Ebook: Teaching and Learning in the Science Laboratory

Scope of the book There is an on-going debate regarding the role of labwork in science education, which dates back several decades and which illustrates the conviction and interest of teachers, researchers and policy-makers world-wide in the value of laboratory work for understanding science. This is evident in more recent books and studies regarding the laboratory, which mainly refer to countries with a considerable tradition in practical work in science education (Woolnough & Alsop 1985, Hodson 1993, Hegarthy-Hazel 1990, Wellington 2000). Yet in discussing research studies on labwork, several authors express their concern about its effectiveness in facilitating students' understanding of various aspects of scientific inquiry. They point out a comprehensive re-conceptualisation of the aims of labwork and, as a consequence, of investigating what the students actually learn in different contexts (Lazarowitz & Tamir 1994, Tobin & Tippins 1993, Lunetta 1998). It has also been argued that the relationship between instructional activities and student learning in labwork needs more attention than it has been given in science education research (Leach & Paulsen 1999). It appears that the case for research-based labwork emerges in several quarters in science education, particularly among researchers. This book presents and discusses a variety of laboratory practices and their effectiveness. The studies take into account recent theoretical developments and empirical results concerning students' understanding of scientific inquiry. A whole chapter is devoted to technological advances offering new learning opportunities for the students and teaching facilities for the teacher.

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This book includes an edited collection of papers containing illustrations of teaching approaches and of students' learning acquisitions in the science teaching laboratory, presentation of new evaluation tools, theoretical frames and positions concerning laboratory work. The aim of the book is both to improve the design and organisation of innovative laboratory practices and to provide tools and exemplary results for the evaluation of their effectiveness, adequate for labwork in order to promote students' scientific understanding in a variety of countries. The book focuses the discussion on the role of labwork in upper secondary and in higher education.
The papers are based on research and developmental work carried out in five European countries in the context of the European Project "Labwork in Science Education" (LSE), which was funded by the European Union, and provide a unique framework for gaining deeper insights into the role of experimentation in science teaching and learning in a variety of contexts. This substantial and significant body of research is now made available in English.

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This book includes an edited collection of papers containing illustrations of teaching approaches and of students' learning acquisitions in the science teaching laboratory, presentation of new evaluation tools, theoretical frames and positions concerning laboratory work. The aim of the book is both to improve the design and organisation of innovative laboratory practices and to provide tools and exemplary results for the evaluation of their effectiveness, adequate for labwork in order to promote students' scientific understanding in a variety of countries. The book focuses the discussion on the role of labwork in upper secondary and in higher education.
The papers are based on research and developmental work carried out in five European countries in the context of the European Project "Labwork in Science Education" (LSE), which was funded by the European Union, and provide a unique framework for gaining deeper insights into the role of experimentation in science teaching and learning in a variety of contexts. This substantial and significant body of research is now made available in English.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-ix
General Introduction....Pages 1-6
Introduction....Pages 7-8
Varieties of Labwork: A Way of Profiling Labwork Tasks....Pages 9-20
Issues and Questions Regarding the Effectiveness of Labwork....Pages 21-30
Talking Physics in Labwork Contexts - A Category Based Analysis of Videotapes....Pages 31-40
Students’ Understanding of the Nature of Science and its Influence on Labwork....Pages 41-48
Introduction....Pages 49-50
Modelling Activities of Students During a Traditional Labwork....Pages 51-64
Students’ Intellectual Activities During Standard Labwork at Undergraduate Level....Pages 65-78
A Laboratory-based Teaching Learning Sequence on Fluids: Developing Primary Student Teachers’ Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge....Pages 79-90
Development and Evaluation of a Laboratory Course in Physics for Medical Students....Pages 91-104
The Biology Textbook as a Source of Ideas about Scientific Knowledge and Experimental Activity....Pages 105-118
Introduction....Pages 119-120
The Role of Epistemological Information in Open-ended Investigative Labwork....Pages 121-138
The Effectiveness of Mini-projects as a Preparation for Open-ended Investigations....Pages 139-150
Data Interpretation Activities and Students’ Views of the Epistemology of Science during a University Earth Sciences Field Study Course....Pages 151-162
Introduction....Pages 163-163
The Use of Secondary Data in Teaching about Data Analysis in a First Year Undergraduate Biochemistry Course....Pages 165-178
An Investigation of Teaching and Learning about Measurement Data and their Treatment in the Introductory Physics Laboratory....Pages 179-190
Introduction....Pages 191-192
Enhancing the Linking of theoretical Knowledge to Physical Phenomena by Real-time Graphing....Pages 193-204
The Link of Theory and Practice in Traditional and in Computer-based University Laboratory Experiments....Pages 205-218
Computer Tools in the Lab - Effects Linking Theory and Experiment....Pages 219-230
Modelling in Geometrical Optics Using a Microcomputer....Pages 231-242
Evolution of Students’ Reasoning about Microscopic Processes in Electrostatics under the Influence of Interactive Simulations....Pages 243-254
Back Matter....Pages 255-268

