Fostering scientific literacy and critical thinking in elementary science education

Scientific literacy (SL) and critical thinking (CT) are key components of science education aiming to prepare students to think and to function as responsible citizens in a world increasingly affected by science and technology (S&T). Therefore, students should be given opportunities in their science classes to be engaged in learning experiences that promote SL and CT, which may trigger the need to build and develop knowledge, attitudes/values, thinking abilities, and standards/criteria in an integrated way, resulting in their ability to know how to take responsible action in contexts and situations of personal and social relevance. This paper reports on a study to design, implement, and assess science learning experiences focused on CT toward SL goal. Results support the conclusion that the learning experiences developed and implement- ed in a grade 6 science classroom had a significant influence on the students’ CT and SL. Within this elementary school context, the theoretical framework used appears to be a relevant and practical aid for developing learning experiences that promote CT/SL and in supporting teaching practices that are more in line with the goals of critical scientific literacy

Secondary Students' Understanding of Genetics Using BioLogica: Two Case Studies

This chapter reexamines our research on secondary students’ understanding of genetics in terms of gene conceptions and reasoning when they learned genetics with multiple external representations (MERs). In our Australian study, teachers in three Perth schools included interactive BioLogica activities which feature manipulable MERs to varying degrees in their teaching. In our Hong Kong study, students used BioLogica in an after-school program for which the teacher and researcher provided bilingual support and both group and individual feedback. The results of our studies—from a cross-case analysis of students’ gene conceptions and genetics reasoning based on interviews, online two-tier tests, computer log files, and other data sources—indicated that most students improved their understanding of genetics to varying extent in terms of sophistication of their gene conceptions and the six types of genetics reasoning. The findings suggest that MERs supported understanding of genetics but not for all students. We compare the Australian and Hong Kong studies in terms of students’ genetics reasoning, explore how students learned complex content in biology using MERs within different learning contexts, and discuss the potential of visual-graphical and bilingual representations for scaffolding the learning of English language learner (ELL) students

A Multidisciplinary Perspective on Animation Design and Use in Science Education

This introductory chapter briefly outlines the factors that motivate this book to provide a catalyst for advancing transdisciplinary research in the use of animation in science education. Fundamental among these is the ongoing development of animation as a resource for scientific investigation and for the representation and communication of knowledge about complex processes in new areas of scientific discovery, which means that science teaching as inducting students into the disciplinary discourse of science necessarily entails developing their competence in the interpretation and creation of science animation. Related to this is the growing recognition by science education researchers of the efficacy of interfacing different disciplinary perspectives, especially those of social semiotics, digital technology and science pedagogy, to investigate the development of innovative approaches to enhancing student engagement and learning. With this orientation, an overview is then provided of the three chapters in each of the four parts of the book, namely (I) Educational Semiotics and the Representation of Knowledge in Science Animation, (II) Learning from Viewing Science Animations, (III) Learning through Creating Science Animations, and (IV) Using Animation in Assessing Students’ Science Learning