The development of science concepts emergent from science museum and post-visit activity experiences : students' construction of knowledge

This research investigated students' construction of knowledge about the topics of magnetism and electricity emergent from a visit to an interactive science centre and subsequent classroom-based activities linked to the science centre exhibits. The significance of this study is that it analyses critically an aspect of school visits to informal learning centres that has been neglected by researchers in the past, namely the influence of post-visit activities in the classroom on subsequent learning and knowledge construction. Employing an interpretive methodology, the study focused on three areas of endeavour. Firstly, the establishment of a set of principles for the development of post-visit activities, from a constructivist framework, to facilitate students' learning of science. Secondly, to describe and interpret students' scientific understandings : prior t o a visit t o a science museum; following a visit t o a science museum; and following post-visit activities that were related to their museum experiences. Finally, to describe and interpret the ways in which students constructed their understandings: prior to a visit to a science museum; following a visit to a science museum; and following post-visit activities directly related to their museum experiences. The study was designed and implemented in three stages: 1) identification and establishment of the principles for design and evaluation of post-visit activities; 2) a pilot study of specific post-visit activities and data gathering strategies related to student construction of knowledge; and 3) interpretation of students' construction of knowledge from a visit to a science museum and subsequent completion of post-visit activities, which constituted the main study. Twelve students were selected from a year 7 class to participate in the study. This study provides evidence that the series of post-visit activities, related to the museum experiences, resulted in students constructing and reconstructing their personal knowledge of science concepts and principles represented in the science museum exhibits, sometimes towards the accepted scientific understanding and sometimes in different and surprising ways. Findings demonstrate the interrelationships between learning that occurs at school, at home and in informal learning settings. The study also underscores for teachers and staff of science museums and similar centres the importance of planning pre- and post-visit activities, not only to support the development of scientific conceptions, but also to detect and respond to alternative conceptions that may be produced or strengthened during a visit to an informal learning centre. Consistent with contemporary views of constructivism, the study strongly supports the views that : 1) knowledge is uniquely structured by the individual; 2) the processes of knowledge construction are gradual, incremental, and assimilative in nature; 3) changes in conceptual understanding are can be interpreted in the light of prior knowledge and understanding; and 4) knowledge and understanding develop idiosyncratically, progressing and sometimes appearing to regress when compared with contemporary science. This study has implications for teachers, students, museum educators, and the science education community given the lack of research into the processes of knowledge construction in informal contexts and the roles that post-visit activities play in the overall process of learning.

Codeship: Financing growth: Case study and Teaching note

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Mathematical notebook, and commonplace book, circa 1689-1769

Manuscript notebook, possibly kept by Harvard students, containing 17th century English transcriptions of arithmetic and geometry texts, one of which is dated 1689-1690; 18th century transcriptions from John Ward’s “The Young Mathematician’s Guide”; and notes on physics lectures delivered by John Winthrop, the Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Harvard from 1738 to 1779. The notebook also contains 18th century reading notes on Henry VIII, Tudor succession, and English history from Daniel Neal’s “The History of the Puritans” and David Hume’s “History of England,” and notes on Ancient history, taken mainly from Charles Rollin’s “The Ancient History of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes and Persians, Macedonians and Grecians.” Additionally included are an excerpt from Plutarch’s “Lives” and transcriptions of three articles from “The Gentleman’s Magazine, and Historical Chronicle,” published in 1769: “A Critique on the Works of Ovid”; a book review of “A New Voyage to the West-Indies”; and “Genuine Anecdotes of Celebrated Writers, &.” The flyleaf contains the inscription “Semper boni aliquid operis facito ut diabolus te semper inveniat occupatum,” a variation on a quote of Saint Jerome that translates approximately as “Always good to do some work so that the devil may always find you occupied.” In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Harvard College undergraduates often copied academic texts and lecture notes into personal notebooks in place of printed textbooks. Winthrop used Ward’s textbook in his class, while the books of Hume, Neal, and Rollin were used in history courses taught at Harvard in the 18th century.

Tècniques científiques integrades. Ensenyar a contestar els perquès

Amb el nou curs, la Facultat de Ciències de la Universitat de Girona ha posat en marxa el programa Tècniques Científiques Integrades adreçat a tots els estudiants de primer, amb independència del grau en què s’hagin matriculat. Es tracta d’una iniciativa que té com a finalitat que tots ells adquireixin competències bàsiques en l’aplicació del mètode científic

