Lebanese Biology Teachers Perceptions and Practice of Conceptual Integration

Year 2019, Volume: 15, 70 - 80, 14.12.2019

Hanadi Chatıla

Abstract

This paper investigates Lebanese high school biology teachers’ perceptions and practice of Conceptual Integration among different science subject areas in the biology class. Fifty Lebanese in-service high school teachers completed a questionnaire about their perceptions of conceptual integration. Then, ten of them participated in a focus group to discuss the implementation of Conceptual Integration through an activity presented in the grade 10 biology program. The findings show that although teachers acknowledge the importance of integrating physics and chemistry in their biology teaching, they avoid implementing Conceptual Integration. In addition, they lack the right knowledge about what Conceptual Integration is and how to approach it in their practice. The study shed the light on the urge to revisit the teacher education program at the Faculty of Education at the Lebanese University, at the pedagogical level to include Conceptual Integration as a main strategy to teach Sciences and at the content knowledge level to highlight the one paradigm of science that includes various science disciplines sharing the same features of the “nature of Science”.

Keywords

Conceptual integration, Biology education, Teacher education

References

• Ausubel, D. P. (2012). The acquisition and retention of knowledge: A cognitive view. Springer Science & Business Media. Bromme, R., Pieschl, S., & Stahl, E. (2010). Epistemological beliefs are standards for adaptive learning: A functional theory about epistemological beliefs and metacognition. Metacognition and learning, 5(1), 7-26. Chalmer, A. F. (1999). What is this thing called science? (3rd ed). New York: Open University. Chatila, H., & Al Husseiny, F. (2017). Effect of cooperative learning strategy on students’ acquisition and practice of scientific skills in Biology. Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health, 3(1), 88-99. DiSessa, A. A. (1993). Toward an epistemology of physics. Cognition and instruction, 10(2-3), 105-225. Fauconnier, G., & Turner, M. (2002). The Way We Think: Conceptual Blending and the Mind’s Hidden Complexities. New York: Basic Books. Hofer, B. K. (2001). Personal epistemology research: Implications for learning and teaching. Educational Psychology Review, 13(4), 353-383. Ganaras, K., Dumon, A., & Larcher, C. (2008). Conceptual integration of chemical equilibrium by prospective physical sciences teachers. Chemistry education, research and practice, 9(3), 240-249. Lebanese national curriculum (1997). National Center for Educational Research and Development (CERD). Beirut, Lebanon. Lederman, N. G. (2013). Nature of science: Past, present, and future. In Handbook of research on science education (pp. 845-894). Routledge. Live and Earth Sciences, Basic Education, 10th grade, National textbook (1998). National Center for Educational Research and Development. Beirut, Lebanon. Matthews, M. R. (1993). Constructivism and science education: Some epistemological problems. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 2(1), 359-370. Mizzi, D. (2013). The challenges faced by science teachers when teaching outside their specific science specialism. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 6(4), 1-6. Novak, J.D. (2011). A theory of education: Meaningful learning underlies the constructive integration of thinking, feeling, and acting leading to empowerment for commitment and responsibility. Aprendizagem Significativa em Revista/Meaningful Learning Review, 1(2), 1-14. O Nyumba, T., Wilson, K., Derrick, C. J., & Mukherjee, N. (2018). The use of focus group discussion methodology: Insights from two decades of application in conservation. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9(1), 20-32. Opitz, S. T., Neumann, K., Bernholt, S., & Harms, U. (2017). How do students understand energy in biology, chemistry, and physics? Development and validation of an assessment instrument. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13 (7), 3019-3042. .Plant–Absorption, Conduction, Rise of Cell Sap & Transportation. Retrieved from http://www.biologydiscussion.com/plants/plant-absorption-conduction-rise-of-cell-sap-transportation/2370 Shulman, L. (1987). Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the new reform. Harvard educational review, 57(1), 1-23. Taber, K. S. (2005). Conceptual integration and science learners - do we expect too much? Invited seminar paper presented at the Centre for Studies in Science and Mathematics Education, University of Leeds. Taber, K. S. (2008). Exploring conceptual integration in student thinking: Evidence from a case study. International Journal of Science Education, 30(14), 1915-1943. Tuysuz, M., Bektas, O., Geban, O., Ozturk, G., & Yalvac, B. (2016). Pre-Service Physics and Chemistry Teachers' Conceptual Integration of Physics and Chemistry Concepts. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 12(6).