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Passkeys to learning science in the elementary schools: The data and language of science

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Journal of Elementary Science Education

Abstract

Elementary school science education should involve students in laboratory investigations. The data students gather from these investigations are the building blocks for understanding science concepts. The way teachers use student-gathered data for this purpose however, may vary. This study examined teachers' differing uses of student-gathered data during science investigations. The results show that students' language use and concept understanding differed between two different instructional approaches. Guided by their teacher, students must construct concepts from their own data in order to acquire concept understanding and expand their use of scientific language. Suggestions are provided for using student-gathered data in teaching elementary school science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Science Education Center, The University of Oklahoma, 73019, Norman, OK

    Edmund A. Marek (Professor) & Ann M. L. Cavallo (Assistant Professor)

Authors
  1. Edmund A. Marek
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  2. Ann M. L. Cavallo
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Marek, E.A., Cavallo, A.M.L. Passkeys to learning science in the elementary schools: The data and language of science. J Elem Sci Edu 7, 1–15 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173769

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173769

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