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History of science provides access to a reservoir of meaningful experiments that can be studied and reproduced in classrooms. This is the case of Joule's paddle-wheel experiment which displays the potentiality to help students improve their understanding of the concept of energy. This experiment has been mentioned in many physics textbooks during the twentieth century. Recently, it has received renewed attention by several researchers in science education. However, the accounts of Joule's experiment proposed by these researchers are at variance with each other: either in terms of equivalences, in terms of energy change, or in terms of energy transformation and Rankine's definition. This raises several questions: What is their respective contribution to the understanding of the historical emergence of the energy concept, and to the understanding of the very meaning of this concept? Are these accounts concurrent? Eventually, how can they help for the teaching energy? To investigate these questions, historical details concerning this experiment are first considered. It is stressed that Joule did not made use of the concept of energy, and instead described his experiment in terms of conversion of living force into heat. The three accounts of Joule's experiment are then presented and their respective contribution discussed. By emphasizing different aspects of this experiment, they are shown to suggest different strategies for teaching energy. For all that, they are not contradictory and, considered together, they bring to light the great potential of Joule's experiment to foster students understanding of this concept., Author(s): Manuel Bächtold [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.440910.8, 0000 0001 2196 152X, LIRDEF, University of Montpellier and University Paul Valéry of Montpellier, , Montpellier, France Introduction History of science provides [...]

Science content remains a commonly overlooked academic content area for students with severe disabilities, including ASD and ID, despite recent research. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of systematic instruction, such as prompting and fading techniques, implemented during whole-group science instruction for students with both ASD and ID. Three elementary-aged students with both ASD and ID were taught science content using systematic instruction provided during group lessons; effects were measured using a multiple baseline design across behaviors (i.e., science units) with concurrent replication across participants. Science content was taught to all three participants in group lessons using systematic instruction utilizing errorless prompting methods (i.e., constant time delay) and activities that are related to the unit content. Probes were used to determine baseline and intervention effects. The results demonstrated a functional relation for one participant with increased performing demonstrated for the remaining two participants, indicating that use of systematic instruction embedded within a group instructional format may be effective when teaching science content., Author(s): Anna Greene [sup.1], Keri S. Bethune [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) Melmark New England, , 461 River Road, 01810, Andover, MA, USA (2) Melmark Carolinas, , P.O. Box 28271, 28216, [...]

Science content is one area of general curriculum access that needs more investigation. Explicit instruction is effective for teaching students with high incidence disabilities a variety of skills, including science content. In this study, we taught three elementary aged students with autism spectrum disorder to acquire science descriptors (e.g., wet) and then generalization to novel objects, pictures, and within a science inquiry lesson via explicit instruction. A multiple probe across behaviors with concurrent replication across participants design measured the effects of the intervention. All three participants met criterion, some were able to generalize to novel objects, pictures, and objects within science inquiry lesson. Outcomes are discussed from the perspective of implications for practice and future research investigations. Keywords Science content * Explicit instruction * Autism spectrum disorder, Introduction One curricular area in need of research in general education curriculum access is science. In 1985, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS 1990) began an initiative [...]

Byline: Elizabeth S. Hancock (1), Alejandro J. Gallard (2) Abstract: Teaching is a complex task shaped by many external and internal influences, including the beliefs held by individual teachers. This study sought an understanding of the impact of field experiences on the beliefs developed by preservice science teachers. The participants were students in an undergraduate science education methods course that involved observation and teaching experiences in K-12 classrooms. The data used in this qualitative study included drawings representing beliefs and in-depth interviews with selected participants. The findings indicate that beliefs focused on two key dualities: learning through experience and transmission and student-centered and teacher-centered instruction. The findings also suggest that field experiences both reinforce and challenge the beliefs held by preservice science teachers. Author Affiliation: (1) Hydrology and Water Resources, SAHRA, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0158, U.S.A (2) Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4490, U.S.A Article History: Registration Date: 14/12/2004