsudin, Achmad; Rahmi Darman, Dina; Faizin, M. Noor; Wiyanto; Supriyatman; Permanasari, Anna; Kaniawati, Ida; Setiawan, Wawan; Karyanto, Yudi; Linuwih, Suharto; Fatah, Abdul; Subali, Bambang; Hasani, Aceng; Hidayat, Sholeh

    2017-07-01

    Electricity is a concept that is abstract and difficult to see by eye directly, one example electric shock, but cannot see the movement of electric current so that students have difficulty by students. A computer simulation designed to improve the understanding of the concept of the workings of the dry cell (battery). This study was conducted to 82 students (aged 18-20 years) in the experimental group by learning to use the Dry Cell Microscopic Simulation (DCMS). The result shows the improving of students’ conceptual understanding scores from post test were statistically significantly of the workings of batteries. The implication using computer simulations designed to overcome the difficulties of conceptual understanding, can effectively help students in facilitating conceptual change.

  12. Examining the impact of the Guided Constructivist teaching method on students' misconceptions about concepts of Newtonian physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ibrahim, Hyatt Abdelhaleem

    The effect of Guided Constructivism (Interactivity-Based Learning Environment) and Traditional Expository instructional methods on students' misconceptions about concepts of Newtonian Physics was investigated. Four groups of 79 of University of Central Florida students enrolled in Physics 2048 participated in the study. A quasi-experimental design of nonrandomized, nonequivalent control and experimental groups was employed. The experimental group was exposed to the Guided Constructivist teaching method, while the control group was taught using the Traditional Expository teaching approach. The data collection instruments included the Force Concept Inventory Test (FCI), the Mechanics Baseline Test (MBT), and the Maryland Physics Expectation Survey (MPEX). The Guided Constructivist group had significantly higher means than the Traditional Expository group on the criterion variables of: (1) conceptions of Newtonian Physics, (2) achievement in Newtonian Physics, and (3) beliefs about the content of Physics knowledge, beliefs about the role of Mathematics in learning Physics, and overall beliefs about learning/teaching/appropriate roles of learners and teachers/nature of Physics. Further, significant relationships were found between (1) achievement, conceptual structures, beliefs about the content of Physics knowledge, and beliefs about the role of Mathematics in learning Physics; (2) changes in misconceptions about the physical phenomena, and changes in beliefs about the content of Physics knowledge. No statistically significant difference was found between the two teaching methods on achievement of males and females. These findings suggest that differences in conceptual learning due to the nature of the teaching method used exist. Furthermore, greater conceptual learning is fostered when teachers use interactivity-based teaching strategies to train students to link everyday experience in the real physical world to formal school concepts. The moderate effect size and power of the study suggest that the effect may not be subtle, but reliable. Physics teachers can use these results to inform their decisions about structuring learning environment when conceptual learning is important.

  13. Teaching Multiplication with Regrouping to Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flores, Margaret M.; Hinton, Vanessa M.; Schweck, Kelly B.

    2014-01-01

    The Common Core Standards require demonstration of conceptual knowledge of numbers, operations, and relations between mathematical concepts. Supplemental instruction should explicitly guide students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in these skills. In this article, we illustrate implementation of the concrete-representational-abstract…

  14. Traveling with Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fast, Danene; Wild, Tiffany

    2018-01-01

    For early elementary students with vision loss, these seemingly simple questions can pose great difficulty, especially when conceptual development is being established. Because students with vision loss are unable to observe non-verbal cues within environmental settings, supplemental learning techniques must be utilized for learning. In science,…

  15. Pedagogical Relationship in Secondary Social Science Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Girard, Brian James

    2010-01-01

    This study investigates two high school social science classrooms in order to better understand the pedagogical relationships among teachers, students, and disciplinary content, and how teachers can influence students' opportunities to learn disciplinary literacy. Drawing on conceptual resources from sociocultural theories of learning and…

  16. DSLM Instructional Approach to Conceptual Change Involving Thermal Expansion.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    She, Hsiao-Ching

    2003-01-01

    Examines the process of student conceptual change regarding thermal expansion using the Dual Situated Learning Model (DSLM) as an instructional approach. Indicates that DSLM promotes conceptual change and holds great potential to facilitate the process through classroom instruction at all levels. (Contains 38 references.) (Author/NB)

  17. The Influence of Approach and Avoidance Goals on Conceptual Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Marcus Lee; Sinatra, Gale M.

    2014-01-01

    Recently, conceptual change research has been experiencing a warming trend (G. M. Sinatra, 2005) whereby motivational and affective factors are being explored in the conceptual change process. The purpose of this study is to explore the 2 × 2 framework of achievement goal theory in relation to students' conceptual change learning for a specific…

  18. Using Facial Recognition Technology in the Exploration of Student Responses to Conceptual Conflict Phenomenon

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liaw, Hongming Leonard; Chiu, Mei-Hung; Chou, Chin-Cheng

    2014-01-01

    It has been shown that facial expression states of learners are related to their learning. As part of a continuing research project, the current study delved further for a more detailed description of the relation between facial microexpression state (FMES) changes and learning in conceptual conflict-based instructions. Based on the data gathered…

  19. Conceptual and Epistemological Undercurrents of Learning as a Process of Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Montfort, Devlin B.

    2011-01-01

    In the preparation and education of civil engineers it is essential to both increase student knowledge of the world (conceptual understanding), but also to establish and develop new ways of thinking (epistemology). Both of these processes of change can be considered learning, but they are vastly different in the time, energy and resources they…

  20. Towards Systems that Care: A Conceptual Framework Based on Motivation, Metacognition and Affect

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    du Boulay, Benedict; Avramides, Katerina; Luckin, Rosemary; Martinez-Miron, Erika; Rebolledo-Mendez, Genaro; Carr, Amanda

    2010-01-01

    This paper describes a Conceptual Framework underpinning "Systems that Care" in terms of educational systems that take account of motivation, metacognition and affect, in addition to cognition. The main focus is on "motivation," as learning requires the student to put in effort and be engaged, in other words to be motivated to learn. But…

  1. Learning in Physics by Doing Laboratory Work: Towards a New Conceptual Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Danielsson, Anna Teresia; Linder, Cedric

    2009-01-01

    Drawing on a study that explores university students' experiences of doing laboratory work in physics, this article outlines a proposed conceptual framework for extending the exploration of the gendered experience of learning. In this framework situated cognition and post-structural gender theory are merged together. By drawing on data that aim at…

  2. Learning Systems Biology: Conceptual Considerations toward a Web-Based Learning Platform

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Emmert-Streib, Frank; Dehmer, Matthias; Lyardet, Fernando

    2013-01-01

    Within recent years, there is an increasing need to train students, from biology and beyond, in quantitative methods that are relevant to cope with data-driven biology. Systems Biology is such a field that places a particular focus on the functional aspect of biology and molecular interacting processes. This paper deals with the conceptual design…

  3. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Physlet-Based Materials in Supporting Conceptual Learning about Electricity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ülen, Simon; Gerlic, Ivan; Slavinec, Mitja; Repnik, Robert

    2017-01-01

    To provide a good understanding of many abstract concepts in the field of electricity above that of their students is often a major challenge for secondary school teachers. Many educational researchers promote conceptual learning as a teaching approach that can help teachers to achieve this goal. In this paper, we present Physlet-based materials…

  4. Conceptual Learning in a Principled Design Problem Solving Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prusak, Naomi; Hershkowitz, Rina; Schwarz, Baruch B.

    2013-01-01

    To what extent can instructional design be based on principles for instilling a culture of problem solving and conceptual learning? This is the main focus of the study described in this paper, in which third grade students participated in a one-year course designed to foster problem solving and mathematical reasoning. The design relied on five…

  5. Technology, Demographic Characteristics and E-Learning Acceptance: A Conceptual Model Based on Extended Technology Acceptance Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tarhini, Ali; Elyas, Tariq; Akour, Mohammad Ali; Al-Salti, Zahran

    2016-01-01

    The main aim of this paper is to develop an amalgamated conceptual model of technology acceptance that explains how individual, social, cultural and organizational factors affect the students' acceptance and usage behaviour of the Web-based learning systems. More specifically, the proposed model extends the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to…

  6. Confronting Conceptual Challenges in Thermodynamics by Use of Self-Generated Analogies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haglund, Jesper; Jeppsson, Fredrik

    2014-01-01

    Use of self-generated analogies has been proposed as a method for students to learn about a new subject by reference to what they previously know, in line with a constructivist perspective on learning and a resource perspective on conceptual change. We report on a group exercise on using completion problems in combination with self-generated…

  7. Tools for Science Inquiry Learning: Tool Affordances, Experimentation Strategies, and Conceptual Understanding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bumbacher, Engin; Salehi, Shima; Wieman, Carl; Blikstein, Paulo

    2017-12-01

    Manipulative environments play a fundamental role in inquiry-based science learning, yet how they impact learning is not fully understood. In a series of two studies, we develop the argument that manipulative environments (MEs) influence the kind of inquiry behaviors students engage in, and that this influence realizes through the affordances of MEs, independent of whether they are physical or virtual. In particular, we examine how MEs shape college students' experimentation strategies and conceptual understanding. In study 1, students engaged in two consecutive inquiry tasks, first on mass and spring systems and then on electric circuits. They either used virtual or physical MEs. We found that the use of experimentation strategies was strongly related to conceptual understanding across tasks, but that students engaged differently in those strategies depending on what ME they used. More students engaged in productive strategies using the virtual ME for electric circuits, and vice versa using the physical ME for mass and spring systems. In study 2, we isolated the affordance of measurement uncertainty by comparing two versions of the same virtual ME for electric circuits—one with and one without noise—and found that the conditions differed in terms of productive experimentation strategies. These findings indicate that measures of inquiry processes may resolve apparent ambiguities and inconsistencies between studies on MEs that are based on learning outcomes alone.

  8. Evaluation of Instruction Using the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism in Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zavala, Genaro; Alarcon, Hugo

    2008-10-01

    A modified version of the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM) is regularly administered to students at the beginning of the semester as a pretest and at the end of the semester as a post-test in a large private university in Mexico. About 500 students each semester, from different engineering majors, take electricity and magnetism in the introductory level, divided into sections of 30-40 students so there are several different instructors, both full-time and part-time. We report on the analysis of the CSEM data using concentration analysis for the purpose of evaluation of instruction. The results showed that students' learning varies with respect to instructor and to CSEM concept area. Students have large learning gains in some concept areas but small learning gains in others. Deeper analysis of a concept area showed that some instructors may tend to strengthen some misconceptions that students have. The analysis can be used to give feedback to instructors for the purpose of improving instruction.

  9. The effects of academic literacy instruction on engagement and conceptual understanding of biology of ninth-grade students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Larson, Susan C.

    Academic language, discourse, vocabulary, motivation, and comprehension of complex texts and concepts are keys to learning subject-area content. The need for a disciplinary literacy approach in high school classrooms accelerates as students become increasing disengaged in school and as content complexity increases. In the present quasi-experimental mixed-method study, a ninth-grade biology unit was designed with an emphasis on promoting academic literacy skills, discourse, meaningful constructivist learning, interest development, and positive learning experiences in order to learn science content. Quantitative and qualitative analyses on a variety of measures completed by 222 students in two high schools revealed that those who received academic literacy instruction in science class performed at significantly higher levels of conceptual understanding of biology content, academic language and vocabulary use, reasoned thought, engagement, and quality of learning experience than control-group students receiving traditionally-organized instruction. Academic literacy was embedded into biology instruction to engage students in meaning-making discourses of science to promote learning. Academic literacy activities were organized according the phases of interest development to trigger and sustain interest and goal-oriented engagement throughout the unit. Specific methods included the Generative Vocabulary Matrix (GVM), scenario-based writing, and involvement in a variety of strategically-placed discourse activities to sustain or "boost" engagement for learning. Traditional instruction for the control group included teacher lecture, whole-group discussion, a conceptual organizer, and textbook reading. Theoretical foundations include flow theory, sociocultural learning theory, and interest theory. Qualitative data were obtained from field notes and participants' journals. Quantitative survey data were collected and analyzed using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) to measure cognitive and emotional states, revealing patterns of engagement, quality of experience, and flow over the course of the instructional unit. Conceptual understanding was measured using the state persuasive writing rubric to analyze science essays in which students supported a claim with scientific evidence. The study contributes an Engagement Model of Academic Literacy for Learning (EngageALL), a Rubric for Academic Persuasive Writing (RAPW), a unique classification system for analyzing academic vocabulary, and suggestions for situated professional development around a research-based planning framework. A discussion addresses a new direction for future research that explores academic identity development.

  10. Bootstrapping Processes in the Development of Students' Commonsense Matter Theories: Using Analogical Mappings, Thought Experiments, and Learning to Measure to Promote Conceptual Restructuring

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Carol L.

    2007-01-01

    This study explores whether the development of students' understanding of matter as something that occupies space and has weight involves conceptual change and restructuring rather than only simple belief revision. Based on an analysis of how the concepts in students' initial matter theory (henceforth MT1) may differ from the concepts in the…

  11. The use of mobile devices as means of data collection in supporting elementary school students' conceptual understanding about plants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zacharia, Zacharias C.; Lazaridou, Charalambia; Avraamidou, Lucy

    2016-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of mobile learning among young learners. Specifically, we investigated whether the use of mobile devices for data collection during field trips outside the classroom could enhance fourth graders' learning about the parts of the flower and their functions, flower pollinators and the process of pollination/fertilization, and the interrelationship between animals and plants, more than students' use of traditional means of data collection. For this purpose, we designed a pre-post experimental design study with two conditions: one in which participants used a mobile device for data collection and another using traditional means (e.g. sketching and note-taking). The sample comprised 48 fourth graders (24 in each condition), who studied the flower, its parts, and their functions. A conceptual test was administered to assess students' understanding before and after instruction. Moreover, the students' science notebooks and accompanying artifacts were used as a data source for examining students' progress during the study's intervention. The conceptual test and notebook data were analyzed statistically, whereas we used open coding for the artifacts. Findings revealed that using mobile devices for data collection enhanced students' conceptual understanding more than using traditional means of data collection.

  12. Integrated Experiential Education: Definitions and a Conceptual Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fenton, Lara; Gallant, Karen

    2016-01-01

    Universities are currently embracing community engagement strategies to increase opportunities for student learning in community settings such as community organizations. Experiential learning is often touted as the pedagogy underlying such experiences. We undertook a research project exploring the challenges and benefits for students and faculty…

  13. Metaconceptually-Enhanced Simulation-Based Inquiry: Effects on Eighth Grade Students' Conceptual Change and Science Epistemic Beliefs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Kun; Ge, Xun; Eseryel, Deniz

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of metaconceptually-enhanced, simulation-based inquiry learning on eighth grade students' conceptual change in science and their development of science epistemic beliefs. Two experimental groups studied the topics of motion and force using the same computer simulations but with different simulation guides: one…

  14. Assessing Students' Conceptual Understanding in Science: An Introduction about a National Project in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chiu, Mei-Hung; Guo, Chorng-Jee; Treagust, David F.

    2007-01-01

    In this article, we discuss several aspects of the national project, the National Science Concept Learning Study, designed to assess elementary, middle, and secondary students' conceptual understanding in science. After a short introduction to provide some history of the project, we describe the processes used in the integrative study, the…

  15. Students as Partners: Reflections on a Conceptual Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Healey, Mick; Flint, Abbi; Harrington, Kathy

    2016-01-01

    This article reflects on a conceptual model for mapping the work that fits under the broad heading of students as partners in learning and teaching in higher education (Healey, Flint, & Harrington, 2014). We examine the nature and purpose of the model with reference to specific examples, and reflect on the potential and actual uses of the…

  16. A Method to Reveal Fine-Grained and Diverse Conceptual Progressions during Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lombard, François; Merminod, Marie; Widmer, Vincent; Schneider, Daniel K.

    2018-01-01

    Empirical data on learners' conceptual progression is required to design curricula and guide students. In this paper, we present the Reference Map Change Coding (RMCC) method for revealing students' progression at a fine-grained level. The method has been developed and tested through the analysis of successive versions of the productions of eight…

  17. The Effectiveness of Conceptual Change Texts and Concept Clipboards in Learning the Nature of Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Çil, Emine; Çepni, Salih

    2016-01-01

    Background: One of the most important goals of science education is to enable students to understand the nature of science (NOS). However, generally regular science teaching in classrooms does not help students improve informed NOS views. Purpose: This study investigated the influence of an explicit reflective conceptual change approach compared…

  18. Using conceptual maps to assess students' climate change understanding and misconceptions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gautier, C.

    2011-12-01

    The complex and interdisciplinary nature of climate change science poses special challenges for educators in helping students understand the climate system, and how it is evolving under natural and anthropogenic forcing. Students and citizens alike have existing mental models that may limit their perception and processing of the multiple relationships between processes (e.g., feedback) that arise in global change science, and prevent adoption of complex scientific concepts. Their prior knowledge base serves as the scaffold for all future learning and grasping its range and limitations serves as an important basis upon which to anchor instruction. Different instructional strategies can be adopted to help students understand the inherently interdisciplinary topic of global climate change, its interwoven human and natural causes, and the connections it has with society through a complex range of political, social, technological and economic factors. One assessment method for students' understanding of global climate change with its many uncertainties, whether associated with the workings of the climate system or with respect to social, cultural and economic processes that mediate human responses to changes within the system, is through the use of conceptual maps. When well designed, they offer a representation of students' mental model prior and post instruction. We will present two conceptual mapping activities used in the classroom to assess students' knowledge and understanding about global climate change and uncover misconceptions. For the first one, concept maps will be used to demonstrate evidence of learning and conceptual change, while for the second we will show how conceptual maps can provide information about gaps in knowledge and misconceptions students have about the topic.

  19. Learning and Retention of Quantum Concepts with Different Teaching Methods

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deslauriers, Louis; Wieman, Carl

    2011-01-01

    We measured mastery and retention of conceptual understanding of quantum mechanics in a modern physics course. This was studied for two equivalent cohorts of students taught with different pedagogical approaches using the Quantum Mechanics Conceptual Survey. We measured the impact of pedagogical approach both on the original conceptual learning…

  20. Conceptual Change and Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vosniadou, Stella

    2007-01-01

    In order to understand the advanced, scientific concepts of the various disciplines, students cannot rely on the simple memorization of facts. They must learn how to restructure their naive, intuitive theories based on everyday experience and lay culture. In other words, they must undergo profound conceptual change. This type of conceptual change…

  1. Alienation and Engagement: Development of an Alternative Theoretical Framework for Understanding Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Case, Jennifer M.

