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Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
WHAT DO PRIMARY STUDENTS KNOW ABOUT SCIENCE, SCIENTISTS AND HOW THEY DO THEIR WORK?
No full textThe teaching of scientific literacy is the primary goal of elementary science education. Scientific literacy is composed of the overall understanding of what science is and how scientific knowledge is developed. The purpose of this study was to see if elementary students’ understandings of science, scientists and how scientists do their work changes from grade one to grade five of elementary school. Furthermore, the study attempts to determine whether there is a difference in scientific literacy between students taught using a textbook curriculum versus a kit-based curriculum. The study draws on a sample of 338 students from 18 different classrooms situated in six different schools in both urban and suburban areas of a large Midwestern city. Students’ understandings of science, scientists and how they do their work was measured through a valid and reliable oral protocol entitled Young Children’s Views of Science (YCVS) (Lederman, J., Bartels, Lederman, & Ganankkan, 2014). The YCVS assesses students’ understandings of the aspects of scientific inquiry (SI) and the nature of science (NOS) that young elementary students are able to understand. These aspects are; science, scientists, multiple methods, observation/inference, begins with a question, empirical, subjectivity, tentativeness and creativity. The YCVS was administered orally for grade one students, and a paper-and-pencil version was given to grades three and five. Twenty percent of the students in grade three and five were interviewed to ensure the proper interpretation of their YCVS responses. Responses to the YCVS were analyzed and students were given a rating of no answer, inadequate, mixed or informed for each aspect assessed on the YCVS. Frequency data was totaled for each grade level of each school. In order to determine if significant gains were made between the grade levels a Fisher’s exact test was run between each grade (one and three, three and five and one and five); significance of < 0.05 was selected. Fisher’s exact test was selected because the data were categorical with low frequencies for some categories. Additionally, a comparison between the kit-based curriculum schools and the textbook-based curriculum schools was made for each of the aspects of NOS and SI assessed in this study. Results indicated that there are very few gains in NOS and SI understandings between grades one and five in the schools included in this study. None of the schools in this study made significant gains for all of the nine aspects measured in this study. Only two schools made significant (p< 0.05) gains in five or more aspects of NOS/SI. The other four schools in this study made gains in fewer than four aspects. Two schools had a significant (p<0.05) decrease in understandings for more than one aspect. Examining curriculum’s affect on NOS and SI understandings, understanding of only one aspect was significantly impacted by curriculum differences. Subjectivity understanding was impacted by kit-based instruction. Overall, students’ understandings of science, scientists and how they do their work did not significantly change from grade one to grade five regardless of what type of curriculum they followed. This study shows that students’ scientific literacy is not being developed throughout elementary school. Therefore, the teaching of scientific literacy in an explicit and reflective manner should be the focus of preservice elementary school education.Ph.D. in Science Education, December 201
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
A Longitudinal Study of the Progression of Preservice and In-service Science Teachers' Abilities to Teach Inquiry-based Science
No full textAll teachers are expected to teach inquiry-based science by the National Science Education Standards, the National Association of Science Teachers, and the Next Generation Science Standards (NRC, 1996; NSTA, 2012; NGSS Lead States, 2013). If this is the mandate for teachers of science, what does this look like over time for teachers? The current study was a longitudinal study focused on tracking the development of four science teachers’ inquiry-based instructional practices over time. The key research question was How do beginning science teachers from a preservice teacher education program that focuses specifically on inquiry-based science instruction conceptualize teaching science as inquiry as they move through preservice education, induction, and in-service?Four science teachers (one middle school and three high school) from the same preservice teacher education program were followed during their student teaching practicum and first four years as beginning science teachers. Findings from this study suggest that beginning science teachers’ abilities to teach inquiry-based science over time are situational. It is heavily rooted in their values, beliefs, and the contexts in which they teach. The findings also suggest that regardless of a science teacher’s attitudes, values and beliefs about science teaching, the context in which they teach is important and can positively or negatively impact their abilities and willingness to teach inquiry-based science
Alignment of Science-Themed Trade Books to the Next Generation Science Standards
No full textElementary teachers often integrate science-themed trade books into their science and reading lessons. This study examines the alignment of science-themed trade books written for readers in Kindergarten through fifth-grade to the Next Generation Science Standards Disciplinary Core Ideas (NGSS DCI). The goal of this research is to analyze the scientific concepts presented in the text of the trade books recommended by professional organizations dedicated to science and science education. Research finds that integrated science and reading are valuable for elementary students’ understandings of science. This study addresses two problems: 1) elementary teachers have limited scientific knowledge and 2) there is a dearth of research that examines the expression of NGSS DCI in science-themed trade books for K-5th grades. The sample is selected from booklists compiled by professional organizations devoted to science and science education. A deductive content analysis methodology is used to identify the presence of NGSS DCI in trade books. Descriptive statistics and qualitative data analyses are used to reveal the themes in the collected data.
A large majority of the sample is aligned to the NGSS DCI for K-5th grade. Most trade books express NGSS DCI at the grade levels for which they are recommended. The study is limited and does not examine the readability of trade books, scientific vocabulary, or images. This study contributes to the research on the intersection between science and reading for elementary grade levels
WHAT IMPACT DO NUMBER TALKS HAVE ON ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM MATHEMATICAL DISCOURSE AND STUDENT AND TEACHER ATTITUDES TOWARD MATHEMATICS?
