The effects of STS-oriented instruction on female tenth graders' cognitive structure outcomes and the role of student scientific epistemological beliefs

The major purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of STS (Science-Technology-Society) instruction on a group of Taiwanese female tenth graders' cognitive structure outcomes. This study further examined the role of student scientific epistemological beliefs on such effects. One hundred and one female tenth graders were assigned to either a STS-oriented instruction group or a traditional teaching group and then this study conducted a eight-month research treatment. Students' interview details, analysed through a 'flow map' method, indicated that STS group students performed better in terms of the extent, richness and connection of cognitive structure outcomes than did traditional group students. Further analyses suggested that STS instruction was especially beneficial to students having epistemological views more oriented to constructivist views of science, particularly in the beginning stage of STS instruction. This implies that learners' scientific epistemological beliefs may be an important factor mediating the implementation of STS-oriented instruction.

[1]  David Hammer,et al.  Epistemological Beliefs in Introductory Physics , 1994 .

[2]  Chin-Chung Tsai,et al.  Science Learning and Constructivism , 1998 .

[3]  A Case Study Analysis of the Development of Knowledge Schema, Ideational Networks, and Higher Cognitive Operations Among High School Students Who Studied Ecology , 1998 .

[4]  G. Posner,et al.  A revisionist theory of conceptual change , 1992 .

[5]  Chin-Chung Tsai.  Relationships between student scientific epistemological beliefs and perceptions of constructivist learning environments , 2000 .

[6]  John R. Staver.  Constructivism: Sound theory for explicating the practice of science and science teaching , 1998 .

[7]  Chin-Chung Tsai.  The Progression toward Constructivist Epistemological Views of Science: A Case Study of the STS Instruction of Taiwanese High School Female Students. , 1999 .

[8]  Joan Solomon,et al.  Teaching Science, Technology and Society , 1993 .

[9]  Robert E. Yager,et al.  STS Approach: Reasons, Intentions, Accomplishments, and Outcomes. , 1993 .

[10]  Robert Donmoyer,et al.  Reforming Science Education. , 1995 .

[11]  O. R. Anderson,et al.  A flow-map method of representing cognitive structure based on respondents' narrative using science content , 1993 .

[12]  Chin-Chung Tsai.  An Analysis of Taiwanese Eighth Graders' Science Achievement, Scientific Epistemological Beliefs and Cognitive Structure Outcomes After Learning Basic Atomic Theory. , 1998 .

[13]  J. Osborne,et al.  Attitudes To Science: Issues and Concerns. , 1998 .

[14]  Chin-Chung Tsai,et al.  "Laboratory Exercises Help Me Memorize the Scientific Truths": A Study of Eighth Graders' Scientific Epistemological Views and Learning in Laboratory Activities , 1999 .

[15]  Deborah Pomeroy.  Implications of Teachers' Beliefs about the Nature of Science: Comparison of the Beliefs of Scientists, Secondary Science Teachers, and Elementary Teachers. , 1993 .

[16]  Richard A. Duschl,et al.  Abandoning the scientistic legacy of science education , 1988 .

[17]  J. Novak,et al.  The interplay of scientific epistemological views, learning strategies, and attitudes of college students , 1993 .

[18]  Robert Nola,et al.  Constructivism in Science and Science Education: A Philosophical Critique , 1997 .

[19]  M. Linn,et al.  How do students' views of science influence knowledge integration? , 1991 .

[20]  M. R. Matthews.  Science teaching : the role of history and philosophy of science , 1994 .

[21]  A. Pell,et al.  Enjoyment and Attainment in Secondary School Physics , 1985 .

[22]  Jane Kenway,et al.  Gender and Science Education in Schools: A Review ‘with Attitude’ , 1998 .

[23]  Richard E. Grandy,et al.  Psychology and epistemology: match or mismatch when applied to science education? , 1990 .

[24]  Chin-Chung Tsai,et al.  An Analysis of Scientific Epistemological Beliefs and Learning Orientations of Taiwanese Eighth Graders , 1998 .

[25]  Robert E. Yager,et al.  STS to Enhance Total Curriculum , 1995 .

[26]  T. Andre,et al.  Using computer simulations to enhance conceptual change: the roles of constructivist instruction and student epistemological beliefs , 1996 .

[27]  D. C. Phillips.  The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: The Many Faces of Constructivism , 1995 .

[28]  P. Hewson,et al.  Accommodation of a scientific conception: Toward a theory of conceptual change , 1982 .

[29]  Rodger W. Bybee,et al.  Science‐technology‐society in science curriculum: The policy‐practice gap , 1991 .

[30]  David Hammer,et al.  Epistemological considerations in teaching introductory physics , 1995 .

[31]  E. Yalow.  On Educational psychology: A cognitive view. , 1979 .

[32]  David Randle,et al.  The role of ideational networks in laboratory inquiry learning and knowledge of evolution among seventh grade students , 2001 .

[33]  Cathleen C. Loving.  From the Summit of Truth to Its Slippery Slopes: Science Education's Journey Through Positivist-Postmodern Territory , 1997 .

[34]  D. Cheek.  Evaluating Learning in STS Education. , 1992 .