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This book is a compilation of edited chapters from different science education disciplines and contexts, aiming to provide resources for the implementation of inquiry-based science teaching/learning (IBST/L), and to highlight ways in which those approaches could be promoted across various contexts. The chapters in the book presented the efforts of a group of science education researchers and practicing science teachers to put theoretical ideas into practice and to bridge the gaps between broad policy perspectives, specific educational realities of local school traditions, and embedded practices ingrained in national educational cultures. In this concluding chapter, we provide a structured overview of the main theoretical ideas discussed throughout the book, seeking to help the reader situate all these efforts within a coherent theoretical framework of what inquiry-based approaches in science education involve and what they require from teachers in terms of knowledge and abilities. We focus on four main topics that appear across the chapters in the book: (1) application of scientific inquiry in authentic learning environments; (2) descriptions of six main theoretical frameworks underpinning IBST/L throughout the book, (i) theory and research in motivation, (ii) self-efficacy, (iii) scientific literacy, (iv) dialogic teaching, (v) the communicative approach, and (vi) the nature of science; (3) presentation of pedagogical content knowledge as a productive framework that can unite efforts for teachers’ professional development in IBST/L as presented in this book; and (4) description of effective strategies for professional development, specifically for helping teachers implement this approach for teaching science.

Despite the abundance of research in Modeling-based Learning (MbL) in science education, to date there is only limited research on MbL practices among K-6 novice modelers. More specifically, there is no information on how young/novice modelers’ modeling enactments look so that researchers and educators have an idea of what should be expected from these novice/young modelers while engaged in MbL. Our purpose in this study was to investigate the ways in which K-6 novice modelers can engage in MbL in science, in rich modeling contexts, which feature various modeling media and tools. Using data from a variety of contexts, modeling means and tools and different student ages, we seek to develop, from the ground up, detailed descriptions of the modeling practices that K-6 students follow when involved in MbL. While using the modeling phases (e.g., construction of a model, evaluation of a model), along with their associated practices, as described in the literature for older learners and expert modelers as our basis, we followed ground research approaches to develop the descriptions of student-centered MbL. Our findings revealed that novice modelers enact certain MbL phases in a different manner than those described in the literature for older learners and/or expert modelers. We found that not only do the content and context of the various modeling phases differ, but also the sequence of these modeling phases and their associated practices, are different from those already described in the literature. Finally, we discuss how rich descriptions of MbL discourse can ultimately inform teachers and researchers about ways in which learning in science through MbL can be supported. 24 02-Mar 192 215 Cited By :3

Supporting inquiry in the science classroom is challenging work, demanding that teachers utilize abilities for addressing and responding to children’s inquiry. These abilities include, (a) knowledge of the various forms of in-class scientific inquiry; (b) abilities for evaluating elements of children’s inquiry which teachers identify; and (c) a repertoire of instructional strategies, from which to choose in order to respond to children’s in-class inquiry. Developing these abilities depends largely on teachers’ preparation and subsequent professional development (PD) in teaching science. Our purpose in this paper is to describe the design of a professional development program (PDP) for pre-school teachers in Cyprus, seeking to help them develop teacher responsiveness to children’s inquiry. We draw on data from an implementation of this PDP to illustrate how teachers have begun developing their sensitivity towards children’s in-class inquiry and building a repertoire of responses.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whole classroom discourse during modeling- based learning in science, seeking to describe the discourse's characteristics, its relation to the micro- context in which it took place and to the student-constructed models, and to ascertain when it becomes productive. Additionally, we aimed to describe how whole classroom modeling discourse in science may be better supported by the teacher as well as the role of the modeling tool. In doing so, we analyzed student conversations and student-constructed models from two groups of 11- to 12-year-old students. All students used a computer programming environment, namely Stagecast Creator, as a modeling tool. Findings revealed three distinct discourse types (modeling frames): (a) (initial) phenomenological description, (b) operationalization of the physical system's story, and (c) construction of algorithms. Finally, we discuss what we consider productive modeling discourse, as well as the contributions of the software and the teacher in this respect. 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 919-951, 2011

This is an interpretive case study seeking to develop detailed and comparative descriptions of how two groups of fifth-grade students used two different Computer-based Programming Environments (CPEs) (namely Microworlds Logo and Stagecast Creator) during scientific modelling. The primary sources of data that were used in this 4-month study include videotaped students' group work and whole-class discussions, and the instructors' reflective journals. For the data analysis, contextual inquiry was used in conjunction with analysis of student conversation in order to gain better insight into students' activity and conversation patterns while working with CPEs. Findings highlight the differences in the ways that the students used the two CPEs in the context of developing models of natural phenomena with respect to three distinct phases that emerged from data analysis, which include student approaches to (i) planning, (ii) writing and debugging code, and (iii) using code to represent the phenomenon under study. Lastly, findings highlight which aspects of students work during the three phases can be productive for scientific modelling, proposing possible relationships between student work and CPE features. 30 3 285 321 Cited By :5

Most research on personal epistemologies has conceived them as made up of relatively large, coherent, and stable cognitive structures, either developmental stages or beliefs (perhaps organized into theories). Recent work has challenged these views, arguing that personal epistemologies are better understood as made up of finer grained cognitive resources whose activation depends sensitively on context. In this article, we compare these different frameworks, focusing on their instructional implications by using them to analyze a third-grade teacher's epistemologically motivated intervention and its effect on her students. We argue that the resources framework has more predictive and explanatory power than stage- and beliefs-based frameworks do.

