What do you get when you bring together two of NSTA’s bestselling authors to ponder ways to deepen students’ conceptual understanding of science? A fascinating combination of deep thinking about science teaching, field-tested strategies you can use in your classroom immediately, and personal vignettes all educators can relate to and apply themselves.
Teaching for Conceptual Understanding in Science is by Richard Konicek-Moran, a researcher and professor who wrote the
Everyday Science Mysteries series, and Page Keeley, a practitioner and teacher educator who writes the
Uncovering Student Ideas in Science series. Written in an appealing, conversational style, this new book
•explores where science education has been and where it’s going;
•emphasizes how knowing the history and nature of science can help you engage in teaching for conceptual understanding and conceptual change;
•stresses the importance of formative assessment as a pathway to conceptual change; and
•provides a bridge between research and practice.
This is the kind of thought-provoking book that can truly change the way you teach. Whether you read each chapter in sequence or start by browsing the topics in the vignettes, Konicek-Moran and Keeley will make you think—really think—about the major goal of science education in the 21st century: to help students understand science at the conceptual level so they can see its connections to other fields, other concepts, and their own lives.
Table of Contents
Preface
About the Authors
Chapter 1
Teaching Science for Conceptual Understanding: An Overview
Chapter 2
What Can We Learn About Conceptual Understanding by Examining the History of Science?
Chapter 3
What Is the Nature of Science, and What Does It Mean for Conceptual Understanding of Science?
Chapter 4>
How Does the Nature of Children’s Thinking Relate to Teaching for Conceptual Understanding?
Chapter 5
What Can We Learn About Teaching for Conceptual Understanding by Examining the History of Science Education?
Chapter 6
How Is Conceptual Understanding Developed Through the Three Dimensions and Learning Strands?
Chapter 7
How Does the Use of Instructional Models Support Teaching for Conceptual Understanding?
Chapter 8
What Are Some Instructional Strategies That Support Conceptual Understanding?
Chapter 9
How Does Linking Assessment, Instruction, and Learning Support Conceptual Understanding?
Chapter 10
What Role Does Informal Education Have in Developing Conceptual Understanding?
Appendix: Case Study
Index