Investigating Conceptual Change in Science Teaching and Learning

1
Investigating Conceptual Change in Science
Teaching and Learning

• How Establishing Community, Dialoging, and
  Journaling
• Work Together to Foster the Conceptual Change
  Process
• Sarah Laurens
• Whitehills Elementary
• Sixth Grade

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Rationale

• How to establish an environment conducive to the
  exchange of ideas as well as tools to document
  the students conceptual change process
• How to effectively teach for conceptual change
  within your districts science curriculum

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Interactive constructivist model of teaching and
learning

• challenge students ideas
• promote deep processing
• achieve conceptual change in science learning

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Establishing a Learning Community

• Learning-centered classroom focuses on how and
  why work is being done
• The activities themselves create the quality to
  be fostered in the larger learning community
• Sense-making focus is a shared responsibility
  (collaborative) Kathleen Roth 1992

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Discussion and Journaling in Science

• Observations ? past experiences (relevancy) ?
  comparisons ? misconceptions
• Provide extensive experiences (I-AIM model)
• available evidence shows very clearly that
  the role of talk and social interaction is so
  significant that it cannot be ignored. It is
  therefore necessary for theoretical accounts to
  deal with both social (i.e. communicative) and
  cognitive aspects of conceptual change. Mercer
  2008

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Functions of Journaling

• Stimulate students to clarify articulate
  positions ideas (still image for revisiting
  revising)
• Elicit ideas in order to compare, contrast,
  build, and change them
• Extend and support the overall inquiry process
• Roth 1992

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Classroom Considerations

• Establishing community takes time
• Each student begins and finishes at a unique
  place in the learning process
• Reading assessing student knowledge based upon
  journaling requires more patience feedback on
  the teachers behalf

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The Issue of Regression in Conceptual
Understanding

• Conceptual regression is likely to occur when
  more difficult tasks are encountered Watson
  Kelly 2009
• Conceptual change in science learning is slow
• Science curriculum must take into account the
  developmental progression of student
  understanding and conceptual change when planning
  pacing

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Cognitive Apprenticeship

• Cognitive apprenticeship involves teachers
  modeling scientific skills and coaching students
  in their attempts to handle the practical
  conceptual tools in the sciences
• This can be accomplished via community building,
  discussion and journaling alongside scientific
  investigations and observations
• Wolff-Micheal Roth 1991

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Discussing, Experiencing, and Journaling to Make
Meaning
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Bibliography

• Cennamo, K.S., et al. (1995). A "Layers of
  Negotiation" Model for Designing Constructivist
  Learning Materials. Proceedings of the 1995
  Annual National Convention of the Association for
  Educational Communications and Technology,
  Anaheim, CA.  
• Chang, W-H. (1996). Introducing Philosophy of
  Science through an Activity for In-Service
  Teachers to Experience Social Constructing of
  Knowledge. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting
  of the National Association for Research in
  Science Teaching (St. Louis, MO). 
• Dillon, J. (2008). Discussion, Debate and
  Dialog Changing Minds about Conceptual Change
  Research in Science Education. Cultural Studies
  of Science Education 3, 397-416. Driver, R. et
  al. (1986). A Constructivist Approach to
  Curriculum Development in Science. Studies in
  Science Education 13, 105-122. 
• Duschl, R. (2008). Science Education in
  Three-Part Harmony Balancing Conceptual,
  Epistemic, and Social Learning Goals. Review of
  Research in Education 32, 268-291. 

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Bibliography (contd.)

• Havu-Nuutinen, S. (2005). Examining Young
  Children's Conceptual Change Process in Floating
  and Sinking from a Social Constructivist
  Perspective. International Journal of Science
  Education 27, 259-279. 
• Mercer, N. (2008). Changing Our Minds A
  Commentary on "Conceptual Change--A Discussion of
  Theoretical, Methodological and Practical
  Challenges for Science Education. Cultural
  Studies of Science Education 3, 351-362. 
• Milne, C. et al. (2008). Understanding
  Conceptual Change Connecting and Questioning.
  Cultural Studies of Science Education 3, 417-434 
• Roth, K.J. (1992). The Role of Writing in
  Creating a Science Learning Community. Elementary
  Subjects Center Series 56. 
• Roth, W-M. (1991). Aspects of Cognitive
  Apprenticeship in Science Teaching. Presented at
  the Annual Meeting of the National Association
  for Research in Science Teaching, Lake Geneva,
  WI. 

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Bibliography (contd.)

• Tomasini, N.G. (1990). Teaching Strategies and
  Conceptual Change Sinking and Floating at
  Elementary School Level. 
• Shymansky, J.A. et al. (1998). Students'
  Perceptions and Supervisors' Rating as
  Assessments of Interactive-Constructivist Science
  Teaching in Elementary School. Presented at the
  Annual Meeting of the National Association for
  Research in Science Teaching, San Diego, CA. 
• Watson, J.M. and Kelly, B.A. (2009).
  Development of Student Understanding of Outcomes
  Involving Two or More Dice. International
  Journal of Science and Mathematics Education 7,
  25-54.