Supporting inquiry in the science classroom is challenging work, demanding that teachers utilize abilities for addressing and responding to children’s inquiry. These abilities include, (a) knowledge of the various forms of in-class scientific inquiry; (b) abilities for evaluating elements of children’s inquiry which teachers identify; and (c) a repertoire of instructional strategies, from which to choose in order to respond to children’s in-class inquiry. Developing these abilities depends largely on teachers’ preparation and subsequent professional development (PD) in teaching science. Our purpose in this paper is to describe the design of a professional development program (PDP) for pre-school teachers in Cyprus, seeking to help them develop teacher responsiveness to children’s inquiry. We draw on data from an implementation of this PDP to illustrate how teachers have begun developing their sensitivity towards children’s in-class inquiry and building a repertoire of responses. 9 1 66 81

Although research has come to recognize the importance of studying classroom-based student–teacher discourse in science, the emphasis remains largely on teachers' abilities to ask questions and provide students with feedback, or on students' abilities to ask questions or engage in argumentative discourse. Consequently, little research has focused on the discourse elements relating to teacher–student discourse interactions. In this article, we argue for a shift of research attention toward describing what the teacher is responding to (Identification of student inquiry), the process of deciding how to respond (Interpretation—Evaluation of student inquiry), and how the teacher is responding (Response to student inquiry). We propose a new methodological approach for studying teacher discourse, which involves a framework we developed while analyzing 1,385 minutes of fifth grade, whole-class science conversations covering a 2-year period and facilitated by an experienced science teacher. Then, as a case in point, we applied our framework to the teacher discourse data of the study, aiming to show that the framework can be a useful tool for examining how a teacher supports students' inquiry. 34 12 1823 1856 Cited By :5

Models and modeling are considered integral parts of scientific literacy, reflecting educators' efforts to introduce and engage students in authentic scientific inquiry through Modeling-based Learning (MbL) approaches in science. Over the years research has developed a considerable amount of knowledge concerning MbL. Our purpose in this paper was to review this research in order to systematize the knowledge accumulated and to provide an overview of what needs to be investigated further. We also took into account and describe the role of the teacher as part of the review. Our review shows that MbL has made cognitive, metacognitive, social, material and epistemological contributions in science education. Furthermore, it reveals that important information is still missing in order to ensure effective implementations of MbL. Future research needs to focus on investigating the learning processes which take place during MbL which result in improvements in student conceptual and epistemological understanding and abilities for scientific inquiry. © 2012 Copyright Educational Review. 64 4 471 492 Cited By :23

In this paper we investigate the ways that a graphical and a textual Computer-based Programming Environment (CPE) support student inquiry in science during scientific modeling. We analyzed the conversations of 78 sixth-graders (39 students per CPE group) that took place during the construction of models, as well as, student-constructed models specifically looking for ways that CPEs support student scientific inquiry. Our findings showed that CPEs enable students to develop models of physical phenomena and operationally define physical entities and physical properties, which provides students with a commonly shared language for communicating and understanding each others' ideas in science. We also found that programs in CPEs produce a computer microworld that is a structured environment learners can use to explore and manipulate a rule-generated universe, subject to particular assumptions and constraints that serve as representations of aspects of the natural world. Microworlds can also provide learners with opportunities to manipulate realities in ways that learners cannot do with physical objects. Implications from this study suggest productive features for computer-based tools that can be embedded in web-based learning platforms for supporting students' inquiry and science learning. 3 156 159

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This is a descriptive case study investigating the use of two computer-based programming environments (CPEs), MicroWorlds™ Logo (MW) and Stagecast Creator™ (SC) for collaborative scientific modeling. The purpose of the study was to investigate and comparatively describe student approaches to scientific modeling through the use of textual or graphical program languages (PL). I analyzed student activities and conversations in two after-school clubs, one working with MW and the other with SC, using contextual inquiry, analysis of student conversation and artifact analysis. The findings suggest that student work with CPEs differed between different PL. Students used SC to create games (focusing on the overall story) whereas MW students used MW through a frame of formal programming. Programming in SC was much easier than MW, whereas reading code in MW was more tangible. Findings suggest that differences in student approaches to scientific modeling through programming need to be considered by educators seeking to engage students in such activities and software developers seeking to develop CPEs for young learners.

In this poster, I present findings from a descriptive case study investigating the use of two computer-based programming environments (CPEs), Microworlds™ Logo (MW) and Stagecast Creator™ (SC) as tools for collaborative fifth grade modeling in science. Findings include descriptions and comparisons of the ways that the students in this study used CPEs as scientific modeling tools and what particular characteristics of MW and SC were supportive or not for collaborative modeling.There is a longstanding interest in using models and modeling as learning tools in science (see Louca et al, 2003 for a review). The process of writing a computer program to simulate a natural system is similar to the process of developing a scientific model. This study was based on the idea that CPEs can be used by students who write programs as representations of natural phenomena.

This paper presents a small-scale study investigating the use of two different computer-based programming environments (CPEs) as modeling tools for collaborative fifth grade science learning. We analyze student conversations while working with CPEs using Contextual Inquiry. Findings highlight the differences in activity patterns between groups using different CPEs. Students using Stagecast Creator (SC) did twice as much planning but half as much debugging compared with students using Microworlds (MW). Students working with MW used written code on the computer screen to communicate their ideas whereas students working with SC used the programming language (pl) to talk about their ideas prior to any programming. We propose three areas for future research. (1) Exploring different types of communication styles as compared with the use of different CPEs. (2) Identifying students’ nascent abilities for using CPEs to show functionality in science. (3) Further understanding CPEs’ design characteristics as to which may promote or hamper learning with models in science.

N-body methods are used to simulate the evolution and interaction of galaxies. These simulations are usually run on large-scale supercomputers or on very expensive full-custom hardare. This paper presents an alternative hardware method for acceleration of N-body simulations. The method yields a significant fraction of the performance of custom hardware and provides a great deal more flexibility. A protoype implementation is presented.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.