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Full-Text Articles in Education
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The Teacher's Crucial Role In Helping Students Learn Through Inquiry, Michael P. Clough
The Teacher's Crucial Role In Helping Students Learn Through Inquiry, Michael P. Clough
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
Learning and effective teaching are both highly complex acts. Leinhardt and Greeno (1986, p. 75) write that "teaching occurs in a relatively ill-structured, dynamic environment". Classroom conditions change in unpredictable ways, and information arises during the act of teaching that by necessity must inform practice as it occurs. While this is true of all teaching, it is all the more so when effectively teaching science through inquiry. This, in part, may explain the all too common practices of lecturing, textbook assignments, worksheets, and cookbook activities in science teaching. Each of these approaches severely constrains students' input into a lesson and …
Winging It: Exploring Form And Function Using Chicken Wings, Kyle Girup, Mike Klein
Winging It: Exploring Form And Function Using Chicken Wings, Kyle Girup, Mike Klein
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
This article presents a modification of a “cookbook” laboratory activity addressing the structure and function of a chicken wing. While the original activity was interesting, it did most all the thinking for students. The problem solving, creativity, and cooperative learning demanded in the modified activity requires students to think deeply about what they are doing and the relationship between structure and function. In doing so, students develop a better understanding of this important concept and the nature of scientific work. This activity promotes National Science Education Content Standards A and C and Iowa Teaching Standards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, …
Rounding Up Students' Conceptions On Circular Motion, Shannon Mclaughlin
Rounding Up Students' Conceptions On Circular Motion, Shannon Mclaughlin
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
The purpose of this paper is to provide insight on how introducing circular motion with a carefully designed sequence of demonstrations and activities consistent with the national standards, pedagogical knowledge, and research-based instructional practices can flush out students' conceptions of forces and motion, and set a conceptual foundation for understanding uniform circular motion. This article promotes National Science Education Content Standards A, B, and E, and Iowa Teaching Standards 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Circuits Without Wires?: Helping Students Understand The Power Of Ions, Elizabeth Potter, Caroline Kelly
Circuits Without Wires?: Helping Students Understand The Power Of Ions, Elizabeth Potter, Caroline Kelly
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
The activity described here provides an inquiry experience using familiar materials to promote student exploration and understanding of ions and ionic compounds. Familiar materials throughout the laboratory help students relate science to the real world and students are able to use their understanding of those materials. This activity uses an inquiry approach that requires students to make more decisions about their experiment, but does not expect students to discover scientific ideas. This article identifies many ways that the nature of science should be incorporated into the learning experience so that students improve their understanding of what science is and how …
Making A Splash: A Population Study Of Orcas And Its Application For Student Inquiry In Iowa, Laura Howell
Making A Splash: A Population Study Of Orcas And Its Application For Student Inquiry In Iowa, Laura Howell
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
The author participated in an Earthwatch Institute sponsored population survey of the Southern Resident Orca (killer whales). The two main aspects of this survey were to study the Orca population and to monitor the effects of humans on them. Orcas are listed as a "threatened" species and their population is currently declining. Results of the study linked the presence of the pollutant Polychlorinated-biphenyls (PCBs) in the ocean to this decline. Students will use the procedures outlined by this research to conduct their own population study on their local community. They will go to the cemetery to collect the mortality (death …
Knowing Versus Understanding: Teaching That Goes Beyond Trivialities, John Stiles
Knowing Versus Understanding: Teaching That Goes Beyond Trivialities, John Stiles
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
In this century of science and technology, it is essential that students learn to critically assess science issues in historical perspectives. The traditional method of teaching students to memorize information bits cannot accomplish the goal of creating a science- and technology-literate public. However, if teachers transform their learning environment into one that encourages and supports student conceptual understanding, not only will graduates be able to make informed decisions regarding science, but numerous studies show that student achievement also increases, often dramatically. This article promotes National Science Education Content Standard A and Iowa Teaching Standards 1, 3, 4, 5, and 8.
Zoology Teams In Action: Using Animals To Initiate Scientific Inquiry, Kat Hudson
Zoology Teams In Action: Using Animals To Initiate Scientific Inquiry, Kat Hudson
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
The benefits of using animals in the science classroom have been discussed, debated and written about for some time. Using animals as initiators of inquiry-based science and managing the welfare of the animals by creating student-run “Zoology Teams” is addressed in this article. This article promotes National Science Education Content Standards A, C, and F, and Iowa Teaching Standards 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8.
