Journal of Science Learning
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The Effect of Common Knowledge Construction Model-based Teaching on the Cognitive and Psychomotor Learning of 7th Grade Students
Get PDFThis study aimed to investigate the effect of science teaching, based on the Common Knowledge Construction Model (CKCM), on cognitive and psychomotor learning in 7th-grade students. The study group consisted of 29 students from two public schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in the 2018-2019 academic year. The study was carried out following a semi-experimental pre-test post-test control group research design. The data were collected with a “Scientific Inquiry Skills Test,” and a “Psychomotor Skills Rubric” (PSR) developed by the researchers. The PSR was used to evaluate the practice exam results of both groups. Data were analyzed with a standard statistics package. It was determined that the scientific inquiry skills post-test scores of the experimental group (X=15.87) were higher than the control group (X=10.92). The difference was observed to be significant. Also, a comparison of the total post-test PSR scores showed a statistically significant difference between the experimental (X=15.44) and control groups (X=13.30)
Development of Eighth Grade Students’ Epistemological Beliefs through Writing-to-Learn Activities
Get PDFThe aim of the present study was to develop the epistemological beliefs of eighth grade students through writing-to-learn (WTL) activities. A one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental research design was utilized in the study. The sample group consisted of a total of 18 eighth grade students, attending a secondary school in the rural part of Trabzon in Turkey. To improve the epistemological beliefs of students, WTL activities were developed and utilized in the "Matter and its Structure" unit of the science subject. Each WTL activity focused on one dimension of epistemology, such as source of knowledge, organization of knowledge, certainty of knowledge, speed of learning, and learning control. The WTL activities in the study were conducted throughout a total of 24 lessons. Semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data. Beliefs regarding each dimension of epistemology were identified to be at the level of absolutist, multiplist or evaluatist by means of the "Epistemological Belief Levels Rubric". The findings of the study revealed that the WTL activities increased students’ levels of the epistemological beliefs. Hence, students’ epistemological beliefs can be developed further by dwelling more on the history of science unit within the subject of science by raising students’ awareness
Exploring Prospective Teachers' Reasons for Choosing General Science as a Specialization
Get PDFChoosing a career path is difficult for students, especially in their transition from senior high school to college. Students struggle to select the most viable program that suits their interests, skills, and passion. Hence, most students end up shifting among courses and, at worst, dropping out of their program. This qualitative study explores the reasons prospective teachers specialize in General Science in a teacher education program. The data were gathered through interviews and were treated through thematic analysis. Eight themes emerged including (1) alignment to chosen senior high school strand; (2) personal choice and interest; (3) passion for science; (4) personal knowledge and skills; (5) inspiration by teachers; (6) encouragement from family; (7) challenge to oneself; and (8) non-availability of a preferred course. The study has established important implications for admission policies in terms of the selection process for students enrolling in the General Science program. Higher education institutions (HEIs) should support the continuous improvement of the science education curriculum, campus and physical facilities, and student services, which are at the heart of education in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world
STEM-Focused Activities to Support Student Learning in Primary School Science
Get PDFThis study examines the effect on student academic success through teaching the "Let's Know the Matter" grade 3 science unit accompanied by STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)-focused activities. The study group consisted of 24 third grade students studying in the 2019-2020 academic year. Teaching was done with a 5E (enter, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate) instructional model, and student opinions about the STEM activities were collected. A group pretest-posttest research design was used in which the "Let's Know the Matter Test (MT)" was administered at the beginning to measure the students' prior knowledge, and again at the end of the unit to determine what students had learned. Their opinions of the lessons taught with STEM-focused activities were collected using a semi-structured interview technique. Qualitative data were divided into appropriate categories under common themes. It was observed that the 5E instructional model contributed to their academic success. Also, it was found that their opinions about the lessons taught with STEM activities were quite positive. Based on the results obtained from the research, it is suggested that STEM activities be used in the teaching of other topics
The Relation between Gender, Reasons to Participate in STEM-Related Subjects, Programs and The University Supports On First-Year University Student’s Satisfaction: A Structural Equation Model
Get PDFFirst-year student's satisfaction has considered an important factor in the quality education offered by the university program. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship among gender, a reason to participate in STEM-related subjects, program, and the university support on first-year student's satisfaction of STEM learning. The methods used in this study surveyed student's satisfaction using adapted interest and recruitment in the science questionnaire (IRIS Q) instrument. The questionnaire comprised question items covering school science experiences, sources of inspiration for the choice of education, expectations for future job, first-year experiences as a STEM student, and attitudes to gender equity in STEM. A total of 448 students, first-year students from STEM-related programs, have participated voluntarily in this study. The structural equating model assisted by computer program IBM SPSS Amos 20 was employed to analyze the hypothesized model. The results from the model showed that reason and university support have a positive direct effect on first-year students' satisfaction with STEM learning. From this study, it is suggested for the university to improve first-year student's satisfaction by helping STEM students to develop appropriate expectations of the program, facilitating teaching quality to meet STEM students' learning, and assisting students in developing positive attitudes toward their future carriers
