How exemplary teachers promote scientific reasoning and higher order thinking in primary science

There is an emerging interest in the development of STEM capabilities to drive Australia’s future economy and workforce. As a consequence, the focus on the teaching of higher order thinking and scientific reasoning has intensified. Despite these efforts, Australia’s level of achievement on international benchmarking tests has not improved. The aim of this PhD research was to investigate how exemplary teachers develop higher order thinking and scientific reasoning in primary science. The study drew on video data from the EQUALPRIME international research project, which explored quality primary science education in different cultures (ARC Discovery Project DP110101500). This qualitative research examined how Year 4 teachers in two contextually different schools scaffolded, supported and created opportunities for higher order thinking and scientific reasoning during the teaching of a physical science topic. Teacher beliefs, pedagogical strategies and contextual factors were viewed through the multiple theoretical lenses of social constructivism, sociocultural theory and social semiotic theory. The central data source was video which was subjected to micro-ethnographic analysis. These data were supplemented with interviews and classroom artefacts, and from these, case studies were compiled. Using a cross-case analysis and an interpretivist approach, assertions were drawn from which the research questions were answered. The study identified that the teaching of these skills was a complex multifaceted process influenced by the combination of teacher beliefs and contextual factors. Based on safe and supportive learning cultures, the teachers employed inquiry-based approaches and a combination of language- and body-based pedagogies that built students’ thinking and reasoning in parallel with conceptual development, across the unit. Outcomes of the research will contribute to new and deeper understanding of effective scaffolding, support and promotion of higher order thinking and reasoning in primary science which can inform enhancements to pre‐service and in‐service teacher professional learning

Students learning science: Representation construction in a digital environment

This thesis showed the viable digital delivery for a representation-focused approach for teaching science. This study has led to guidelines for a generative digital design and sequencing of representational tasks and resources. It has also illustrated students’ collaborative reasoning processes during a problem-solving task, reflective of an authentic scientific inquiry

Embodied Learning and Multimodality in Science Education: Teachers’ Perceptions of Teaching Electrical Circuits, Their Diagrammatic Symbols, Physical Components and Functions Through Multisensory Approach

This small case-study discusses a specific science teaching strategy that has been developed through a multimodal and socio-semiotic lens while drawing on embodied cognition as a pedagogical tool for designing a learning journey to engage students in learning about electric circuits. I have worked with pre-service teachers (PSTs) to use this strategy in their classroom to allow their students to use different senses and modes of communication to engage in knowledge acquisition. The use of movement, sound, imagery and other resources is then linked with real objects and tasks in the science classroom. This type of pedagogical strategy has potential implications for sciences teaching and learning which are explored in this piece. I draw on self-reported answers and semi-structured interviews with PSTs and other former PSTs from our institution who have used this strategy in real classrooms environments. Results show that this strategy has had important impact on PSTs’ perceptions about teaching and learning and pedagogical understanding, as well as achieving a more meaningful engagement of students during and after the lesson, in particular if the teacher is also actively involved in doing the task with the students

Deeper Learning and Assessment in Drama-based CLIL Learning Spaces

This article draws on a European collaborative initiative between four countries involved in the Erasmus+ project Playing beyond CLIL (PbC, 2018–2021). In the following, we propose a conceptual framework for dynamic assessment in CLIL classrooms. Building our framework on a pluriliteracies approach to deeper learning (PTDL; Meyer, Coyle, Halbach, Schuck & Ting, 2015) merged with peda-gogies of drama-based learning, we argue that dynamic assessment needs to be conceptually and pedagogically congruent with the fundamental principles and aims of both approaches. The PbC Framework for Assessment is the outcome of our collaborative work in the PbC project. The key issues this proposal raises are addressed and discussed.Este artículo recoge parte del trabajo llevado a cabo por investigadores de cuatro países participantes en el proyecto Erasmus+ denominado Playing beyond CLIL (PbC, 2018–2021). Concretamente, presen¬ta un marco conceptual para la evaluación dinámica en el aula AICLE basado en el enfoque de las pluriliteracidades para el aprendizaje profundo (PTDL en inglés; Meyer, Coyle, Halbach, Schuck & Ting, 2015) y en la pedagogía de la dramatización. En consecuencia, tal y como se justifica a lo largo del trabajo, la evaluación dinámica debe ser conceptual y pedagógicamente congruente con los principios fundamentales y los objetivos de ambos enfoques. Los aspectos clave de esta propuesta son descritos en detalle.Peer Reviewe

Deeper Learning and Assessment in Drama-based CLIL Learning Spaces - A Conceptual Framework

This article draws on a European collaborative initiative between four countries involved in the Erasmus+ project Playing beyond CLIL (PbC, 2018–2021). In the following, we propose a conceptual framework for dynamic assessment in CLIL classrooms. Building our framework on a pluriliteracies approach to deeper learning (PTDL; Meyer, Coyle, Halbach, Schuck & Ting, 2015) merged with pedagogies of drama-based learning, we argue that dynamic assessment needs to be conceptually and pedagogically congruent with the fundamental principles and aims of both approaches. The PbC Framework for Assessment is the outcome of our collaborative work in the PbC project. The key issues this proposal raises are addressed and discussed.Peer reviewe

Media literacy at all levels: making the humanities more inclusive

The decline of the humanities, combined with the arrival of students focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), represent an opportunity for the development of innovative approaches to teaching languages and literatures. Expanding the instructional focus from traditional humanities students, who are naturally more text-focused, to address the needs of more application-oriented STEM learners ensures that language instructors prepare all students to become analytical and critical consumers and producers of digital media. Training students to question motives both in their own and authentic media messages and to justify their own interpretations results in more sophisticated second language (L2) communication. Even where institutional structures impede comprehensive curriculum reform, individual instructors can integrate media literacy training into their own classes. Tis article demonstrates ways of reaching and retaining larger numbers of students at all levels—if necessary, one course at a time.Published versio