Model Based Learning and Instruction in Science [Hardcover]

Anyone involved in science education will find that this text can enhance their pedagogical practice. It describes new, model-based teaching methods that integrate social and cognitive perspectives for science instruction. It presents research that describes how these new methods are applied in a diverse group of settings, including middle school biology, high school physics, and college chemistry classrooms. They offer practical tips for teaching the toughest of key concepts.

Introduction: A 'Hidden World' Of Nonformal Expert Reasoning 1.1 Why Study Nonformal Reasoning? 1.2 The Background From Which I Approached This Work 1.3 Methodology: Qualitative Nature Of The Study 1.4 General Features Of The Descriptive Methodology Used 1.5 General Theoretical Framework 1.6 Section Summaries And Approaches To Reading This Book PART ONE: ANALOGIES, MODELS AND CREATIVE LEARNING IN EXPERTS AND STUDENTS SECTION I: EXPERT REASONING AND LEARNING VIA ANALOGY 2 Major Subprocesses Involved in Spontaneous Analogical Reasoning 2.1 Some Major Issues in Analogical Reasoning 2.2 Method of Study 2.3 Initial Observations from Transcripts 2.4 Major processes used in analogical reasoning 2.5 Conclusion 3 Methods Experts Use to Generate Analogies 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Definitions of Basic Concepts and Observations 3.3 Discussion 4 Methods Experts Use to Evaluate an Analogy Relation 4.1 The Importance of Establishing the Validity of an Analogy Relation 4.2 Examples from Case Studies 4.3 Analogy Evaluation in the Doughnut Problem 4.4 Discussion of Findings and Connections to History of Science 4.5 Summary 5 Expert Methods for Developing an Understanding of the Analogous Case and Transferring Findings 5.1 Evaluating and Developing Understanding of the Analogous Case. 5.2 Transferring Findings 5.3 Summary on Creative Analogy Generation SECTION II: MODEL CONSTRUCTION AND SCIENTIFIC INSIGHT IN EXPERTS 6 Case Study of Model Construction Cycles in Expert Reasoning 6.1 Introduction 6.2 lÃ'