Mental Representation and the Construction of Conceptual Understanding in Electronics Education

Learning about abstract electronics concepts can be difficult due to the hidden nature of the phenomena of interest. Developing understanding about electronics is therefore challenging because voltage cannot be readily observed; only the outcomes of the behaviour of voltage can be observed. Consequently modelling the phenomena of interest becomes a crucial factor in supporting learners in their development of knowledge and understanding. Visualisation skills have been promoted as important when modelling knowledge in different forms, supporting learners in their development of knowledge and understanding. Current research about electronics education, however, has tended to focus on learners’ misconceptions, experimental methods and interventions focusing on theoretical aspects of knowledge. Perspectives on learners’ actual constructions of knowledge in practice are not common. The aim of this research study, therefore, was to explore the use of external visual representations in support of learning about electronics concepts, within the context of Secondary Design and Technology education. The study adopts a case study approach and uses an interpretative cross-case synthesis methodology to explore a specific case of representation use among one class of Year 10 students. The analytical framework is designed to focus on the translation of and transition between multiple representations, including computer program code, and the representation of phenomena at three levels of representation: observable, symbolic and abstract. Data collection involved the observation of learners engaged with learning activities, documents collected from these activities, individual semi-structured interviews and participant characteristics data collected from course records. The findings show that common processes of learning are accompanied by individual developments in meaning and understanding. Individual understanding was characterised with the creation of four cognitive profiles representing key learner constructs. Understanding about abstract concepts was shown to benefit from representations where concrete referents linked with practical experience. Electronics understanding was also shown to benefit from the explanatory use of program code as a supporting method with which to model and simulate circuit behaviour. The research approach involving the close observation of learners engaging with learning activities was found to provide a greater understanding of learners’ approaches to learning in practice. The outcomes are applied to the practice of teaching electronics and modifications to the research are suggested for future researchers interested in the issues of teaching, learning and concept development in electronics education

CONCEPTUAL CHANGE ON THE LEARNING JOURNEY: FOUR ‘R’S FOR SUSTAINABLE LEARNING IN APPLIED CONTEXTS

Developing abstract conceptual knowledge is often problematic for learners because the phenomenon of interest cannot be observed. Knowledge is a product of learned theories and the outcome of learners’ practice. Through practice, such as the modelling and simulating of abstract phenomena, learners translate representations, for example diagrams and schematics into other forms such as physical models. Through this process conceptual change in the learner’s knowledge schema develops understanding and expertise enabling its application in new situations. This case study research explored learners’ perceptions of change in understanding during a two year General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Design and Technology: Electronic Products course. The findings indicate that changes in conceptual understanding occur through the need to gradually engage with the practicalities of modelling and simulating the phenomena of interest. Learners were shown to adjust understanding from an initial theoretical focus, to a more pragmatic view of knowledge grounded in their own observations of simulated phenomena. Learners’ dispositional attitudes to learning were found to support the nature of learning activities encountered during the period of the research. The discussion concludes with a model of sustainable learning based around the four ‘R’s: relate, reinterpret, reflect and revise. The model describes specific learner actions proposed as necessary in support of the development of cognitive skills and learning autonomy within a conceptual change view of learning.  Article visualizations

An investigation into the use of cognitive ability tests in the identification of gifted students in design and technology

This study examines whether MidYIS and YELLIS cognitive ability tests (CATs) are appropriate methods for the identification of giftedness in Design and Technology. A key rationale for the study was whether CATs and able to identify those students with the aptitudes considered of importance to identifying giftedness in Design and Technology and their use in connection with target setting. Consideration is given to the use of creativity and the nonverbal element of CATs as alternative methods of identification

Eu-Social Science: The Role of Internet Social Networks in the Collection of Bee Biodiversity Data

Background Monitoring change in species diversity, community composition and phenology is vital to assess the impacts of anthropogenic activity and natural change. However, monitoring by trained scientists is time consuming and expensive. Methodology/Principal Findings Using social networks, we assess whether it is possible to obtain accurate data on bee distribution across the UK from photographic records submitted by untrained members of the public, and if these data are in sufficient quantity for ecological studies. We used Flickr and Facebook as social networks and Flickr for the storage of photographs and associated data on date, time and location linked to them. Within six weeks, the number of pictures uploaded to the Flickr BeeID group exceeded 200. Geographic coverage was excellent; the distribution of photographs covered most of the British Isles, from the south coast of England to the Highlands of Scotland. However, only 59% of photographs were properly uploaded according to instructions, with vital information such as ‘tags’ or location information missing from the remainder. Nevertheless, this incorporation of information on location of photographs was much higher than general usage on Flickr (∼13%), indicating the need for dedicated projects to collect spatial ecological data. Furthermore, we found identification of bees is not possible from all photographs, especially those excluding lower abdomen detail. This suggests that giving details regarding specific anatomical features to include on photographs would be useful to maximise success. Conclusions/Significance The study demonstrates the power of social network sites to generate public interest in a project and details the advantages of using a group within an existing popular social network site over a traditional (specifically-designed) web-based or paper-based submission process. Some advantages include the ability to network with other individuals or groups with similar interests, and thus increasing the size of the dataset and participation in the project

Evaluating an occupational therapy service for older clients in the community in central Scotland

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