Measuring the effectiveness of computer-based scientific visualisations for conceptual development in Australian chemistry classrooms

Visual modes of representation have always been very important in science and science education. Interactive computer-based animations and simulations offer new visual resources for chemistry education. Many studies have shown that students enjoy learning with visualisations but few have explored how learning outcomes compare when teaching with or without visualisations. This study employs a quasi-experimental crossover research design and quantitative methods to measure the educational effectiveness - defined as level of conceptual development on the part of students - of using computer-based scientific visualisations versus teaching without visualisations in teaching chemistry. In addition to finding that teaching with visualisations offered outcomes that were not significantly different from teaching without visualisations, the study also explored differences in outcomes for male and female students, students with different learning styles (visual, aural, kinesthetic) and students of differing levels of academic ability

Teaching with Interactive Simulations: One Small Contribution Toward Science Education for all

Many of the greatest challenges facing humanity in coming decades have a scientific component: energy needs, disease pandemics, water and food security, climate change, machine intelligence and many not yet imagined. The tendency has been to assume that the solutions to these challenges will be developed by scientists, engineers and technologists, but it is increasingly important that all citizens have sufficient understanding of science to participate in the democratic processes that are necessary to address major issues. Enhancing the science education of all citizens is a huge challenge in itself, and will require a very wide range of strategies and approaches. One small contribution can come from teaching approaches using new technologies, including interactive simulations. This paper briefly describes interactive simulations and an approach to teaching using them, and addresses evidence of the effectiveness of this approach. Outcomes showed significant learning gains, relative to a control group, that were not differentiated by gender, or for students at different levels of academic achievement, suggesting that this approach may be effective as one contribution toward science education for all

The Empty Centre : Power/Knowledge, Relationships and the Myth of \u27Student Centered Teaching\u27 in Teacher Education.

The notion of ‘student centred learning’ is a popular and influential one in education at all levels. Questions of exactly how this may be defined, and what it would look like in practice are, however, much more difficult to address. During second semester 1998, I was involved in teaching a Masters level unit on teacher action research to a group of middle school teachers. I placed a high value on the knowledge, values and experience of these students, and attempted to allow them considerable freedom to construct their own learning activities and assessment procedures. Some students accepted the offered challenges, and after some initial disorientation were able to construct powerful and valuable educative programs for themselves. Others, however, felt threatened by the perceived lack of structure and direction in the course, and felt that their time was being wasted. This paper explores my own experiences and ethical/theoretical commitments through discussion of contemporary reflective texts and narratives. It also addresses some of the complex meanings that may be ascribed to the phrase ‘student centred teaching’, and suggests that a teacher’s withdrawal from an intensive, controlling classroom role must be negotiated with students in ways that avoid the creation of an ‘empty centre’

Feyerabend revisited: Epistemological anarchy and disciplined eclecticism in educational research

Discussion between the adherents of various orientations within educational research has often generated more heat than light. A pervasive analogy drawn in these discussions has been between the philosophy of science and educational research. In this paper I explore the value of several influential perspectives within twentieth century philosophy of science as means of understanding what researchers in education do, and why. I suggest that Paul Feyerabend’s ‘anything goes’ epistemological perspective has much to offer in supporting rich educational research. If positivist standards of validity and reliability are no longer considered appropriate for some forms of educational research, however, new standards for justification and representation, explicitly stated within the research, will be necessary

REFLECTIONS ON RUNNING A FREE ONLINE CONFERENCE: ASERA CONFERENCE ONLINE 2020

The Australasian Science Education Research Association’s (ASERA) annual conference, like most other large (or small) gatherings around the world, was not able to take place this year in a face-to-face manner in a physical location due to COVID-19. The online conference format was a first for ASERA, and in fact, is a relatively new idea in science education, and science, more broadly (Reshef et al., 2020). Thus, the aim of this paper is to share reflections from the organising committee of this year’s ASERA conference, comprising of the first and second authors and the president of the ASERA Board, the third author. The reflections focus on the initial decision to go online, the justification for the design of the online conference (including the decision to run it at no/little expense) and how it went on the day. These reflections will contribute to our understanding of running large online research-related events, an occurrence which might be more frequent or likely as we adapt to the ‘new norm’ post-pandemic. REFERENCE Reshef, O., Aharonovich, I., Armani, A. M., Gigan, S., Grange, R., Kats, M. A., and Sapienza, R. (2020). How to organize an online conference. Nature Reviews Material 5(4) 253-6

The education change model as a vehicle for reform: shifting Year 7 and implementing junior secondary in Queensland

Queensland schools are engaged in change as they shift Year 7 from primary to high school settings from the start of 2015 and implement junior secondary in all public schools in Years 7, 8, and 9. This agenda signals one of the most significant reforms undertaken in Queensland education. It is accompanied by a systemic policy commitment, including resource allocation, to ensure it is supported at the individual school level and in the wider schooling system. In this paper, we outline the Leading Change Development Program undertaken in 2014, which was designed to enable school leaders to facilitate these reforms in their unique school contexts. The program — conceptualised around the Education Change Model — is outlined and data are presented that indicate school leaders’ assessment of the stage of reform their school was located at, according to the reform model

Evaluating a novel instructional sequence for conceptual change in physics using interactive simulations

This study investigated the effectiveness of a novel inquiry-based instructional sequence using interactive simulations for supporting students’ development of conceptual understanding, inquiry process skills and confidence in learning. The study, conducted in Beijing, involved two teachers and 117 students in four classes. The teachers participated in professional learning and were supported in enacting one of two different instructional approaches the Interactive Simulations Instructional Approach (ISIA) (experimental group) or conventional instruction (control group). Each student group completed pre-tests and post-tests, and classroom observations were conducted to ensure that the implementation of the intervention was consistent. Our findings reveal that students in the ISIA group demonstrated significantly greater gains in conceptual understanding, inquiry process skills and confidence in learning than their peers in the conventional instruction group. Neither students’ sex nor their levels of academic achievement showed main effects on students’ achievement in any of the three outcome types (understanding, skill, confidence). This study demonstrates that the combination of interactive simulations and inquiry-based learning can enhance the development of students’ conceptual understanding, inquiry process skills and confidence in learning

A better understanding of the potential conflict between Christianity and homosexuality

Most organized religions including Christianity still regard homosexuality as being against their teachings, as sinful and contrary to scripture. Thus the matter of reconciling sexual orientation with religious and spiritual beliefs can be a very challenging and complicated process for those homosexual persons who uphold Christianity as their religion. This paper seeks to explore the potential conflict between Christianity and homosexuality faced by the respondents. A qualitative study was conducted via in-depth semi-structured interviews with purposively selected homosexual persons. The result found that a small percentage of respondents were unaffected by the potential conflict between Christianity and homosexuality. Nevertheless, the majority, eighty percent, were affected by the conflict, implying that both Christianity and homosexuality were important components of their lives. The most common personal effects of conflict between Christianity and homosexuality indentified include depression, self-blame/guilt, anxiety, suicidal ideation and alienation. Some implications for practice are presented at two few different levels: (1) mental health professionals and (2) church leaders and clergymen