William McComas - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by William McComas
The American Biology Teacher, 2022
The American Biology Teacher, 2020
The year 2019 was another very productive year for The American Biology Teacher . We continue to ... more The year 2019 was another very productive year for The American Biology Teacher . We continue to experience an increase in the number of articles submitted, all of which feature amazing ideas, teaching suggestions, and updates designed to inform our readers through the nine annual issues of our journal. The only downside to this increase in submissions is that it is taking a bit longer than we might like to get these great ideas into print. In past versions of our annual “thank you” column I have pointed out just how many individuals contribute directly and indirectly to the journal. I am pleased to recognize many of them now. First, ABT would not exist without the many authors who submit such engaging articles that will impact biology teaching and learning in a multitude of ways for years to come. I am pleased to report that our rejection rate is quite low because of the strength of the articles and because of the incredible feedback offered by our reviewers and reviewing editors coupled with the willingness of authors to make the requested changes. The ABT publications team is amazing! Our reviewing editors—Bill Heybourn, Kevin Bonney, Emily Weigel, and Lance Forshee—invite peer reviewers and take the multiple comments provided and write review summaries for each article submitted. Our assistant editor, Kathy Westrich, is responsible for the cover …
The American Biology Teacher, 2019
The year 2018 was very productive for The American Biology Teacher . We experienced a healthy inc... more The year 2018 was very productive for The American Biology Teacher . We experienced a healthy increase in the number of article submissions over the previous year, resulting in even more high-quality ideas, teaching suggestions, and updates reaching our readers through the nine issues of our 80th volume. What our readers might not immediately recognize is how many individuals contribute directly and indirectly to producing the journal. Through this annual “thank you” column, I am pleased to recognize many of those whose work makes the journal possible. First, we should start by acknowledging the authors, without whom there would simply be no journal. I suspect that most readers realize that no one is paid for their contributions to ABT . However, we hope that all our authors recognize that they impact biology teaching and learning in a multitude of ways they may never directly appreciate. As editor, I appreciate the good will exhibited by authors as their work proceeds through the sometimes lengthy review and revision process and then wait many months to see their work in print. The ABT publications team is second to none and, as such, they deserve my sincere appreciation. On the front line we have reviewing editors Bill Heybourn, Kevin Bonney, Emily Weigel, and Lance Forshee, who select peer reviewers and write review summaries for each article submitted. Our …
The Language of Science Education, 2014
The desire to make science instruction more inclusive has come from various quarters including fr... more The desire to make science instruction more inclusive has come from various quarters including from advocates for special education students, those who have noticed the underrepresentation of women, minorities, those from a lower socioeconomic background and others in science education and science careers.
The Language of Science Education, 2014
Hegarty-Hazel (1990, p. 4) defines the laboratory as any environment “where students engage in pl... more Hegarty-Hazel (1990, p. 4) defines the laboratory as any environment “where students engage in planned learning experiences, and interact with materials to observe and understand phenomena.” Anderson (1976, p. 7) adds that the school science laboratory is a place “where students can investigate natural phenomena in an immediate or first-hand experience and apply various cognitive skills toward an interpretation of these phenomena.”
It is clear from a review of the new science education standards that elements of the nature of s... more It is clear from a review of the new science education standards that elements of the nature of science must play a role in the education of the next generation of science learners. This course was developed to provide teachers a strong background of relevant content knowledge regarding the nature of science. Even if this mode of content delivery is effective for university learners, this knowledge must now be translated through appropriate curriculum models and through the skills of individual educators into an appropriate form for the classroom.
Adapting Historical Knowledge Production to the Classroom, 2011
... 51 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Carole Lee and Kostas Kampourakis for their many he... more ... 51 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Carole Lee and Kostas Kampourakis for their many helpful additions and corrections to the manuscript. Nevertheless, all opinions and errors are of course the responsibility of the author. REFERENCES ...
The Language of Science Education, 2014
The Language of Science Education, 2014
The Language of Science Education, 2014
Project-based instruction is an extension of problem-based learning (see also) but Capraro and Sl... more Project-based instruction is an extension of problem-based learning (see also) but Capraro and Slough (2013) emphasize that they two are not the same. “Project based learning is broader and often is composed of several problems student will need to solve” and “provides the contextualized, authentic experiences necessary for students to scaffold learning and build meaningfully powerful science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts” (p. 2) supported by other school disciplines.