Evaluation of the Science Laboratory Applications Course in a Pre-service Primary School Teacher Curriculum
Get PDFIn this study, the Science Laboratory Applications (SLA) course given in a department of Elementary School Teaching in Turkey was evaluated for effectiveness. A triangulation research design, with mixed methods, was employed based on research data collected via a semi-structured interview form, a Science Experiments Evaluation Rubric (SEER) developed by the researchers, and the researchers’ diary notes. The study group included 66 preservice teachers in their second year of study. To select the participants, a maximum variation sampling method was used with the qualitative interviews. The SEER scores were analyzed using the packaged software of SPSS, while interview data were evaluated using content analysis, and descriptive analysis was applied to the researcher’s diary notes. The quantitative and qualitative results obtained in the study revealed that preservice teachers achieved the course outcomes as well as the objectives of the curriculum. Based on these results, several suggestions are put forward for future researchers and practitioners.Keywords Elementary school preservice teacher, curriculum evaluation, course of science laboratory application
Improving Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Content Knowledge and Argumentation Quality through Socio-Scientific Issues-Based Modules: An Action Research Study
Get PDFThis paper aimed to assess improvements in content knowledge and argumentation quality of pre-service science teachers (PST) through a socio-scientific issues-based (SSI-based) module course. The study was designed as action research with 25 PSTs. Data collection instruments were an energy-related content knowledge questionnaire and video recordings. An energy-related content knowledge rubric was used to evaluate the content knowledge of PSTs, while their argumentation quality was analyzed using a video analysis inventory. The module course was completed in eight weeks. Findings showed that the SSI-based teaching modules course improved energy-related content knowledge with all PSTs increasing by a minimum of one criterion on the rubric. Although the number of arguments decreased weekly, the argumentation quality also increased. Thus, it can be inferred that SSI-based module teaching is a practical tool to teach energy-related content knowledge and argumentation qualities. The study suggests that action research can contribute to developing an effective learning environment. Further studies that include the actual practices of PSTs as they reflect and revise their learning are indicated
Virtual Reality in Science Education: a Descriptive Review
Get PDFThe term “Virtual Reality” currently refers to a profound sensory immersion of the user in a synthetically generated virtual environment. It is foreseen that virtual reality will gain a substantial role in the instruction of science. In this literature review, the purpose was to investigate the research on the utilization of virtual reality in the science education context, according to several criteria. The articles published in peer-reviewed journals and academic conferences/symposiums that are available in the databases of ERIC, WOS, and Google Scholar have been reviewed. Consequently, a total of 30 eligible articles reviewed and findings presented under every respective criterion. Partially, findings revealed the dominance of journal article type publications, the USA and Turkey found to be most prominent origins, experimental studies being preferred mostly, undergraduate students and pre-service teachers were the most studied groups, the contexts of the studies were prominently general, and the learning outcomes investigated mostly
The Effect of Project in Problem-Based Learning on Students’ Scientific and Information Literacy in Learning Human Excretory System
Get PDFThe present study aims to investigate the effect of Project in Problem-Based Learning on students’ scientific and information literacy in grade 8 studying in one of the private schools in Bandung in the human excretory system topic. A sample of 39 students in two classes was selected purposively from the five classes available in the school. An experimental group comprising 19 students received the instruction by Problem-Based Learning with the project at the end of the lesson while the control group comprising 20 students received the human excretory instruction by using Problem-Based Learning without a project. The data was collected via the pre-test and post-test administration. The results were statistically analyzed using SPSS software by employing an independent t-test. Results indicated that after the one-month treatment period, students in the experimental group have a higher score in the scientific literacy test compared to the students in the control group even it was not significantly different. Therefore, the results of students’ information literacy showed that there was a significant difference between the experiment and control group. It is concluded that Project in problem-based learning is useful to conduct as the learning strategies in the classroom to improve students’ scientific and information literacy.
Using Brain-Based Learning to Promote Students’ Concept Mastery in Learning Electric Circuit
Get PDFTeaching approaches in some school are still concentrating on memorizing. Teachers have to make the learning is meaningful for the students. One of the alternative tool is by using Brain-Based Learning. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Brain-Based Learning on students’ concept mastery in learning electric circuit for 8th-grade students. The method used in this research was experimental research. The research design that used is pretest and posttest design. The sample was taken by cluster random sampling technique. Participants were 49 students at one of International Secondary School in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Experiment group learn with Brain-Based Learning (N=26) while control group learn with lectured based learning (N=23). The results of students’ concept mastery that learned using Brain-Based Learning is better than students’ concept mastery that learned using lectured-based learning. The improvement of students’ concept mastery can be noticed by independent t-test with significant 0.003. Based on the analysis of students’ concept mastery results, the N-Gain score in experiment group is 0.43 which categorized as medium improvement while in control group is 0.25 which categorized as low improvement. Based on this results showed that Brain-Based Learning can be an alternative tool to improve students’ concept mastery significantly