Procedural apprenticeship in school science: Constructivist enabling of connoisseurship

Abstract

In many parts of the world, school science, especially at the secondary school level, is a sort of selection and training camp for future scientists and engineers. For most students, their general lack of cultural capital (Apple, 1990) minimizes their opportunities to survive the rapid coverage of large volumes of abstract, decontextualized laws, theories, and inventions so typical of school science. Most graduates and “drop‐outs” become relatively scientifically and technologically illiterate. They either have forgotten or have confused conceptions of scientific and technological knowledge; often view science and technology as relatively certain, unbiased, and benign with respect to effects on society and the environment; and lack resources necessary to effectively judge products and processes of science and technology or, crucially, to create their own explanations for and changes to phenomena. Citizens with illiteracy to this extent may have little control over their own thoughts and actions and be prey to whims of those who control knowledge, its production and dissemination. Curriculum frameworks are required that enable all students to achieve their maximum potential literacy and, as well, to create their own knowledge, to develop in directions unique to their needs, interests, abilities, and perspectives; that is, to become self‐actualized. This latter goal can, in part, be achieved through apprenticeship education in schools, such that students acquire a measure of scientific and technological connoisseurship—expertise enabling them to conduct open‐ended scientific investigations and invention projects of their design. In collaboration with five teachers of secondary school science, such a framework was, indeed, developed, and field‐tested. Through a spiraling, cyclical process involving synchronous reconstruction of conceptual and procedural understandings, evidence suggests students were able to carry out experiments, studies, and tests of their inventions with minimal teacher involvement. Furthermore, they appeared to accommodate more realistic conceptions of scientific and technological work. Moreover, many seemed to have made progress toward intellectual independence; able to judge knowledge claims independent of authorities. It is hoped that with more schools, systems, and teachers enabling development of such connoisseurship, all students will be better served by school science and, as well, the larger society will be more diverse, adaptable, and free. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 84:727–739, 2000.

Promoting student-led science and technology projects in elementary teacher education: entry into core pedagogical practices through technological design

“…So, I'd do it more gradually''. Such a finding was the reason that a longer-term action research group (in another study) had developed an 'apprenticeship' approach for helping students to develop expertise they could use for project work (Bencze 2000b).…”

Student-teachers’ Dialectically Developed Motivation for Promoting Student-led Science Projects

“…In a later activity, they studied beetle investigatory behavior and velocity of movement in a new environment; an activity intended to facilitate discussions about possible adverse effects of investigative methods on phenomena being studied. Generally, this work was similar to an 'apprenticeship' approach described elsewhere (Bencze, 2000), in which control of procedures is shared between instructor and students (although conclusions remain open-ended). It is also similar to lessons instructors provide regarding concepts-of-evidence (e.g., meaning and use of variable control), which have appeared to help students achieve success with inquiry activities (Van Rens, Pilot, & Van Dijk, 2004).…”

Students’ Research-Informed Socio-scientific Activism: Re/Visions for a Sustainable Future

“…Whereas skills education may be partially teacher-directed (and, we suggest, open-ended), students' research projects should be student-directed and open-ended (Bencze 2000). Emphasizing student-led research may be crucial to promotion of activism on SSI.…”