Science Education

Kılınç, A., Watt, H.M.G., & Richardson, P. W. (2012). Factors influencing teaching choice in Turkey. Asia-pacific journal of teacher education.

by Ahmet Kilinc

Why choose to become a teacher in Turkey? We examined motivations and perceptions among preservice teachers (N=1577)... more Why choose to become a teacher in Turkey? We examined motivations and perceptions among preservice teachers (N=1577) encompassing early childhood, primary and secondary. The Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) instrument was translated into Turkish and its construct validity and reliability assessed. Altruistic “social utility values” were the most influential, followed by the desire for a secure job. Intrinsic value and perceived teaching abilities came next, contrasting with higher ratings in Western studies, alongside prior positive teaching and learning experiences. Family flexibility, job transferability and social influences were moderate, and the negative “fallback career” motivation lowest, although not far below the scale midpoint. Science-related teacher candidates scored higher on fallback career, had chosen a teaching career the most recently, and were lower on almost all other teaching motivations, demonstrating a less positive motivational profile. Findings are interpreted in light of the economic development and role of the teaching profession in Turkey. Less adaptive motivations belonging to preservice teachers in scientific fields highlight potential risks and recruitment strategies to optimise teacher quality in those priority fields which further research could fruitfully examine.

Towards a Science- and Technology-Based Innovation of Turkey's Educational System

by D. Matthew Boyer

Boyer, D. M. (2012). Towards a science- and technology-based innovation of Turkey's educational system. Paper presented at the Eurasia Business and Economics Society 2012 Conference, İstanbul.

Through its structure, objectives, contents, and reform efforts, the Turkish educational system contributes to the... more Through its structure, objectives, contents, and reform efforts, the Turkish educational system contributes to the development of its students toward their roles as modern Turkish citizens. Scholastic achievement viewed through a comparative, international lens shows how aspects of the Turkish educational system contribute to marked differences between Turkish students and their foreign peers. Previous policies and practices have resulted in the current status quo, but innovative, systemic changes based on science and technology can help Turkish schooling keep pace with exceptional growth in economic and business sectors. Projects such as FATİH seek to modernize schools through a large investment in trendy commercial technologies, but focus too heavily on one area while ignoring other interconnected issues throughout the system. This work focuses on how a holistic approach to innovation in the Turkish educational system can be supported through a focus on science and technology.

Invertebrates: Revealing a hidden world in the year of biodiversity

by Dawn Sanders

Published in Primary Science 113 May/June 2010 p.5-8
Not final copy so some small glitches such as explore rather than exploring on last page and photograph captions and attributions are not finalised. Journal only available to Association of Science Education members.

Biodiversity means the variety of life, in all its forms. It includes the variety of species and ecosystems in the... more Biodiversity means the variety of life, in all its forms. It includes the variety of species and ecosystems in the world, and genetic variation. Invertebrates are one of the largest, and most accessible groups of animals for primary children to study. Darwin tells us that the action of earthworms in his garden at Down House caused his worm stone to sink at a rate of 2.2mm a year. He estimated that earthworm activities on every acre of his land brought some 18 tons of soil to the surface annually. Therefore the study of invertebrates, such as earthworms and ants, offers an important window on biodiversity in a significant habitat-soil. As one of the most well-known ant scientists in the world today recently wrote, ‘Immediately close at hand, around and beneath our feet, lies the least explored part of the planet’s surface. It is also the most vital place on Earth for human existence’ (Wilson, 2010). Invertebrates provide food for many animal groups, pollinate flowers, aid the formation of soil, distribute seeds and are key actors in the decomposition cycle.
Revealing the biological diversity of these animals and their myriad roles in the web of life engages children with a concept that is crucial to life on Earth. Invertebrates are numerous and diverse communities of species widely distributed throughout our planet. They also live on a scale that offers a secret world in the undergrowth for curious children.

Promoting conceptual development in physics teacher education: cognitive-historical reconstruction of electromagnetic induction law

by Terhi Mäntylä

Terhi Mäntylä
Online First in Science & Education, DOI: 10.1007/s11191-012-9460-x

In teaching physics, the history of physics offers fruitful starting points for designing instruction. I introduce... more In teaching physics, the history of physics offers fruitful starting points for designing instruction. I introduce here an approach that uses historical cognitive processes to enhance the conceptual development of pre-service physics teachers’ knowledge. It applies a method called cognitive-historical approach, introduced to the cognitive sciences by Nersessian (Cognitive Models of Science. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, pp. 3–45, 1992). The approach combines the analyses of actual scientific practices in the history of science with the analytical tools and theories of contemporary cognitive sciences in order to produce knowledge of how conceptual structures are constructed and changed in science. Hence, the cognitive-historical analysis indirectly produces knowledge about the human cognition. Here, a way to use the cognitive-historical approach for didactical purposes is introduced. In this application, the cognitive processes in the history of physics are combined with current physics knowledge in order to create a cognitive-historical reconstruction of a certain quantity or law for the needs of physics teacher education. A principal aim of developing the approach has been that pre-service physics teachers must know how the physical concepts and laws are or can be formed and justified. As a practical example of the developed approach, a cognitive-historical reconstruction of the electromagnetic induction law was produced. For evaluating the uses of the cognitive-historical reconstruction, a teaching sequence for pre-service physics teachers was conducted. The initial and final reports of twenty-four students were analyzed through a qualitative categorization of students’ justifications of knowledge. The results show a conceptual development in the students’ explanations and justifications of how the electromagnetic induction law can be formed.