This study examines the role of a 6-or 8-week summer university laboratory internship for 56 high... more This study examines the role of a 6-or 8-week summer university laboratory internship for 56 high ability secondary students in developing the views of these students with respect to the nature of science. Students were assessed using a gender-neutral version of the Test on Understanding Science (TOUS) as part of a pretest-posttest research design. Results indicated no significant change from pretest to posttest on any of the subscales of this test. When all the variables were analyzed, only the internship duration (6-week versus 8-week) showed a significant change. The 8-week group made a significant gain in understanding about the scientific enterprise. The TOUS did not perform well in assessing this population. Although the posttest reliability, measured by KR-20 was a respectable 0.66, the mean difficulty was a high 69.30 and the mean discrimination was only 0.23. These values may be explained by the generally high level of pretest achievement and the overall homogeneity of the students. The accompanying qualitative study indicates that students gained much with respect to understanding the nature of science, but the TOUS is clearly not the best instrument to use in substantiating that finding. (PR)
Routledge eBooks, Jan 25, 2023
Science: Philosophy, History and Education, 2020
One key NOS aspect often recommended for inclusion in school science programs is the issue of sub... more One key NOS aspect often recommended for inclusion in school science programs is the issue of subjectivity and bias (sometime called theory-laden observations) when viewing the world. Everyone has some expectations or prior “theories” when making observations and students should have opportunities to explore this notion and understand the role of theory-laden observations in science. The purpose of this chapter is to help teachers understand this issue both with discussion of the issue and an example. First, we explore the idea of subjectivity related to the way in which all humans—scientists included—engage in observing. In many cases, what observers expect to see can be helpful in allowing the observer to ignore things that are not important. In other cases, when observers expect to see something, they do. Second, this chapter reports the results of an experiment in which observers expected to see the heart of a tiny aquatic crustacean—daphnia—speed up or slow down when exposed to chemicals such as nicotine or alcohol. This experiment demonstrated the expectancy effect because, although students reported the anticipated results, there were no active chemicals involved but students believed that alcohol or nicotine was introduced to the daphnia.
International Handbook of Research in History, Philosophy and Science Teaching, 2013
This chapter considers the complex educational landscape in the United States and presents the re... more This chapter considers the complex educational landscape in the United States and presents the results of an examination of the rationale for and history of the inclusion of nature of science (NOS) in the science curriculum, standards, and teacher education programs in the United States. The analysis begins with a definition of NOS and recommendations for its inclusion in school science and moves into a discussion of the context for the control of education in US K-12 schools (K-12 refers to public compulsory education in the United States which generally begins in kindergarten (K) at about age 5 and ends in grade 12 generally at age 17–18). A subsequent section of this chapter provides a detailed view of the nature of science in the most recent state standards resulting in a consensus recommendation for key NOS elements. A similar analysis tactic is applied to the new science education Framework for K-12 Science Education and the resulting Next Generation Science Standards. The chapter concludes with an examination of NOS in several key curriculum projects designed to incorporate this important topic.
Science: Philosophy, History and Education, 2020
This chapter is founded on the notion that there is a consensus view of NOS and so offers a rich ... more This chapter is founded on the notion that there is a consensus view of NOS and so offers a rich discussion of a shared set of NOS elements to guide the development of NOS learning standards and classroom assessment and ultimately inform science curriculum development. We begin with some assertions about NOS learning and then offer nine key NOS elements (evidence, law theory distinction, shared methods, creativity, subjectivity, society and science interaction, science and engineering distinction, tentativeness, and the limits of science) clustered in three domains (tools and processes of science, human elements of science, and the domain of science and its limitations). A robust description of each of these key NOS aspects is provided along with common misconceptions about that element of NOS. These descriptions are introductions and/or reviews for educators but cannot substitute for the more complete understanding that would come from a deeper study of these sophisticated notions.
Journal of Science Teacher Education, 2001
Page 1. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 12(3): 155-173,2001 ©2001 Kluwer Academic Publisher... more Page 1. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 12(3): 155-173,2001 ©2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers, Printed in the Netherlands The Inclusion of Informal Environments in Science Teacher Preparation Joanne K. Olson Iowa ...
Description based on online resource title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed January 20, 2014).
This article addresses and attempts to refute several of the most widespread and enduring misconc... more This article addresses and attempts to refute several of the most widespread and enduring misconceptions held by students regarding the enterprise of science. The ten myths discussed include the common notions that theories become laws, that hypotheses are best characterized as educated guesses, and that there is a commonly-applied scientific method. In addition, the article includes discussion of other incorrect ideas such as the view that evidence leads to sure knowledge, that science and its methods provide absolute proof, and that science is not a creative endeavor. Finally, the myths that scientists are objective, that experiments are the sole route to scientific knowledge and that scientific conclusions are continually reviewed conclude this presentation. The paper ends with a plea that instruction in and opportunities to experience the nature of science are vital in preservice and inservice teacher education programs to help unseat the myths of science. Myths are typically defined as traditional views, fables, legends or stories. As such, myths can be entertaining and even educational since they help people make sense of the world. In fact, the explanatory role of myths most likely accounts for their development, spread and persistence. However, when fact and fiction blur, myths lose their entertainment value and serve only to block full understanding. Such is the case with the myths of science.