    2008-01-01

    In this paper it is suggested that the themes of alienation and engagement offer a productive alternative perspective for characterising the student experience of learning in higher education, compared to current dominant perspectives such as that offered by approaches to learning and related concepts. A conceptual and historical background of the…

  2. Using Truncated Lectures, Conceptual Exercises, and Manipulatives to Improve Learning in the Neuroanatomy Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krontiris-Litowitz, Johanna

    2008-01-01

    Functional Neuroanatomy is a course designed to help students learn the function and anatomy of the human nervous system. Historically, students have had difficulty with the spinal tract curricular unit and frequently resorted to memorization to "learn" the material. They performed poorly on exams and failed to demonstrate competence in the…

  3. Small Groups in a Social Learning MOOC (sIMOOC): Strategies for Fostering Learning and Knowledge Creation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krasny, Marianne E.; DuBois, Bryce; Adameit, Mechthild; Atiogbe, Ronnie; Alfakihuddin, Muhammad Lukman Baihaqi; Bold-erdene, Tergel; Golshani, Zahra; González-González, Rodrigo; Kimirei, Ishmael; Leung, Yamme; Shian-Yun, Lo; Yao, Yue

    2018-01-01

    Social support and face-to-face learning may enhance outcomes for students who face barriers in accessing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). This study investigated how self-identified volunteer leaders guide and foster interactions among small groups of students who face technical and conceptual barriers in accessing MOOC content. Several…

  4. Toward an Integrated Model of Student Learning in the College Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zusho, Akane

    2017-01-01

    In the last special issue devoted to this topic, Pintrich ("Educ Psychol Rev" 16:385-407, 2004) provided an in-depth critique of his conceptual framework on self-regulated learning (SRL), comparing and contrasting it to Biggs' student approaches to learning (SAL) perspective. Since then, there have been a number of advances in the study…

  5. The Power of Examples: Illustrative Examples Enhance Conceptual Learning of Declarative Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rawson, Katherine A.; Thomas, Ruthann C.; Jacoby, Larry L.

    2015-01-01

    Declarative concepts (i.e., key terms with short definitions of the abstract concepts denoted by those terms) are a common kind of information that students are expected to learn in many domains. A common pedagogical approach for supporting learning of declarative concepts involves presenting students with concrete examples that illustrate how the…

  6. Transforming Undergraduate Education Through the use of Analytical Reasoning (TUETAR)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bishop, M. P.; Houser, C.; Lemmons, K.

    2015-12-01

    Traditional learning limits the potential for self-discovery, and the use of data and knowledge to understand Earth system relationships, processes, feedback mechanisms and system coupling. It is extremely difficult for undergraduate students to analyze, synthesize, and integrate quantitative information related to complex systems, as many concepts may not be mathematically tractable or yet to be formalized. Conceptual models have long served as a means for Earth scientists to organize their understanding of Earth's dynamics, and have served as a basis for human analytical reasoning and landscape interpretation. Consequently, we evaluated the use of conceptual modeling, knowledge representation and analytical reasoning to provide undergraduate students with an opportunity to develop and test geocomputational conceptual models based upon their understanding of Earth science concepts. This study describes the use of geospatial technologies and fuzzy cognitive maps to predict desertification across the South-Texas Sandsheet in an upper-level geomorphology course. Students developed conceptual models based on their understanding of aeolian processes from lectures, and then compared and evaluated their modeling results against an expert conceptual model and spatial predictions, and the observed distribution of dune activity in 2010. Students perceived that the analytical reasoning approach was significantly better for understanding desertification compared to traditional lecture, and promoted reflective learning, working with data, teamwork, student interaction, innovation, and creative thinking. Student evaluations support the notion that the adoption of knowledge representation and analytical reasoning in the classroom has the potential to transform undergraduate education by enabling students to formalize and test their conceptual understanding of Earth science. A model for developing and utilizing this geospatial technology approach in Earth science is presented.

  7. Relationship between the Learning Styles Preferences and Academic Achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Awang, H.; Samad, N. Abd; Faiz, N. S. Mohd; Roddin, R.; Kankia, J. D.

    2017-08-01

    The individual learning differences that have been much explored relate to differences in personality, learning styles, strategies and conceptual of learning. This article studies the learning style profile exhibited by students towards the academic achievement in Malaysian Polytechnic. The relationship between learning styles of Polytechnic students and their academic achievement based on VARK learning styles model. The target population was international business students of Malaysian Polytechnic. By means of randomly sampling method, 103 students were selected as sample of research. By descriptive - survey research method and a questionnaire adapted from VARK Learning Style Index, required data were collected. According to the results, no significantly difference between learning style and academic achievement of students. Students academic achievement was quite similar to their individual learning styles. These facts reveal that each learning style has its own strengths and weaknesses.

  8. The effect of mathematical model development on the instruction of acceleration to introductory physics students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sauer, Tim Allen

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of utilizing student constructed theoretical math models when teaching acceleration to high school introductory physics students. The goal of the study was for the students to be able to utilize mathematical modeling strategies to improve their problem solving skills, as well as their standardized scientific and conceptual understanding. This study was based on mathematical modeling research, conceptual change research and constructivist theory of learning, all of which suggest that mathematical modeling is an effective way to influence students' conceptual connectiveness and sense making of formulaic equations and problem solving. A total of 48 students in two sections of high school introductory physics classes received constructivist, inquiry-based, cooperative learning, and conceptual change-oriented instruction. The difference in the instruction for the 24 students in the mathematical modeling treatment group was that they constructed every formula they needed to solve problems from data they collected. In contrast, the instructional design for the control group of 24 students allowed the same instruction with assigned problems solved with formulas given to them without explanation. The results indicated that the mathematical modeling students were able to solve less familiar and more complicated problems with greater confidence and mental flexibility than the control group students. The mathematical modeling group maintained fewer alternative conceptions consistently in the interviews than did the control group. The implications for acceleration instruction from these results were discussed.

  9. Using Targeted Active-Learning Exercises and Diagnostic Question Clusters to Improve Students' Understanding of Carbon Cycling in Ecosystems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maskiewicz, April Cordero; Griscom, Heather Peckham; Welch, Nicole Turrill

    2012-01-01

    In this study, we used targeted active-learning activities to help students improve their ways of reasoning about carbon flow in ecosystems. The results of a validated ecology conceptual inventory (diagnostic question clusters [DQCs]) provided us with information about students' understanding of and reasoning about transformation of inorganic and…

  10. Students' Task Interpretation and Conceptual Understanding in an Electronics Laboratory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rivera-Reyes, Presentacion; Lawanto, Oenardi; Pate, Michael L.

    2017-01-01

    Task interpretation is a critical first step for students in the process of self-regulated learning, and a key determinant when they set goals in their learning and select strategies in assigned work. This paper focuses on the explicit and implicit aspects of task interpretation based on Hadwin's model. Laboratory activities improve students'…

  11. Learning and Living While Black: Black Students, White Universities, and the Age of Post-Affirmative Action and Post-Racialism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reaves, Rosalind

    2013-01-01

    With Critical Race Theory (CRT) and social justice serving as complementary conceptual frames, this ethnographic study investigates the learning and living experiences of ten African American students of a predominantly White university in the Midwest. While several studies have investigated Black students' experiences at PWIs, most notably…

  12. The Impact of Curricular Learning Communities on Furthering the Engagement and Persistence of Academically Underprepared Students at Community Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McIntosh, Joshua Grant

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the impact of basic skills curricular learning communities on academically underprepared community college students to determine if participation in such programs significantly contributed to student persistence from year one to year two. The conceptual framework that informed this study was Tinto's (1993) longitudinal model of…

  13. "Cancer Cell Biology:" A Student-Centered Instructional Module Exploring the Use of Multimedia to Enrich Interactive, Constructivist Learning of Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bockholt, Susanne M.; West, J. Paige; Bollenbacher, Walter E.

    2003-01-01

    Multimedia has the potential of providing bioscience education novel learning environments and pedagogy applications to foster student interest, involve students in the research process, advance critical thinking/problem-solving skills, and develop conceptual understanding of biological topics. "Cancer Cell Biology," an interactive, multimedia,…

  14. Facilitating Changes in Ninth Grade Students' Understanding of Dissolution and Diffusion through DSLM Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    She, Hsiao-Ching

    2004-01-01

    This study examines the nature and process of ninth grade students' conceptual change regarding their mental model of dissolution and diffusion as a result of instructions using the Dual Situated Learning Model (DSLM). The dual situated learning events of this model are designed according to the students' ontological viewpoint of the science…

  15. Writing-to-Learn in Undergraduate Science Education: A Community-Based, Conceptually Driven Approach

    PubMed Central

    Reynolds, Julie A.; Thaiss, Christopher; Katkin, Wendy; Thompson, Robert J.

    2012-01-01

    Despite substantial evidence that writing can be an effective tool to promote student learning and engagement, writing-to-learn (WTL) practices are still not widely implemented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, particularly at research universities. Two major deterrents to progress are the lack of a community of science faculty committed to undertaking and applying the necessary pedagogical research, and the absence of a conceptual framework to systematically guide study designs and integrate findings. To address these issues, we undertook an initiative, supported by the National Science Foundation and sponsored by the Reinvention Center, to build a community of WTL/STEM educators who would undertake a heuristic review of the literature and formulate a conceptual framework. In addition to generating a searchable database of empirically validated and promising WTL practices, our work lays the foundation for multi-university empirical studies of the effectiveness of WTL practices in advancing student learning and engagement. PMID:22383613

  16. Toward equity through participation in Modeling Instruction in introductory university physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brewe, Eric; Sawtelle, Vashti; Kramer, Laird H.; O'Brien, George E.; Rodriguez, Idaykis; Pamelá, Priscilla

    2010-06-01

    We report the results of a five year evaluation of the reform of introductory calculus-based physics by implementation of Modeling Instruction (MI) at Florida International University (FIU), a Hispanic-serving institution. MI is described in the context of FIU’s overall effort to enhance student participation in physics and science broadly. Our analysis of MI from a “participationist” perspective on learning identifies aspects of MI including conceptually based instruction, culturally sensitive instruction, and cooperative group learning, which are consistent with research on supporting equitable learning and participation by students historically under-represented in physics (i.e., Black, Hispanic, women). This study uses markers of conceptual understanding as measured by the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) and odds of success as measured by the ratio of students completing introductory physics and earning a passing grade (i.e., C- or better) by students historically under-represented in physics to reflect equity and participation in introductory physics. FCI pre and post scores for students in MI are compared with lecture-format taught students. Modeling Instruction students outperform students taught in lecture-format classes on post instruction FCI (61.9% vs 47.9%, p<0.001 ), where these benefits are seen across both ethnic and gender comparisons. In addition, we report that the odds of success in MI are 6.73 times greater than in lecture instruction. Both odds of success and FCI scores within Modeling Instruction are further disaggregated by ethnicity and by gender to address the question of equity within the treatment. The results of this disaggregation indicate that although ethnically under-represented students enter with lower overall conceptual understanding scores, the gap is not widened during introductory physics but instead is maintained, and the odds of success for under-represented students is not different from majority students. Women, similarly enter with scores indicating lower conceptual understanding, and over the course of MI this understanding gap increases, yet we do not find differences in the odds of success between men and women. Contrasting these results with the participationist view on learning indicates a movement toward greater equity in introductory physics but also indicates that the instructional environment can be improved.

  17. Analyzing educational university students' conceptions through smartphone-based PDEODE*E tasks on magnetic field in several mediums

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zulfikar, Aldi; Girsang, Denni Yulius; Saepuzaman, Duden; Samsudin, Achmad

    2017-05-01

    Conceptual understanding is one of the most important aspects in the study of Physics because of it useful to understand principles behind certain phenomenon which happened. An innovative method was needed to strengthen and enhance student's conceptual understanding, especially regarding the abstract subject such as magnetic field. For this reason, worksheet and exploration sheet based on PDEODE*E (Predict, Discuss, Explain, Observe, Discuss, Explore, and Explain) that uses Gauss Meter application as the smartphone technology has been designed to answer the problem. The magnetic field strength in different mediums is the physics subject which covered in this research. The research was conducted with the aim to know how effective smartphone technology-based PDEODE*E could be implemented as a physics learning strategy. The result of this research shows that students could show improvements in conceptual understanding that shown by the conclusion that was constructed during the learning process. Based on this result, PDEODE*E could become a solution to strengthen students' conceptual understanding regarding physics subject, especially those that requires abstract thinking. This result also has shown that the application ofsmartphone technology could be used to support physics learning processes in the classroom, such as Gauss Meter in this research which used to measure the magnetic field, Light Meter which could be used in the concept of light, and Harmonicity Meter for the context of the sound wave.

  18. Secondary analysis of teaching methods in introductory physics: A 50 k-student study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Von Korff, Joshua; Archibeque, Benjamin; Gomez, K. Alison; Heckendorf, Tyrel; McKagan, Sarah B.; Sayre, Eleanor C.; Schenk, Edward W.; Shepherd, Chase; Sorell, Lane

    2016-12-01

    Physics education researchers have developed many evidence-based instructional strategies to enhance conceptual learning of students in introductory physics courses. These strategies have historically been tested using assessments such as the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) and the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE). We have performed a review and analysis of FCI and FMCE data published between 1995 and 2014. We confirm previous findings that interactive engagement teaching techniques are significantly more likely to produce high student learning gains than traditional lecture-based instruction. We also establish that interactive engagement instruction works in many settings, including those with students having a high and low level of prior knowledge, at liberal arts and research universities, and enrolled in both small and large classes.

  19. Stacking up against alternative conceptions: using Uno cards to introduce discourse and argumentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dunac, Patricia S.; Demir, Kadir

    2013-11-01

    We engaged secondary science students in a teacher and student constructed Uno card game (UCG) to change their conceptual understanding of the various energy transformations. The paper outlines how we incorporated Toulmin’s argumentation pattern (Toulmin 1958 The Uses of Argument (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)) in the UCG, using discourse (Erduran et al 2004 Sci. Educ. 88 915-33) and through a 5E learning cycle (Bybee 1997 Achieving Scientific Literacy: From Purposes to Practices (Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books)). The activity helped students develop a deeper understanding of the energy transformation among and between different sources. Students experienced a conceptual gain in their ways of thinking, in contrast to traditional teaching and learning practices. The collaboration and interaction between teacher-student(s) and between students fostered an environment where they became co-constructors of knowledge.

  20. Implementation of Scientific Community Laboratories and Their Effect on Student Conceptual Learning, Attitudes, and Understanding of Uncertainty

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lark, Adam

    Scientific Community Laboratories, developed by The University of Maryland, have shown initial promise as laboratories meant to emulate the practice of doing physics. These laboratories have been re-created by incorporating their design elements with the University of Toledo course structure and resources. The laboratories have been titled the Scientific Learning Community (SLC) Laboratories. A comparative study between these SLC laboratories and the University of Toledo physics department's traditional laboratories was executed during the fall 2012 semester on first semester calculus-based physics students. Three tests were executed as pre-test and post-tests to capture the change in students' concept knowledge, attitudes, and understanding of uncertainty. The Force Concept Inventory (FCI) was used to evaluate students' conceptual changes through the semester and average normalized gains were compared between both traditional and SLC laboratories. The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS) was conducted to elucidate students' change in attitudes through the course of each laboratory. Finally, interviews regarding data analysis and uncertainty were transcribed and coded to track changes in the way students understand uncertainty and data analysis in experimental physics after their participation in both laboratory type. Students in the SLC laboratories showed a notable an increase conceptual knowledge and attitudes when compared to traditional laboratories. SLC students' understanding of uncertainty showed most improvement, diverging completely from students in the traditional laboratories, who declined throughout the semester.

  1. Conceptualizing RTI in 21st-Century Secondary Science Classrooms: Video Games' Potential to Provide Tiered Support and Progress Monitoring for Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marino, Matthew T.; Beecher, Constance C.

    2010-01-01

    Secondary schools across the United States are adopting response to intervention (RTI) as a means to identify students with learning disabilities (LD) and provide tiered instructional interventions that benefit all students. The majority of current RTI research focuses on students with reading difficulties in elementary school classrooms.…

  2. Responses to Negative Student Evaluations on Ratemyprofessors.com: The Effect of Instructor Statement of Credibility on Student Lower-Level Cognitive Learning and State Motivation to Learn

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liang, Yuhua

    2015-01-01

    Instructors have the ability to respond to student evaluations on RateMyProfessors.com (RMP). The current research conceptualized the juxtaposition of student evaluations and instructor responses using communication processes on participatory websites. In an original experiment, the results demonstrated that when faced with multiple negative…

  3. The Comparative Effects of Prediction/Discussion-Based Learning Cycle, Conceptual Change Text, and Traditional Instructions on Student Understanding of Genetics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yilmaz, Diba; Tekkaya, Ceren; Sungur, Semra

    2011-03-01

    The present study examined the comparative effects of a prediction/discussion-based learning cycle, conceptual change text (CCT), and traditional instructions on students' understanding of genetics concepts. A quasi-experimental research design of the pre-test-post-test non-equivalent control group was adopted. The three intact classes, taught by the same science teacher, were randomly assigned as prediction/discussion-based learning cycle class (N = 30), CCT class (N = 25), and traditional class (N = 26). Participants completed the genetics concept test as pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test to examine the effects of instructional strategies on their genetics understanding and retention. While the dependent variable of this study was students' understanding of genetics, the independent variables were time (Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3) and mode of instruction. The mixed between-within subjects analysis of variance revealed that students in both prediction/discussion-based learning cycle and CCT groups understood the genetics concepts and retained their knowledge significantly better than students in the traditional instruction group.

  4. Applying a Student Curriculum Discourse in Higher Education Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mndzebele, S. L.; Mckenna, S.

    2013-01-01

    Indications of poor quality in students' written work necessitated the need for deeper investigations aimed at designing and applying appropriate teaching/learning and assessment innovations in the course curriculum. The project-exercise engaged a conceptual-explorative approach through: reviews/investigations; educational diagnosis;…

  5. Inequalities and Agencies in Workplace Learning Experiences: International Student Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wall, Tony; Tran, Ly Thi; Soejatminah, Sri

    2017-01-01

    National systems of vocational education and training around the globe are facing reform driven by quality, international mobility, and equity. Evidence suggests that there are qualitatively distinctive challenges in providing and sustaining workplace learning experiences to international students. However, despite growing conceptual and empirical…

  6. Promising Teacher Practices: Students' Views about Their Science Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moeed, Azra; Easterbrook, Matthew

    2016-01-01

    Internationally, conceptual and procedural understanding, understanding the Nature of Science, and scientific literacy are considered worthy goals of school science education in modern times. The empirical study presented here reports on promising teacher practices that in the students' views afford learning opportunities and support their science…

  7. Upgrading geometry conceptual understanding and strategic competence through implementing rigorous mathematical thinking (RMT)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nugraheni, Z.; Budiyono, B.; Slamet, I.

