Abstract
This case study explores students’
physics-related personal epistemologies in school science practices. The school
science practices of nine eleventh grade students in a physics class were taped
over six weeks. The students were also interviewed to find out their ideas on
the nature of scientific knowledge after each school science practices.
Analysis of transcripts yielded several themes which characterize students’
ideas about the scientific knowledge in their school science practice. The
findings show that students believe that scientific data should be accurate;
yet, while they collect data, they can make mistakes that do not change the conclusion
of experiments. Traditional, formulation-based, physics instruction might have
led students to view physics knowledge as unchanging and isolated pieces of
facts, and physics problems as having one single answer. Future implications
and directions are discussed.
References
- Cobb, P., Stephan, M., McClain, K., & Gravemeijer, K. (2001). Participating in classroom mathematical practices. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 10, 113-163. Elby, A. & Hammer, D. (2010). Epistemological resources and framing: A cognitive framework for helping teachers interpret and respond to their students’ epistemologies. In L. D. Bendixen & F. C. Feucht (Eds.), Personal epistemology in the classroom: Theory, research, and implications for practice (pp. 409-434).New York: Cambridge Press. Kelly, G. J. (2008). Inquiry, activity, and epistemic practice. In R. Duschl & R. Grandy (Eds.) Teaching scientific inquiry: Recommendations for research and implementation (pp. 99-117). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. Sandoval, W. A. (2005). Understanding students’ practical epistemologies and their influence on learning through inquiry. Science Education, 89, 634– 656.
Abstract
References
- Cobb, P., Stephan, M., McClain, K., & Gravemeijer, K. (2001). Participating in classroom mathematical practices. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 10, 113-163. Elby, A. & Hammer, D. (2010). Epistemological resources and framing: A cognitive framework for helping teachers interpret and respond to their students’ epistemologies. In L. D. Bendixen & F. C. Feucht (Eds.), Personal epistemology in the classroom: Theory, research, and implications for practice (pp. 409-434).New York: Cambridge Press. Kelly, G. J. (2008). Inquiry, activity, and epistemic practice. In R. Duschl & R. Grandy (Eds.) Teaching scientific inquiry: Recommendations for research and implementation (pp. 99-117). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. Sandoval, W. A. (2005). Understanding students’ practical epistemologies and their influence on learning through inquiry. Science Education, 89, 634– 656.
Details
| Journal Section | Articles |
|---|---|
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | September 1, 2015 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2015 Volume: 2 |
