‘Grasp of Practice’ as a Reasoning Resource for Inquiry and Nature of Science Understanding

Abstract

This article articulates how a 'grasp of practice' serves as a reasoning resource for inquiry and citizenship abilities associated with nature of science (NOS) understanding. Theoretically, this resource is elaborated through an overlapping concern with 'practice' in two literatures, science studies and psychology of learning, bringing attention to two key roles in scientific practice, Critiquers and Constructors of claims. Empirically, this resource is made plausible by the results of an expert-novice study and a classroom study. In the expert-novice study, reactions of scientists and laypeople to science-related claims in the popular media were contrasted, underlining the appropriate ways scientists tend to Critique such claims. In the classroom study, sixth-grade students engaged in a 2-week ramp experiment, experiencing first hand the roles of Critiquers and Constructors of claims, and were subsequently assessed with a novel experimental task. Performances suggest that students had attained a grasp of practice, going well beyond mere execution of methods or procedures. These results challenge a common assumption that declarative knowledge best characterizes learning targets for supporting inquiry and NOS understanding.

Planning and carrying out investigations: an entry to learning and to teacher professional development around NGSS science and engineering practices

“…In other words, the impression students acquire is that science investigations typically work and the anticipated outcomes are usually achieved. Absent are the struggles that scientists encounter when trying to decide how, what, where, and when to measure or observe what some researchers (Lehrer et al 2008;Ford, 2008;Duschl, 2008) refer to as 'getting a grip on nature.' A steady diet of such investigations-withoutstruggles seems to lead students to leave school with the level 1 naïve notions: obtaining results from investigations and developing scientific knowledge are non-problematic.…”

Desafios Metodológicos Na Pesquisa Da Argumentação Em Ensino De Ciências

“…Entre as dimensões mais sofisticadas da argumentação podem se citar a qualidade da argumentação e dos argumentos, o status epistêmico dos enunciados (KELLY; TAKAO, 2002), o metaconhecimento sobre argumentação, as conexões com a aprendizagem de modelos (MENDONÇA; JUSTI, 2014), a eficácia de distintas estratégias de instrução em promover uma argumentação de qualidade, a dialética entre justificação e crítica (FORD, 2008), o papel das emoções (PLANTIN, 2011). Por motivos de limites de extensão deste artigo, não abordamos todos eles.…”

“…Recentemente, aumentou a atenção da pesquisa a esta dialética entre construção e crítica de enunciados (FORD, 2008).…”

The Minnesota Case Study Collection: New Historical Inquiry Case Studies for Nature of Science Education

“…The instrument most widely used by science educational researchers, VNOS, has a disclaimer against being used in formal classroom assessment (Lederman et al 2002). VNOS has also been widely criticized for not measuring the important dimensions of NOS (Ford 2008;Rudge 2010). However, a new alternative approach, modeled on the standardized Advanced Placement essay, probes NOS understanding through the analysis of contemporary cases in the news .…”