    2018-03-01

    To reach higher order thinking skill, needed to be mastered the conceptual understanding and strategic competence as they are two basic parts of high order thinking skill (HOTS). RMT is a unique realization of the cognitive conceptual construction approach based on Feurstein with his theory of Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. This was quasi-experimental research which compared the experimental class that was given Rigorous Mathematical Thinking (RMT) as learning method and the control class that was given Direct Learning (DL) as the conventional learning activity. This study examined whether there was different effect of two learning model toward conceptual understanding and strategic competence of Junior High School Students. The data was analyzed by using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and obtained a significant difference between experimental and control class when considered jointly on the mathematics conceptual understanding and strategic competence (shown by Wilk’s Λ = 0.84). Further, by independent t-test is known that there was significant difference between two classes both on mathematical conceptual understanding and strategic competence. By this result is known that Rigorous Mathematical Thinking (RMT) had positive impact toward Mathematics conceptual understanding and strategic competence.

  8. The Effects of Conceptual Understanding Procedures (CUPs) Towards Critical Thinking Skills of Senior High School Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sukaesih, S.; Sutrisno

    2017-04-01

    The aim of the study was to analyse the effect of the application of Conceptual Understanding Procedures (CUPs) learning to the students’ critical thinking skills in the matter of categorisaed in SMA Negeri 1 Larangan. This study was quasi-experimental design using nonequivalent control group design. The population in this study was entire class X. The samples that were taken by convenience sampling were class X MIA 1 and X MIA 2. Primary data in the study was the student’s critical thinking skills, which was supported by student activity, the level of adherence to the CUPs learning model, student opinion and teacher opinion. N-gain test results showed that the students’ critical thinking skills of experimental class increased by 89.32%, while the control group increased by 57.14%. Activity grade of experimental class with an average value of 72.37 was better than that of the control class with an average of only 22.69 student and teacher opinions to the learning were excellegoodnt. Based on this study concluded that the model of Conceptual Understanding Procedures (CUPs) had an effect on the student’s critical thinking skills in the matter of protest in SMA Negeri 1 Larangan.

  9. Emergence, Learning Difficulties, and Misconceptions in Chemistry Undergraduate Students' Conceptualizations of Acid Strength

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tümay, Halil

    2016-03-01

    Philosophical debates about chemistry have clarified that the issue of emergence plays a critical role in the epistemology and ontology of chemistry. In this article, it is argued that the issue of emergence has also significant implications for understanding learning difficulties and finding ways of addressing them in chemistry. Particularly, it is argued that many misconceptions in chemistry may derive from students' failure to consider emergence in a systemic manner by taking into account all relevant factors in conjunction. Based on this argument, undergraduate students' conceptions of acids, and acid strength (an emergent chemical property) were investigated and it was examined whether or not they conceptualized acid strength as an emergent chemical property. The participants were 41 third- and fourth-year undergraduate students. A concept test and semi-structured interviews were used to probe students' conceptualizations and reasoning about acid strength. Findings of the study revealed that the majority of the undergraduate students did not conceptualize acid strength as an emergent property that arises from interactions among multiple factors. They generally focused on a single factor to predict and explain acid strength, and their faulty responses stemmed from their failure to recognize and consider all factors that affect acid strength. Based on these findings and insights from philosophy of chemistry, promoting system thinking and epistemologically sound argumentative discourses among students is suggested for meaningful chemical education.

  10. Supporting Students' Learning and Socioscientific Reasoning About Climate Change—the Effect of Computer-Based Concept Mapping Scaffolds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eggert, Sabina; Nitsch, Anne; Boone, William J.; Nückles, Matthias; Bögeholz, Susanne

    2017-02-01

    Climate change is one of the most challenging problems facing today's global society (e.g., IPCC 2013). While climate change is a widely covered topic in the media, and abundant information is made available through the internet, the causes and consequences of climate change in its full complexity are difficult for individuals, especially non-scientists, to grasp. Science education is a field which can play a crucial role in fostering meaningful education of students to become climate literate citizens (e.g., NOAA 2009; Schreiner et al., 41, 3-50, 2005). If students are, at some point, to participate in societal discussions about the sustainable development of our planet, their learning with respect to such issues needs to be supported. This includes the ability to think critically, to cope with complex scientific evidence, which is often subject to ongoing inquiry, and to reach informed decisions on the basis of factual information as well as values-based considerations. The study presented in this paper focused on efforts to advance students in (1) their conceptual understanding about climate change and (2) their socioscientific reasoning and decision making regarding socioscientific issues in general. Although there is evidence that "knowledge" does not guarantee pro-environmental behavior (e.g. Schreiner et al., 41, 3-50, 2005; Skamp et al., 97(2), 191-217, 2013), conceptual, interdisciplinary understanding of climate change is an important prerequisite to change individuals' attitudes towards climate change and thus to eventually foster climate literate citizens (e.g., Clark et al. 2013). In order to foster conceptual understanding and socioscientific reasoning, a computer-based learning environment with an embedded concept mapping tool was utilized to support senior high school students' learning about climate change and possible solution strategies. The evaluation of the effect of different concept mapping scaffolds focused on the quality of student-generated concept maps, as well as on students' test performance with respect to conceptual knowledge as well as socioscientific reasoning and socioscientific decision making.

  11. The Impact of the Type of Projects on Preservice Teachers' Conceptualization of Service Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seban, Demet

    2013-01-01

    This paper discusses the effects of the type of project undertaken for a community practice course on preservice teachers' conceptualization of service learning. The goal of the projects is to enable participants to engage with service practice in a reflective manner. Through the examination of the reflective logs kept by students using Butin's…

  12. Using Virtual Microscopy to Scaffold Learning of Pathology: A Naturalistic Experiment on the Role of Visual and Conceptual Cues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nivala, Markus; Saljo, Roger; Rystedt, Hans; Kronqvist, Pauliina; Lehtinen, Erno

    2012-01-01

    New representational technologies, such as virtual microscopy, create new affordances for medical education. In the article, a study on the following two issues is reported: (a) How does collaborative use of virtual microscopy shape students' engagement with and learning from virtual slides of tissue specimen? (b) How do visual and conceptual cues…

  13. Active Learning in PhysicsTechnology and Research-based Techniques Emphasizing Interactive Lecture Demonstrations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thornton, Ronald

    2010-10-01

    Physics education research has shown that learning environments that engage students and allow them to take an active part in their learning can lead to large conceptual gains compared to traditional instruction. Examples of successful curricula and methods include Peer Instruction, Just in Time Teaching, RealTime Physics, Workshop Physics, Scale-Up, and Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (ILDs). An active learning environment is often difficult to achieve in lecture sessions. This presentation will demonstrate the use of sequences of Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (ILDs) that use real experiments often involving real-time data collection and display combined with student interaction to create an active learning environment in large or small lecture classes. Interactive lecture demonstrations will be done in the area of mechanics using real-time motion probes and the Visualizer. A video tape of students involved in interactive lecture demonstrations will be shown. The results of a number of research studies at various institutions (including international) to measure the effectiveness of ILDs and guided inquiry conceptual laboratories will be presented.

  14. How instructors' emotional expressions shape students' learning performance: the roles of anger, happiness, and regulatory focus.

    PubMed

    van Doorn, Evert A; van Kleef, Gerben A; van der Pligt, Joop

    2014-06-01

    How do instructors' emotional expressions influence students' learning performance? Scholars and practitioners alike have emphasized the importance of positive, nurturing emotions for successful learning. However, teachers may sometimes lose their temper and express anger at their pupils. Drawing on emotions as social information (EASI) theory, we hypothesized that expressions of anger can benefit learning performance. In Experiment 1, participants who were confronted with an angry instructor exhibited more accurate recognition of word pairs after a week of learning, compared with those who were confronted with a happy instructor. In Experiment 2, we conceptually replicated this effect on a recall task, but only among participants in a promotion rather than prevention focus. Present findings thus show, for the 1st time, that instructor anger can enhance students' performance. Findings are consistent with a conceptualization of emotion as social information and call into question the generally endorsed positivity paradigm. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  15. Learning with Hypertext Learning Environments: Theory, Design, and Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacobson, Michael J.; And Others

    1996-01-01

    Studied 69 undergraduates who used conceptually-indexed hypertext learning environments with differently structured thematic criss-crossing (TCC) treatments: guided and learner selected. Found that students need explicit modeling and scaffolding support to learn complex knowledge from these learning environments, and considers implications for…

  16. Differentiating the Sources of Taiwanese High School Students' Multidimensional Science Learning Self-Efficacy: An Examination of Gender Differences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Tzung-Jin; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2017-04-01

    The main purpose of this study was to investigate Taiwanese high school students' multi-dimensional self-efficacy and its sources in the domain of science. Two instruments, Sources of Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SSLSE) and Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE), were used. By means of correlation and regression analyses, the relationships between students' science learning self-efficacy and the sources of their science learning self-efficacy were examined. The findings revealed that the four sources of the students' self-efficacy were found to play significant roles in their science learning self-efficacy. By and large, Mastery Experience and Vicarious Experience were found to be the two salient influencing sources. Several gender differences were also revealed. For example, the female students regarded Social Persuasion as the most influential source in the "Science Communication" dimension, while the male students considered Vicarious Experience as the main efficacy source. Physiological and Affective States, in particular, was a crucial antecedent of the female students' various SLSE dimensions, including "Conceptual Understanding," "Higher-Order Cognitive Skills," and "Science Communication." In addition, the variations between male and female students' responses to both instruments were also unraveled. The results suggest that, first, the male students perceived themselves as having more mastery experience, vicarious experience and social persuasion than their female counterparts. Meanwhile, the female students experienced more negative emotional arousal than the male students. Additionally, the male students were more self-efficacious than the females in the five SLSE dimensions of "Conceptual Understanding," "Higher-Order Cognitive Skills," "Practical Work," "Everyday Application," and "Science Communication."

  17. Differentiating the Sources of Taiwanese High School Students' Multidimensional Science Learning Self-Efficacy: An Examination of Gender Differences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Tzung-Jin; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2018-06-01

    The main purpose of this study was to investigate Taiwanese high school students' multi-dimensional self-efficacy and its sources in the domain of science. Two instruments, Sources of Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SSLSE) and Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE), were used. By means of correlation and regression analyses, the relationships between students' science learning self-efficacy and the sources of their science learning self-efficacy were examined. The findings revealed that the four sources of the students' self-efficacy were found to play significant roles in their science learning self-efficacy. By and large, Mastery Experience and Vicarious Experience were found to be the two salient influencing sources. Several gender differences were also revealed. For example, the female students regarded Social Persuasion as the most influential source in the "Science Communication" dimension, while the male students considered Vicarious Experience as the main efficacy source. Physiological and Affective States, in particular, was a crucial antecedent of the female students' various SLSE dimensions, including "Conceptual Understanding," "Higher-Order Cognitive Skills," and "Science Communication." In addition, the variations between male and female students' responses to both instruments were also unraveled. The results suggest that, first, the male students perceived themselves as having more mastery experience, vicarious experience and social persuasion than their female counterparts. Meanwhile, the female students experienced more negative emotional arousal than the male students. Additionally, the male students were more self-efficacious than the females in the five SLSE dimensions of "Conceptual Understanding," "Higher-Order Cognitive Skills," "Practical Work," "Everyday Application," and "Science Communication."

  18. Analysis of difficulties in mathematics problem solving based on revised Bloom’s Taxonomy viewed from high self-efficacy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prismana, R. D. E.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Pramudya, I.

    2018-04-01

    The ability of solving problem is a part of the mathematic curriculum that is very important. Problem solving prefers the process and strategy that is done by students in solving a problem rather than the result. This learning concept in accordance with the stages on the revised bloom’s taxonomy. The revised Bloom’s Taxonomy has two dimensions, namely the dimension of cognitive process and the dimension of knowledge. Dimension of knowledge has four categories, but this study only restricted on two knowledge, conceptual knowledge and procedural knowledge. Dimensions of cognitive processes are categorized into six kinds, namely remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. Implementation of learning more emphasis on the role of students. Students must have their own belief in completing tasks called self-efficacy. This research is a qualitative research. This research aims to know the site of the students’ difficulty based on revised Bloom’s Taxonomy viewed from high self-efficacy. The results of the study stated the students with high self efficacy have difficulties site. They are evaluating conceptual knowledge, evaluating procedural knowledge, creating conceptual knowledge, and creating procedural knowledge. It could be the consideration of teachers in the teaching, so as to reduce the difficulties of learning in students.

  19. Learning genetic inquiry through the use, revision, and justification of explanatory models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cartier, Jennifer Lorraine

    Central to the process of inquiry in science is the construction and assessment of models that can be used to explain (and in some cases, predict) natural phenomena. This dissertation is a qualitative study of student learning in a high school biology course that was designed to give students opportunities to learn about genetic inquiry in part by providing them with authentic experiences doing inquiry in the discipline. With the aid of a computer program that generates populations of "fruit flies", the students in this class worked in groups structured like scientific communities to build, revise, and defend explanatory models for various inheritance phenomena. Analysis of the ways in which the first cohort of students assessed their inheritance models revealed that all students assessed models based upon empirical fit (data/model match). However, in contrast to the practice of scientists and despite explicit instruction, students did not consistently apply conceptual assessment criteria to their models. That is, they didn't seek consistency between underlying concepts or processes in their models and those of other important genetic models, such as meiosis. This is perhaps in part because they lacked an understanding of models as conceptual rather than physical entities. Subsequently, the genetics curriculum was altered in order to create more opportunities for students to address epistemological issues associated with model assessment throughout the course. The second cohort of students' understanding of models changed over the nine-week period: initially the majority of students equated scientific models with "proof" (generally physical) of "theories"; at the end of the course, most students demonstrated understanding of the conceptual nature of scientific models and the need to justify such knowledge according to both its empirical utility and conceptual consistency. Through model construction and assessment (i.e. scientific inquiry), students were able to come to a rich understanding of both the central concepts of transmission genetics and important epistemological aspects of genetic practice.

  20. Pattern of students' conceptual change on magnetic field based on students' mental models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamid, Rimba; Widodo, Ari; Sopandi, Wahyu

    2017-05-01

    Students understanding about natural phenomena can be identified by analyzing their mental model. Changes in students' mental model are good indicator of students' conceptual change. This research aims at identifying students' conceptual change by analyzing changes in students' mental model. Participants of the study were twenty five elementary school students. Data were collected through throughout the lessons (prior to the lessons, during the lessons and after the lessons) based on students' written responses and individual interviews. Lessons were designed to facilitate students' conceptual change by allowing students to work in groups of students who have the similar ideas. Therefore, lessons were students-directed. Changes of students' ideas in every stage of the lessons were identified and analyzed. The results showed that there are three patterns of students' mental models, namely type of scientific (44%), analogous to everyday life (52%), and intuitive (4%). Further analyses of the pattern of their conceptual change identifies four different patterns, i.e. consistently correct (20%), consistently incomplete (16%), changing from incorrect to incomplete (8%), changing from incomplete to complete (32%), changing from complete to incorrect (4%), and changing from incorrect to complete (4%). This study suggest that the process of learning science does not move in a linear and progressive ways, rather they move in random and may move backward and forward.

  1. Applying a Resources Framework to Analysis of the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Trevor I.; Wittman, Michael C.

    2008-01-01

    We suggest one redefinition of common clusters of questions used to analyze student responses on the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation. Our goal is to propose a methodology that moves beyond an analysis of student learning defined by correct responses, either on the overall test or on clusters of questions defined solely by content. We use…

  2. Designing Inductive Instructional Activities in a Teacher Training Program to Enhance Conceptual Understandings in Science for Thai Science and Non-Science Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Narjaikaew, Pattawan; Jeeravipoonvarn, Varanya; Pongpisanou, Kanjana; Lamb, Dennis

    2016-01-01

    Teachers are viewed as the most significant factor affecting student learning. However, research in science education showed that teachers often demonstrate misunderstandings of science very similar to students. The purpose of this research was to correct conceptual difficulties in science of Thai primary school science and non-science teachers…

  3. It's Rather like Learning a Language: Development of Talk and Conceptual Understanding in Mechanics Lessons

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rincke, Karsten

    2011-01-01

    Although a broad literature exists concerning the development of conceptual understanding of force and other topics within mechanics, little is known about the role and development of students' talk about the subject. The paper presents an in-depth investigation of students' talk whilst being introduced to the concept of force. The main research…

  4. Individual Differences in Students' Knowing and Learning about Fractions: Evidence from an In-Depth Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bempeni, Maria; Vamvakoussi, Xenia

    2015-01-01

    We present the results of an in-depth qualitative study that examined ninth graders' conceptual and procedural knowledge of fractions as well as their approach to mathematics learning, in particular fraction learning. We traced individual differences, even extreme, in the way that students combine the two kinds of knowledge. We also provide…

  5. Research and Teaching: Beyond Correctness--Using Qualitative Methods to Uncover Nuances of Student Learning in Undergraduate STEM Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dósa, Katalin; Russ, Rosemary

    2016-01-01

    Learning in higher education today is measured overwhelmingly on the basis of "correctness," that is, whether students sufficiently approached the preset "expert" answer to a test question. We posit that although conceptual correctness is at the core of good learning, there is much information instructors miss out on by relying…

  6. Aligning Coordination Class Theory with a New Context: Applying a Theory of Individual Learning to Group Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barth-Cohen, Lauren A.; Wittmann, Michael C.

    2017-01-01

    This article presents an empirical analysis of conceptual difficulties encountered and ways students made progress in learning at both individual and group levels in a classroom environment in which the students used an embodied modeling activity to make sense of a specific scientific scenario. The theoretical framework, coordination class theory,…

  7. Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Conceptual Model for CATs in the Online Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bergquist, Emily; Holbeck, Rick

    2014-01-01

    Formative assessments are an important part of the teaching and learning cycle. Instructors need to monitor student learning and check for understanding throughout the instructional phase of teaching to confirm that students understand the objective before embarking on the summative assessment. Typically, online classrooms are developed with…

  8. Conceptualizing Perseverance in Problem Solving as Collective Enterprise

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sengupta-Irving, Tesha; Agarwal, Priyanka

    2017-01-01

    Students are expected to learn mathematics such that when they encounter challenging problems they will persist. Creating opportunities for students to persist in problem solving is therefore argued as essential to effective teaching and to children developing positive dispositions in mathematical learning. This analysis takes a novel approach to…

  9. The Effect of Eliciting Repair of Mathematics Explanations of Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Jia; Xin, Yan Ping

    2017-01-01

    Mathematical reasoning is important in conceptual understanding and problem solving. In current reform-based, discourse-oriented mathematics classrooms, students with learning disabilities (LD) encounter challenges articulating or explaining their reasoning processes. Enlightened by the concept of conversational repair borrowed from the field of…

  10. Validation and Analysis of the Coupled Multiple Response Colorado Upper-Division Electrostatics Diagnostic

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilcox, Bethany R.; Pollock, Steven J.

