One of my publications is:
Taber, K. S. (2006) Beyond Constructivism: the Progressive Research Programme into Learning Science, Studies in Science Education, 42, pp.125-184.
Download a copy of the author's manuscript version
Abstract
Around 1980 research into learning in science underwent a significant shift, informed by consideration of the significance of studies exploring student ideas in a wide range of science topics. At this time a number of seminal studies appeared which reviewed the state of the field of research into learning and teaching in science, and set out a research agenda for future work. These studies, with a good many subsequent papers, have been described as constituting the basis of ‘constructivism in science education’ or the ‘alternative conceptions movement’. Over the following two decades this ‘movement’ became considered as both the dominant paradigm and as a spent force in science education. The present review takes an intermediate view, and considers the seminal constructivist studies to have initiated a research programme, setting out both axiomatic commitments and fruitful directions for future work. This analysis makes it possible to evaluate the extent to which the initial research goals have been achieved, and also to see how a wide variety of work related to learning in science – some not normally considered to be ‘constructivist’ – can be seen to be part of the evolving agenda of the original programme. In particular, this analysis shows that shifts in the focus of research in the field can be understood as part of the expected progression within a progressive research programme – as accumulating empirical studies offer data to test key ideas, initial tenets come to seem commonplace, and new concepts are developed allowing research questions to be refined. The review highlights those areas where progress has been made, and offers heuristic guidance for researchers in the field.
Contents:
- INTRODUCTION
- The structure of the review
- IDENTIFYING AND CHARACTERISING A RESEARCH PROGRAMME IN LEARNING SCIENCE
- Fields, domains, paradigms and research programmes
- Paradigms, revolutions, and research programmes in science
- Can ACKiS [Active Construction of Knowledge in Science] be seen as a scientific research programme?
- The structure of a Research Programme
- Theory change and research programmes
- Progressive research programmes
- A model of a Research Programme
- LEARNERS' IDEAS IN SCIENCE
- Tenet 1. Knowledge is constructed by the learner, not received
- Children's science: knowledge or belief?
- How does knowledge construction (i.e., learning) take place?
- How rational are learners about changing their minds?
- Significant features of the conceptual landscape
- Two types of conceptual change
- Construction of knowledge-locating the building site
- Learning quanta-building bricks of knowledge construction
- Cognitive constraints on learning
- Tenet 2. Learners come to science learning with existing ideas about many natural phenomena
- What ideas do learners' bring to science classes…?
- …and what is the nature of these ideas?
- Learning recapitulates history?
- Tenet 3. Each individual has a unique set of ideas
- How much commonality is there between learners' ideas in science?
- MODELLING LEARNERS' CONCEPTUAL STRUCTURES
- Tenet 4. Knowledge is represented in the brain as a conceptual structure
- How is knowledge organised in the brain?
- Domains
- Fundamental levels of conceptual structure
- Manifold conceptions and multiple frameworks
- Tenet 5. It is possible to model learners' conceptual structures
- What are the most appropriate models and representations?
- CONSEQUENCES FOR TEACHING
- Tenet 6. The learners' existing ideas have consequences for the learning of science
- How do learners' ideas interact with teaching?
- Tenet 7. It is possible to teach science more effectively, if account is taken of the learner's existing ideas.
- How should "constructivist' teachers teach science?
- DISCUSSION
- BEYOND CONSTRUCTIVISM?
