ABSTRACT:The teaching of science is a complex process, involving the use of multiple modalities. This paper illustrates the potential of a multimodal semiotics discourse analysis framework to illuminate meaning-making possibilities during the teaching of a science concept. A multimodal semiotics analytical framework is developed and used to (1) analyze the semiotic and epistemological meanings communicated by multiple modalities during the teaching of a biology concept and (2) highlight features of semiotic modalities that extend meaning-making opportunities in science classrooms. The classroom discourse of a Grade 11 biology teacher was analyzed during the teaching of the concept chemosynthesis. Data were drawn from lesson transcripts, observational fieldnotes, and informal interviews with the teacher. The findings showed that the multimodal semiotics framework was useful at illustrating how semiotic and epistemological functions of modalities compounded meanings. Most significantly, an emergent multimodal framework relating semiotic functions and science learning outcomes emerged that has the potential to (1) act as a metacognitive tool for teachers to select, sequence, and scaffold modalities and (2) act as an analytical framework for educational researchers to analyze meaning making in science teaching and learning.C 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 94: 48 -72, 2010

Action research in classrooms can be challenging for novice teacher researchers. This paper reports on a study involving eight action research teacher teams. Analysis of the teams as they conducted action research resulted in the identification of three collaborative action research approaches promoting professional development. The findings showed that collaborative engagement of teachers in these approaches was influenced by three factors -time to engage and collaborate, workload, and group dynamics -and that these factors were enacted in the three approaches in different ways. Knowledge of teacher experiences within these three collaborative action research approaches can: inform school administrators and professional organizations to facilitate professional development; and guide novice teacher researchers to plan in ways that minimize the challenges of action research. IntroductionAction research has been implemented as a form of professional development for classroom teachers in various school boards as a means of affecting change in teachers' instructional practices. However, to date, large-scale, formal projects involving university faculty supporting teams of teachers conducting collaborative action research and investigating the nature of the action research process in these investigations have not been conducted across Ontario, Canada. The study reported in this paper is part of a collaborative action research project conducted in 2007/08 that was initiated by a professional teacher organization in Ontario. Two university researchers facilitated and investigated how eight teams of elementary school teachers conducted collaborative action research in different elementary schools in South Western Ontario. The study was guided by the following questions:

The potential of using video games to promote learning in classrooms is gaining recognition, but few studies have explored how video games impact teaching and learning in science classrooms. This manuscript reports on the implementation of the video game Nano Legends in four grade 8 science classes in Ontario. Data sources included interviews with teachers and students, classroom observations, online and written student artifacts, and pre and posttests. The findings indicate that the game was effective at communicating factual content and promoting social interactions in the classroom and virtual world; however, teacher intervention was necessary to supplement learning and provide differentiated instruction.

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