    2015-01-01

    Standardized conceptual assessment represents a widely used tool for educational researchers interested in student learning within the standard undergraduate physics curriculum. For example, these assessments are often used to measure student learning across educational contexts and instructional strategies. However, to support the large-scale…

  11. Personal Factors Impacting College Student Success: Constructing College Learning Effectiveness Inventory (CLEI)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Eunhee; Newton, Fred B.; Downey, Ronald G.; Benton, Stephen L.

    2010-01-01

    The College Learning Effectiveness Inventory, a new assessment tool identifying personal variables important to college student success, was constructed using empirical approaches grounded in a conceptual model. The exploratory and confirmatory studies revealed the six-underlying factors: Academic Self-Efficacy, Organization and Attention to…

  12. Conceptualizing How Mature Teachers Can Influence Students' Growth in Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maynes, Nancy; Hatt, Blaine E.

    2015-01-01

    This article has two purposes. First, it reports the first year results from focus group methodology conducted to determine how teacher characteristics may influence students' learning. Second, the article establishes a framework to support ongoing research related to the professional maturation of teachers. Both of these research outcomes are…

  13. Teaching as Designing: Preparing Pre-Service Teachers for Adaptive Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jordan, Michelle E.

    2016-01-01

    This conceptual article explores teaching as design work, arguing that a critical thing teachers do is design systems that enable their students to learn. Designing occurs when teachers generate new learning activities or modify curricular programs to create coherence for themselves and their students. Nonetheless, few teacher education programs…

  14. Using Student Development Theories as Conceptual Frameworks in Leadership Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Owen, Julie E.

    2012-01-01

    Theories of student learning and development are particularly important in leadership education because they make prescriptions about how people can adopt increasingly complex ways of being, knowing, and doing--essential forms of development for leadership learning. Increasingly, there is a call for leadership educators to adopt interdisciplinary…

  15. The Integration of Creative Drama in an Inquiry-Based Elementary Program: The Effect on Student Attitude and Conceptual Learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hendrix, Rebecca; Eick, Charles; Shannon, David

    2012-11-01

    Creative drama activities designed to help children learn difficult science concepts were integrated into an inquiry-based elementary science program. Children (n = 38) in an upper elementary enrichment program at one primary school were the participants in this action research. The teacher-researcher taught students the Full Option Science System™ (FOSS) modules of sound (fourth grade) and solar energy (fifth grade) with the integration of creative drama activities in treatment classes. A 2 × 2 × (2) Mixed ANOVA was used to examine differences in the learning outcomes and attitudes toward science between groups (drama and non-drama) and grade levels (4th and 5th grades) over time (pre/post). Learning was measured using the tests included with the FOSS modules. A shortened version of the Three Dimension Elementary Science Attitude Survey measured attitudes toward science. Students in the drama treatment group had significantly higher learning gains ( F = 160.2, p < 0.001) than students in the non-drama control group with students in grade four reporting significantly greater learning outcomes ( F = 14.3, p < 0.001) than grade five. There was a significantly statistical decrease in student attitudes toward science ( F = 7.5, p < 0.01), though a small change. Creative drama was an effective strategy to increase science conceptual learning in this group of diverse elementary enrichment students when used as an active extension to the pre-existing inquiry-based science curriculum.

  16. Exploring the Effects of the Computational Experiment Approach to the Epistemic Beliefs, the Motivation, the Use of Modeling Indicators and Conceptual Understanding in Three Different Computational Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Psycharis, Sarantos

    2013-01-01

    Contemporary teaching and learning approaches expect students--at any level of education--to be active producers of knowledge. This leads to the need for creation of instructional strategies, learning environments and tasks that can offer students opportunities for active learning. Research argues that one of the most meaningful and engaging forms…

  17. Conceptual Change and Physics Instruction: A Longitudinal Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Searle, Peter; Gunstone, Richard F.

    This paper reports an action study of conceptual change in mechanics using an instructional strategy based on a constructivist view of learning. The aims of the study were to determine: (1) what effect the instructional strategy had on achieving conceptual change; (2) what devices or strategies students used in their attempts to understand…

  18. Developing Conceptual Understanding and Procedural Skill in Mathematics: An Iterative Process.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Siegler, Robert S.; Alibali, Martha Wagner

    2001-01-01

    Proposes that conceptual and procedural knowledge develop in an iterative fashion and improved problem representation is one mechanism underlying the relations between them. Two experiments were conducted with 5th and 6th grade students learning about decimal fractions. Results indicate conceptual and procedural knowledge do develop, iteratively,…

  19. Comparisons between students' learning achievements of their conventional instruction and the science, technology and social conceptual instructional design on digestion system issue of secondary students at the 10th grade level

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wichalek, Supattra; Chayaburakul, Kanokporn; Santiboon, Toansakul

    2018-01-01

    The purposes of this action research study were 1) to develop learning activities according to the instructional designing model of science, technology, and social (STS) on Digestion Issue, 2) to compare students' learning achievements between their learning activities with the conventional instructional (CIM) and conceptual instructional designing methods of science, technology, and social (STS) on digestion system of secondary students at the 10th grade level with a sample size of 35 experimental student group of their STS learning method, and 91 controlling group in two classes in the first semester in academic year 2016. Using the 4-Instructional Innovative Lesson Plans, the Students' Learning Behaviour Observing Form, the Questionnaire on Teacher Behaviour Interaction (QTBI), the Researcher's Recording Form, the Learning Activity Form, and the Parallel Learning Achievement Test (LAT) were assessed. The results of this research have found that; the Index of Item Objective Congruence (IOC) value ranged from 0.67 to 1.00; the difficulty values were 0.47 and 0.79 for the CIM and STS methods, respectively, the discriminative validity for the LAT was ranged from 0.20 to 0.75. The reliability of the QTBI was 0.79. Students' responses of their learning achievements with the average means scores indicted of the normalized gain values of 0.79 for the STS group, and 0.50 and 0.36 for the CIM groups, respectively. Students' learning achievements of their post-test indicated that of a higher than pre-test, the pre-test and post-test assessments were also differentiated evidence at the 0.05 levels for the STS and CIM groups, significantly. The 22-students' learning outcomes from the STS group evidences at a high level, only of the 9-students' responses in a moderate level were developed of their learning achievements, responsibility.

  20. To Click or Not to Click

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abramzon, Nina; Sadaghiani, Homeyra

    2009-03-01

    A comparison of clickers v. flashcards in a controlled setting was done to test a) whether clickers show an improvement over flashcards in students learning the following concepts: i) Coulomb's force law and ii) magnetic fields caused by currents, and b) if students using clickers are more open towards conceptual questions and the peer instruction method compared to students using flashcards. Two classes taught concurrently by the same instructor were taught identically, except that in one class the collection of answers to concept questions was done using clickers, and in the other using flashcards. To test which students learned the concepts better, a few multiple choice questions from a standard exam used in physics education were included in the final exam of both classes, and the performance of the two classes was compared. In addition, a questionnaire was given to each class to evaluate students' opinions about the benefits of lectures including conceptual TPS questions and the use of related conceptual questions on exams. The results of the survey were compared between the two classes. The experimental design and results of the study will be presented.

  1. Addressing secondary students' naïve ideas about freshwater springs in order to develop an instructional tool to promote conceptual reconstruction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reinfried, S.; Tempelmann, S.; Aeschbacher, U.

    2012-02-01

    "Water knowledge" has now become a socio-political and future-orientated necessity. Erroneous notions or preconceptions of hydrology can have a deleterious effect on our understanding of the scientific facts and their interrelations that are of relevance to sustainable water management. This explorative pilot study shows that erroneous and naïve ideas about the origin of freshwater springs are common at the lower secondary level. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to investigate the nature of misconceptions about freshwater springs among 13-year-old students, and (2) to develop an efficient instructional tool that promotes conceptual reconstruction in the learners' minds. To assess students' naïve ideas we conducted interviews, examined student work, and asked students to fill in a questionnaire. The identified naïve ideas were used to construct an instructional tool based on the findings of learning psychology aiming at promoting deep learning, thus facilitating a lasting conceptual reconstruction of the concept of freshwater springs.

  2. Examining Middle School Science Student Self-Regulated Learning in a Hypermedia Learning Environment through Microanalysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mandell, Brian E.

    The purpose of the present embedded mixed method study was to examine the self-regulatory processes used by high, average, and low achieving seventh grade students as they learned about a complex science topic from a hypermedia learning environment. Thirty participants were sampled. Participants were administered a number of measures to assess their achievement and self-efficacy. In addition, a microanalytic methodology, grounded in Zimmerman's cyclical model of self-regulated learning, was used to assess student self-regulated learning. It was hypothesized that there would be modest positive correlations between Zimmerman's three phases of self-regulated learning, that high achieving science students would deploy more self-regulatory subprocesses than average and low achieving science students, that high achieving science students would have higher self-efficacy beliefs to engage in self-regulated learning than average and low achieving science students, and that low achieving science students would over-estimate their self-efficacy for performance beliefs, average achieving science students would slightly overestimate their self-efficacy for performance beliefs, and high achieving science students would under-estimate their self-efficacy for performance beliefs. All hypotheses were supported except for the high achieving science students who under-estimated their self-efficacy for performance beliefs on the Declarative Knowledge Measure and slightly overestimated their self-efficacy for performance beliefs on the Conceptual Knowledge Measure. Finally, all measures of self-regulated learning were combined and entered into a regression formula to predict the students' scores on the two science tests, and it was revealed that the combined measure predicted 91% of the variance on the Declarative Knowledge Measure and 92% of the variance on the Conceptual Knowledge Measure. This study adds hypermedia learning environments to the contexts that the microanalytic methodology has been successfully administered. Educational implications and limitations to the study are also discussed.

  3. How Expert Secondary Special Education Teachers Conceptualize Teaching Literacy in Their Content Area to Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lauterbach, Alexandra A.

    2013-01-01

    This study provides insight into the cognition of expert content area teachers with specialized knowledge in teaching literacy to students with learning disabilities (LD), with the purpose of developing an understanding of expertise in teaching literacy in the content areas to secondary students with LD. This study used hermeneutic phenomenology…

  4. "Games Are Made for Fun": Lessons on the Effects of Concept Maps in the Classroom Use of Computer Games

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Charsky, Dennis; Ressler, William

    2011-01-01

    Does using a computer game improve students' motivation to learn classroom material? The current study examined students' motivation to learn history concepts while playing a commercial, off-the-shelf computer game, Civilization III. The study examined the effect of using conceptual scaffolds to accompany game play. Students from three ninth-grade…

  5. A Person-in-Context Approach to Student Engagement in Science: Examining Learning Activities and Choice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schmidt, Jennifer A.; Rosenberg, Joshua M.; Beymer, Patrick N.

    2018-01-01

    Science education reform efforts in the Unites States call for a dramatic shift in the way students are expected to engage with scientific concepts, core ideas, and practices in the classroom. This new vision of science learning demands a more complex conceptual understanding of student engagement and research models that capture both the…

  6. Teacher Support in Computer-Supported Lab Work: Bridging the Gap between Lab Experiments and Students' Conceptual Understanding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Furberg, Anniken

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports on a study of teacher support in a setting where students engaged with computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) in science. The empirical basis is an intervention study where secondary school students and their teacher performed a lab experiment in genetics supported by a digital learning environment. The analytical…

  7. Patterns of Variation in Teaching the Colour of Light to Primary 3 Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ling, Lo Mun; Chik, Pakey; Pang, Ming Fai

    2006-01-01

    This paper shows how the patterns of variation created in the teaching were critical in helping a class of Primary 3 students in Hong Kong to learn about the colour of light, so that the students attained conceptual rather than procedural knowledge. A "Learning Study" approach was adopted, which is a Lesson Study grounded in a particular…

  8. [Behind the scenes of the didactic of nursing science knowledge: role play simulation filmed for learning through "problematic situations"].

    PubMed

    Gineyt, Christine

    2015-12-01

    clinical simulation to teach expertise to nursing students plays an important role in nursing schools (IFSI). as recommended in the training frame of reference, students must develop skills from real situations. The objective of this study was to determine the importance of role play simulation of 'problematic situations' to boost the process of appropriation of nursing science knowledge and initiate the task of conceptualization among first year students when putting up a drip. this contextual research used qualitative data collected from students who answered three open post-simulation questions in order to communicate how they felt faced with this learning technique. This data was compared with that of two executive tutors who used an observation grid during the simulation. the students' answers have shown that this learning technique offered the possibility to develop dexterity in problem solving skills, to construct new knowledge and to memorize knowledge gained from university science and nursing care. The executive tutors have observed the construction of a meta-cognitive attitude suited to the conceptualization of action. during a change in the relationship with knowledge, the executive tutors noted that students are happy to learn different types of knowledge.

  9. Active Learning in the Physics Classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naron, Carol

    Many students enter physics classes filled with misconceptions about physics concepts. Students tend to retain these misconceptions into their adult lives, even after physics instruction. Constructivist researchers have found that students gain understanding through their experiences. Researchers have also found that active learning practices increase conceptual understanding of introductory physics students. This project study sought to examine whether incorporating active learning practices in an advanced placement physics classroom increased conceptual understanding as measured by the force concept inventory (FCI). Physics students at the study site were given the FCI as both a pre- and posttest. Test data were analyzed using two different methods---a repeated-measures t test and the Hake gain method. The results of this research project showed that test score gains were statistically significant, as measured by the t test. The Hake gain results indicated a low (22.5%) gain for the class. The resulting project was a curriculum plan for teaching the mechanics portion of Advanced Placement (AP) physics B as well as several active learning classroom practices supported by the research. This project will allow AP physics teachers an opportunity to improve their curricular practices. Locally, the results of this project study showed that research participants gained understanding of physics concepts. Social change may occur as teachers implement active learning strategies, thus creating improved student understanding of physics concepts.

  10. Exploring Metacogntive Visual Literacy Tasks for Teaching Astronomy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Slater, Timothy F.; Slater, S.; Dwyer, W.

    2010-01-01

    Undoubtedly, astronomy is a scientific enterprise which often results in colorful and inspirational images of the cosmos that naturally capture our attention. Students encountering astronomy in the college classroom are often bombarded with images, movies, simulations, conceptual cartoons, graphs, and charts intended to convey the substance and technological advancement inherent in astronomy. For students who self-identify themselves as visual learners, this aspect can make the science of astronomy come alive. For students who naturally attend to visual aesthetics, this aspect can make astronomy seem relevant. In other words, the visual nature that accompanies much of the scientific realm of astronomy has the ability to connect a wide range of students to science, not just those few who have great abilities and inclinations toward the mathematical analysis world. Indeed, this is fortunate for teachers of astronomy, who actively try to find ways to connect and build astronomical understanding with a broad range of student interests, motivations, and abilities. In the context of learning science, metacognition describes students’ self-monitoring, -regulation, and -awareness when thinking about learning. As such, metacognition is one of the foundational pillars supporting what we know about how people learn. Yet, the astronomy teaching and learning community knows very little about how to operationalize and support students’ metacognition in the classroom. In response, the Conceptual Astronomy, Physics and Earth sciences Research (CAPER) Team is developing and pilot-testing metacogntive tasks in the context of astronomy that focus on visual literacy of astronomical phenomena. In the initial versions, students are presented with a scientifically inaccurate narrative supposedly describing visual information, including images and graphical information, and asked to assess and correct the narrative, in the form of peer evaluation. To guide student thinking, students are provided with a scaffolded series of multiple-choice questions highlighting conceptual aspects of the prompt.

  11. It's Rather like Learning a Language: Development of talk and conceptual understanding in mechanics lessons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rincke, Karsten

    2011-01-01

    Although a broad literature exists concerning the development of conceptual understanding of force and other topics within mechanics, little is known about the role and development of students' talk about the subject. The paper presents an in-depth investigation of students' talk whilst being introduced to the concept of force. The main research goal was to investigate and understand how students develop an understanding of the concept of force and how they use and understand the term 'force'. Therefore, we make relation to the research field of students' preconceptions and the field of second language learning. Two classes of students (N = 47) were videotaped during a time period of nine lessons, each transcribed and analysed using a category system. Additional data were obtained via written tasks, logs kept by the students, and tests. The detailed analysis of the talk and the results of the tests indicate that students face difficulties in using the term 'force' scientifically similar to those in a foreign language instruction. Vygotsky already recognised a relationship between learning in science and learning a language. In this paper, important aspects of this relationship are discussed based upon empirical data. We conclude that in some respects it might be useful to make reference to the research related to language learning when thinking about improving science education. In particular, according to Selinker's concept of interlanguage describing language-learning processes within language instruction, the language used by the students during physics lessons can be viewed as a 'scientific interlanguage'.

  12. A Framework for Re-thinking Learning in Science from Recent Cognitive Science Perspectives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tytler, Russell; Prain, Vaughan

    2010-10-01

    Recent accounts by cognitive scientists of factors affecting cognition imply the need to reconsider current dominant conceptual theories about science learning. These new accounts emphasize the role of context, embodied practices, and narrative-based representation rather than learners' cognitive constructs. In this paper we analyse data from a longitudinal study of primary school children's learning to outline a framework based on these contemporary accounts and to delineate key points of difference from conceptual change perspectives. The findings suggest this framework provides strong theoretical and practical insights into how children learn and the key role of representational negotiation in this learning. We argue that the nature and process of conceptual change can be re-interpreted in terms of the development of students' representational resources.

  13. Students concept understanding of fluid static based on the types of teaching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahmawati, I. D.; Suparmi; Sunarno, W.

    2018-03-01

    This research aims to know the concept understanding of student are taught by guided inquiry based learning and conventional based learning. Subjects in this study are high school students as much as 2 classes and each class consists of 32 students, both classes are homogen. The data was collected by conceptual test in the multiple choice form with the students argumentation of the answer. The data analysis used is qualitative descriptive method. The results of the study showed that the average of class that was using guided inquiry based learning is 78.44 while the class with use conventional based learning is 65.16. Based on these data, the guided inquiry model is an effective learning model used to improve students concept understanding.

  14. Exploring Mobile Learning in the Third Space

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schuck, Sandy; Kearney, Matthew; Burden, Kevin

    2017-01-01

    Mobile learning is enabling educators and students to learn in ways not previously possible. The ways that portable, multi-functional mobile devices can untether the learner from formal institutional learning give scope for learning to be conceptualised in an expanded variety of places, times and ways. In this conceptual article the authors…

  15. A Conceptual Framework for Organizing Active Learning Experiences in Biology Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gardner, Joel; Belland, Brian R.

