Incorporating Portable Technology to Enhance an Inquiry, Project-Based Middle School Science Classroom

Novak, Ann M.; Gleason, Christine I.

doi:10.1007/978-94-010-0638-5_3

Cited by 16 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Children who are learning science should be exposed to technological applications and skills within the context of meaningful science exploration. New computer technologies are creating new opportunities for students to engage in serious inquiry (Barab et al 2000;Edelson 2001;Erdogan 2005;Flick and Bell 2000;Krajcik et al 2000;Wallace 2002) and to undertake aspects of inquiry that they could not otherwise do (Hill and Hannafin 2001;Mistler and Songer 2000;Novak and Gleason 2001). Students are now able to use computer technology as a means to finding their own answers and fulfilling inquiry activities that are guided by the teacher or themselves.…”

Section: Technology Tool To Enhance Inquiry Learningmentioning

confidence: 96%

Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program for Middle School-Aged Female Students

Kim

2015

J Sci Educ Technol

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This study investigates the effects of an intensive 1-week Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program (InSTEP) designed for middle schoolaged female students. InSTEP uses a guided/open inquiry approach that is deepened and redefined as eight sciences and engineering practices in the Next Generation Science Standards, which aimed at increasing female students' interest in science and science-related careers. This study examined the effectiveness of InSTEP on 123 female students' pre-assessment and post-assessment changes in attitudes toward science and content knowledge of selected science concepts. An attitude survey, a science content test with multiple-choice questions, written assignments, and interviews to collect data were all used to measure students' attitudes and content knowledge. A within-group, repeated measure design was conducted, and the results indicated that at the post-intervention level, InSTEP increased the participants' positive attitudes toward science, science-related careers, and content knowledge of selected science concepts.

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Section: Technology Tool To Enhance Inquiry Learningmentioning

confidence: 96%

Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program for Middle School-Aged Female Students

Kim

2015

J Sci Educ Technol

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“…The most common practice was explaining why and how. Because the plan mode was the first place where a modeler began to create a model, this was the mode in which researchers would expect the users to discuss the driving question (Novak & Gleason, 2001), what kind of scenario they want to portray in the model. Experts usually stated their goals or purposes of their model at the beginning (in plan mode).…”

Section: Modeling Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Expert models and modeling processes associated with a computer‐modeling tool

2006

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ABSTRACT:Holding the premise that the development of expertise is a continuous process, this study concerns expert models and modeling processes associated with a modeling tool called Model-It. Five advanced Ph.D. students in environmental engineering and public health used Model-It to create and test models of water quality. Using "think aloud" technique and video recording, we captured their computer screen modeling activities and thinking processes. We also interviewed them the day following their modeling sessions to further probe the rationale of their modeling practices. We analyzed both the audio-video transcripts and the experts' models. We found the experts' modeling processes followed the linear sequence built in the modeling program with few instances of moving back and forth. They specified their goals up front and spent a long time thinking through an entire model before acting. They specified relationships with accurate and convincing evidence. Factors (i.e., variables) in expert models were clustered, and represented by specialized technical terms. Based on the above findings, we made suggestions for improving modelbased science teaching and learning using Model-It.

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“…The science teachers at the middle school had been working with university researchers to develop and implement interdisciplinary, integrated, project-based science curricula (Novak & Gleason, 2000). The teachers regularly met before the first class period for planning curriculum, creating materials, sharing handouts, and discussing students' progress.…”

Section: The Learning Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring middle school students' use of inscriptions in project-based science classrooms

Wu¹,

Krajcik²

2006

Sci. Ed.

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This study explores seventh graders' use of inscriptions in a teacher-designed project-based science unit. To investigate students' learning practices during the 8-month water quality unit, we collected multiple sources of data (e.g., classroom video recordings, student artifacts, and teacher interviews) and employed analytical methods that drew from a naturalistic approach. The findings showed that throughout the unit, provided with the teachers' scaffold and social, conceptual, and material resources, the seventh graders were able to use various inscriptions (e.g., digital pictures, Web pages, and models) to demonstrate meaningful inscriptional practices such as creating and using inscriptions to make arguments, to represent conceptual understandings, and to engage in thoughtful discussions. Inscriptions and associated practices provided students with experiences and understandings about certain ways to organize, transform, and link data or scientific ideas. However, when constructing inscriptions, students did not consider how the inscriptions could serve certain reasoning purposes. In addition, more scaffolds were needed to help students use multiple inscriptions to make a coherent argument.

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Incorporating Portable Technology to Enhance an Inquiry, Project-Based Middle School Science Classroom

Cited by 16 publications

References 3 publications

Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program for Middle School-Aged Female Students

Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program for Middle School-Aged Female Students

Expert models and modeling processes associated with a computer‐modeling tool

Exploring middle school students' use of inscriptions in project-based science classrooms

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