Drawing upon the literature in computational modeling, multivariable reasoning, and causal attribution, this study aims at characterizing multivariable reasoning practices in computational modeling and revealing the nature of understanding about multivariable causality. We recruited two freshmen, two sophomores, two juniors, two seniors, four…

Classroom assessment is a critical aspect of teaching and learning. In this paper, Taiwanese high school students' conceptions of science assessment and the relationship between their conceptions of science assessment and of science learning were investigated. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods. First, 60 students were…

Previous research has established a close link between students' conceptions of learning and approaches to learning. Until recently, only a few quantitative studies have investigated the relationship between high school students' conceptions of learning science and the approaches they adopt to learning science. This study sought to address this…

To explore the ways in which teacher-guided and student-centered instructional approaches influence students' conceptual understanding of seasonal change, we designed a technology-enhanced learning (TEL) course to compare, by means of concept maps, the learning outcome of students in two groups: a teacher-guided (TG) class (with whole-class…

Research about the relationship between teachers' scientific epistemological views (SEVs) and science instruction is often an important issue for many science educators. This study, by collecting research data from four Taiwanese science teachers, their students, and classroom observations, was carried out to examine the coherences between…

Engagement has been viewed as an important construct to understand students' learning performances in classroom settings. Taking an interactive perspective, the study investigates ninth graders' cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement in teacher-centered (TC) and student-centered (SC) technology-enhanced classrooms. 54 students from two…

This study examines the possibilities of differential impacts on students' earth science learning outcomes between different preferred-actual learning environment spaces by using a newly developed ESCLEI (Earth Science Classroom Learning Environment Instrument). The instrument emphasizes three simultaneously important classroom components:…

The main purpose of this study was to explore the effects of long-term constructivist-oriented science instruction on elementary school students' process of constructing cognitive structures. Furthermore, such effects on different science achievers were also investigated. The subjects of this study were 69 fifth graders in Taiwan, while they were…

Explores the interaction between scientific epistemological beliefs and learning orientations in a group of Taiwanese eighth-grade students. Suggests the importance of employing a constructivist philosophy in the classroom. Contains 55 references. (DDR)

Describes a study that explored the interplay between students' scientific epistemological views (SEVs) and their learning in school laboratory activities. Finds that students having SEVs oriented to constructivist views of science tend to focus more on negotiating the meanings of experiments with their peers than students with SEVs more in line…

Describes the development and validation of a questionnaire, the Teacher Communication Behavior Questionnaire (TCBQ), that assesses student perceptions of five important teacher behaviors: (1) Challenging; (2) Encouragement and Praise; (3) Non-Verbal Support; (4) Understanding and Friendly; and (5) Controlling. (Contains 49 references.)…

Describes a science teacher's views of Science-Technology-Society (STS) instruction after implementing a two-semester STS-oriented science course in a Taiwanese high school. Concludes that the heavy content load of Taiwan's national curriculum, regular cross-class standard tests, lack of peer or administrative support, resource limitations in the…

Examines the way in which students cooperate in Taiwanese and Australian science classrooms. Concludes that students from Taiwan and Australia have a range of understandings and interpretations about what it means to cooperate in science classrooms. There are complex connections between cooperative behavior, student academic ability, sex, and…