Neil Taylor - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Neil Taylor
Improving primary science education in the small, developing island nations of the South Pacific ... more Improving primary science education in the small, developing island nations of the South Pacific is of increasing importance if these countries are to improve the quality of life of their citizens and achieve sustainable economic growth. The education systems in the South Pacific are commonly legacies of old colonial powers and are dominated by external summative examinations that drive a teacher-dominated didactic pedagogy. Changing this situation is likely to be a long-term issue. However, in the short to medium term science education at the primary level would likely benefit from some strategies that are achievable, sustainable and relatively inexpensive when compared with many aidfunded projects. The authors propose a regional approach to curriculum development and the employment of simple readers to deliver science concepts to students through literacy as a means of improving the current situation.
Research in Science & Technological Education, 2002
... this theory to describe the concept of the personal needs of an individual ... to assess the ... more ... this theory to describe the concept of the personal needs of an individual ... to assess the qualities of the classroom learning environment from the perspective of the ... 1997), computer-assisted instruction classrooms (Teh & Fraser, 1994) and teacher interpersonal behaviour in the ...
Despite the best intentions of the United States educational system, implementing science reform ... more Despite the best intentions of the United States educational system, implementing science reform efforts equitably and consistently throughout the nation is still a long-term goal. The light of scientific literacy has yet to shine brightly in many rural, isolated and economically depressed regions. Using Appalachia as a case in point, this paper provides a synopsis of the challenges of quality rural science education in the United States and the hope of new contextual and culturally relevant pedagogies aimed at engaging science students in inquiry research using their environmental surroundings as cognitive scaffoldings. The program Reading the River is showcased as an exemplary use of the students' 'backyard' to integrate content knowledge in biology, chemistry, geology, physical science, social studies, practical living and mathematics.
This study reports on the context and impact of the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CIS... more This study reports on the context and impact of the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP) professional development to promote teachers' and students' scientific literacy through the creation of science classroom discourse communities. The theoretical underpinnings of the professional development model are presented and key professional development activities are described. Data are provided on teachers' fidelity of implementation of the CISIP instructional strategies, their understanding of the nature of science communication, and their ability to write scientific investigation reports. Student data includes an analysis of scientific arguments and the perception of their classroom as a science classroom discourse community. Two instruments to measure fidelity of implementation are introduced; the Discourse in Inquiry Science Classrooms for classroom observations of teachers and My Science Classroom Survey to measure students' perceptions of their teachers' use of the CISIP instructional strategies in their classroom.
Research in Science & Technological Education, 2001
... Despite the proliferation of studies into students' understanding of var... more ... Despite the proliferation of studies into students' understanding of various aspects of science, there has been relatively little investigation of their ... Overall the data suggest that the students saw metallic and ionic bonding as weak or inferior to covalent bonding, although in ... Page 8. ...
Journal of Science Education and Technology, 2011
... Muammer C¸ alik Murat Okur Neil Taylor ... 2008), mechanics (Clement 1987; Oliva 2003), e... more ... Muammer C¸ alik Murat Okur Neil Taylor ... 2008), mechanics (Clement 1987; Oliva 2003), electricity and magnetism (eg Choi and Chang 2004; Demirci and C¸irkinog˘lu 2004), sound and sound propaga-tion (eg Eshach and Schwartz 2006; Hrepic 1998; Merino 1998), light ...
International Journal of Science Education, 2009
The science education literature suggests that the public and students often hold narrow stereoty... more The science education literature suggests that the public and students often hold narrow stereotypical views of scientists and science. Here we argue that it is important that students and the public understand the basis on which scientists make scientific claims. The inquiry ...
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2000
Improving primary science education in the small, developing island nations of the South Pacific ... more Improving primary science education in the small, developing island nations of the South Pacific is of increasing importance if these countries are to improve the quality of life of their citizens and achieve sustainable economic growth. The education systems in the South Pacific are commonly legacies of old colonial powers and are dominated by external summative examinations that drive a teacher-dominated didactic pedagogy. Changing this situation is likely to be a long-term issue. However, in the short to medium term science education at the primary level would likely benefit from some strategies that are achievable, sustainable and relatively inexpensive when compared with many aidfunded projects. The authors propose a regional approach to curriculum development and the employment of simple readers to deliver science concepts to students through literacy as a means of improving the current situation.