    2012-01-01

    Introductory biology courses form a cornerstone of undergraduate instruction. However, the predominantly used lecture approach fails to produce higher-order biology learning. Research shows that active learning strategies can increase student learning, yet few biology instructors use all identified active learning strategies. In this paper, we…

  16. FORUM: Affective Learning. Reconsidering the Conceptualization and Operationalization of Affective Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Myers, Scott A.; Goodboy, Alan K.

    2015-01-01

    The mission of "Communication Education" is to publish the best research on communication and learning. Researchers study the communication-learning interface in many ways, but a common approach is to explore how instructor and student communication can lead to better learning outcomes. Although scholars have long classified learning…

  17. The Impact of Problem-Based Learning on Non-Science Undergraduate Students' Attitudes towards Mathematics in an Egyptian Classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rizkallah, Mohammed W.

    While Problem-based Learning (PBL) has been established in the literature in different contexts, there remains few studies on how PBL has an impact on students' attitude towards mathematics and their conceptual understanding of it in Egyptian classrooms. This study was conducted in an international university in Egypt, and the participants were non-science undergraduate students who took a course called "Fun with Problem-Solving" as a requirement core class. The study shows that students' attitude towards mathematics developed throughout the course, and this was tested using the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scale, where students had a pretest and posttest. While the sample size was small, there was statistical significance in the change of the means of how students perceived mathematics as a male domain, and how teachers perceived students' achievements. This notion was coupled with students' development of conceptual understanding, which was tracked throughout the semester by mapping students' work with the Lesh Translation Model.

  18. High school students presenting science: An interactional sociolinguistic analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bleicher, Robert

    Presenting science is an authentic activity of practicing scientists. Thus, effective communication of science is an important skill to nurture in high school students who are learning science. This study examines strategies employed by high school students as they make science presentations; it assesses students' conceptual understandings of particular science topics through their presentations and investigates gender differences. Data are derived from science presentation given by eight high school students, three females and five males who attended a summer science program. Data sources included videotaped presentations, ethnographic fieldnotes, interviews with presenters and members of the audience, and presenter notes and overheads. Presentations were transcribed and submitted to discourse analysis from an interactional sociolinguistic perspective. This article focuses on the methodology employed and how it helps inform the above research questions. The author argues that use of this methodology leads to findings that inform important social-communicative issues in the learning of science. Practical advice for teaching students to present science, implications for use of presentations to assess conceptual learning, and indications of some possible gender differences are discussed.Received: 14 April 1993; Revised: 15 February 1994;

  19. An analysis of science conceptual knowledge in journals of students with disabilities and normally achieving students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grigg, Gail S.

    Science education reforms of the last two decades have focused on raising the bar for ALL students which includes students with mild to moderate disabilities. Formative assessment can be used to assess the progress of these students to inquire, understand scientific concepts, reason scientifically, make decisions, and communicate effectively in science. The purpose of this study is to examine the use of science journals as a formative assessment in a guided inquiry unit of study for students with learning disabilities. Two normally achieving students (NA) and five students with learning disabilities (SLD) participated in a study of mammals that utilized journals to record the development of student knowledge through the course of study. Students were interviewed after the lessons were complete using the same prompts required in the journals. Themes were developed from the student writings and their verbal discourse using Grounded Theory. Journals and verbal discourse were rated following the themes of Knowledge Telling (KT) and Knowledge Transformation (KTR). Concept maps were developed for the Pre and Post test lessons (written and verbal discourses) by the raters in an attempt to further explain the knowledge that the students conveyed. The results of this study suggest that SLD are able to demonstrate knowledge about mammals better through verbal discourse than written discourse. While the NA students wrote more and used more technical discourse than did their SLD peers, the conceptual understanding of the topic by the SLD was no less inclusive than their NA peers when accessed verbally. The journals demonstrated limited conceptual growth for the SLD. Further, while lexical density is important to the development of knowledge in science, this study suggests the "conceptual density" may be another important indicator to examine.

  20. An investigation into introductory astronomy students' difficulties with cosmology, and the development, validation, and efficacy of a new suite of cosmology lecture-tutorials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wallace, Colin S.

    This study reports the results of the first systematic investigation into Astro 101 students' conceptual and reasoning difficulties with cosmology. We developed four surveys with which we measured students' conceptual knowledge of the Big Bang, the expansion and evolution of the universe, and the evidence for dark matter. Our classical test theory and item response theory analyses of over 2300 students' pre- and post-instruction responses, combined with daily classroom observations, videotapes of students working in class, and one-on-one semi-structured think-aloud interviews with nineteen Astro 101 students, revealed several common learning difficulties. In order to help students overcome these difficulties, we used our results to inform the development of a new suite of cosmology lecture-tutorials. In our initial testing of the new lecture-tutorials at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Arizona, we found many cases in which students who used the lecture-tutorials achieved higher learning gains (as measured by our surveys) at statistically significant levels than students who did not. Subsequent use of the lecture-tutorials at a variety of colleges and universities across the United States produced a wide range of learning gains, suggesting that instructors' pedagogical practices and implementations of the lecture-tutorials significantly affect whether or not students achieve high learning gains.

  1. Evolution Theory Teaching and Learning: What Conclusions Can We Get from Comparisons of Teachers' and Students' Conceptual Ecologies in Greece and Turkey?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Athanasiou, Kyriacos; Papadopoulou, Penelope

    2015-01-01

    In this study, we make an effort to compare studies that explore the factors related to acceptance of evolutionary theory among Greek and Turkish students-future teachers, using conceptual ecology for biological evolution as the theoretical framework. We aimed to look into the acceptance and the understanding of evolutionary theory and also to…

  2. Coordinating Procedural and Conceptual Knowledge to Make Sense of Word Equations: Understanding the Complexity of a "Simple" Completion Task at the Learner's Resolution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taber, Keith S.; Bricheno, Pat

    2009-01-01

    The present paper discusses the conceptual demands of an apparently straightforward task set to secondary-level students--completing chemical word equations with a single omitted term. Chemical equations are of considerable importance in chemistry, and school students are expected to learn to be able to write and interpret them. However, it is…

  3. Effects of an Intellectually Caring Model on Urban African American Alternative High School Students' Conceptual Change and Achievement in Chemistry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wood, Lynda C.; Ebenezer, Jazlin; Boone, Relena

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to study the effects of an intellectually caring model of teaching and learning on alternative African American high school students' conceptual change and achievement in a chemistry unit on acids and bases. A mixed-methods approach using retrospective data was utilized. Data secured from the teacher were the…

  4. A Resource for Eliciting Student Alternative Conceptions: Examining the Adaptability of a Concept Inventory for Natural Selection at the Secondary School Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lucero, Margaret M.; Petrosino, Anthony J.

    2017-01-01

    The Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection (CINS) is an example of a research-based instrument that assesses conceptual understanding in an area that contains well-documented alternative conceptions. Much of the CINS's use and original validation has been relegated to undergraduate settings, but the information learned from student responses on…

  5. Do evidence-based active-engagement courses reduce the gender gap in introductory physics?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karim, Nafis I.; Maries, Alexandru; Singh, Chandralekha

    2018-03-01

    Prior research suggests that using evidence-based pedagogies can not only improve learning for all students, it can also reduce the gender gap. We describe the impact of physics education research-based pedagogical techniques in flipped and active-engagement non-flipped courses on the gender gap observed with validated conceptual surveys. We compare male and female students’ performance in courses which make significant use of evidence-based active-engagement (EBAE) strategies with courses that primarily use lecture-based (LB) instruction. All courses had large enrolment and often had more than 100 students. The analysis of data for validated conceptual surveys presented here includes data from two-semester sequences of algebra-based and calculus-based introductory physics courses. The conceptual surveys used to assess student learning in the first and second semester courses were the force concept inventory and the conceptual survey of electricity and magnetism, respectively. In the research discussed here, the performance of male and female students in EBAE courses at a particular level is compared with LB courses in two situations: (I) the same instructor taught two courses, one of which was an EBAE course and the other an LB course, while the homework, recitations and final exams were kept the same; (II) student performance in all of the EBAE courses taught by different instructors was averaged and compared with LB courses of the same type also averaged over different instructors. In all cases, on conceptual surveys we find that students in courses which make significant use of active-engagement strategies, on average, outperformed students in courses of the same type using primarily lecture-based instruction even though there was no statistically significant difference on the pre-test before instruction. However, the gender gap persisted even in courses using EBAE methods. We also discuss correlations between the performance of male and female students on the validated conceptual surveys and the final exam, which had a heavy weight on quantitative problem solving.

  6. Assessing physics learning identity: Survey development and validation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Sissi L.; Demaree, Dedra

    2012-02-01

    Innovative curricula aim to improve content knowledge and the goal of helping students develop practices and skills of authentic scientist through active engagement learning. To students, these classroom practices often seem very different from their previous learning experiences in terms of behavioral expectations, learning attitude, and what learning means. We propose that productive participation in these learning environments require students to modify their identity as learners in addition to refining their science conceptual understanding. In order to measure changes in learning identity, we developed a 49-item survey to assess students' 1) expectations of student and teacher roles, 2) self efficacy towards skills supported in the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) and 3) attitudes towards social learning. Using principle components exploratory factor analysis, we have established two reliable factors with subscales that measure these student characteristics. This paper presents the survey development, validation and pilot study results.

  7. A Cultured Learning Environment: Implementing a Problem- and Service-Based Microbiology Capstone Course to Assess Process- and Skill-Based Learning Objectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watson, Rachel M.; Willford, John D.; Pfeifer, Mariel A.

    2018-01-01

    In this study, a problem-based capstone course was designed to assess the University of Wyoming Microbiology Program's skill-based and process-based student learning objectives. Students partnered with a local farm, a community garden, and a free downtown clinic in order to conceptualize, propose, perform, and present studies addressing problems…

  8. Does Classroom Explicitation of Initial Conceptions Favour Conceptual Change or Is It Counter-Productive?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Potvin, Patrice; Mercier, Julien; Charland, Patrick; Riopel, Martin

    2012-01-01

    This research investigates the effect of classroom explicitation of initial conceptions (CEIC) on conceptual change in the context of learning electricity. Eight hundred and seventy five thirteen year-olds were tested in laboratory conditions to see if CEIC is or is not a productive step toward conceptual change. All students experienced a…

  9. Career Consultation and Experiential Learning in a Classroom Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parks, Rodney L.; Rich, Jonathan W.; Getch, Yvette Q.

    2012-01-01

    This paper is presented as a conceptual practice analysis of an experiential learning activity that took place during the fall 2011 academic term. Graduate students registered in a graduate-level career counseling course at a major Southeastern university were given the opportunity to conduct one-on-one career consultations with students enrolled…

  10. Towards a Model and Methodology for Assessing Student Learning Outcomes and Satisfaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duque, Lola C.; Weeks, John R.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to introduce a conceptual model for assessing undergraduate student learning outcomes and satisfaction that involves concepts drawn from the services marketing and assessment literatures; second, to illustrate the utility of the model as implemented in an academic department (geography)…

  11. Student Use of Scaffolding Software: Relationships with Motivation and Conceptual Understanding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butler, Kyle A.; Lumpe, Andrew

    2008-01-01

    This study was designed to theoretically articulate and empirically assess the role of computer scaffolds. In this project, several examples of educational software were developed to scaffold the learning of students performing high level cognitive activities. The software used in this study, Artemis, focused on scaffolding the learning of…

  12. Community College Faculty Attitudes and Concerns about Student Learning Outcomes Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fontenot, Janet Smith

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify the attitudes and concerns community college faculty have about student learning outcomes assessment and to further explore the relationship between these factors and faculty levels of involvement in assessment activities. Combining the conceptual frameworks of the concerns-based adoption Model (CBAM) and…

  13. Mathematical Tasks, Study Approaches, and Course Grades in Undergraduate Mathematics: A Year-by-Year Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maciejewski, Wes; Merchant, Sandra

    2016-01-01

    Students approach learning in different ways, depending on the experienced learning situation. A deep approach is geared toward long-term retention and conceptual change while a surface approach focuses on quickly acquiring knowledge for immediate use. These approaches ultimately affect the students' academic outcomes. This study takes a…

  14. Managing Student Learning: Schools as Multipliers of Intangible Resources

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paletta, Angelo

    2011-01-01

    The conceptual categories that underlie the business analysis of intellectual capital are relevant to providing an explanation of school performance. By gathering data on student learning, this research provides empirical evidence for the use of school results as an accurate indicator of the effectiveness of the management of public education.…

  15. Assessing Students' Emotional Competence in Higher Education: Development and Validation of the Widener Emotional Learning Scale

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Ning; Young, Thomas; Wilhite, Stephen C.; Marczyk, Geoffrey

    2011-01-01

    This article reports the development and validation studies of the Widener Emotional Learning Scale (WELS), a self-report measure, for assessing students' social and emotional competence in higher education. Conceptual specifications, item development, psychometric properties, and factor structure of the instrument are reported in the article. The…

  16. Learning Analytics as a Counterpart to Surveys of Student Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borden, Victor M. H.; Coates, Hamish

    2017-01-01

    Analytics derived from the student learning environment provide new insights into the collegiate experience; they can be used as a supplement to or, to some extent, in place of traditional surveys. To serve this purpose, however, greater attention must be paid to conceptual frameworks and to advancing institutional systems, activating new…

  17. Towards an Agile Approach to Adapting Dynamic Collaboration Support to Student Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adamson, David; Dyke, Gregory; Jang, Hyeju; Rosé, Carolyn Penstein

    2014-01-01

    This paper investigates the use of conversational agents to scaffold on-line collaborative learning discussions through an approach called Academically Productive Talk (APT). In contrast to past work on dynamic support for collaborative learning, where agents were used to elevate conceptual depth by leading students through directed lines of…

  18. Differentiated Teaching & Learning in Heterogeneous Classrooms: Strategies for Meeting the Needs of All Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kronberg, Robi; York-Barr, Jennifer; Arnold, Kathy; Gombos, Shawn; Truex, Sharon; Vallejo, Barb; Stevenson, Jane

    This guide provides conceptual as well as practical information for meeting the needs of all learners in heterogeneous classrooms. The first six sections discuss the growing heterogeneity in today's classrooms, the rationale for differentiated teaching and learning, the changing roles of teachers and students, the importance of creating classroom…

  19. Influence of Structure and Interaction on Student Achievement and Satisfaction in Web-Based Distance Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Hye-Jung; Rha, Ilju

    2009-01-01

    This study examines the influence of instructional design and management style on student achievement and satisfaction in a web-based distance learning environment. From the literature review, two major instructional design and management styles in web-based distance education were conceptualized as structure and interpersonal interaction. To…

  20. Qualitative Variation in Approaches to University Teaching and Learning in Large First-Year Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prosser, Michael; Trigwell, Keith

    2014-01-01

    Research on teaching from a student learning perspective has identified two qualitatively different approaches to university teaching. They are an information transmission and teacher-focused approach, and a conceptual change and student-focused approach. The fundamental difference being in the former the intention is to transfer information to…

  1. Factors Influencing Students' Adoption of E-Learning: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tarhini, Ali; Masa'deh, Ra'ed; Al-Busaidi, Kamla Ali; Mohammed, Ashraf Bany; Maqableh, Mahmoud

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: This research aims to examine the factors that may hinder or enable the adoption of e-learning systems by university students. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual framework was developed through extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, hedonic motivation, habit,…

  2. Student Interactions in Online Discussion Forum: Empirical Research from "Media Richness Theory" Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balaji, M. S.; Chakrabarti, Diganta

    2010-01-01

    The present study contributes to the understanding of the effectiveness of online discussion forum in student learning. A conceptual model based on "theory of online learning" and "media richness theory" was proposed and empirically tested. We extend the current understanding of media richness theory to suggest that use of…

  3. Teaching as Counterinsurgency: Enhancing Pedagogical Effectiveness and Student Learning in a Culture of Distraction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kane, Robert G.

    2010-01-01

    Once adapted to the context of the classroom, the tenets of successful counterinsurgency offer teachers a potent intellectual framework for conceptualizing teachers' efforts to build effective active learning communities together with their students. In this article, the author describes a counterinsurgency analogy that shares essential features…

  4. Reading Maxwell in Conceptual Physics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bonham, Scott W.

    2018-01-01

    An important aspect of science education involves helping students learn to read and communicate scientific information and arguments. In this note, I would like to share a resource that I have come across which I have found to be a useful tool for helping students improve those skills, learn content material, and acquaint them with a great…

  5. Bringing Technology to Students' Proximity: A Sociocultural Account of Technology-Based Learning Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mukama, Evode

    2014-01-01

    This paper depicts a study carried out in Rwanda concerning university students who participated in a contest to produce short documentary films. The purpose of this research is to conceptualize these kinds of technology-based learning projects (TBLPs) through a sociocultural perspective. The methodology included focus-group discussions and field…

  6. Bringing Technology to Students' Proximity: A Sociocultural Account of Technology-Based Learning Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mukama, Evode

    2014-01-01

    This paper depicts a study carried out in Rwanda concerning university students who participated in a contest to produce short documentary films. The purpose of this research is to conceptualize these kinds of technology-based learning projects (TBLPs) through a sociocultural perspective. The methodology included focus group discussions and field…

  7. Re-Vitalizing the First Year Class through Student Engagement and Discovery Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steuter, Erin; Doyle, Judith

    2010-01-01

    The first year course in Sociology at Mount Allison University introduced students to social issues via dynamic class interactions and assignments that are designed to build conceptual and applied skills. Developments to the course organization have maximized the opportunities for discovery learning and have made the class an enjoyable teaching…

  8. The Effects of Scientific Representations on Primary Students' Development of Scientific Discourse and Conceptual Understandings during Cooperative Contemporary Inquiry-Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gillies, Robyn M.; Nichols, Kim; Khan, Asaduzzaman

    2015-01-01

    Teaching students to use and interpret representations in science is critically important if they are to become scientifically literate and learn how to communicate their understandings and learning in science. This study involved 248 students (119 boys and 129 girls) from 26 grade 6 teachers' classes in nine primary schools in Brisbane,…

  9. An exploratory study into students' conceptual understanding of acid/base principles associated with chemical buffer systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    MacGowan, Catherine Elizabeth

    The overall objective of this research project was to provide an insight into students' conceptual understanding of acid/base principles as it relates to the comprehension and correct application of scientific concepts during a problem-solving activity. The difficulties experienced learning science and in developing appropriate problem-solving strategies most likely are predetermined by students' existing conceptual and procedural knowledge constructs; with the assimilation of newly acquired knowledge hindering or aiding the learning process. Learning chemistry requires a restructuring of content knowledge which will allow the individual to assemble and to integrate his/her own perception of science with instructional knowledge. The epistemology of constructivism, the theoretical grounding for this research project, recognizes the student's role as an active participant in the learning process. The study's design was exploratory in nature and descriptive in design. The problem-solving activity, the preparation of a chemical buffer solution at pH of 9, was selected and modified to reflect and meet the study's objective. Qualitative research methods (i.e., think aloud protocols, retrospective interviews, survey questionnaires such as the Scale of Intellectual Development (SID), and archival data sources) were used in the collection and assessment of data. Given its constructivist grounding, simplicity, and interpretative view of knowledge acquisition and learning of collegiate aged individuals, the Perry Intellectual and Ethical Development Model (1970) was chosen as the applied model for evaluation student cognition. The study's participants were twelve traditional college age students from a small, private liberal arts college. All participants volunteered for the project and had completed or were completing a general college chemistry course at the time of the project. Upon analysis of the data the following observations and results were noted: (1) students' overall comprehension level of key acid/base principles was at the misconception/miscued level of understanding; (2) the level of a student's conceptual knowledge effected their problem-solving performance and influenced their use of problem-solving tactics; (3) students casual use of the terms "acid" and/or "base" played a significant role in the misuse and misunderstanding of the principles of acid/base chemistry; (4) as assessed from their think aloud protocols and described by the Perry Scheme positions of intellect the study's participants' overall level of cognition were ranked as dualistic/relativistic thinkers; and (5) the SID questionnaire survey rankings did not seem to assess or reflect the participants' cognitive ability to learn or correctly use acid/base concepts as they preformed the study's problem-solving activity--the preparation of buffer solution having a pH of 9.