Relevant Features of Science: Values in Conservation Biology

by Esther van Dijk

Science & Education (in press.)

The development of an understanding of the nature of science is generally assumed to be an important aspect of science... more The development of an understanding of the nature of science is generally assumed to be an important aspect of science communication with respect to the enhancement of scientific literacy. At present, a general characterization of the nature of science is still lacking and probably such a characterization will not be achievable. The overall aim of the work presented here is to develop a representative portrayal of the nature of science for science communication. In the present paper an exemplary case study on the topic of biodiversity conservation is presented with the aim of revealing what features of science might be potentially relevant for the public to develop a critical understanding of this important socio-scientific issue.

From the teachers' perspective: A way of simplicity for multimedia design

by Necati Hırça

The Campus Ecosystem Model: teaching students environmental stewardship

by Greg Tolley

Interdisciplinary teaching, research experience, and active, collaborative strategies have all been identified as... more Interdisciplinary teaching, research experience, and active, collaborative strategies have all been identified as practices highly favorable to the learning process. By using the university campus as the focus for the study of the entire watershed within which it is situated, the Campus Ecosystem Model presents a context for incorporating these pedagogical elements into a useful framework for undergraduate science education.

Use of the lava lamp as an analogy in the geoscience classroom

by Greg Tolley

We have developed an exercise for the geoscience classroom that uses the LAVA lamp as an analogy to introduce general... more We have developed an exercise for the geoscience classroom that uses the LAVA lamp as an analogy to introduce general education undergraduate students to oceanography. The exercise provides a link between previously learned (from their secondary educational experience) and new knowledge by placing basic principles of science within an oceanographic context. Previously learned concepts that are built upon in the
exercise address the properties of matter, the transformation of energy, force and motion, and the global processes that shape the Earth. The exercise requires students to compile an extensive list of observations using the lava lamp, to derive meaning from these observations and share this meaning with their peers, and to apply this meaning to new course content. Some of the more common observations recorded by students deal with changes of state in matter, differences in density among the lamp’s components, the influence of temperature on density and thus on buoyancy, the formation of convection cells, and thermal expansion of fluid volume. We have found the exercise to be a useful way of introducing lower-division students to such related processes as adiabatic atmospheric circulation, global warming and sea level rise, and most especially magma movement contributing to global plate tectonics.

The Most Awesome Science Fair in the UK

by Sue Howarth

Co-authored with Linda Scott, University of Worcester.
Published in School Science Review SSR June 2012, 93(345)

An account of The Big Bang Science Fair, Birmingham March 2012, with quotes from pupils, teachers, student teachers,... more An account of The Big Bang Science Fair, Birmingham March 2012, with quotes from pupils, teachers, student teachers, exhibitors and others.

Alman Üniversitelerinde Sosyoloji Eğitimi

by Cüneyd Dinc

Co-authored with M. Fazıl Baş

Almanya’daki sosyoloji eğitimi bir yandan yaklaşık iki yüzyıllık bir temel üzerinde şekillenerek bugüne gelmiş ve... more Almanya’daki sosyoloji eğitimi bir yandan yaklaşık iki yüzyıllık bir temel üzerinde şekillenerek bugüne gelmiş ve özellikle Wilhelm von Humboldt’un eğitim reformu bu temelde önemli bir rol oynamıştır. Fakat diğer yandan bugünün daha globalleşmeye ve ulusaşırı bütünleşmeye dayalı anlayışı eğitim alanında da kendisini göstererek üniversite eğitimini ulusal farkları sindiren bir şekilde standardize etmeye çalışmaktadır. Bologna süreci bunda önemli bir etkiye sahiptir. Bu makalede son on yılda geçmiş ile bugün arasındaki bu çekişmede yeniden şekillenmekte olan Almanya’daki sosyoloji eğitiminin müfredatı mevcut eğilimler çerçevesinde incelenmektedir.

Alman Üniversitelerinde Sosyoloji Eğitimi

by Cüneyd Dinc

Co-authored with M. Fazıl Baş

Almanya’daki sosyoloji eğitimi bir yandan yaklaşık iki yüzyıllık bir temel üzerinde şekillenerek bugüne gelmiş ve... more Almanya’daki sosyoloji eğitimi bir yandan yaklaşık iki yüzyıllık bir temel üzerinde şekillenerek bugüne gelmiş ve özellikle Wilhelm von Humboldt’un eğitim reformu bu temelde önemli bir rol oynamıştır. Fakat diğer yandan bugünün daha globalleşmeye ve ulusaşırı bütünleşmeye dayalı anlayışı eğitim alanında da kendisini göstererek üniversite eğitimini ulusal farkları sindiren bir şekilde standardize etmeye çalışmaktadır. Bologna süreci bunda önemli bir etkiye sahiptir. Bu makalede son on yılda geçmiş ile bugün arasındaki bu çekişmede yeniden şekillenmekte olan Almanya’daki sosyoloji eğitiminin müfredatı mevcut eğilimler çerçevesinde incelenmektedir.