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2011
A 44-item survey instrument was designed to determine secondary students' views about how useful ... more A 44-item survey instrument was designed to determine secondary students' views about how useful various specific actions related to reducing global warming might be, their willingness to undertake these various actions and the extent to which these 2 might be linked. The instrument was administered to students in grades 6 -10 (n = 768) from 4 large schools in metropolitan Delhi, India in which the teaching language was English. The findings indicated that this cohort of Indian students exhibited high levels of concern about climate change and strong willingness to act against global warming and in favour of the environment. The findings are tentatively compared with those from 2 similar survey studies conducted in Western contexts (Spain and Australia).
International Journal of Environmental and Science …, 2009
... stressing intellectual and communication skill development, as well as the promotion of chara... more ... stressing intellectual and communication skill development, as well as the promotion of character and ... and are of primary importance for evaluating products concerning their health or environmental ...Promoting Scientific Literacy 241 enough room to argue their own opinions. ...
Asia-Pacific Journal of …, 2002
The assessment of work-based learning is arguably one of the biggest challenges facing cooperativ... more The assessment of work-based learning is arguably one of the biggest challenges facing cooperative education practitioners worldwide. However, there are a number of professions such as teaching that have a long history of assessment, some of it informed by research. ...
Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 2002
In this paper we describe research into learners' mental models for chemical bonding. New Zealand... more In this paper we describe research into learners' mental models for chemical bonding. New Zealand senior secondary students, undergraduates and postgraduates' mental models for chemical bonding were probed using an interview protocol that included the use of a variety of common substances and focus cards that depicted model use in some way. The study found that the learners' mental models were simple and realist in nature, in contrast with the sophisticated and mathematically complex models they were exposed to during instruction. The learners drew upon some concepts from other models when their models proved inadequate to explain macroscopic events. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2002, 3, 175-184]
Eurasia J Math Sci Technol Educ, 2008
Scientific literacy is explored in this paper which describes two studies that seek to understand... more Scientific literacy is explored in this paper which describes two studies that seek to understand a particular feature of the nature of science; namely scientists' habits of mind. The research investigated scientists' views of scientific evidence and how scientists judge evidence claims. The first study is concerned with scientists' views of what constitutes superstitious beliefs. The second concerned potential conflicts between scientific theories and evidence, and religious beliefs. The research findings suggest that these scientists, unlike their stereotype, hold idiosyncratic views of what constitutes good scientific evidence and sound, credible testimony. The interviews provide a window into scientific thinking as practiced by modern scientists, and suggest that the scientists are rather more open to alternative thinking than might be supposed. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of their implications for scientific literacy.
Improving primary science education in the small, developing island nations of the South Pacific ... more Improving primary science education in the small, developing island nations of the South Pacific is of increasing importance if these countries are to improve the quality of life of their citizens and achieve sustainable economic growth. The education systems in the South Pacific are commonly legacies of old colonial powers and are dominated by external summative examinations that drive a teacher-dominated didactic pedagogy. Changing this situation is likely to be a long-term issue. However, in the short to medium term science education at the primary level would likely benefit from some strategies that are achievable, sustainable and relatively inexpensive when compared with many aidfunded projects. The authors propose a regional approach to curriculum development and the employment of simple readers to deliver science concepts to students through literacy as a means of improving the current situation.
Research in Science & Technological Education, 2002
... this theory to describe the concept of the personal needs of an individual ... to assess the ... more ... this theory to describe the concept of the personal needs of an individual ... to assess the qualities of the classroom learning environment from the perspective of the ... 1997), computer-assisted instruction classrooms (Teh & Fraser, 1994) and teacher interpersonal behaviour in the ...
Despite the best intentions of the United States educational system, implementing science reform ... more Despite the best intentions of the United States educational system, implementing science reform efforts equitably and consistently throughout the nation is still a long-term goal. The light of scientific literacy has yet to shine brightly in many rural, isolated and economically depressed regions. Using Appalachia as a case in point, this paper provides a synopsis of the challenges of quality rural science education in the United States and the hope of new contextual and culturally relevant pedagogies aimed at engaging science students in inquiry research using their environmental surroundings as cognitive scaffoldings. The program Reading the River is showcased as an exemplary use of the students' 'backyard' to integrate content knowledge in biology, chemistry, geology, physical science, social studies, practical living and mathematics.
This study reports on the context and impact of the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CIS... more This study reports on the context and impact of the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP) professional development to promote teachers' and students' scientific literacy through the creation of science classroom discourse communities. The theoretical underpinnings of the professional development model are presented and key professional development activities are described. Data are provided on teachers' fidelity of implementation of the CISIP instructional strategies, their understanding of the nature of science communication, and their ability to write scientific investigation reports. Student data includes an analysis of scientific arguments and the perception of their classroom as a science classroom discourse community. Two instruments to measure fidelity of implementation are introduced; the Discourse in Inquiry Science Classrooms for classroom observations of teachers and My Science Classroom Survey to measure students' perceptions of their teachers' use of the CISIP instructional strategies in their classroom.
