2,164 research outputs found
Physics Portfolios: A picture of student understanding
Traditionally, teachers assess students\u27 physics understanding through lab activities, responses to open-ended word problems, and tests. But there\u27s another way to measure student understanding, one in which students apply their learning to the world around them. This article shows how to implement student portfolios, which allow students to set goals they can monitor throughout the year and actively participate in assessment. When students build portfolios, they can evaluate and reflect on their own work, promoting engagement with the course and content (Danielson and Abrutyn 1997), and teachers can better assess students\u27 goal movement and see growth in students\u27 conceptual understanding. Portfolio assessment is a powerful motivator because students get to make choices (Tomlinson 1999), personalize learning goals, choose the assignments they want to include, and focus on areas of interest. Portfolios provide insight into students as individuals, revealing alternative conceptions and incomplete understandings (Danielson and Abrutyn 1997). Teachers can differentiate how students convey understanding based on readiness, interest, or learning profiles (Tomlinson 1999) and have opportunities to communicate with parents about student work (Nickleson 2004). The first author has implemented a physics portfolio project in two different general-level high school physics courses over the past six years. Students provide pictures of their understanding and make real-world connections as they learn, addressing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) (Achieve Inc. 2013) and Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (NGAC and CCSSO 2010). Students reflect on their studies and goals for the course and provide evidence of their learning throughout the year, allowing the teacher to formatively assess both student progress and the course itself
Kinesthetic investigations in the physics classroom
Creating investigations that allow students to see physics in their everyday world and to be kinesthetically active outside of the traditional physics classroom can be incredibly engaging and effective. The investigations we developed were inquiry investigations in which students engaged in concrete experiences before we discussed the ab- stract concepts and derived the mathematical relationships. In this article, we describe the approach to inquiry used and an explanation of kinesthetic investigations in general. We then provide a description of several of the investigations and some examples of how students responded to them
Kinesthetic Investigations in the Physics Classroom
Inquiry can be defined practically as “an active learning process in which students answer research questions through data analysis.”2 This simple definition of inquiry is based on the National Science Educational Standards and is easy for teachers to understand. The National Research Council (NRC) identifies the scientific practices that support inquiry and that students should be engaged in, including: question generation, experimental design, data analysis, creating explanations, argumentation, and communicating results.3 The investigations created encourage inquiry and require students to develop their scientific practices skills
Teacher\u27s Toolkit: Differentiating Inquiry
Differentiated instruction and teaching science as inquiry are two pedagogical approaches frequently discussed among science teachers. Teachers know these approaches are important but often have difficulty translating them into their classroom science instruction. This article describes how to differentiate a density investigation for variations in student readiness by varying the level of inquiry using an approach that is easily translated to experiments in any science content area
Exploring practices of science coordinators participating in targeted professional development
This study describes how district science coordinators supported teachers and implemented professional development in their districts following participation in the Science Coordinator Academy. This qualitative descriptive case study comprised three district science coordinators from three districts in a mid‐Atlantic state, as well as principals and teachers from those districts. Data sources, including observations, surveys, artifacts, and interviews, were analyzed using the framework method (Gale, Heath, Cameron, Rashid, & Redwood, 2013). District context, science coordinator background, and collaboration were salient factors that influenced coordinator practices and coordinators’ abilities to impact teacher change. We hypothesize that the development of a coaching relationship, facilitating collaboration among teachers, utilizing the characteristics of effective professional development, and promoting reflection through modeling and feedback may be the most important reflection‐growth model of instructional leadership (Blase & Blase, 1999) practices for science coordinators to enact when working with teachers
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Understandings of the nature of science and decision making on science and technology based issues
Current reforms emphasize the development of scientific literacy as the
principal goal of science education. The nature of science is considered a critical
component of scientific literacy and is assumed to be an important factor in decision
making on science and technology based issues. However, little research exists that
delineates the role of the nature of science in decision making. The purpose of this
investigation was to explicate the role of the nature of science in decision making on
science and technology based issues and to delineate the reasoning and factors
associated with these types of decisions.