Cursos de nivel cero para las titulaciones de primer ciclo de ciencias

Dentro de la política de apoyo a las iniciativas que en materia docente debe realizar la Universidad, en el ámbito de la innovación y para conseguir los niveles de calidad y excelencia necesarios para una adecuada formación y capacitación de los estudiantes, resulta muy importante ofrecer herramientas que ayuden al estudiante a completar o adquirir conceptos previos para así poder después conectarlos con la nueva información que están recibiendo o van a recibir durante su primer año de titulación. En este sentido, la elaboración de unos cursos de nivel cero de las materias básicas: Matemáticas, Física, Química, Biología y Geología que, mediante el uso de la plataforma docente SWAD (Sistema Web de Apoyo a la Docencia: https://swad.ugr.es), permitirá que, antes del comienzo del curso académico, aquellos alumnos que lo consideren necesario o imprescindible, puedan trabajar con aquellas asignaturas básicas en las que sus conocimientos sean más deficientes o consideren que necesitan revisar. Esto ayudará a reducir el número de abandonos en el primer curso de la titulación ya que su realización permite que el alumno adquiera una base suficiente para abordar los contenidos de las asignaturas, facilitándoles la asimilación y comprensión de los contenidos de las mismas

Tècniques científiques integrades II: un nou model per impartir una assignatura de pràctiques de laboratori

La Facultat de Ciències ha desplegat els nous graus de Biologia, Química, Ciències Ambientals i Biotecnologia organitzats amb un primer curs comú per donar les bases científiques prèvies als següents cursos ja especialitzats. El disseny dels nous graus ha suposat un canvi en la metodologia i organització d’aquests estudis. Dins d’aquest primer curs es situa el mòdul de Tècniques Científiques Integrades (TCI), de caràcter pràctic i que consta de tres assignatures que van endinsant a l’alumne en l’experimentació científica. Dins d’aquest mòdul es situa l’assignatura Tècniques Científiques Integrades II, una assignatura de 6 crèdits, completament pràctica, que té per objectiu introduir l’alumne al laboratori científic, l’aplicació de tècniques bàsiques d’anàlisi, i el bon ús del material de laboratori. Complementant aquest objectiu, l’alumne ha de començar a treballar diferents competències transversals necessàries en l’àmbit científic

A system of ethicks: Of morall phylosophy in generall & in speciall

This hardcover volume contains manuscript copies of Charles Morton's "A System of Ethicks," "Pneumatics. Or a treatise of the Rev'd Mr. Charles Morton about ye Nature of Spirit," "Appendix of the Souls of Brutes," "Some Theological Questions Answd," and a one-page list "Texts of Scripture to prove if ye head of Christ &c." copied by Harvard student Ebenezer Williams in February 1707/8.

Notebook of Obadiah Ayer, 1708-1716

The leather-bound notebook contains academic texts copied by Obadiah Ayer while he was a student at Harvard, and after his graduation in 1710. There is a general index to the included texts at the end of the volume.

Student notebook of Samuel Dunbar, 1721-1722

This leather-bound volume contains substantial transcriptions copied by Samuel Dunbar from textbooks while he was a student at Harvard in 1721 and 1722. There is a general index to texts at the end of the volume. Dunbar's notebook provides a window into the state of higher education in the eighteenth century and offers a firsthand account of academic life at Harvard College. Notably, he often indicated the number of days spent copying texts into his book.

Theses, in Comitiis publicis Harvardini Collegii quod est Cantabrigiae Nov-Anglorum, defensae & pro viribus propugnatae a Juvenibus in Artibus initiatis, [1660-1753]

The bound volume holds handwritten transcriptions of selected Harvard Commencement Theses copied by Isaac Mansfield (Harvard AB 1742). The manuscript volume holds only the Theses chosen for public disputation. The volume includes Theses transcriptions for which no original broadsides are known to still exists.

Compendium physicæ ex authoribus extractum, 1714

Manuscript copy of Charles Morton’s Compendium Physicae prepared by copyist Robert Ward in 1714. The leather-bound volume includes text and drawings, and there is an index to the chapters of the book at the end of the volume. "Thomas Greaves's book Octob 1 Anno Salutis 1714" inscribed on flyleaf. Thomas Greaves may refer to the Charlestown physician and judge and member of the Harvard Class of 1703.

Philosophia naturalis ex authoribus extracta per dominum

This leather-bound volume contains a manuscript copy of Charles Morton’s Compendium Physicae copied by Harvard student Obadiah Ayer in 1708. The volume has text and drawings (including one large foldout drawing), and there is an index to the chapters at the end of the volume. Mather Byles (Harvard Class of 1725) also used the book.

Student notebook of Ebenezer Parkman, 1720

The small hardcover notebook contains a manuscript copy of Charles Morton's Natural Philosophy copied by student Ebenezer Parkman (Harvard Class of 1721) in 1720, as well as notes on Hebrew grammar. The flyleaf has a faded note, "[This copy] was probably made by Parkman H.U. 1721 afterward minister of Westboro." The title page of the volume includes the handwritten title "Phylosophia Natvralis: Naturall Philosophy, By the Reverd Mr. Charles Morton Pastor of a Church in Charles Town, Beegan [sic] to recite it December 11, 1720 Willm Brattle's Book 1720 ended January 30 Anno Domini 1720 [January 30, 1720/1721]." The final page of the transcription is signed and dated "June 18, 1720 Parkman." The last pages of the volume consist of notes on Hebrew Grammar titled "Instruction in Hebrew."