Research in Science & Technological Education, 2001
... Despite the proliferation of studies into students' understanding of var... more ... Despite the proliferation of studies into students' understanding of various aspects of science, there has been relatively little investigation of their ... Overall the data suggest that the students saw metallic and ionic bonding as weak or inferior to covalent bonding, although in ... Page 8. ...
Journal of Science Education and Technology, 2011
... Muammer C¸ alik Murat Okur Neil Taylor ... 2008), mechanics (Clement 1987; Oliva 2003), e... more ... Muammer C¸ alik Murat Okur Neil Taylor ... 2008), mechanics (Clement 1987; Oliva 2003), electricity and magnetism (eg Choi and Chang 2004; Demirci and C¸irkinog˘lu 2004), sound and sound propaga-tion (eg Eshach and Schwartz 2006; Hrepic 1998; Merino 1998), light ...
International Journal of Science Education, 2009
The science education literature suggests that the public and students often hold narrow stereoty... more The science education literature suggests that the public and students often hold narrow stereotypical views of scientists and science. Here we argue that it is important that students and the public understand the basis on which scientists make scientific claims. The inquiry ...
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2000
Improving primary science education in the small, developing island nations of the South Pacific ... more Improving primary science education in the small, developing island nations of the South Pacific is of increasing importance if these countries are to improve the quality of life of their citizens and achieve sustainable economic growth. The education systems in the South Pacific are commonly legacies of old colonial powers and are dominated by external summative examinations that drive a teacher-dominated didactic pedagogy. Changing this situation is likely to be a long-term issue. However, in the short to medium term science education at the primary level would likely benefit from some strategies that are achievable, sustainable and relatively inexpensive when compared with many aidfunded projects. The authors propose a regional approach to curriculum development and the employment of simple readers to deliver science concepts to students through literacy as a means of improving the current situation.
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2011
A 44-item survey instrument was designed to determine secondary students' views about how useful ... more A 44-item survey instrument was designed to determine secondary students' views about how useful various specific actions related to reducing global warming might be, their willingness to undertake these various actions and the extent to which these 2 might be linked. The instrument was administered to students in grades 6 -10 (n = 768) from 4 large schools in metropolitan Delhi, India in which the teaching language was English. The findings indicated that this cohort of Indian students exhibited high levels of concern about climate change and strong willingness to act against global warming and in favour of the environment. The findings are tentatively compared with those from 2 similar survey studies conducted in Western contexts (Spain and Australia).
International Journal of Environmental and Science …, 2009
... stressing intellectual and communication skill development, as well as the promotion of chara... more ... stressing intellectual and communication skill development, as well as the promotion of character and ... and are of primary importance for evaluating products concerning their health or environmental ...Promoting Scientific Literacy 241 enough room to argue their own opinions. ...
Asia-Pacific Journal of …, 2002
The assessment of work-based learning is arguably one of the biggest challenges facing cooperativ... more The assessment of work-based learning is arguably one of the biggest challenges facing cooperative education practitioners worldwide. However, there are a number of professions such as teaching that have a long history of assessment, some of it informed by research. ...
Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 2002
In this paper we describe research into learners' mental models for chemical bonding. New Zealand... more In this paper we describe research into learners' mental models for chemical bonding. New Zealand senior secondary students, undergraduates and postgraduates' mental models for chemical bonding were probed using an interview protocol that included the use of a variety of common substances and focus cards that depicted model use in some way. The study found that the learners' mental models were simple and realist in nature, in contrast with the sophisticated and mathematically complex models they were exposed to during instruction. The learners drew upon some concepts from other models when their models proved inadequate to explain macroscopic events. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2002, 3, 175-184]
Eurasia J Math Sci Technol Educ, 2008
Scientific literacy is explored in this paper which describes two studies that seek to understand... more Scientific literacy is explored in this paper which describes two studies that seek to understand a particular feature of the nature of science; namely scientists' habits of mind. The research investigated scientists' views of scientific evidence and how scientists judge evidence claims. The first study is concerned with scientists' views of what constitutes superstitious beliefs. The second concerned potential conflicts between scientific theories and evidence, and religious beliefs. The research findings suggest that these scientists, unlike their stereotype, hold idiosyncratic views of what constitutes good scientific evidence and sound, credible testimony. The interviews provide a window into scientific thinking as practiced by modern scientists, and suggest that the scientists are rather more open to alternative thinking than might be supposed. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of their implications for scientific literacy.