The 15-item, open-ended "Decision Making Questionnaire" (DMQ) based on
four different scenarios concerning science and technology issues was developed to
assess decision making. Twenty-one volunteer participants purposively selected from
the faculty of geographically diverse universities completed the questionnaire and
follow-up interviews.
Participants were subsequently grouped according to their understandings of
the nature of science, based on responses to a second open-ended questionnaire and
follow-up interview. Profiles of each group's decision making were constructed, based
on their previous responses to the DMQ and follow-up interviews. Finally, the two groups' decisions, decision making factors, and decision making strategies were
compared.
No differences were found between the decisions of the two groups, despite
their disparate views of the nature of science. While their reasoning did not follow
formal lines of argumentation, several influencing factors and general reasoning
patterns were identified. Participants in both groups based their decisions primarily on
personal values, morals/ethics, and social concerns. While all participants said they
considered scientific evidence in their decision making, most did not require absolute
"proof," even though Group B participants held more absolute conceptions of the
nature of science. Overall, the nature of science did not figure prominently in either
group's decisions.
These findings contrast with the assumptions of the science education
community and current reform efforts and call for a reexamination of the goals of
nature of science instruction. Developing better decision making skills even on
science and technology based issues -- may involve other factors, including more
values-based instruction and attention to intellectual/moral development
Situating Computer Simulation Professional Development: Does It Promote Inquiry-Based Simulation Use?
This mixed-methods study sought to identify professional development implementation variables that may influence participant (a) adoption of simulations, and (b) use for inquiry-based science instruction. Two groups (Cohort 1, N = 52; Cohort 2, N = 104) received different professional development. Cohort 1 was focused on Web site use mechanics. Cohort 2 was situated in nature and provided three additional elements: (a) modeling simulation use within inquiry-based instruction; (b) collaboration; and (c) provision of content-relevant lesson planning time. There was no difference in the extent of simulation use between cohorts, χ2(1) = 0.878, p = .349, φ = −0.075. Results were inconclusive for a difference in observed inquiry instruction as Fisher\u27s Exact Test was insignificant but had a medium effect size, p = .228, φ = 0.283. Computer-based standardized tests emerged as a novel technology integration barrier. These findings have implications for school policy, professional development, and future research
Enzymatic- and temperature-sensitive controlled release of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxides (USPIOs)
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Drug and contrast agent delivery systems that achieve controlled release in the presence of enzymatic activity are becoming increasingly important, as enzymatic activity is a hallmark of a wide array of diseases, including cancer and atherosclerosis. Here, we have synthesized clusters of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxides (USPIOs) that sense enzymatic activity for applications in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To achieve this goal, we utilize amphiphilic poly(propylene sulfide)-<it>bl</it>-poly(ethylene glycol) (PPS-b-PEG) copolymers, which are known to have excellent properties for smart delivery of drug and siRNA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Monodisperse PPS polymers were synthesized by anionic ring opening polymerization of propylene sulfide, and were sequentially reacted with commercially available heterobifunctional PEG reagents and then ssDNA sequences to fashion biofunctional PPS-bl-PEG copolymers. They were then combined with hydrophobic 12 nm USPIO cores in the thin-film hydration method to produce ssDNA-displaying USPIO micelles. Micelle populations displaying complementary ssDNA sequences were mixed to induce crosslinking of the USPIO micelles. By design, these crosslinking sequences contained an EcoRV cleavage site. Treatment of the clusters with EcoRV results in a loss of R<sub>2 </sub>negative contrast in the system. Further, the USPIO clusters demonstrate temperature sensitivity as evidenced by their reversible dispersion at ~75°C and re-clustering following return to room temperature.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This work demonstrates proof of concept of an enzymatically-actuatable and thermoresponsive system for dynamic biosensing applications. The platform exhibits controlled release of nanoparticles leading to changes in magnetic relaxation, enabling detection of enzymatic activity. Further, the presented functionalization scheme extends the scope of potential applications for PPS-b-PEG. Combined with previous findings using this polymer platform that demonstrate controlled drug release in oxidative environments, smart theranostic applications combining drug delivery with imaging of platform localization are within reach. The modular design of these USPIO nanoclusters enables future development of platforms for imaging and drug delivery targeted towards proteolytic activity in tumors and in advanced atherosclerotic plaques.</p
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