Abstract
This case study describes a teacher's development of and creativity in manipulating physical models in an astronomy course for in-service science teachers of K-8. Specifically, she organized a data table from several charts of numbers, constructed a moon-ball model in addition to a 2-D model, and created a hula hoop model as a concrete realization of her mental model. Examination of the transformation and construction processes revealed how she revised existing models and added new elements. These reconstruction experiences afforded her with a higher level of comprehension and self-awareness of her mental models. Three of the teacher's actions contributed to her increased understanding and deployment of the models: she enhanced her autonomy by changing the given models and solving problems she was interested in; she communicated with her partners and shared her knowledge by materializing her models; and she constructed new models on the basis of her experience. This case study shows that the transformation process, especially a cascade of small steps with the emergence of a more dramatic departure, is a key to generating scientific knowledge
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 948-966 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | Science Education |
| Volume | 91 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 2007 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Education
Cite this
From conceptual change to transformative modeling : A case study of an elementary teacher in learning astronomy. / Shen, Ji; Confrey, Jere.
In: Science Education, Vol. 91, No. 6, 11.2007, p. 948-966.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - From conceptual change to transformative modeling
T2 - A case study of an elementary teacher in learning astronomy
AU - Shen, Ji
AU - Confrey, Jere
PY - 2007/11
Y1 - 2007/11
N2 - This case study describes a teacher's development of and creativity in manipulating physical models in an astronomy course for in-service science teachers of K-8. Specifically, she organized a data table from several charts of numbers, constructed a moon-ball model in addition to a 2-D model, and created a hula hoop model as a concrete realization of her mental model. Examination of the transformation and construction processes revealed how she revised existing models and added new elements. These reconstruction experiences afforded her with a higher level of comprehension and self-awareness of her mental models. Three of the teacher's actions contributed to her increased understanding and deployment of the models: she enhanced her autonomy by changing the given models and solving problems she was interested in; she communicated with her partners and shared her knowledge by materializing her models; and she constructed new models on the basis of her experience. This case study shows that the transformation process, especially a cascade of small steps with the emergence of a more dramatic departure, is a key to generating scientific knowledge
AB - This case study describes a teacher's development of and creativity in manipulating physical models in an astronomy course for in-service science teachers of K-8. Specifically, she organized a data table from several charts of numbers, constructed a moon-ball model in addition to a 2-D model, and created a hula hoop model as a concrete realization of her mental model. Examination of the transformation and construction processes revealed how she revised existing models and added new elements. These reconstruction experiences afforded her with a higher level of comprehension and self-awareness of her mental models. Three of the teacher's actions contributed to her increased understanding and deployment of the models: she enhanced her autonomy by changing the given models and solving problems she was interested in; she communicated with her partners and shared her knowledge by materializing her models; and she constructed new models on the basis of her experience. This case study shows that the transformation process, especially a cascade of small steps with the emergence of a more dramatic departure, is a key to generating scientific knowledge
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=35948940109&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=35948940109&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/sce.20224
DO - 10.1002/sce.20224
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:35948940109
VL - 91
SP - 948
EP - 966
JO - Science Education
JF - Science Education
SN - 0036-8326
IS - 6
ER -