Tra il testo e l'oggetto: l'epigrafia come strumento didattico

by Giulio Vallarino

in "Aufidus" 48, 2002

Una experiencia sobre construcción del conocimiento en Ecología a través del cómic

by José Ramón Vallejo Villalobos

Autor: José Ramón Vallejo Villalobos

Revista: Cátedra Nova nº 30, pp.:193-204

Discourses of Women Scientists in Online Media: Towards New Gender Regimes

by Heather Mendick

Co-authored with Marie-Pierre Moreau and drawing on work funded by the UKRC

The under-representation of girls and women among those studying and working in science, engineering and technology... more The under-representation of girls and women among those studying and working in science, engineering and technology (SET) is a well-documented phenomenon. However, despite the widespread use of the internet in most Western societies, there is a dearth of research examining discourses of women scientists in online media. In this paper, we explore how the ‘gender regimes’ of online SET can be deemed transformative or, on the contrary, reproduce some of the most common clichés about men and women found in the wider ‘gender order’ (Connell, 1987). To do this, we explore in a systematic manner the construction of women and men in SET within 16 websites, with a particular focus on discourses of women in SET. We argue that the ‘gender regimes’ of these online SET spaces have failed to generate a more gender equal view of scientists. Yet, we also identify a variety of gender regimes across websites, both in terms of the numerical presence of women scientists and of the way they are represented, something which highlights the egalitarian potential of online media.

Kılınç, A., Eroğlu, B., Boyes, E., & Stanisstreet, M. (2013). Could Organisms and Ecosystems Be Used as Motivators for Behaviour to Reduce Global Warming? The Views of School Students. International Journal of Research in Geographical and Environmental Education.

by Ahmet Kilinc

Global warming resulting in climate change is thought to be a serious threat to the environment and, consequently, to... more Global warming resulting in climate change is thought to be a serious threat to the environment and, consequently, to the world’s social, political and financial stability.  Therefore, there is a serious need to identify strategies that are effective in promoting behavior change to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One possibility is to raise awareness of the potential detrimental effects of global warming on biological organisms, since such effects are concrete and may be emotive.  This study examines the beliefs of Turkish school students about the possible effects of global warming on the survival of a range of organisms and ecosystems and, separately, explores students' views about the importance of the survival of those organisms and ecosystems.  Of the items raised by the questionnaire, those perceived to be most endangered by global warming were polar bears, and those thought to be most worth conserving were rainforests. In addition, Cluster Analysis revealed four sub-groups of students: ‘More valuing extinctionalists’ (students who valued organisms or ecosystems more highly, and thought them vulnerable to global warming), ‘Less valuing extinctionalists’, ‘More valuing non-extinctionalists’ and ‘Less valuing non-extinctionalists’. Thus, although students hold a variety of pre-existing views, convincing more students of the importance of maintaining biodiversity, and increasing their awareness of the potential detrimental effects of global warming on various organisms and ecosystems may be one way of encouraging students to undertake actions to reduce global warming.

Jesuítas e Ciência em Portugal IV - A revista Brotéria - Sciencias Naturaes e a sua recepção nacional e internacional

by Francisco Malta Romeiras

Francisco Malta Romeiras & Henrique Leitão (2012) "Jesuítas e Ciência em Portugal. IV - A revista Brotéria - Sciencias Naturaes e a sua recepção nacional e internacional", Brotéria 174: 323-333

Market Botany: A plant biodiversity lab module

by Chris Martine

Published in Plant Science Bulletin, 2011- 57(2): 61-66.

Book review: Myint Swe Khine (Ed): Advances in Nature of Science Research: Concepts and Methodologies

by Esther van Dijk

Science & Education (Online First)

Portraying Real Science in Science Communication.

by Esther van Dijk

(2011). Science Education, 95, 1086-1100.

In both formal and informal settings, not only science but also views on the nature of science are communicated.... more In both formal and informal settings, not only science but also views on the nature of science are communicated. Although there probably is no singular nature shared by all fields of science, in the field of science education it is commonly assumed that on a certain level of generality there is a consensus on many features of science. In this paper, it will be argued that because of their focus on unifying items and their ignoring of the actual heterogeneity of science, it is questionable whether such consensus views can fruitfully contribute to the aim of science communication, i.e., to enhance the public’s functional scientific literacy. The possibilities of an alternative approach to the portrayal of the sciences within science communication are explored.

Enhancing learning and retention through ‘cognitive linkages’: a case study of Malaysian children.

by Airil Haimi Mohd Adnan

(2012) - refereed proceedings.
Co-authored with Nurulhayati Ilias (lead).

Second International Congress of Interdisciplinary Research and Development (INRIT) / May 31st to June 1st, 2012, Bangkok, THAILAND.