  10. Comparing different approaches to visualizing light waves: An experimental study on teaching wave optics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mešić, Vanes; Hajder, Erna; Neumann, Knut; Erceg, Nataša

    2016-06-01

    Research has shown that students have tremendous difficulties developing a qualitative understanding of wave optics, at all educational levels. In this study, we investigate how three different approaches to visualizing light waves affect students' understanding of wave optics. In the first, the conventional, approach light waves are represented by sinusoidal curves. The second teaching approach includes representing light waves by a series of static images, showing the oscillating electric field vectors at characteristic, subsequent instants of time. Within the third approach phasors are used for visualizing light waves. A total of N =85 secondary school students were randomly assigned to one of the three teaching approaches, each of which lasted a period of four class hours. Students who learned with phasors and students who learned from the series of static images outperformed the students learning according to the conventional approach, i.e., they showed a much better understanding of basic wave optics, as measured by a conceptual survey administered to the students one week after the treatment. Our results suggest that visualizing light waves with phasors or oscillating electric field vectors is a promising approach to developing a deeper understanding of wave optics for students enrolled in conceptual level physics courses.

  11. Processing Motion: Using Code to Teach Newtonian Physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Massey, M. Ryan

    Prior to instruction, students often possess a common-sense view of motion, which is inconsistent with Newtonian physics. Effective physics lessons therefore involve conceptual change. To provide a theoretical explanation for concepts and how they change, the triangulation model brings together key attributes of prototypes, exemplars, theories, Bayesian learning, ontological categories, and the causal model theory. The triangulation model provides a theoretical rationale for why coding is a viable method for physics instruction. As an experiment, thirty-two adolescent students participated in summer coding academies to learn how to design Newtonian simulations. Conceptual and attitudinal data was collected using the Force Concept Inventory and the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey. Results suggest that coding is an effective means for teaching Newtonian physics.

  12. Mediating mental models of metals: Acknowledging the priority of the learner's prior learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taber, Keith S.

    2003-09-01

    This paper describes the conceptualizations, or mental models, of the nature of the bonding and structure of metals of a group of U.K. college students. It is suggested that these mental models may be understood in terms of the students' prior learning about covalent and ionic bonding, and the prevalence of a common alternative conceptual framework for chemical bonding labeled the octet framework. This study illustrates the prominence of prior learning in channeling the interpretation of subsequent teaching, and highlights the significance of the decisions made by curriculum planners, textbook authors, and teachers on the order of presenting subject content, the degree of simplification of scientific models, and the selection and presentation of metaphors.

  13. Reexamine Business Law for High School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spiro, George

    1980-01-01

    In teaching business law, the content of the course must reflect the needs of the student and emphasize conceptual learning. Class preparation takes time and effort because law constantly changes. (JOW)

  14. Investigating the impact of visuohaptic simulations for the conceptual understanding of electric field for distributed charges

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shaikh, Uzma Abdul Sattar

    The present study assessed the benefits of a multisensory intervention on the conceptual understanding of electric field for distributed charges in engineering and technology undergraduate students. A novel visuohaptic intervention was proposed, which focused on exploring the forces around the different electric field configurations for distributed charges namely point, infinitely long line and uniformly charged ring. The before and after effects of the visuohaptic intervention are compared, wherein the intervention includes instructional scaffolding. Three single-group studies were conducted to investigate the effect among three different populations: (a) Undergraduate engineering students, (b) Undergraduate technology students and (c) Undergraduate engineering technology students from a different demographic setting. The findings from the three studies suggests that the haptic modality intervention provides beneficial effects by allowing students to improve their conceptual understanding of electric field for distributed charges, although students from groups (b) and (c) showed a statistically significant increase in the conceptual understanding. The findings also indicate a positive learning perception among all the three groups.

  15. Conceptual frameworks in astronomy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pundak, David

    2016-06-01

    How to evaluate students' astronomy understanding is still an open question. Even though some methods and tools to help students have already been developed, the sources of students' difficulties and misunderstanding in astronomy is still unclear. This paper presents an investigation of the development of conceptual systems in astronomy by 50 engineering students, as a result of learning a general course on astronomy. A special tool called Conceptual Frameworks in Astronomy (CFA) that was initially used in 1989, was adapted to gather data for the present research. In its new version, the tool included 23 questions, and five to six optional answers were given for each question. Each of the answers was characterized by one of the four conceptual astronomical frameworks: pre-scientific, geocentric, heliocentric and sidereal or scientific. The paper describes the development of the tool and discusses its validity and reliability. Using the CFA we were able to identify the conceptual frameworks of the students at the beginning of the course and at its end. CFA enabled us to evaluate the paradigmatic change of students following the course and also the extent of the general improvement in astronomical knowledge. It was found that the measure of the students’ improvement (gain index) was g = 0.37. Approximately 45% of the students in the course improved their understanding of conceptual frameworks in astronomy and 26% deepened their understanding of the heliocentric or sidereal conceptual frameworks.

  16. Efficacy of a Meiosis Learning Module Developed for the Virtual Cell Animation Collection.

    PubMed

    Goff, Eric E; Reindl, Katie M; Johnson, Christina; McClean, Phillip; Offerdahl, Erika G; Schroeder, Noah L; White, Alan R

    2017-01-01

    Recent reports calling for change in undergraduate biology education have resulted in the redesign of many introductory biology courses. Reports on one common change to course structure, the active-learning environment, have placed an emphasis on student preparation, noting that the positive outcomes of active learning in the classroom depend greatly on how well the student prepares before class. As a possible preparatory resource, we test the efficacy of a learning module developed for the Virtual Cell Animation Collection. This module presents the concepts of meiosis in an interactive, dynamic environment that has previously been shown to facilitate learning in introductory biology students. Participants ( n = 534) were enrolled in an introductory biology course and were presented the concepts of meiosis in one of two treatments: the interactive-learning module or a traditional lecture session. Analysis of student achievement shows that students who viewed the learning module as their only means of conceptual presentation scored significantly higher ( d = 0.40, p < 0.001) than students who only attended a traditional lecture on the topic. Our results show the animation-based learning module effectively conveyed meiosis conceptual understanding, which suggests that it may facilitate student learning outside the classroom. Moreover, these results have implications for instructors seeking to expand their arsenal of tools for "flipping" undergraduate biology courses. © 2017 E. E. Goff et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  17. Enhanced Learning of Biotechnology Students by an Inquiry-Based Cellulase Laboratory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ketpichainarong, Watcharee; Panijpan, Bhinyo; Ruenwongsa, Pintip

    2010-01-01

    This study explored the effectiveness of an inquiry-based cellulase laboratory unit in promoting inquiry in undergraduate students in biotechnology. The following tools were used to assess the students' achievements and attitude: conceptual understanding test, concept mapping, students' documents, CLES questionnaire, students' self reflection, and…

  18. What makes the learning of physiology in a PBL medical curriculum challenging? Student perceptions.

    PubMed

    Tufts, Mark A; Higgins-Opitz, Susan B

    2009-09-01

    Physiology is an integral component of any medical curriculum. Traditionally, the learning of physiology has relied heavily on systems-based didactic lectures. In 2001, the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine (NRMSM; Durban, South Africa) embarked on a problem-based curriculum in which the learning of physiology was integrated with relevant clinical scenarios. Students are expected to gain an understanding of physiology through self-directed research with only certain aspects being covered in large-group resource sessions (LGRSs). It has gradually become evident that this approach has resulted in significant gaps in students' understanding of basic physiological concepts. A survey of student perceptions of needs for physiology was undertaken to gain a better understanding of their perceived problems and also to inform them of proposed curricular changes. Students were asked to what extent they thought physiology was essential for their understanding of pathology, interpretation of patients' clinical signs and presentation of symptoms, and analysis of laboratory results. Students were also invited to detail the difficulties they experienced in understanding in LGRSs on clinical and physiological topics. The results of the survey indicate that greater interaction of students with experts is needed. In particular, students felt that they lacked the basic conceptual foundations essential for the learning and understanding of physiology, since the difficulties that the students identified are mainly terminological and conceptual in nature.

  19. Colorado Upper-Division Electrostatics diagnostic: A conceptual assessment for the junior level

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chasteen, Stephanie V.; Pepper, Rachel E.; Caballero, Marcos D.; Pollock, Steven J.; Perkins, Katherine K.

    2012-12-01

    As part of an effort to systematically improve our junior-level E&M I course, we have developed a tool to assess student conceptual learning of electrostatics at the upper division. Together with a group of physics faculty, we established a list of learning goals for the course that, with results from student observations and interviews, served as a guide in creating the Colorado Upper-Division Electrostatics (CUE) assessment. The result is a 17-question open-ended post-test diagnostic (with an optional 7-question pretest) and an accompanying grading rubric. We present measures of the validation and reliability of the instrument and grading rubric, plus results from 535 students in both standard and interactive-engagement courses across seven institutions as a baseline for the instrument. Overall, we find that the CUE is a valid and reliable measure, and the data herein are intended to be of use to researchers and faculty interested in using the CUE to measure student learning.

  20. Contextual Teaching and Learning Approach of Mathematics in Primary Schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Selvianiresa, D.; Prabawanto, S.

    2017-09-01

    The Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) approach is an approach involving active students in the learning process to discover the concepts learned through to knowledge and experience of the students. Similar to Piaget’s opinion that learning gives students an actives trying to do new things by relating their experiences and building their own minds. When students to connecting mathematics with real life, then students can looking between a conceptual to be learned with a concept that has been studied. So that, students can developing of mathematical connection ability. This research is quasi experiment with a primary school in the city of Kuningan. The result showed that CTL learning can be successful, when learning used a collaborative interaction with students, a high level of activity in the lesson, a connection to real-world contexts, and an integration of science content with other content and skill areas. Therefore, CTL learning can be applied by techer to mathematics learning in primary schools.

  1. Safety in numbers 4: The relationship between exposure to authentic and didactic environments and nursing students' learning of medication dosage calculation problem solving knowledge and skills.

    PubMed

    Weeks, Keith W; Clochesy, John M; Hutton, B Meriel; Moseley, Laurie

    2013-03-01

    Advancing the art and science of education practice requires a robust evaluation of the relationship between students' exposure to learning and assessment environments and the development of their cognitive competence (knowing that and why) and functional competence (know-how and skills). Healthcare education translation research requires specific education technology assessments and evaluations that consist of quantitative analyses of empirical data and qualitative evaluations of the lived student experience of the education journey and schemata construction (Weeks et al., 2013a). This paper focuses on the outcomes of UK PhD and USA post-doctorate experimental research. We evaluated the relationship between exposure to traditional didactic methods of education, prototypes of an authentic medication dosage calculation problem-solving (MDC-PS) environment and nursing students' construction of conceptual and calculation competence in medication dosage calculation problem-solving skills. Empirical outcomes from both UK and USA programmes of research identified highly significant differences in the construction of conceptual and calculation competence in MDC-PS following exposure to the authentic learning environment to that following exposure to traditional didactic transmission methods of education (p < 0.001). This research highlighted that for many students exposure to authentic learning environments is an essential first step in the development of conceptual and calculation competence and relevant schemata construction (internal representations of the relationship between the features of authentic dosage problems and calculation functions); and how authentic environments more ably support all cognitive (learning) styles in mathematics than traditional didactic methods of education. Functional competence evaluations are addressed in Macdonald et al. (2013) and Weeks et al. (2013e). Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  2. Examining the influence of formative assessment on conceptual accumulation and conceptual change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tomita, Miki K.

    This study explored the effect of formative assessment on student achievement in science. Research in science education has shown that students enter science classrooms with previously formed explanatory models of the natural world; these naive "mental models" have a substantial influence on their learning of scientific conceptions. In general, conceptual change describes the pathway from pre-instructional or prior conceptions to a post-instructional or desired conception. Conceptual change involves a fundamental restructuring of a network of concepts rather than fitting new concepts into an existing conceptual network or structure. Research has shown that conceptual change is difficult to promote; for example, students may accumulate multiple conceptions over the course of instruction, including both new misconceptions and more scientifically-sound conceptions. Hellden and Solomon (2004) found that although students tended to evoke the same, less-scientific conceptions over time, they could produce more scientifically-sound conceptions during interviews with appropriate prompting; thus, students undergo conceptual accumulation rather than conceptual change. Students can recall scientifically-sound conceptions they have learned and may use them to reason, but they do so in partnership or hybridization with their less-scientific prior conceptions. Formative assessment, which focuses on providing immediate feedback by acting upon student understanding during the course of instruction, and conceptual change have both been linked to increased student achievement. Formative assessment is an instructional strategy that helps teachers to assess students' current understanding, identify the gap between current understanding and expected understanding, and provide immediate and useful feedback to students on how to close the gap. Formative assessment ranges from formal (e.g. embedded, planned-for interactions between teacher and entire class) to informal (e.g. on-the-fly interactions between teacher and class or student). In this study, the links between formative assessment and conceptual accumulation and conceptual change were explored. Specifically, this study asked: (1) Does formative assessment promote conceptual accumulation, and (2) Does formative assessment promote conceptual change? It was hypothesized that conceptual change-focused formative assessment would foster conceptual change, in addition to supporting conceptual accumulation. It was further hypothesized that all students will show gains in conceptual accumulation as indicated by measures of declarative and procedural knowledge, but that students exposed to conceptual change-focused formative assessment would also show gains in conceptual change as indicated by measures of schematic knowledge or mental models. To research the effect of formative assessment on conceptual accumulation and conceptual change, a small randomized experiment involving 102 middle school students was conducted. In Phase I of the study, 52 6th graders were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group; in Phase II of this study, 50 7th graders were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. Both the control and experimental groups in both phases were taught about sinking and floating by the same teacher (the author) with identical curriculum materials and activities. In addition, the experimental group received three sets of embedded formative assessments focused on conceptual change around the topic of why things sink and float during the course of instruction. In Phase I of this study, both groups were kept at the same pace through the entire sequence of investigations. The control condition spent more time on some of the more critical FAST lessons, gathering additional data to support the theories the curriculum expected they would develop at a particular juncture but not receiving structured experiences aimed at addressing misconceptions. In Phase II, students in the control condition spent roughly the same time on each FAST lesson as those in the experimental condition (e.g. they finished the sequence of activities earlier because they did not have class sessions devoted to the RLs inserted at critical junctures) but participated in the formal assessments as a block of activities after they finished the FAST investigations and posttest measures. In other words, in addition to replicating Phase I, Phase II included a Reflective Lesson section for the control group after the end of the experiment proper, followed by a post-posttest. Overall, it was found that embedding conceptual change-focused formative assessments in the FAST curriculum significantly influenced conceptual change. It was also found that all students experienced significant gains in terms of their conceptual accumulation, regardless of exposure to the formative assessments. This study connected two previously isolated but theoretically linked educational frameworks: conceptual change and formative assessment. It was found that formative assessments can be used to promote conceptual change. It was also found that conceptual change is different than conceptual accumulation, in that students who show gains on measures of declarative and procedural knowledge do not necessarily show gains on measures of schematic knowledge. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

  3. The influence of formative assessments on student motivation, achievement, and conceptual change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yin, Yue

    2005-07-01

    This study connected research on formative assessment, motivation, and conceptual change. In particular, it examined three research questions: (1) Can formative assessment improve students' motivational beliefs? (2) Can formative assessment improve students' achievement in science and bring about conceptual change? and (3) Are students' science achievement and conceptual change correlated with their motivational beliefs? Formative assessment in this study refers to assessments embedded in an inquiry-based curriculum. To answer those questions, a randomized experiment was conducted. One thousand and two 6th or 7th graders of 12 teachers in 12 different schools in six states participated in the study. The 12 teachers were matched in pairs and randomly assigned to the experimental and control group. The experimental group employed embedded formative assessments while teaching a science curriculum unit and the control group taught the same unit without formative assessments. All the students were given a motivation survey and one or more achievement tests at pre- and posttest. By comparing the experimental and control students' motivation and achievement scores at pretest and posttest, I examined whether the formative assessment treatment affected students' motivation, learning, and conceptual change. By correlating students' posttest motivation, achievement as well as conceptual change scores, I examined whether students' motivation was related to their achievement and conceptual change. Analyses indicated that, the embedded assessments used by the experimental group did not significantly influence students' motivation, achievement, or conceptual change compared to students in the control group. Most motivation beliefs were correlated with students' achievement in a way similar to what has been reported in the literature. They were not correlated with students' conceptual change scores as hypothesized. Teachers, as well as some contextual factors associated with teachers, were extremely influential on students' motivation, achievement, and conceptual change; teacher effects overshadowed the treatment effect. This study revealed many of the challenges and problems teachers, researchers and randomized experiments are likely to encounter. It also highlighted the difficulty and importance of high-fidelity formative assessment implementation. Finally, it suggested that a cognitive approach in studying conceptual change still has great value to further research.

