Curriculum Implementation in Science Education

Abstract

"This book comprises a wide range of scholarly essays introducing readers to key topics and issues in science education. Science education has become a well established field in its own right, with a vast literature, and many active areas of scholarship. Science Education: An International Course Companion offers an entry point for students seeking a sound but introductory understanding of the key perspectives and areas of thinking in science education. Each account is self-contained and offers a scholarly and research-informed introduction to a particular topic, theme, or perspective, with both citations to key literature and recommendations for more advanced reading. Science Education: An International Course Companion allows readers (such as those preparing for school science teaching, or seeking more advanced specialist qualifications) to obtain a broad familiarity with key issues across the field as well as guiding wider reading about particular topics of interest. The book therefore acts as a reader to support learning across courses in science education internationally. The broad coverage of topics is such that that the book will support students following a diverse range of courses and qualifications. The comprehensive nature of the book will allow course leaders and departments to nominate the book as the key reader to support students - their core 'course companion' in science education." TABLE OF CONTENTS; PREFACE; INTRODUCTION; 1. SCIENCE EDUCATION AS A FIELD OF SCHOLARSHIP; SCIENCE EDUCATION PRACTICE AND RESEARCH; The Focus of Science Education as a Field of Scholarship; EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND SER; Levels of SER; Embedded SER; Inherent SER; SCIENCE TEACHER CLASSROOM RESEARCH; WHAT MAKES A FIELD?; HOW IS RESEARCH CARRIED OUT IN SCIENCE EDUCATION?; Experimental Research in Education; Alternatives to Experimental Research; CONCLUSIONS; FURTHER READING; REFERENCES; SECTION I: NATURE OF SCIENCE AND SCIENCE EDUCATION; 2. REFLECTING THE NATURE OF SCIENCE IN SCIENCE EDUCATION. WHY TEACH SCIENCE?BALANCING SCIENCE PROCESS AND SCIENCE PRODUCT IN THE CURRICULUM; THE NATURE OF 'THE NATURE OF SCIENCE'; KEY ASPECTS OF THE NATURE OF SCIENCE; THE NATURE OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE; THE NATURE OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD; THE LIMITS OF SCIENCE; THE CULTURAL EMBEDDEDNESS OF SCIENCE; LOGIC AND CREATIVITY IN SCIENCE; THE HUMAN ASPECT OF SCIENCE; THE INSTITUTIONAL ASPECT OF SCIENCE; THE RHETORICAL NATURE OF SCIENCE; CONCLUSION; FURTHER READING; Useful Classroom Resources; REFERENCES; 3. HISTORY AND NATURE OF SCIENCE IN SCIENCE EDUCATION; INTRODUCTION; HNOS IN SCIENCE EDUCATION. MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING THE HNOSEFFECTIVELY TEACHING THE HNOS; Important HNOS Issues Worth Addressing in Science Education; HNOS Instruction should be Deliberately Planned ; Making HNOS Instruction Overt to Students; Important Contexts for HNOS Instruction; HNOS Learning Must be Assessed; SUMMARY; Bullet Point List of Main Chapter Ideas; RECOMMENDED RESOURCES; REFERENCES; 4. BELIEFS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION; INTRODUCTION; Beliefs and Commitments; Things that Students Might Believe; Is Science a Factual Subject?; Things that are no Longer True; BELIEF; What is Meant by Belief? Metaphysical CommitmentsMETAPHYSICAL COMMITMENTS OF SCIENCE; Scientific Values; Scientism and Materialism; STUDENTS' BELIEFS AND LEARNING SCIENCE; Alternative Conceptions of Natural Mechanisms; Religious Beliefs that may be Compatible with Science; Beliefs in Supernatural Mechanisms that Compete with Science; TEACHING SCIENCE AS THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE; CONCLUSIONS; FURTHER READING; REFERENCES; 5. EPISTEMIC PRACTICES AND SCIENTIFIC PRACTICES IN SCIENCE EDUCATION; INTRODUCTION: STUDENTS' PARTICIPATION IN THE EPISTEMIC GOALS OF SCIENCE; EPISTEMIC COGNITION AS A PRACTICE. SCIENTIFIC PRACTICES AT THE CENTRE OF SCIENCE TEACHINGThe Role of Activity and Purpose in Practice-based Approaches; Scientific Practices in Policy Recommendations; ENACTING SCIENTIFIC PRACTICES IN SCIENCE CLASSROOMS; Investigating: Which Toothpaste is Ineffective in Preventing Cavities?; Evaluating Knowledge: Argumentation in Socio-Scientific Contexts; Developing Explanations and Models: Epistemic Criteria for Good Models; SUMMARY: SUPPORTING ENGAGEMENT IN SCIENTIFIC AND EPISTEMIC PRACTICES; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; FURTHER READING; REFERENCES; 6. INTERDISCIPLINARITY AND SCIENCE EDUCATION.