The American Biology Teacher, 2022
The American Biology Teacher, 2020
The year 2019 was another very productive year for The American Biology Teacher . We continue to ... more The year 2019 was another very productive year for The American Biology Teacher . We continue to experience an increase in the number of articles submitted, all of which feature amazing ideas, teaching suggestions, and updates designed to inform our readers through the nine annual issues of our journal. The only downside to this increase in submissions is that it is taking a bit longer than we might like to get these great ideas into print. In past versions of our annual “thank you” column I have pointed out just how many individuals contribute directly and indirectly to the journal. I am pleased to recognize many of them now. First, ABT would not exist without the many authors who submit such engaging articles that will impact biology teaching and learning in a multitude of ways for years to come. I am pleased to report that our rejection rate is quite low because of the strength of the articles and because of the incredible feedback offered by our reviewers and reviewing editors coupled with the willingness of authors to make the requested changes. The ABT publications team is amazing! Our reviewing editors—Bill Heybourn, Kevin Bonney, Emily Weigel, and Lance Forshee—invite peer reviewers and take the multiple comments provided and write review summaries for each article submitted. Our assistant editor, Kathy Westrich, is responsible for the cover …
The American Biology Teacher, 2019
The year 2018 was very productive for The American Biology Teacher . We experienced a healthy inc... more The year 2018 was very productive for The American Biology Teacher . We experienced a healthy increase in the number of article submissions over the previous year, resulting in even more high-quality ideas, teaching suggestions, and updates reaching our readers through the nine issues of our 80th volume. What our readers might not immediately recognize is how many individuals contribute directly and indirectly to producing the journal. Through this annual “thank you” column, I am pleased to recognize many of those whose work makes the journal possible. First, we should start by acknowledging the authors, without whom there would simply be no journal. I suspect that most readers realize that no one is paid for their contributions to ABT . However, we hope that all our authors recognize that they impact biology teaching and learning in a multitude of ways they may never directly appreciate. As editor, I appreciate the good will exhibited by authors as their work proceeds through the sometimes lengthy review and revision process and then wait many months to see their work in print. The ABT publications team is second to none and, as such, they deserve my sincere appreciation. On the front line we have reviewing editors Bill Heybourn, Kevin Bonney, Emily Weigel, and Lance Forshee, who select peer reviewers and write review summaries for each article submitted. Our …
The Language of Science Education, 2014
The desire to make science instruction more inclusive has come from various quarters including fr... more The desire to make science instruction more inclusive has come from various quarters including from advocates for special education students, those who have noticed the underrepresentation of women, minorities, those from a lower socioeconomic background and others in science education and science careers.
The Language of Science Education, 2014
Hegarty-Hazel (1990, p. 4) defines the laboratory as any environment “where students engage in pl... more Hegarty-Hazel (1990, p. 4) defines the laboratory as any environment “where students engage in planned learning experiences, and interact with materials to observe and understand phenomena.” Anderson (1976, p. 7) adds that the school science laboratory is a place “where students can investigate natural phenomena in an immediate or first-hand experience and apply various cognitive skills toward an interpretation of these phenomena.”
It is clear from a review of the new science education standards that elements of the nature of s... more It is clear from a review of the new science education standards that elements of the nature of science must play a role in the education of the next generation of science learners. This course was developed to provide teachers a strong background of relevant content knowledge regarding the nature of science. Even if this mode of content delivery is effective for university learners, this knowledge must now be translated through appropriate curriculum models and through the skills of individual educators into an appropriate form for the classroom.
Adapting Historical Knowledge Production to the Classroom, 2011
... 51 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Carole Lee and Kostas Kampourakis for their many he... more ... 51 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Carole Lee and Kostas Kampourakis for their many helpful additions and corrections to the manuscript. Nevertheless, all opinions and errors are of course the responsibility of the author. REFERENCES ...
The Language of Science Education, 2014
The Language of Science Education, 2014
The Language of Science Education, 2014
Project-based instruction is an extension of problem-based learning (see also) but Capraro and Sl... more Project-based instruction is an extension of problem-based learning (see also) but Capraro and Slough (2013) emphasize that they two are not the same. “Project based learning is broader and often is composed of several problems student will need to solve” and “provides the contextualized, authentic experiences necessary for students to scaffold learning and build meaningfully powerful science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts” (p. 2) supported by other school disciplines.