  4. Creating meaningful learning experiences: Understanding students' perspectives of engineering design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aleong, Richard James Chung Mun

    There is a societal need for design education to prepare holistic engineers with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to innovate and compete globally. Design skills are paramount to the espoused values of higher education, as institutions of higher learning strive to develop in students the cognitive abilities of critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity. To meet these interests from industry and academia, it is important to advance the teaching and learning of engineering design. This research aims to understand how engineering students learn and think about design, as a way for engineering educators to optimize instructional practice and curriculum development. Qualitative research methodology was used to investigate the meaning that engineering students' ascribe to engineering design. The recruitment of participants and corresponding collection of data occurred in two phases using two different data collection techniques. The first phase involved the distribution of a one-time online questionnaire to all first year, third year, and fourth year undergraduate engineering students at three Canadian Universities. After the questionnaire, students were asked if they would be willing to participate in the second phase of data collection consisting of a personal interview. A total of ten students participated in interviews. Qualitative data analysis procedures were conducted on students' responses from the questionnaire and interviews. The data analysis process consisted of two phases: a descriptive phase to code and categorize the data, followed by an interpretative phase to generate further meaning and relationships. The research findings present a conceptual understanding of students' descriptions about engineering design, structured within two educational orientations: a learning studies orientation and a curriculum studies orientation. The learning studies orientation captured three themes of students' understanding of engineering design: awareness, relevance, and transfer. With this framework of student learning, engineering educators can enhance learning experiences by engaging all three levels of students' understanding. The curriculum studies orientation applied the three holistic elements of curriculum---subject matter, society, and the individual---to conceptualize design considerations for engineering curriculum and teaching practice. This research supports the characterization of students' learning experiences to help educators and students optimize their teaching and learning of design education.

  5. Applied Comparative Effectiveness Researchers Must Measure Learning Rates: A Commentary on Efficiency Articles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skinner, Christopher H.

    2010-01-01

    Almost all academic skills deficits can be conceptualized as learning rate problems as students are not failing to learn, but not learning rapidly enough. Thus, when selecting among various possible remedial procedures, educators need an evidence base that indicates which procedure results in the greatest increases in learning rates. Previous…

  6. Understanding How Service Learning Pedagogy Impacts Student Learning Objectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Liz; Calvano, Lisa

    2018-01-01

    Service learning (SL) is gaining popularity in business schools as a way to supplement traditional pedagogies. Research indicates that SL improves particular learning outcomes, but little is known about how this happens. Using Kolb's theory of experiential learning, the authors develop and test a conceptual model that explains how SL activates the…

  7. Experiential Learning Theory as a Guide for Effective Teaching.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murrell, Patricia H.; Claxton, Charles S.

    1987-01-01

    David Kolb's experiential learning theory involves a framework useful in designing courses that meet needs of diverse learners. Course designs providing systematic activities in concrete experience, reflective observations, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation will be sensitive to students' learning styles while challenging…

  8. The Effect of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies on Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ergen, Binnur; Kanadli, Sedat

    2017-01-01

    Problem Statement: Self-regulated learning strategies (cognitive, metacognitive, resource management, and motivational strategies) influence students' academic achievement, conceptual understanding, and motivation. Reviewing the national literature about self-regulated learning strategies, studies have indicated both significant and insignificant…

  9. Using Learning Trajectories to Enhance Formative Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ebby, Caroline B.; Petit, Marjorie

    2017-01-01

    A learning trajectory describes the progression of student thinking and strategies over time in terms of sophistication of both conceptual understanding and procedural fluency. Currently, learning trajectories exist in the research literature for many mathematical domains, including counting, addition and subtraction, multiplicative thinking,…

  10. The Ontologies of Complexity and Learning about Complex Systems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacobson, Michael J.; Kapur, Manu; So, Hyo-Jeong; Lee, June

    2011-01-01

    This paper discusses a study of students learning core conceptual perspectives from recent scientific research on complexity using a hypermedia learning environment in which different types of scaffolding were provided. Three comparison groups used a hypermedia system with agent-based models and scaffolds for problem-based learning activities that…

  11. The effects of school gardens on students and schools: conceptualization and considerations for maximizing healthy development.

    PubMed

    Ozer, Emily J

    2007-12-01

    There are thousands of school gardens in the United States, and there is anecdotal evidence that school garden programs can enhance students' learning in academic, social, and health-related domains. There has been little rigorous research, however, on the effects of school gardens or on the factors that promote the sustainability of these programs. This review draws on ecological theory to conceptualize school gardens as systemic interventions with the potential for promoting the health and well-being of individual students in multiple interdependent domains and for strengthening the school environment as a setting for positive youth development. This review (a) summarizes the small literature regarding the impact of school garden curricula on student or school functioning, (b) provides a conceptual framework to guide future inquiry, (c) discusses implications of this conceptualization for practice, and (d) suggests further research needed to better inform practice.

  12. Du changement conceptuel a la complexification conceptuelle dans l'apprentissage des sciences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belanger, Michel

    Science learning has often been thought as a replacement process; learners' spontaneous ideas must be replaced by scientific ones. Many learning models in science education were formulated in this way (at least implicitly). But theses spontaneous ideas proved to be more resistant than initially thought. Several researchers concluded that students often possess an odd combination of intuitive and scientific ideas. Generally, the phenomenon of "multiple conceptions" refers to students having a repertoire of different conceptions, each associated with a context of relevance. A number of researchers in science education constructed models of this phenomenon, but none included a systematic treatment of what we consider one of its most important aspects: the fact that these multiple conceptions are not isolated within the cognitive structure, but integrated into a whole in many ways. This whole constitute a complex of conceptions, whence our utilisation of the expression "conceptual complexification" to designate this form of learning. Using ideas in the conceptual change literature and in philosophy of science, we propose five kinds of cognitive structures that could play an intermediary role between alternative conceptions, allowing the management of their multiplicity: descriptive, evaluative, explicative, transformative, and decisional. In the empirical section of the research, we explore specifically decisional structures, which are responsible for the selection of one conception of the repertoire. In order to do so, we submitted two series of tasks to eight collegial and undergraduate students in two situations. In the first tasks, subjects are asked to explain three phenomena (one biological and two physical) to fictive audiences of various ages (6 to 15 years old). In the second tasks, students' understanding of the quantum version of the Young's interference experiment is probed in order study their understanding of the demarcation between quantum and classical mechanics. In these two situations, students appear to make use of two different strategies for selecting between alternative conceptions. Many topics of science education are briefly touched in this research. The conceptual complexification model that we propose could constitute an interesting theoretical framework for their future study. Keywords: conceptual change, multiple conceptions, conceptual complexification, quantum mechanic learning, popularization, history of science.

  13. Investigating the Usability and Efficacy of Customizable Computer Coaches for Introductory Physics Problem Solving

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aryal, Bijaya

    2016-03-01

    We have studied the impacts of web-based Computer Coaches on educational outputs and outcomes. This presentation will describe the technical and conceptual framework related to the Coaches and discuss undergraduate students' favorability of the Coaches. Moreover, its impacts on students' physics problem solving performance and on their conceptual understanding of physics will be reported. We used a qualitative research technique to collect and analyze interview data from 19 undergraduate students who used the Coaches in the interview setting. The empirical results show that the favorability and efficacy of the Computer Coaches differ considerably across students of different educational backgrounds, preparation levels, attitudes and epistemologies about physics learning. The interview data shows that female students tend to have more favorability supporting the use of the Coach. Likewise, our assessment suggests that female students seem to benefit more from the Coaches in their problem solving performance and in conceptual learning of physics. Finally, the analysis finds evidence that the Coach has potential for increasing efficiency in usage and for improving students' educational outputs and outcomes under its customized usage. This work was partially supported by the Center for Educational Innovation, Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, University of Minnesota.

  14. The Effectiveness of Brain-Based Teaching Approach in Dealing with the Problems of Students' Conceptual Understanding and Learning Motivation towards Physics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saleh, Salmiza

    2012-01-01

    Teachers of science-based education in Malaysian secondary schools, especially those in the field of physics, often find their students facing huge difficulties in dealing with conceptual ideas in physics, resulting thus in a lack of interest towards the subject. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the Brain-Based Teaching…

  15. "I Understand Why People Need to Ease Their Emotions": Exploring Mindfulness and Emotions in a Conceptual Physics Classroom of an Elementary Teacher Education Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Powietrzynska, Malgorzata; Gangji, Al-Karim H.

    2016-01-01

    In this manuscript we bring to focus student perceptions of salience (or lack of thereof) of emotions in the undergraduate conceptual physics course (in the teacher education program) and their relevance to teaching and learning. Our analysis of student responses to the Mindfulness in Education Heuristic constitutes a feedback loop affording the…

  16. Using Real-Life Activities in an Interactive Engagement Manner in the Teaching and Learning of Newton's First Law of Motion in a Ghanaian University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Antwi, Victor

    2015-01-01

    Most Ghanaian university physics students depend on rote learning and rote problem solving, without having the conceptual knowledge of concepts that are being studied. This is so because the Ghanaian style of setting and answering of questions favour those students who have the ability to do rote memorization of learning. The instructors start…

  17. Assessing the influence of field- and GIS-based inquiry on student attitude and conceptual knowledge in an undergraduate ecology lab.

    PubMed

    Simmons, M E; Wu, X B; Knight, S L; Lopez, R R

    2008-01-01

    Combining field experience with use of information technology has the potential to create a problem-based learning environment that engages learners in authentic scientific inquiry. This study, conducted over a 2-yr period, determined differences in attitudes and conceptual knowledge between students in a field lab and students with combined field and geographic information systems (GIS) experience. All students used radio-telemetry equipment to locate fox squirrels, while one group of students was provided an additional data set in a GIS to visualize and quantify squirrel locations. Pre/postsurveys and tests revealed that attitudes improved in year 1 for both groups of students, but differences were minimal between groups. Attitudes generally declined in year 2 due to a change in the authenticity of the field experience; however, attitudes for students that used GIS declined less than those with field experience only. Conceptual knowledge also increased for both groups in both years. The field-based nature of this lab likely had a greater influence on student attitude and conceptual knowledge than did the use of GIS. Although significant differences were limited, GIS did not negatively impact student attitude or conceptual knowledge but potentially provided other benefits to learners.

  18. Back to the future with hands-on science: students' perceptions of learning anatomy and physiology.

    PubMed

    Johnston, Amy Nicole Burne; McAllister, Margaret

    2008-09-01

    This article examines student perceptions of learning related to anatomy and physiology in a bachelor of nursing program. One strategy to teach the sciences is simulated learning, a technology that offers exciting potential. Virtual environments for laboratory learning may offer numerous benefits: teachers can convey information to a larger group of students, reducing the need for small laboratory classes; less equipment is required, thus containing ongoing costs; and students can learn in their own time and place. However, simulated learning may also diminish access to the teacher-student relationship and the opportunity for guided practice and guided linking of theory with practice. Without this hands-on experience, there is a risk that students will not engage as effectively, and thus conceptual learning and the development of critical thinking skills are diminished. However, student perceptions of these learning experiences are largely unknown. Thus, this study examined students' perceptions of anatomy and physiology laboratory experiences and the importance they placed on hands-on experience in laboratory settings.

  19. Investigating and improving student understanding of quantum mechanics in the context of single photon interference

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marshman, Emily; Singh, Chandralekha

    2017-06-01

    Single photon experiments involving a Mach-Zehnder interferometer can illustrate the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, e.g., the wave-particle duality of a single photon, single photon interference, and the probabilistic nature of quantum measurement involving single photons. These experiments explicitly make the connection between the abstract quantum theory and concrete laboratory settings and have the potential to help students develop a solid grasp of the foundational issues in quantum mechanics. Here we describe students' conceptual difficulties with these topics in the context of Mach-Zehnder interferometer experiments with single photons and how the difficulties found in written surveys and individual interviews were used as a guide in the development of a Quantum Interactive Learning Tutorial (QuILT). The QuILT uses an inquiry-based approach to learning and takes into account the conceptual difficulties found via research to help upper-level undergraduate and graduate students learn about foundational quantum mechanics concepts using the concrete quantum optics context. It strives to help students learn the basics of quantum mechanics in the context of single photon experiment, develop the ability to apply fundamental quantum principles to experimental situations in quantum optics, and explore the differences between classical and quantum ideas in a concrete context. We discuss the findings from in-class evaluations suggesting that the QuILT was effective in helping students learn these abstract concepts.

  20. Cross-cultural undergraduate medical education in North America: theoretical concepts and educational approaches.

    PubMed

    Reitmanova, Sylvia

    2011-04-01

    Cross-cultural undergraduate medical education in North America lacks conceptual clarity. Consequently, school curricula are unsystematic, nonuniform, and fragmented. This article provides a literature review about available conceptual models of cross-cultural medical education. The clarification of these models may inform the development of effective educational programs to enable students to provide better quality care to patients from diverse sociocultural backgrounds. The approaches to cross-cultural health education can be organized under the rubric of two specific conceptual models: cultural competence and critical culturalism. The variation in the conception of culture adopted in these two models results in differences in all curricular components: learning outcomes, content, educational strategies, teaching methods, student assessment, and program evaluation. Medical schools could benefit from more theoretical guidance on the learning outcomes, content, and educational strategies provided to them by governing and licensing bodies. More student assessments and program evaluations are needed in order to appraise the effectiveness of cross-cultural undergraduate medical education.

  1. Conceptualizing School-Based Teacher Learning from Teachers' Points of View: Holistically Leveraging Formal, Informal, and Independent Learning Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Monty; Dexter, Sara

    2016-01-01

    Improving in-service teacher education is paramount to improving student learning outcomes, and while research in this area typically examines formal teacher learning opportunities, emerging research indicates that teachers also engage in informal and independent modes of learning. Our inquiry into how teachers learned about integrating technology…

  2. "I Don't Like Hearing Angel and Not Seeing Her! Why Did We Do That?" An Exploration of Students' Media Literacy Development through Production

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luchs, Michele; Emery, Winston

    2004-01-01

    In this exploratory case study we look at student media production to find out what students know and have learned about the media through production work. We used a media education conceptual framework developed by Dick as a means of describing the day to day media learning of a group of ten students, four girls and six boys, producing a video…

  3. The Dilemma of Case-Based Teaching and Learning in Science in Hong Kong: Students Need It, Want It, but May Not Value It. Research Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNaught, Carmel; Lau, W. M.; Lam, Paul; Hui, Mark Y. Y.; Au, Peter C. T.

    2005-01-01

    The paper reports a study for determining a suitable process for converting traditional surface science courses into case-based learning ones in two universities in Hong Kong. In this preparative study, a set of baseline data was collected on the current level of students' conceptual understanding and also students' perceptions about the…

  4. Inquiry-Based Science Instruction in High School Biology Courses: A Multiple Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aso, Eze

    2014-01-01

    A lack of research exists about how secondary school science teachers use inquiry-based instruction to improve student learning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how science teachers used inquiry-based instruction to improve student learning in high school biology courses. The conceptual framework was based on Banchi and Bell's…

  5. Students' Conceptions on White Light and Implications for Teaching and Learning about Colour

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haagen-Schützenhöfer, Claudia

    2017-01-01

    The quality of learning processes is mainly determined by the extent to which students' conceptions are addressed and thus conceptual change is triggered. Colour phenomena are a topic within initial instruction of optics which is challenging. A physically adequate concept of white light is crucial for being able to grasp the processes underlying…

  6. Identifying Atomic Structure as a Threshold Concept: Student Mental Models and Troublesomeness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Eun Jung; Light, Gregory

    2009-01-01

    Atomic theory or the nature of matter is a principal concept in science and science education. This has, however, been complicated by the difficulty students have in learning the concept and the subsequent construction of many alternative models. To understand better the conceptual barriers to learning atomic structure, this study explores the…

  7. A Novel Tool to Facilitate the Learning of Thermodynamic Principles by Undergraduate Students of the Biological Area

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carvalho, Eduardo O.; Araki, Marcelo K.; Freitas, Sergio F.; de Godoy, Carlos M. G.; Faljoni-Alario, Adelaide; Frare-Junior, Pedro L.; Nantes, Iseli L.

    2009-01-01

    This study describes the application and evaluation of a novel didactic tool (thermodynamic device) developed for students in the area of biology who have conceptual deficiencies that render the learning of thermodynamic principles difficult. Systems of communicant vessels with equal and different compartments were constructed to correlate the…

  8. Expanding the Conversation about SEM: Advancing SEM Efforts to Improve Student Learning and Persistence--Part II

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yale, Amanda

    2010-01-01

    The first article in this two-part series focused on the need for enrollment management conceptual and organizational models to focus more intentionally and purposefully on efforts related to improving student learning, success, and persistence. Time and again, SEM is viewed from a conventional lens comprising marketing, recruitment and …

  9. Examining Professional Learning and the Preparation of Professionally Competent Teachers in Initial Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tang, Sylvia Y. F.; Wong, Angel K. Y.; Cheng, May M. H.

    2016-01-01

    The relative contributions of higher education and schools, and hence the conceptual and practical aspects of ITE, to student teachers' professional learning have been an issue of concern in teacher education. This article reports a mixed-methods study showing the relationship between student teachers' engagement with the practical and conceptual…

  10. The Role of Argumentation in Hypothetico-Deductive Reasoning during Problem-Based Learning in Medical Education: A Conceptual Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ju, Hyunjung; Choi, Ikseon

    2018-01-01

    One of the important goals of problem-based learning (PBL) in medical education is to enhance medical students' clinical reasoning--hypothetico-deductive reasoning (HDR) in particular--through small group discussions. However, few studies have focused on explicit strategies for promoting students' HDR during group discussions in PBL. This paper…

  11. "What's Positive about Positive Rights?" Students' Everyday Understandings and the Challenges of Teaching Political Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ekström, Linda; Lundholm, Cecilia

    2018-01-01

    A review of research into teaching and learning in political science education concludes that this literature emphasizes student outcomes and "show and tell" descriptions of pedagogical interventions (Craig 2014). The present study instead aims to open the "black box" of conceptual learning in political science, illustrating…

  12. Helping Students Understand the Role of Symmetry in Chemistry Using the Particle-in-a-Box Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manae, Meghna A.; Hazra, Anirban

    2016-01-01

    In a course on chemical applications of symmetry and group theory, students learn to use several useful tools (like character tables, projection operators, and correlation tables), but in the process of learning the mathematical details, they often miss the conceptual big picture about "why" and "how" symmetry leads to the…

  13. Positive Psychology and Self-Efficacy: Potential Benefits for College Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Costello, Carla A.; Stone, Sharon L. M.

    2012-01-01

    In this article, the authors examine strategies for supporting college students with learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from the conceptual frameworks of positive psychology and self-efficacy theory. Higher education professionals can use principles taken from the relatively new field of positive…

  14. Using Creative Dramatics to Foster Conceptual Learning in a Science Enrichment Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hendrix, Rebecca Compton

    2011-01-01

    This study made analysis of how the integration of creative drama into a science enrichment program enhanced the learning of elementary school students' understanding of sound physics and solar energy. The study also sought to determine if student attitudes toward science could be improved with the inclusion of creative drama as an extension…

  15. Work-Based Learning Opportunities for High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alfeld, Corinne; Charner, Ivan; Johnson, Lisa; Watts, Eric

    2013-01-01

    This report describes the Year 5 work of the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education's (NRCCTE) Technical Assistance (TA) Academy. In 2011-2012, the TA plan carried out by FHI 360 on behalf of the NRCCTE focused on developing a conceptual base for work-based learning (WBL), a strategy that helps students apply academic and…

  16. Teaching for Conceptual Change in Elementary and Secondary Science Methods Courses.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marion, Robin; Hewson, Peter W.; Tabachnick, B. Robert; Blomker, Kathryn B.

