Journal of Baltic Science Education

519

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents, JBSE, Vol. 19, NO. 4, 2020

523-535

Authors: Tamirirofa Chirikure

This research explored upper-secondary school students’ approaches when they engage in planning and conducting science experiments. Approaches to science experiments are important because they provide insight into students’ scientific reasoning and their enactment of scientific methods. An explanatory mixed-methods design was employed to determine and explain students’ approaches to science experiments. Data were generated by administering a 15-item Approaches to Science Experiments Questionnaire (ASEQ) on 211 participants and interviewing a smaller sample of 33. The linear approach was predominant while the divergent approach was least adopted by the participants. The teaching-learning context, substantive and procedural knowledge lead to specific approaches and the emergence of subcategories of the three broad approaches. Capable students engaged in a self-directed iterative approach while external help resulted in an assisted iterative approach. Rigid and contrived linear approaches were a result of time constraints, substantive and procedural shortcomings. Scattergun and blanking divergent approaches emerged from extreme weaknesses in substantive and procedural knowledge. Assessing practical skills through long-term projects is recommended to focus more on developing students’ scientific reasoning and process skills. Research with the ASEQ in other teaching-learning cultures, observing students in action and analysing their write-ups could provide deeper insights into approaches to science experiments.

551-568

Authors: Shuaishuai Mi, Shanshan Lu, Hualin Bi

This study aims to reveal the trends and foundations in research on students’ conceptual understanding in science education. The literature was selected from three recognized journals in science education. The Structural Topic Model (STM) method was used to categorize articles into ten topics considering information about the semantic cohesion and exclusivity of words to topics. The topic, which has attracted increasing research interest, was selected using a method similar to standard regression analysis, and its changing focus was identified through an analysis of its research contents. Foundations of research about students’ conceptual understanding between 1980–1999 and 2000–2019 were obtained through a review of their top 10 most-cited papers. Three conclusions were drawn: a) there were ten sub-topics of research about students’ conceptual understanding; b) the research on the development (or pathways) of students’ scientific argumentation/reasoning is likely to attract further interest in the future; and c) compared to the studies in the first period, the studies in the second stage favor research on the description (nature, mental process, etc.) of the process of students’ conceptual understanding as the research foundation.

583-593

Authors: Jayaluxmi Naidoo, Asheena Singh-Pillay

Globally, as society enters the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we require a transformation in pedagogy. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related subjects are vital to succeeding within the Fourth Industrial Revolution. To provide quality STEM education, teachers’ perceptions related to the teaching and learning of STEM-related subjects is essential to understand. This qualitative research took place at one university in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and explored teachers’ perceptions of using blended learning for STEM-related subjects. Wenger’s Communities of Practice Theory framed this research. Data were generated from workshops and semi-structured interviews. The results of this research indicated that blended learning is impeded by the lack of technology-based tools; is hampered by teacher professional development; offered the use of virtual hours for consultation and feedback and increased engagement and collaboration within STEM-related milieus. These results provide a glimpse of what teachers perceive regarding the use of blended learning for secondary school mathematics and technology. Globally, these results have relevance when considering the importance of teachers’ perceptions of using blended learning for STEM-related subjects, as society embraces the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

605-627

Authors: Demet Şahin Kalyon

This research explored dream science classrooms of primary school third-and fourth-grade students. Research is designed as a case study. The students were first asked to illustrate their dream science classroom and produce a short description of their drawings. Second, they were asked to write their expectations of their teachers, their classmates, and themselves in their science classes. Three hundred and twelve participants were identified using the convenience sampling method. The research evaluated the students’ drawings and descriptions in the first step, and their expectations in the second step. Students, in their drawings, conveyed the following messages: Experiments (lab works) could be used in science education, and different classroom activities and science courses could be done outside the classroom. In addition, they expected their teachers to have them perform more experiments in the classes, to offer them interesting and intriguing knowledge, to encourage them to conduct research and projects, and ask questions. Their expectations of their classmates to follow the classroom rules, to work in collaboration, to share, and to appreciate them so that they can benefit from science classes more efficiently. They expected themselves to be successful in science classes.

647-658

Authors: Fu-Hsing Tsai, I-Ying Hsu

This research aimed to develop a computer detective game for science education to provide students in experiencing real-world problem-solving after learning electricity-related knowledge, and to explore the effects of designing the guidance of process constraints and prompts into this game. To explore the effects of guidance, two different game tasks with and without the guidance of process constraints and prompts were integrated into this game. At the same time, to understand appropriate prompt guidance, two different versions of the first game task with and without real-time prompts were also designed. Two ninth-grade classes from a lower secondary school were randomly assigned to use different versions of game with different real-time guidance prompts. The research findings indicate that students had significantly better problem-solving performance in first game task with the guidance of process constraints and prompts than those in second game task without guidance. The results also indicate that the design of real-time prompts may not only enhance students’ problem-solving performance and knowledge acquisition, but also lower students’ cognitive load.

675-686

Authors: Jingying Wang, Mingyue Yang, Beibei Lv, Feixiong Zhang, Yonghe Zheng, Yihong Sun

Science career expectations can be affected by personal science beliefs and social supports. Framed in Expectancy-Value Models, this research studied the influence of science beliefs (science interest belief, self-efficacy belief and value belief) and social supports (parents and teachers) on students’ science career expectations by the survey of 798 10th grade students. Based on Structural Equation Model, it was found that: 1) science interest belief, self-efficacy belief, value belief and parents’ support can directly predict students' expectations of science careers; 2) the effect of student’s perception from parents and teachers support on science choice preferences and career engagement are mediated through the effects on students’ interest, self-efficacy and value in science. Therefore, teachers and parents should enhance students’ science beliefs and identity for the improvement of their science career expectations.