Teaching Science for Understanding: A Human Constructivist View (Educational Psychology)

✍ Scribed by Joel J. Mintzes; James H. Wandersee; Joseph Donald Novak

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 381
• Series: Educational Psychology
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Science education has undergone a revolution in recent years, shifting its emphasis from breadth and memorization to depth and understanding. Teaching Science for Understanding begins with an overview of the changes in science education. It then presents a review of each major instructional strategy, information about how it is best used, and the effectiveness of the strategies for understanding and retention of information. The book presents the main strategies used to achieve this depth of understanding, including the use of computer simulations, small laboratories, and journal writing, and it discusses how to use each strategy at the elementary, secondary, and college level. * Presents an overview of changes in science education * Discusses both teaching and learning strategies for better understanding Covers strategies for use at elementary, secondary, and college levels of teaching Reviews specialized teaching methods including computer simulations, small labs, and journal writing

✦ Table of Contents

Front Cover......Page 1
Teaching Science for Understanding: A Human Constructivist View......Page 4
Copyright Page......Page 5
Contents......Page 8
Contributors......Page 16
Preface......Page 18
Part I: Theoretical and Empirical Foundations of Human Constructivism......Page 22
Introduction......Page 24
Developing a Passion for Learning......Page 25
Graduate Study in Botany and Education......Page 26
Teaching Biology and Biology Teachers......Page 28
Creating a Theory of Education......Page 31
A 12-Year Longitudinal Study of Science Learning......Page 33
Development of the Vee Heuristic......Page 39
Learning How to Learn......Page 40
My Third Career—Helping Corporations Learn......Page 45
Continuing the Pursuit of a Dream......Page 47
References......Page 48
CHAPTER 2. REFORM AND INNOVATION IN SCIENCE TEACHING: A HUMAN CONSTRUCTIVIST VIEW......Page 50
Restructuring Science Education: The Pre-Sputnik Years......Page 51
Post-Sputnik Reform and the Rise of Learning Theory: Science Education in the 1950s and 1960s......Page 54
Ausubel's Cognitive Assimilation Theory: 1963......Page 60
Cognitive Science and Postpositivist Epistemology: Science Education in the 1970s and 1980s......Page 62
Novak's Human Constructivism: The New Synthesis......Page 67
The Promise of Human Constructivism......Page 72
References......Page 77
CHAPTER 3. RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING AND LEARNING: A HUMAN CONSTRUCTIVIST VIEW......Page 80
Research in Science Education: A Brief History......Page 81
New Tools in Science Education Research: The Case of Mary A......Page 87
Understanding and Conceptual Change in Science: The Current Research Agenda......Page 95
Toward a New Beginning: Future Directions in Science Education Research......Page 100
Part II: Theory-Driven Intervention Strategies......Page 114
What Are Graphic Organizers?......Page 116
A Basic Taxonomy of Graphic Organizers......Page 119
The Eye–Brain System and Graphic Organizers: I Came, I Saw, I Understood......Page 128
Three Ausubelian Tools For Science Teaching......Page 131
Research Perspectives on Concept Maps......Page 144
Limitations of Graphic Organizers......Page 147
The Future of Graphic Organizers......Page 148
References......Page 149
CHAPTER 5. METACOGNITION AND CONCEPTUAL CHANGE......Page 154
Our Meanings for Conceptual Change and Metacognition......Page 155
An Example of Teaching from These Perspectives......Page 158
Some Aspects of the Nature of the Classroom in Which This Teaching Can Be Successful......Page 178
Content and Approaches to Conceptual Change......Page 180
A Concluding Comment on Introducing These Approaches......Page 181
References......Page 184
Introduction......Page 186
Four Approaches to Teaching Particle TheorykA Review of Alternative Rationales......Page 189
Preparations for the Constructivistic Teaching of Particle Theory......Page 194
Analysis of the Relevant History of Science......Page 197
Analysis of Relevant Epistemological Ideas......Page 204
Summary......Page 206
Appendix A......Page 209
Appendix D......Page 210
References......Page 213
Introduction......Page 216
Approaches to Instructional Analogies......Page 218
Practical Considerations for Instruction......Page 229
References......Page 230
Introduction: Overview of the Chapter......Page 234
Development of Computers as Tools for Understanding School Science: A Brief History......Page 235
Research in Computer-Based Education (CBE)......Page 236
Microcomputer-Based Labs......Page 240
Intelligent Computer-Assisted Instruction (ICAI)......Page 242
Internet and the Future......Page 244
References......Page 247
Introduction......Page 250
Theoretical Framework......Page 251
Two Cases of Hypermedia Artifact Building......Page 254
Conclusions......Page 278
References......Page 279
Why Use Instructional Groups in Science Instruction?......Page 282
Theoretical Perspectives of Group Instruction: Piaget and Vygotsky......Page 283
Social Mediation of Knowledge......Page 284
The Language of Construction......Page 286
Tools of Constructions......Page 288
Scaffolding Constructions......Page 290
Monitoring the Construction Process......Page 294
Teaching Tomorrow's Students: Changing Demographics......Page 296
Instructional Grouping and the Science Teacher......Page 298
References......Page 299
What Does the Term "Nature of Science" Mean?......Page 302
What Is the Role of the Nature of Science in Contemporary Science Teaching?......Page 303
What Are Interactive Historical Vignettes (IHVs)?......Page 308
What Perspectives on IHVs Do Learning Theory and Science Education Research Have to Offer?......Page 313
How Have Participants Responded to IHVs?......Page 318
What Are Some of the Newest Applications of the IHV Instructional Strategy?......Page 320
How Can IHVs Advance Scientific Literacy Goals?......Page 322
References......Page 324
CHAPTER 12. TALKING AND DOING SCIENCE: IMPORTANT ELEMENTS IN A TEACHING-FOR-UNDERSTANDING APPROACH......Page 328
Personal and Public Science—Conceptual Change and Social Construction......Page 329
The Traditional Classroom Context......Page 332
The Emerging Classroom Context......Page 333
The Use of "Student as Scientist" Projects......Page 334
The Need for Student Questioning......Page 338
Summary......Page 342
References......Page 343
Part III: Epilogue......Page 346
13. EPILOGUE: MEANINGFUL LEARNING, KNOWLEDGE RESTRUCTURING, AND CONCEPTUAL CHANGE: ON WAYS OF TEACHING SCIENCE FOR UNDERSTANDING......Page 348
Teaching Science for Understanding: A Summary of Interventions......Page 349
Two Lessons in Science......Page 353
Teacher as Catalyst......Page 360
The Promise of an Interactive Society: A Cautionary Note......Page 366
Reference......Page 370