    1999-01-01

    Describes and analyzes two science methods courses at the elementary and secondary levels for how they addressed four ideas: (1) how students learn science; (2) how teachers teach science to students; (3) how prospective science teachers learn about the first two ideas; and (4) how methods instructors teach prospective science teachers about the…

  17. Investigating Students' Modes of Thinking in Linear Algebra: The Case of Linear Independence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Çelik, Derya

    2015-01-01

    Linear algebra is one of the most challenging topics to learn and teach in many countries. To facilitate the teaching and learning of linear algebra, priority should be given to epistemologically analyze the concepts that the undergraduate students have difficulty in conceptualizing and to define their ways of reasoning in linear algebra. After…

  18. Throwing Paper Wads in the Chemistry Classroom: Really Active Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Orvis, Jessica N.; Orvis, Jeffrey A.

    2005-01-01

    Active engagement in the classroom is one of the best tools available for overcoming conceptual difficulties. Science educators agree that students of all ages learn more by participating actively in the interpretation of scientific phenomena (NAS 2003; NSF 1998). In this article, the authors describe demonstrations in class using paper wads as an…

  19. The Effect of Visual Variability on the Learning of Academic Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bourgoyne, Ashley; Alt, Mary

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify effects of variability of visual input on development of conceptual representations of academic concepts for college-age students with normal language (NL) and those with language-learning disabilities (LLD). Method: Students with NL (n = 11) and LLD (n = 11) participated in a computer-based…

  20. Conceptual Types of Korean High School Students and Their Influences on Learning Style.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cho, In-Young; Park, Hyun-Ju; Choi, Byung-Soon

    This study focused on high school students' conceptions and substantial concept change learning processes when studying the kinetic theory of gases. The study was conducted in 1998 in four classes of a public metropolitan high school in South Korea. Data was collected through semistructured and in-depth interviews and participant observation of…

  1. The role of language in learning physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brookes, David T.

    Many studies in PER suggest that language poses a serious difficulty for students learning physics. These difficulties are mostly attributed to misunderstanding of specialized terminology. This terminology often assigns new meanings to everyday terms used to describe physical models and phenomena. In this dissertation I present a novel approach to analyzing of the role of language in learning physics. This approach is based on the analysis of the historical development of physics ideas, the language of modern physicists, and students' difficulties in the areas of quantum mechanics, classical mechanics, and thermodynamics. These data are analyzed using linguistic tools borrowed from cognitive linguistics and systemic functional grammar. Specifically, I combine the idea of conceptual metaphor and grammar to build a theoretical framework that accounts for: (1) the role and function that language serves for physicists when they speak and reason about physical ideas and phenomena, (2) specific features of students' reasoning and difficulties that may be related to or derived from language that students read or hear. The theoretical framework is developed using the methodology of a grounded theoretical approach. The theoretical framework allows us to make predictions about the relationship between student discourse and their conceptual and problem solving difficulties. Tests of the theoretical framework are presented in the context of "heat" in thermodynamics and "force" in dynamics. In each case the language that students use to reason about the concepts of "heat" and "force" is analyzed using the theoretical framework. The results of this analysis show that language is very important in students' learning. In particular, students are (1) using features of physicists' conceptual metaphors to reason about physical phenomena, often overextending and misapplying these features, (2) drawing cues from the grammar of physicists' speech and writing to categorize physics concepts; this categorization of physics concepts plays a key role in students' ability to solve physics problems. In summary, I present a theoretical framework that provides a possible explanation of the role that language plays in learning physics. The framework also attempts to account for how and why physicists' language influences students in the way that it does.

  2. The development and validation of Science Learning Inventory (SLI): A conceptual change framework

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seyedmonir, Mehdi

    2000-12-01

    A multidimensional theoretical model, Conceptual Change Science Learning (CCSL), was developed based on Standard Model of Conceptual Change and Cognitive Reconstruction of Knowledge Model. The model addresses three main components of science learning, namely the learner's conceptual ecology, the message along with its social context, and the cognitive engagement. A learner's conceptual ecology is organized around three clusters, including epistemological beliefs, existing conceptions, and motivation. Learner's cognitive engagement is represented by a continuum from peripheral processing involving shallow cognitive engagement to central processing involving deep cognitive engagement. Through reciprocal, non-sequential interactions of such constructs, the learners' conceptual change is achieved. Using a quantitative empirical approach, three studies were conducted to investigate the theoretical constructs based on the CCSL Model. The first study reports the development and validation of the hypothesized and factor-analytic scales comprising the instrument, Science Learning Inventory (SLI) intended for college students. The self-report instrument was designed in two parts, SLI-A (conceptual ecology and cognitive engagement) with 48 initial items, and SLI-B (science epistemology) with 49 initial items. The items for SLI-B were based on the tenets of Nature of Science as reflected in the recent reform documents, Science for All Americans (Project 2061) and National Science Education Standards. The results of factor analysis indicated seven factors for SLI-A and four factors for SLI-B. The second study investigated the criterion-related (conceptual change) predictive validity of the SLI in an instructional setting (a college-level physics course). The findings suggested the possibility of different interplay of factors and dynamics depending on the nature of the criterion (gain scores from a three-week intervention versus final course grade). Gain scores were predicted by "self-reflective study behavior" and "science self-efficacy" scales of SLI, whereas the course grade was predicted by "metacognitive engagement" and "dynamic scientific truth," (a factor from science epistemology). The third study investigated the effects of text-based conceptual-change strategy (Enhanced Refutational Text; ERT) on Newtonian Laws of Motion, and the efficacy of the SLI scales in a controlled setting. Also, initial divergent and convergent validity procedures are reported in the study. The results provided partial support for the superiority of ERT over expository text. The ERT was an effective intervention for students with no prior physics background but not for students with prior physics background.

  3. Models that Matter

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hitt, Austin; Townsend, Jeffery Scott

    2004-01-01

    Chemistry is a difficult subject for students to understand because its core concepts--atoms, molecules, and chemical bonds--cannot be directly observed. Students primarily learn chemistry through their senses and do not distinguish between explanations at different conceptual levels. In order to master chemistry, students must develop an…

  4. Occasional Papers in Open and Distance Learning, Number 18.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donnan, Peter, Ed.

    Six papers examine innovations and trends in distance learning, frequently drawing upon empirical research or informal observations on distance learning students at Charles Sturt University (Australia). "On-Line Study Packages for Distance Education: Some Considerations of Conceptual Parameters" (Dirk M. R. Spennemann) discusses issues…

  5. Exploring Visuospatial Thinking in Chemistry Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, Hsin-Kai; Shah, Priti

    2004-01-01

    In this article, we examine the role of visuospatial cognition in chemistry learning. We review three related kinds of literature: correlational studies of spatial abilities and chemistry learning, students' conceptual errors and difficulties understanding visual representations, and visualization tools that have been designed to help overcome…

  6. Teaching Multicultural Awareness and Mentoring Minority Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pierce, Latoya Anderson

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: This paper includes a proposed model for working with diverse students both in the classroom and as faculty mentors. This paper aims to provide guidelines on creating a collaborative learning community, helping students engage in cultural self-awareness and mentoring minority students. Design/methodology/approach: As a conceptual piece,…

  7. Academic Advising in a Virtual University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steele, George E.; Thurmond, Karen C.

    2009-01-01

    Many institutions are implementing personalized Web-based student services, which will have a profound effect on interacting with students and achieving learning outcomes for students at a distance. A new conceptual model is necessary for describing the relationship between the advisor and students, as mitigated through use of technology. In this…

  8. A cross-cultural, multilevel study of inquiry-based instruction effects on conceptual understanding and motivation in physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Negishi, Meiko

    Student achievement and motivation to learn physics is highly valued in many industrialized countries including the United States and Japan. Science education curricula in these countries emphasize the importance and encourage classroom teachers to use an inquiry approach. This dissertation investigated high school students' motivational orientations and their understanding of physics concepts in a context of inquiry-based instruction. The goals were to explore the patterns of instructional effects on motivation and learning in each country and to examine cultural differences and similarities. Participants consisted of 108 students (55 females, 53 males) and 9 physics teachers in the United States and 616 students (203 females and 413 males) and 11 physics teachers in Japan. Students were administered (a) Force Concept Inventory measuring physics conceptual understanding and (b) Attitudes about Science Questionnaire measuring student motivational orientations. Teachers were given a survey regarding their use of inquiry teaching practices and background information. Additionally, three teachers in each country were interviewed and observed in their classrooms. For the data analysis, two-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) methods were used to examine individual student differences (i.e., learning, motivation, and gender) within each classroom (i.e., inquiry-based teaching, teaching experience, and class size) in the U.S. and Japan, separately. Descriptive statistical analyses were also conducted. The results indicated that there was a cultural similarity in that current teaching practices had minimal influence on conceptual understanding as well as motivation of high school students between the U.S. and Japan. In contrast, cultural differences were observed in classroom structures and instructional approaches. Furthermore, this study revealed gender inequity in Japanese students' conceptual understanding and self-efficacy. Limitations of the study, as well as implications for high school physics teachers are discussed. Future research in this line could explore students' use of cognitive strategies to overcome misconceptions in Western and Eastern cultures. Also, exploring the best practices in changing student misconceptions and promoting motivation across cultures would enrich our understanding and current teaching practices.

  9. Aportes del Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas (ABP) en la ensenanza de la Fisiologia Animal en un programa de Zootecnia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reinartz-Estrada, Monica

    Based on difficulties observed on the subject of technical-scientific conceptualization and the integration of theory and practice in learning animal physiology for students in the Animal Science program at the National University of Colombia in Medellin, this research paper proposes a problem-based learning strategy founded on the method of Problem Based Learning (PBL), applied specifically to the issues of thermoregulation and physiological stress in domestic animals. In this case study, a sample size of eight students was presented with a pedagogical problem during the first session that would then be solved during the course. In order to evaluate the process, three surveys were conducted called Level Test Formulations (NF) performed at different times of the trial: one before beginning the topic (NF 1), one after three theoretical classes had been given and before beginning the fieldwork (NF 2), and another one after the end of the process (NF 3). Finally, individual interviews were conducted with each student to know the students' perceptions regarding the method. The information obtained was subjected to a qualitative analysis and categorization, using the QDA Miner program which reviewed and coded texts from the surveys and individual interviews, supplemented in turn, by field observation, analyzing the conceptual change, the theory-practice relationship and the correlation between the variables and categories established. Among the main results obtained, it should be noted that following the implementation of PBL in this Animal Physiology course, support for conceptual change was demonstrated and the formulated problem served as a connector between theory and practice. Moreover, there was a fusion of prior knowledge with newly acquired knowledge, meaningful learning, improvement in the level of conceptualization and an increase in the scientificness of definitions; it also led to problem-solving and overcoming epistemological obstacles such as multidisciplinarity and nonlinearity. As a result of this research, it is recommended that this method be evaluated in other topics related to Animal Physiology, in other sciences, in larger sample sizes, as well as to address the issue of evaluation applied directly to this method. Key words: Problem Based Learning (PBL), conceptual change, integration of theory and practice, significatif learning, animal physiology, thermoregulation, physiological stress.

  10. Design Patterns for Learning and Assessment: Facilitating the Introduction of a Complex Simulation-Based Learning Environment into a Community of Instructors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Frezzo, Dennis C.; Behrens, John T.; Mislevy, Robert J.

    2010-04-01

    Simulation environments make it possible for science and engineering students to learn to interact with complex systems. Putting these capabilities to effective use for learning, and assessing learning, requires more than a simulation environment alone. It requires a conceptual framework for the knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking that are meant to be developed, in order to design activities that target these capabilities. The challenges of using simulation environments effectively are especially daunting in dispersed social systems. This article describes how these challenges were addressed in the context of the Cisco Networking Academies with a simulation tool for computer networks called Packet Tracer. The focus is on a conceptual support framework for instructors in over 9,000 institutions around the world for using Packet Tracer in instruction and assessment, by learning to create problem-solving scenarios that are at once tuned to the local needs of their students and consistent with the epistemic frame of "thinking like a network engineer." We describe a layered framework of tools and interfaces above the network simulator that supports the use of Packet Tracer in the distributed community of instructors and students.

  11. Assessing the Learning Environment for Medical Students: An Evaluation of a Novel Survey Instrument in Four Medical Schools.

    PubMed

    Pololi, Linda H; Evans, Arthur T; Nickell, Leslie; Reboli, Annette C; Coplit, Lisa D; Stuber, Margaret L; Vasiliou, Vasilia; Civian, Janet T; Brennan, Robert T

    2017-06-01

    A practical, reliable, and valid instrument is needed to measure the impact of the learning environment on medical students' well-being and educational experience and to meet medical school accreditation requirements. From 2012 to 2015, medical students were surveyed at the end of their first, second, and third year of studies at four medical schools. The survey assessed students' perceptions of the following nine dimensions of the school culture: vitality, self-efficacy, institutional support, relationships/inclusion, values alignment, ethical/moral distress, work-life integration, gender equity, and ethnic minority equity. The internal reliability of each of the nine dimensions was measured. Construct validity was evaluated by assessing relationships predicted by our conceptual model and prior research. Assessment was made of whether the measurements were sensitive to differences over time and across institutions. Six hundred and eighty-six students completed the survey (49 % women; 9 % underrepresented minorities), with a response rate of 89 % (range over the student cohorts 72-100 %). Internal consistency of each dimension was high (Cronbach's α 0.71-0.86). The instrument was able to detect significant differences in the learning environment across institutions and over time. Construct validity was supported by demonstrating several relationships predicted by our conceptual model. The C-Change Medical Student Survey is a practical, reliable, and valid instrument for assessing the learning environment of medical students. Because it is sensitive to changes over time and differences across institution, results could potentially be used to facilitate and monitor improvements in the learning environment of medical students.

  12. Moodle as a Learning Environment in Promoting Conceptual Understanding for Secondary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Psycharis, Sarantos; Chalatzoglidis, Georgios; Kalogiannakis, Michail

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of e-learning, as a pedagogical tool, for changing initial conceptions when learning about physics by using the learning management System of the Moodle platform. Our study provides an empirical exploration of the pedagogical use of Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) in order to…

  13. Can Abstract Concepts Be Taught to All Students?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fields, Steve

    A review of the literature was conducted to determine if there are instructional treatments that are effective at fostering the learning (conceptualization) of abstract concepts and what personal and/or cognitive attributes favor conceptualization. Areas addressed include: reporting relative effectiveness of findings (including the reporting of…

  14. Components of Conceptual Ecologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Hyun Ju

    2007-01-01

    The theory of conceptual change is criticized because it focuses only on supposed underlying logical structures and rational process processes, and lacks attention to affective aspects as well as motivational constructs in students' learning science. This is a vast underestimation of the complexity and diversity of one's change of conceptions. The…

  15. Effects of Problem-Based Learning with Web-Anchored Instruction in Nanotechnology on the Science Conceptual Understanding, the Attitude towards Science, and the Perception of Science in Society of Elementary Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yurick, Karla Anne

    2011-01-01

    This study explored the effects of Problem-Based Leaning (PBL) with web-anchored instruction in nanotechnology on the science conceptual understanding, the attitude towards science, and the perception of science in society of elementary students. A mixed-methods approach was used. Subjects (N=46) participated in the study for approximately two…

  16. A Study of General Education Astronomy Students' Understandings of Cosmology. Part V. The Effects of a New Suite of Cosmology "Lecture-Tutorials" on Students' Conceptual Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wallace, Colin S.; Prather, Edward E.; Duncan, Douglas K.

    2012-01-01

    This is the final paper in a five-paper series describing our national study of the teaching and learning of cosmology in general education astronomy college-level courses. A significant portion of this work was dedicated to the development of five new "Lecture-Tutorials" that focus on addressing the conceptual and reasoning difficulties that our…

  17. The 4A Metric Algorithm: A Unique E-Learning Engineering Solution Designed via Neuroscience to Counter Cheating and Reduce Its Recidivism by Measuring Student Growth through Systemic Sequential Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osler, James Edward

    2016-01-01

    This paper provides a novel instructional methodology that is a unique E-Learning engineered "4A Metric Algorithm" designed to conceptually address the four main challenges faced by 21st century students, who are tempted to cheat in a myriad of higher education settings (face to face, hybrid, and online). The algorithmic online…

  18. A hypothetical learning trajectory for conceptualizing matrices as linear transformations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andrews-Larson, Christine; Wawro, Megan; Zandieh, Michelle

    2017-08-01

    In this paper, we present a hypothetical learning trajectory (HLT) aimed at supporting students in developing flexible ways of reasoning about matrices as linear transformations in the context of introductory linear algebra. In our HLT, we highlight the integral role of the instructor in this development. Our HLT is based on the 'Italicizing N' task sequence, in which students work to generate, compose, and invert matrices that correspond to geometric transformations specified within the problem context. In particular, we describe the ways in which the students develop local transformation views of matrix multiplication (focused on individual mappings of input vectors to output vectors) and extend these local views to more global views in which matrices are conceptualized in terms of how they transform a space in a coordinated way.

  19. Effects of a Problem-based Structure of Physics Contents on Conceptual Learning and the Ability to Solve Problems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Becerra-Labra, Carlos; Gras-Martí, Albert; Martínez Torregrosa, Joaquín

    2012-05-01

    A model of teaching/learning is proposed based on a 'problem-based structure' of the contents of the course, in combination with a training in paper and pencil problem solving that emphasizes discussion and quantitative analysis, rather than formulae plug-in. The aim is to reverse the high failure and attrition rate among engineering undergraduates taking physics. A number of tests and questionnaires were administered to a group of students following a traditional lecture-based instruction, as well as to another group that was following an instruction scheme based on the proposed approach and the teaching materials developed ad hoc. The results show that students following the new method can develop scientific reasoning habits in problem-solving skills, and show gains in conceptual learning, attitudes and interests, and that the effects of this approach on learning are noticeable several months after the course is over.

  20. Assessing the Applicability of 3D Holographic Technology as an Enhanced Technology for Distance Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kalansooriya, Pradeep; Marasinghe, Ashu; Bandara, K. M. D. N.

    2015-01-01

    Distance learning has provided an excellent platform for students in geographically remote locations while enabling them to learn at their own pace and convenience. A number of technologies are currently being utilized to conceptualize, design, enhance and foster distance learning. Teleconferences, electronic field trips, podcasts, webinars, video…

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