NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ759991
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Sep
Pages: 16
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-8326
EISSN: N/A
The Role of Knowledge Structures in the Ability of Preservice Elementary Teachers to Diagnose a Child's Understanding of Molecular Kinetics
Bischoff, Paul J.
Science Education, v90 n5 p936-951 Sep 2006
This study explored preservice teachers' (n = 25) knowledge structures and their mastery of content knowledge in relation to their ability to diagnose the strengths and weaknesses of a fourth grader's videotaped explanations of a scientific phenomenon, i.e., molecular kinetic properties of air. Participants' knowledge structures were analyzed using flow maps before and following a unit of instruction on molecular kinetic properties of air. Participants' diagnostic scores were obtained before and after instruction. An additional diagnostic score used to explore relationships between knowledge structures and participants' abilities to apply understandings in a novel task was obtained following instruction. Findings include a significant increase in the mean number of diagnostic scores following instruction (t = 5.6; p less than or equal to 0.00) and a positive correlation (r = 0.58; p less than or equal to 0.02) between knowledge structure complexity and participants' ability to diagnose the child's thinking on a novel molecular kinetics task. Implications for teacher education programs are discussed.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Subscription Department, 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774. Tel: 800-825-7550; Tel: 201-748-6645; Fax: 201-748-6021; e-mail: subinfo@wiley.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2824/browse/?type=JOURNAL
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A