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This book includes an edited collection of papers containing illustrations of teaching approaches and of students' learning acquisitions in the science teaching laboratory, presentation of new evaluation tools, theoretical frames and positions concerning laboratory work. The aim of the book is both to improve the design and organisation of innovative laboratory practices and to provide tools and exemplary results for the evaluation of their effectiveness, adequate for labwork in order to promote students' scientific understanding in a variety of countries. The book focuses the discussion on the role of labwork in upper secondary and in higher education.
The papers are based on research and developmental work carried out in five European countries in the context of the European Project "Labwork in Science Education" (LSE), which was funded by the European Union, and provide a unique framework for gaining deeper insights into the role of experimentation in science teaching and learning in a variety of contexts. This substantial and significant body of research is now made available in English.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-ix
General Introduction....Pages 1-6
Introduction....Pages 7-8
Varieties of Labwork: A Way of Profiling Labwork Tasks....Pages 9-20
Issues and Questions Regarding the Effectiveness of Labwork....Pages 21-30
Talking Physics in Labwork Contexts - A Category Based Analysis of Videotapes....Pages 31-40
Students’ Understanding of the Nature of Science and its Influence on Labwork....Pages 41-48
Introduction....Pages 49-50
Modelling Activities of Students During a Traditional Labwork....Pages 51-64
Students’ Intellectual Activities During Standard Labwork at Undergraduate Level....Pages 65-78
A Laboratory-based Teaching Learning Sequence on Fluids: Developing Primary Student Teachers’ Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge....Pages 79-90
Development and Evaluation of a Laboratory Course in Physics for Medical Students....Pages 91-104
The Biology Textbook as a Source of Ideas about Scientific Knowledge and Experimental Activity....Pages 105-118
Introduction....Pages 119-120
The Role of Epistemological Information in Open-ended Investigative Labwork....Pages 121-138
The Effectiveness of Mini-projects as a Preparation for Open-ended Investigations....Pages 139-150
Data Interpretation Activities and Students’ Views of the Epistemology of Science during a University Earth Sciences Field Study Course....Pages 151-162
Introduction....Pages 163-163
The Use of Secondary Data in Teaching about Data Analysis in a First Year Undergraduate Biochemistry Course....Pages 165-178
An Investigation of Teaching and Learning about Measurement Data and their Treatment in the Introductory Physics Laboratory....Pages 179-190
Introduction....Pages 191-192
Enhancing the Linking of theoretical Knowledge to Physical Phenomena by Real-time Graphing....Pages 193-204
The Link of Theory and Practice in Traditional and in Computer-based University Laboratory Experiments....Pages 205-218
Computer Tools in the Lab - Effects Linking Theory and Experiment....Pages 219-230
Modelling in Geometrical Optics Using a Microcomputer....Pages 231-242
Evolution of Students’ Reasoning about Microscopic Processes in Electrostatics under the Influence of Interactive Simulations....Pages 243-254
Back Matter....Pages 255-268
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