Title Page - Table Of Contents
The Unknown Factor: Helping Students Understand Mendelian Genetics And The Nature Of Science, Chris Robinson
The Unknown Factor: Helping Students Understand Mendelian Genetics And The Nature Of Science, Chris Robinson
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
Teaching science concepts in the same chronological order that the knowledge was developed by the scientific community is an effective way of promoting understanding of the concept as well as a greater appreciation for scientific inquiry. This activity mentally engages students and provides them a sense of discovery that Gregor Mendel must have felt over 150 years ago when he came to understand inheritance. Finally, by putting Mendelian genetics into a historical perspective, students will gain a greater understanding of scientific processes and the history and nature of science. This activity promotes National Science Education Content Standards A, C, E …
Learning Science As And Through Inquiry, Michael P. Clough
Learning Science As And Through Inquiry, Michael P. Clough
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
Inquiry science teaching has been at the heart of science education reform efforts for as long as most of us can remember. Clearly, the longstanding efforts to move science education in this direction are not a passing education fad. However, confusion often exists regarding what inquiry science teaching means and what it looks like in the complex world of classroom teaching. Inquiry science teaching may refer to teaching science as inquiry (helping students understand how scientific knowledge is developed) or teaching science through inquiry (having students take part in inquiry activities to help them come to more deeply understand science …
Every Learner Inquires: A State Science Education Initiative, W. Tony Heiting
Every Learner Inquires: A State Science Education Initiative, W. Tony Heiting
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
Learning, by its very nature, is an active mental process whereby learners work to make sense of experience in light of what they already know. Learning through inquiry encourages extensive mental engagement and, when implemented well, promotes a deep understanding of science concepts and the nature of science. For these reasons, having students learn science through inquiry has been at the heart of science education reform documents. However, teaching science through inquiry requires particular teaching skills that depart from time-honored practices. This article describes a new state science education initiative in Iowa titled “Every Learner Inquires” (ELI) that will begin …
Rethinking The Rollercoaster: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Promoting Science Inquiry, Timothy Nordin
Rethinking The Rollercoaster: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Promoting Science Inquiry, Timothy Nordin
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
References to amusement park rides are often made when teaching students about motion and other physics concepts. The activity presented here goes further and engages students in using physics concepts, and extending this understanding to new concepts, including building roller coaster models that actually work. The value of the activity presented is its ability to promote several important goals for science learning, as well as describing the teachers' crucial role. This article promotes National Science Education Content Standards A, E, F, and G and Iowa Teaching Standards 2, 3, 5, and 6.
The Helping Hand: An Administrator's Role In Encouraging And Supporting Effective Science Teaching, Robert L. Clark
The Helping Hand: An Administrator's Role In Encouraging And Supporting Effective Science Teaching, Robert L. Clark
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
Science teaching that mentally engages students and promotes all the goals we have for students, including a deep understanding of science content and the nature of science, is extremely difficult. That sort of teaching deviates significantly from the time-honored approaches that have permeated our schools for as long as any of us can remember. Because of that, many institutional constraints exist that make implementing effective science teaching even more difficult. This article addresses the principal's crucial role as an educational leader, the principal's responsibility to encourage and support effective science teaching practices, and efforts made in one building toward these …
Colorblindness: Invisible Disability, John Stiles
Colorblindness: Invisible Disability, John Stiles
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
In nearly every classroom sits at least one student who is unable to distinguish between certain colors. This incurable, genetic, and sex-linked condition is particularly frustrating in science class, a subject in which color discrimination is frequently required. Teachers are often unaware of this invisible disability, which many "colorblind" students try to keep secret in order to avoid embarrassment. There are a number of modifications a science teacher can make to reduce, or in some instances remove, barriers to learning for colorblind students. In addition, a simple, free test may help identify young children who have color difficulties, so they …
Revving It Up! Helping Students Investigate The Forces That Power A Motor, Roy D. Unruh, Larry Escalada
Revving It Up! Helping Students Investigate The Forces That Power A Motor, Roy D. Unruh, Larry Escalada
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
The Electric Motors learning cycle demonstrates how magnetic fields and electric currents interact to produce a force on a moving charge. In the exploratory activity students manipulate a magnetic field to produce motion in a cone and construct an electric motor by winding an armature and field coils. In the concept development activity, students construct a simple motor with a single coil and ceramic magnets. They feel the force on a current carrying coil in a magnetic field that leads to the right-hand rule. They also analyze the operation of a motor used to power a toy car. The application …