Examining Pre-Service Non-Experienced Secondary Science Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge

This study examined the PCK of four pre-service non-experienced secondary science teachers who were finishing their preparation program. A qualitative approach was used that generated rich descriptions of teachers' PCK. Three instruments were used for data collection: (1) unit plan followed by a semi-structured interview, (2) peer teaching lesson followed by a guided case analysis, and (3) a CoRe matrix followed by a semi-structured interview. an analysis framework for defining PCK consisting of six dimensions was utilized to derive a coding scheme that contained descriptors for each dimension. Data were coded and profiles containing descriptors of teachers' PCK in planning, action and reflection were generated. Then, data bits, each consisting of three parts - main idea, how it was applied and how it was reflected upon- were used to generate teachers' profiles. Findings revealed that teachers' PCK profiles ranged from poor to proficient. Also, teachers had moderate knowledge of students and demonstrated consistently the same level of proficiency across the dimensions 'knowledge of instructional strategies', 'orientations to teach science' and 'knowledge of assessment'. Findings were interpreted by appealing to theories of learning and transfer. Implications for research, teachers education programs and teacher educators were discussed

Étude exploratoire des points de vue épistémologiques des enseignant(e)s universitaires de sciences. Cas d’une Faculté de sciences libanaise et francophone

The purpose of this study was to explore 24 university science teachers’conceptions of science, at a Lebanese, private, francophone faculty of sciences, via a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, partially based on standardized question naires. Results indicated that participants in the study did not have any academic preparation in the history, philosophy, nor epistemology of science and were not trained to teach science. Results also shown that participants held mixed science conceptions, sometimes informed, sometimes inadequate, and that they highlighted the importance of integrating history and epistemology of science in the science curriculum.Cette recherche vise à sonder les conceptions sur 24 enseignants universitaires de sciences relatives à la science, d’une faculté de sciences, privée, libanaise et francophone, via une enquête par questionnaire et des entretiens semi-directifs, partiellement inspirés de questionnaires standardisés. Dans ce contexte, la plupart des enseignants enquêtés et interviewés ne sont pas formés en histoire, en philosophie, en épistémologie des sciences, ni en didactique des sciences. Ils mobilisent des conceptions épistémologiques contrastées concernant la science, tantôt adéquates, tantôt erronées, et témoignent de l’importance de l’intégration de l’histoire et de l’épistémologie des sciences dans le cursus scientifique.El Khoury Reine, Boujaoude Saouma, El Hage Fadi. Étude exploratoire des points de vue épistémologiques des enseignant(e)s universitaires de sciences. Cas d’une Faculté de sciences libanaise et francophone. In: Spiral-E. Revue de recherches en éducation, supplément électronique au n°53, 2014. Supplément au n° 53 : Littéracies en contexte d'enseignement et d'apprentissages. pp. 41-65

Epistemological Beliefs in Science: An Exploratory Study of Lebanese University Students' Epistemologies

Beliefs about the nature of knowledge and knowing have been investigated extensively in educational and developmental psychology research. Hofer's framework on personal epistemology is adopted in the present study for assessing Lebanese university students' epistemologies of science. Participants were 213 students in their first year of science-related studies at a private university in Beirut. Two instruments were used for data collection: The science-focused epistemological beliefs questionnaire (Hofer, 2000) and an 8-item instrument adapted from the modified version of the "Views on Science–Technology–Society" (Dogan & Abd-El-Khalick, 2008), and an additional item developed by the authors. Thirty students were purposively selected for completing the second instrument followed by a semi-structured interview. Data analysis yielded the following assertions regarding students' epistemologies of science:(1) Scientific knowledge is liable to change;(2) the source of scientists' knowledge is inherent to human's construction, whereas the source of personal knowledge is independent from human subjectivity and based on external authority;(3)scientific knowledge is proven and validated through the concerted effort of scientists; and(4)absolute truth cannot be attained because of the lack of means to access knowledge. Findings highlighted the need to foster an academic culture that promotes students' epistemologies and explicitly addresses the nature and processes of science in curricula and instruction

Grade 8 Lebanese students’ reasoning and decision-making about scientific versus socio-scientific issues

Learners are expected to discuss and debate, using scientific evidence, the Socio-Scientific Issues (SSI) that often overlap with personal experiences and ethical dilemmas. This study investigated the reasoning of 24 Grade 8 Lebanese students when arguing about a scientific scenario as opposed to an SSI. It also examined how students make decisions and reason about SSIs. Results showed that students’ reasoning is more emotional in socio-scientific contexts than in scientific ones. Also, scientific reasoning was based on macroscopic (observed) characteristics of the phenomenon in an SSI but was based on microscopic (cellular/molecular details of mechanisms) features of the phenomenon in scientific contexts. Cultural, social, and ethical considerations influenced students’ decisions and reasons when constructing arguments. We discuss the results in light of the literature on reasoning about SSIs and provide instructional implications on how to teach argumentation within SSIs to enhance student reasoning.</p

L'enseignement des sciences à l'université : traditions ou innovations ?

This research aims to probe teaching practices of science faculty members from four science faculties in Lebanon. A questionnaire survey was conducted among twenty-four science faculty members, and classroom observations followed by semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine science faculty members to identify traditional teaching methods, innovative practices and mixed teaching methods, as well as teaching constraints preventing the use of innovative practices

L'enseignement des sciences à l'université : traditions ou innovations ?

This research aims to probe teaching practices of science faculty members from four science faculties in Lebanon. A questionnaire survey was conducted among twenty-four science faculty members, and classroom observations followed by semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine science faculty members to identify traditional teaching methods, innovative practices and mixed teaching methods, as well as teaching constraints preventing the use of innovative practices