This study examines the role of a 6-or 8-week summer university laboratory internship for 56 high... more This study examines the role of a 6-or 8-week summer university laboratory internship for 56 high ability secondary students in developing the views of these students with respect to the nature of science. Students were assessed using a gender-neutral version of the Test on Understanding Science (TOUS) as part of a pretest-posttest research design. Results indicated no significant change from pretest to posttest on any of the subscales of this test. When all the variables were analyzed, only the internship duration (6-week versus 8-week) showed a significant change. The 8-week group made a significant gain in understanding about the scientific enterprise. The TOUS did not perform well in assessing this population. Although the posttest reliability, measured by KR-20 was a respectable 0.66, the mean difficulty was a high 69.30 and the mean discrimination was only 0.23. These values may be explained by the generally high level of pretest achievement and the overall homogeneity of the students. The accompanying qualitative study indicates that students gained much with respect to understanding the nature of science, but the TOUS is clearly not the best instrument to use in substantiating that finding. (PR)
Routledge eBooks, Jan 25, 2023
Science: Philosophy, History and Education, 2020
One key NOS aspect often recommended for inclusion in school science programs is the issue of sub... more One key NOS aspect often recommended for inclusion in school science programs is the issue of subjectivity and bias (sometime called theory-laden observations) when viewing the world. Everyone has some expectations or prior “theories” when making observations and students should have opportunities to explore this notion and understand the role of theory-laden observations in science. The purpose of this chapter is to help teachers understand this issue both with discussion of the issue and an example. First, we explore the idea of subjectivity related to the way in which all humans—scientists included—engage in observing. In many cases, what observers expect to see can be helpful in allowing the observer to ignore things that are not important. In other cases, when observers expect to see something, they do. Second, this chapter reports the results of an experiment in which observers expected to see the heart of a tiny aquatic crustacean—daphnia—speed up or slow down when exposed to chemicals such as nicotine or alcohol. This experiment demonstrated the expectancy effect because, although students reported the anticipated results, there were no active chemicals involved but students believed that alcohol or nicotine was introduced to the daphnia.
International Handbook of Research in History, Philosophy and Science Teaching, 2013
This chapter considers the complex educational landscape in the United States and presents the re... more This chapter considers the complex educational landscape in the United States and presents the results of an examination of the rationale for and history of the inclusion of nature of science (NOS) in the science curriculum, standards, and teacher education programs in the United States. The analysis begins with a definition of NOS and recommendations for its inclusion in school science and moves into a discussion of the context for the control of education in US K-12 schools (K-12 refers to public compulsory education in the United States which generally begins in kindergarten (K) at about age 5 and ends in grade 12 generally at age 17–18). A subsequent section of this chapter provides a detailed view of the nature of science in the most recent state standards resulting in a consensus recommendation for key NOS elements. A similar analysis tactic is applied to the new science education Framework for K-12 Science Education and the resulting Next Generation Science Standards. The chapter concludes with an examination of NOS in several key curriculum projects designed to incorporate this important topic.
Science: Philosophy, History and Education, 2020
This chapter is founded on the notion that there is a consensus view of NOS and so offers a rich ... more This chapter is founded on the notion that there is a consensus view of NOS and so offers a rich discussion of a shared set of NOS elements to guide the development of NOS learning standards and classroom assessment and ultimately inform science curriculum development. We begin with some assertions about NOS learning and then offer nine key NOS elements (evidence, law theory distinction, shared methods, creativity, subjectivity, society and science interaction, science and engineering distinction, tentativeness, and the limits of science) clustered in three domains (tools and processes of science, human elements of science, and the domain of science and its limitations). A robust description of each of these key NOS aspects is provided along with common misconceptions about that element of NOS. These descriptions are introductions and/or reviews for educators but cannot substitute for the more complete understanding that would come from a deeper study of these sophisticated notions.
Journal of Science Teacher Education, 2001
Page 1. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 12(3): 155-173,2001 ©2001 Kluwer Academic Publisher... more Page 1. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 12(3): 155-173,2001 ©2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers, Printed in the Netherlands The Inclusion of Informal Environments in Science Teacher Preparation Joanne K. Olson Iowa ...
Description based on online resource title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed January 20, 2014).
This article addresses and attempts to refute several of the most widespread and enduring misconc... more This article addresses and attempts to refute several of the most widespread and enduring misconceptions held by students regarding the enterprise of science. The ten myths discussed include the common notions that theories become laws, that hypotheses are best characterized as educated guesses, and that there is a commonly-applied scientific method. In addition, the article includes discussion of other incorrect ideas such as the view that evidence leads to sure knowledge, that science and its methods provide absolute proof, and that science is not a creative endeavor. Finally, the myths that scientists are objective, that experiments are the sole route to scientific knowledge and that scientific conclusions are continually reviewed conclude this presentation. The paper ends with a plea that instruction in and opportunities to experience the nature of science are vital in preservice and inservice teacher education programs to help unseat the myths of science. Myths are typically defined as traditional views, fables, legends or stories. As such, myths can be entertaining and even educational since they help people make sense of the world. In fact, the explanatory role of myths most likely accounts for their development, spread and persistence. However, when fact and fiction blur, myths lose their entertainment value and serve only to block full understanding. Such is the case with the myths of science.