No full textNumber Talks, created in the early 1990s by Ruth Parker and Kathy Richardson, have gained popularity in the mathematics education community over the past decade with the publication of the book series Number Talks (Parrish, 2010, 2014), and especially since the publication of Making Number Talks Matter (Humphreys & Parker, 2015). All in all, the authors contend Number Talks can bring joy into the classroom (Humphreys and Parker, 2015, p. 6), improving student attitudes about mathematics and ultimately allowing for a more productive disposition. The characteristic that separates Number Talks from other pedagogical tools is the disconnectedness from the rest of the lesson: Number Talks need not build up to or build upon the day’s objective. Thus, what the authors argue is that the activity of Number Talks itself – albeit disconnected from the day’s objective – improves all of the aforementioned skills, regardless of what occurs during the remainder of each class session.Eight teachers from five different Chicago-area private grade schools implemented Number Talks in their 3rd-5th grade classrooms for four to six weeks in the early part of the year 2020. Student attitudes toward mathematics and toward mathematical discourse were assessed by way of survey and classroom observation before and after implementation. Classroom interactions and levels of mathematical discourse during the normal class time (outside of the Number Talk session) were assessed before and during implementation. No significant changes (positive or negative) relating to any measure were found. Teachers noticed that students who enjoyed math before the implementation also enjoyed Number Talks, while students who struggled with math were mostly disenchanted with Number Talks. Future research includes exploring whether tailoring Number Talks to relate to the upcoming lesson improves the positive effects advertised by the authors. Teacher professional development related to ambitious teaching practices (NCTM, 2017) and growth mindset (Boaler, 2016b) may complement the use of Number Talks to result in improved attitudes and discourse
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Get PDFWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
The Impact of Professional Devlopment in Informal Science Contexts on Teachers' Content Knowledge and Discourse
No full textLittle in the research has addressed how professional development at an Informal Science Institution (ISI) might influence teachers’ learning of science content or how exhibits and exhibit-related instructional approaches used during such courses contribute to this learning. It has also been noted that informal science professional development programs are often underutilized (Phillips, Finkelstein, & Wever-Frerichs, 2007) and it has been suggested that this may be due to ISIs not fulfilling teachers’ science content needs. The Contextual Model of Learning (CML; Falk & Dierking, 1992, 2000) and reform documents have emphasized the unique learning environments that ISIs provide and the social aspects of that learning. As a result, individuals are able to use “each other as vehicles for reinforcing beliefs and meaning making” (Kisiel, 2003, p. 3). This study looked at two science content courses that were taught over two years by education staff of a large science and technology museum located in the Midwest. Data from six courses, with 187 participating elementary and middle school teachers, included content tests, portfolios and graduate credit assignments, daily and final evaluations of the course, as well as audio and video recordings of teachers while they were interacting with exhibits or engaged in an exhibit related activity. Results of this study found that PD educators’ use of exhibits during both courses did not fully take into account the sociocultural context of CML and did not actively incorporate opportunities for discourse into the course instruction. However, when PD staff did make explicit connections between exhibits, science content, and activities, xi participants were more likely to be involved in in-depth, content related and pedagogical conversations while engaged in the courses. At the same time, even though teachers were very satisfied with the courses and felt that PD staff was effective in their instruction, participating teachers did not increase their science content knowledge even when explicit content connections were made to exhibits. It was unclear what outcomes the PD educators expect or want for their teacher students other than relaying content in a didactic manner (which was a secondary concern), sparking an interest in science, and providing many hands-on activities to bring back to the classroom. There is a need for a standardized professional development program for ISI educators and a need for restructuring ISI professional development so that it will address elementary and middle school teachers’ need for science content. Further, developing instructional strategies for informal sites will be important since the learning potential that can be found through exhibits and exhibitions are not being fully realized.Ph.D. in Science Education, July 201
ANANALYSIS OF ZOO AND AQUARIUM PROVIDED TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
No full textInformal science institutions are a significant provider of science teacher professional development. As pressure continues to critically analyze the work of teachers and their effectiveness in the classroom, it is important to understand how informal science institutions contribute to effective change in teacher science content knowledge and pedagogy. This research study analyzed zoo and aquarium provided teacher professional development to respond to the research questions: How do zoos and aquaria determine and assess their goals for teacher professional development? How do these goals align with effective teacher change for science content knowledge and pedagogy? Theoretical frameworks for high quality teacher professional development, effective evaluation of teacher professional development, and learning in informal science settings guided the research. The sample for the study was AZA accredited zoos and aquariums providing teacher professional development (N=107). Data collection consisted of an online questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and content analysis of teacher professional development artifacts. Analysis revealed that by and large zoos and aquariums are lacking in their provision of science teacher professional development. Most professional development focuses on content or resources, neglecting pedagogy. Assessments mismatch the goals and rely heavily on self-report and satisfaction measures. The results demonstrate a marked difference between those zoos and aquariums that are larger in capacity versus those that are medium to small in size. This may be an area of research for the future, as well as analyzing the education resources produced by zoos and aquariums as these were emphasized heavily as a way they serve teachers.Ph.D. in Mathematics and Science Education, December 201
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