Constructing Worlds through Science Education: The Selected Works of John K. Gilbert

by Gilbert; John K.

• ISBN13: 9780415352185
• ISBN10: 0415352185
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2005-11-07
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

In theWorld Library of Educationalistsseries, international experts themselves compile career- long collections of what they judge to be their finest pieces-extracts from books, key articles, salient research findings, major theoretical and/practical contributions-so the world can read them in a single manageable volume. Readers will be able to follow the themes and strands of their work and see their contribution to the development of a field. John Gilbert has spent the last thirty years researching, thinking and writing about some of the key and enduring issues in science education. He was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to science teaching in 2001 by the American National Association of Research into Science Teaching. In this book he brings together in one place his sixteen key and seminal writings. Starting with a specially written Introduction, the author summarizes his career and contextualizes his selection within the development of the field. Thechapters cover: Alternative conceptions and science education Relating science education and technology education Models and modeling Informal education in science and technology

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	xii
Introduction	1	(1)
Preface	1	(1)
Signposts on a road with many turnings	1	(3)
The themes addressed	4	(5)
And now, that title. . .	9	(2)
PART 1 Explanation, models, modelling in science education	11	(88)
Models in explanations: horses for courses?	13	(14)
What is an explanation?	13	(2)
A typology of explanations	15	(2)
Appropriateness in an explanation	17	(1)
Who questions, who explains and why?	18	(3)
Models and how they explain	21	(4)
Horses for courses	25	(2)
History and philosophy of science through models: the case of chemical kinetics	27	(18)
Introduction	27	(5)
Models of chemical kinetics	32	(1)
The Anthropomorphic Model	32	(8)
Discussion	40	(5)
A cause of ahistorical science teaching: use of hybrid models	45	(15)
Introduction	45	(1)
Models in science and science education	46	(1)
Analysis of research field for historical models	47	(1)
Historical models of chemical kinetics	48	(2)
Analysis of teaching of chemical kinetics	50	(5)
Discussion	55	(1)
Implications for science education	56	(4)
Epistemological resources for thought experimentation in science learning	60	(18)
Introduction	60	(2)
Thought experiments and research in science learning	62	(1)
What is a thought experiment?	62	(1)
The learning experiment	63	(1)
The construction of a Thought Experiment	64	(6)
The non-propositional nature of images	70	(1)
The role of bodily knowledge	70	(3)
Conclusion and discussion	73	(5)
Modelling, teachers' views on the nature of modelling and implications for the education of modellers	78	(21)
Introduction	78	(1)
The act of modelling	79	(2)
Learning and teaching modelling	81	(2)
The study	83	(1)
Results	84	(7)
Discussion	91	(3)
Conclusions	94	(5)
PART 2 Relating science education and technology education	99	(56)
The interface between science education and technology education	101	(16)
The increased emphasis on technology education	101	(1)
Technology	102	(3)
Science and technology	105	(1)
Forms of technology education	106	(1)
Education for technology: the technical aspect	107	(4)
Education about technology: the organizational and cultural aspects	111	(1)
Education in technology: all Pacey's aspects	111	(1)
The contribution of science education to technology education	111	(2)
Some research questions	113	(4)
Positioning models in science education and in design and technology education	117	(11)
Introduction	117	(1)
The role of modelling in scientific enquiry	117	(1)
The conduct of science and of technology	118	(2)
The nature of education in science and in technology	120	(1)
Exploring links	121	(1)
On modelling and models	122	(4)
Modelling and models as a bridge	126	(2)
Modelling: promoting creativity while forging links between science education and design and technology education	128	(16)
Building a knowledge-based society	128	(1)
Perceptions of the nature of creativity	129	(1)
Modelling as a creative act	130	(1)
Modelling: a creative link between science and design and technology in schools	131	(1)
The creative act of modelling	132	(4)
Promoting creativity in general	136	(2)
Strategies for linking science and design and technology education	138	(1)
Specific strategies for promoting modelling	138	(2)
Conclusion	140	(4)
Research and development on satellites in education	144	(11)
The current situation	144	(1)
Satellites and the new education	145	(3)
Current research on satellites in education	148	(2)
Future development work	150	(1)
Future research work	151	(4)
PART 3 Informal education in science and technology	155	(42)
Informal chemical education	157	(16)
Introduction	157	(1)
Attitudes to chemistry	157	(1)
Narrative, context and situation: keys to success	158	(2)
Chemistry in popular books	160	(2)
Newspapers and popular magazines	162	(1)
Chemistry on television	163	(2)
Live science shows	165	(1)
Chemistry lectures and chemistry in science festivals	166	(1)
Chemistry in science and technology centres	166	(2)
Summary of the problem and the solution	168	(1)
Informal chemical education: is it really necessary?	169	(4)
The design of interactive exhibits to promote the making of meaning	173	(10)
Introduction	173	(1)
The significance of science and technology centres	174	(1)
A model of the use of an interactive exhibit	174	(3)
The design of `experiences'	177	(1)
Experiences with interactive exhibits	178	(1)
Implications for exhibit designers	179	(1)
Towards a designed future for interactive exhibits	180	(3)
Models and discourse: a primary school science class visit to a museum	183	(14)
Introduction	183	(2)
Models and critical incidents	185	(2)
Context and study	187	(1)
Critical incidents, discourse, and mental models	188	(5)
Discussion	193	(4)
PART 4 Alternative conceptions and science education	197	(72)
Eliciting student views using an interview-about-instances technique	199	(14)
Introduction	199	(2)
Designing a deck of IAI cards	201	(2)
The process of elicitation	203	(1)
The transcription of interviews	204	(2)
The analysis of a transcript	206	(2)
Results obtained by the IAI method	208	(1)
The representativeness of data obtained	208	(3)
The future use and development of the IAI approach	211	(2)
Concepts, misconceptions and alternative conceptions: changing perspectives in science education	213	(33)
Introduction	213	(1)
Some influences on research in science education	213	(3)
Concepts of concept	216	(3)
Conceptions, categories and frameworks	219	(2)
A review of the outcomes of some recent studies	221	(10)
Conceptual development	231	(3)
Challenges to the alternative frameworks movement	234	(12)
Children's science and its consequences for teaching	246	(11)
The ``blank-minded'' or ``tabula rasa'' assumption	246	(1)
The ``teacher dominance'' assumption	246	(1)
The ``student dominance'' assumption	247	(1)
The exploration of children's science	247	(1)
Patterns in children's science	248	(2)
Teachers' views of science	250	(1)
The consequences of children's science for teaching	251	(3)
Conclusion	254	(1)
Appendix	255	(2)
Constructive science education	257	(12)
Psychology bases for science education	257	(1)
Passivist and activist theories of knowledge	258	(1)
A challenge to traditional views of science education	259	(1)
The role of the teacher in students' conceptual change	260	(6)
Conclusion	266	(3)
Index	269