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Analyzing Learning About Conservation of Matter in Students While Adapting to the Needs of a School

Analyzing Learning About Conservation of Matter in Students While Adapting to the Needs of a School We probed the impact of two teaching strategies, guided inquiry and argumentation, on students' conceptual understanding of the conservation of matter. Conservation of matter is a central concept in middle school science curriculum and a prerequisite upon which rests more complex constructs in chemistry. The results indicate that guided inquiry was particularly effective in improving students' conceptual understanding, as evidenced by pre/posttest results and by a skill analysis of in‐depth interviews of student dyads. We also discuss how the challenges inherent to educational contexts can undermine the quality and limit the impact of empirical research carried out in many schools. We suggest how these challenges could be met in the emerging infrastructures for change called the Research Schools Network. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Mind, Brain, and Education Wiley

Analyzing Learning About Conservation of Matter in Students While Adapting to the Needs of a School

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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
© 2010 the Authors. Journal Compilation © 2010 International Mind, Brain, and Education Society and Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
ISSN
1751-2271
eISSN
1751-228X
DOI
10.1111/j.1751-228X.2010.01090.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

We probed the impact of two teaching strategies, guided inquiry and argumentation, on students' conceptual understanding of the conservation of matter. Conservation of matter is a central concept in middle school science curriculum and a prerequisite upon which rests more complex constructs in chemistry. The results indicate that guided inquiry was particularly effective in improving students' conceptual understanding, as evidenced by pre/posttest results and by a skill analysis of in‐depth interviews of student dyads. We also discuss how the challenges inherent to educational contexts can undermine the quality and limit the impact of empirical research carried out in many schools. We suggest how these challenges could be met in the emerging infrastructures for change called the Research Schools Network.

Journal

Mind, Brain, and Education – Wiley

Published: Sep 1, 2010

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