Case studies of students' learning as action research on conceptual change teaching
Title:
Case studies of students' learning as action research on conceptual change teaching
Author:
Thorley, N. Richard Woods, Robin K.
Appeared in:
International journal of science education
Paging:
Volume 19 (1997) nr. 2 pages 229-245
Year:
1997-02
Contents:
An instructional unit on current electricity, based on conceptual change principles, was developed for two classes of students, aged 10 to 11. The unit emphasized the students' construction of mental models and the evaluation of those models against experimental data and models proposed by other students. In monitoring the unit, the teacher and a collaborating researcher conducted case studies of the learning of three students. Summaries of the three case studies are presented and discussed. Differences between the three students' achievement of content and process goals became clear. Other significant differences were revealed, for example in their curricular orientations. Viewed as action research into students' learning, the detail afforded by case studies can highlight broader curricular and instructional issues, providing a powerful base for programme evaluation. It is also argued that such case studies can document the expertise of teachers, especially as components of practicing teachers' portfolios.
Journal description