Development of third graders’ identities as “persons who understand nature of science” through a gravity unit

Nature of science (NOS) is a critical component and should be part of all science lessons. It is critical to begin NOS instruction in the elementary grades, to help young children develop an identity as persons who can conceptualize NOS ideas. The purpose of this study was to explore third grade elementary students’ Nature of Science (NOS) identities as a result of participating in a unit on gravity. The research question specifically was ?How do third graders’ NOS identities change as a result of participating in a unit on gravity?" Explicit reflective NOS instruction was embedded in a unit on gravity. Data included videotapes of the lessons including class discussions prior to and after the lesson, and use of children’s literature. Other data included copies of student work and student science notebooks, and their presentations of work. Data were analyzed independently by three researchers for comparison of analysis. NOS identity development was found to be related to ideas that were ?connections to real life," ?class discussions of ideas," and ?making connections to other science content." Students in this class were able to use and apply NOS terms accurately. Results support that elementary students can learn NOS through appropriate instruction. © 2019, International Journal of Research in Education and Science. All rights reserved

Multiculturalism in higher education: experiences of international teaching assistants and their students in science and math classrooms

Universities with a strong global presence host a large number of international doctoral students. Many of these students teach undergraduate courses as part of a teaching assistantship. There are many benefits associated with international teaching assistants. These include cultural exchanges within the universities and enhanced preparation for students entering into careers that are increasingly international in scope. These international teaching assistants, however, often encounter unique challenges. An understanding of these challenges is imperative in order to better meet their needs, as well as those of the undergraduate students in their classes. This qualitative study examined the experiences of international teaching assistants from science and math education departments in a Midwestern US university and their students’ views about learning from them. Data sources included video and audio-taped semi-structured interviews conducted with seven international teaching assistants and their students. The findings revealed the teaching assistants experienced different kinds of language and cultural and contextual challenges. Accent and fluency in speaking, correct pronunciation of the words, and the differences in science and mathematics jargon across different countries are examples of linguistic challenges. The difficulty in understanding US humor, customs, values, and beliefs are examples of cultural challenges. In response to these challenges, the teaching assistants developed coping strategies such as honesty and being open to students. The findings revealed students experienced some difficulties such as language issues, but they also had positive experiences such as learning about different cultures. © 2020, Springer Nature B.V