A case study of change in elementary student teacher

thinking during an independent investigation in

science: Learning about the "face of science that does
not yet know"
Shapiro B.L.
University of Calgary, Dept. of Educ. Research 726 EDT, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alta. T2N
IN4, Canada

Abstract: This article presents the results of an approach to the study of changes in one student teacher's
thinking about the nature of scientific investigation during her participation in an elementary science
methods course assignment. During a preservice course in curriculum and instruction in elementary science,
students were assigned the task of designing an independent investigation to solve a simple question of their
own. Using survey data, interviews, and a repertory grid technique, ideas about the nature of knowledge
acquisition in science were documented prior to, during, and following involvement in the assignment. In
structured interviews following the assignment, participants were shown documented changes in their
personal constructs regarding the nature of knowledge acquisition in science and were invited to comment
on features of their own investigation which contributed to changes in their ideas. Repertory grid charts and
interview data were used to develop 12 "Change Themes" in the larger study that characterize move ments
in thinking about the nature of investigation in science. Three of the change themes are explored in depth in
the individual case report. The article concludes with a discussion on the movement in this student's view of
scientific investigation, and the challenges and value of the assignment in a science teacher education
program. 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Year: 1996
Source title: Science Education
Volume: 80
Issue: 5
Page : 535-560
Cited by: 28
Link: Scorpus Link
Correspondence Address: Shapiro, B.L.; University of Calgary, Dept. of Educ. Research 726 EDT, 2500
University Drive NW, Calgary, Alta. T2N IN4, Canada; email: bshapiro@acs.ucalgary.ca
Document Type: Article
Source: Scopus
Authors with affiliations:
1. Shapiro, B.L., University of Calgary, Dept. of Educ. Research 726 EDT, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alta. T2N IN4,
Canada
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