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Journal of Science Teacher Education

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01-03-2010

Discourse of Making Sense of Data: Implications for Elementary Teachers’ Science Education

Authors: Anita Roychoudhury, Diana Rice

Published in: Journal of Science Teacher Education | Issue 2/2010

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Abstract

This study of classroom discourse and other data from a physical science course for in-service teachers show the areas of success and challenge of the participants in making claims supported by justifications. It also shows that the teachers learned to make scientific claims and were able to make some justifications. Nevertheless, many found the process difficult. Some of those who performed well in the course did not consider the pedagogy suitable for their own students. The implications of the findings for elementary teacher education are discussed.

previous article “Science Talks” in Kindergarten Classrooms: Improving Classroom Practice Through Collaborative Action Research

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Granted, this is reminiscent of normal science (Kuhn 1962/1970) and students need to be introduced to the paradigm shift, if not from their own data then in some other ways, e.g., historical examples.

Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer.

In science, not only new theories are generated from inquiries, sometime existing theories change through either new interpretation of existing data or from new data (Duschl 1990). However, in this course, historical cases were discussed by the instructor in the context of heat, weather and climate, and other topics covered in the course.

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Title: Discourse of Making Sense of Data: Implications for Elementary Teachers’ Science Education
Authors: Anita Roychoudhury
Diana Rice
Publication date: 01-03-2010
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Journal of Science Teacher Education / Issue 2/2010
Print ISSN: 1046-560X
Electronic ISSN: 1573-1847
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-009-9165-4

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Other articles of this Issue 2/2010

Using Science Teaching Case Narratives to Evaluate the Level of Acceptance of Scientific Inquiry Teaching in Preservice Elementary Teachers

Research Experiences for Teachers (RET): Motivation, Expectations, and Changes to Teaching Practices due to Professional Program Involvement

“Science Talks” in Kindergarten Classrooms: Improving Classroom Practice Through Collaborative Action Research

Investigating the Relationships Among Elementary School Students’ Epistemological Beliefs, Metacognition, and Constructivist Science Learning Environment

The Relationship Between Preservice Early Childhood Teachers’ Cultural Values and their Perceptions of Scientists’ Cultural Values

Managing Inquiry-Based Science: Challenges in Enacting Complex Science Instruction in Elementary and Middle School Classrooms

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