ECLIPSE is
Exploring Conceptual Learning, Integration and Progression in Science Education
This project seeks to develop a better understanding of how conceptual learning occurs in science, with a particular focus on how well the learner's conceptions are integrated, and how conceptual frameworks develop over time. The project is underpinned by a constructivist position on learning – that the nature of all learning is highly contingent (upon prior learning, learning context, features of language…). ('Constructivism as Educational Theory' can be downloaded here.) The project draws upon research and scholarship into students' alternative conceptions and conceptual frameworks ('misconceptions', 'intuitive theories' etc.) This project is intended to develop theory about learning science that will be of practical use to teachers, learners and those responsible for determining the science curriculum.
Student ideas about science topics
The posts on this site discuss aspects of student thinking and learning across a range of science topics. I am in the process of building these up to replace the previous ECLIPSE site*, and expect to be adding more examples going forward. Specific science topics can be found using the 'tags' or by using the site search function that can be accessed on each page.
[*The ECLIPSE project website includes many examples of students' ideas and learning difficulties in science topics from the school and college curriculum, as well as background material. This site has had to be relocated after the withdrawal of the service that originally hosted it, and some functionality appears to be impaired. It is hoped/intended that it will be gradually rebuilt as part of the main Science-Education-Research website.]
The work of the ECLIPSE project is discussed in:
Taber, K. S. (2014). Student Thinking and Learning in Science: Perspectives on the Nature and Development of Learners' Ideas. New York: Routledge.
ECLIPSE is an umbrella for a series of smaller sub-projects and interests:
- Understanding Science project – looking at secondary age students' developing understandings of topics in school science, and the links between them;
- Understanding chemical bonding project – explored A level (16-19 year old) students' developing understanding the chemical bonding concept
- Learning about the nature of science and religion – as part of a concern with students' developing understanding of the nature of science ('how science works'); linked to the collaborative LASAR (Learning about Science and Religion) Project, working with Reading University.
- Science learning doctors – using diagnostic assessment approaches in the classroom to identify the 'learning bugs' that can block student learning, e.g. the typology of learning impediments
- Challenging the most able in science – through projects such as APECS (Able Pupils Experiencing Challenging Science) and ASCEND (Able Scientists Collectively Exploring New Demands)
- Physical Science project – looking at how A level students relate their learning in chemistry and physics; this includes a collaborative work with Prof. Daniel Tan at the National Institute of Education in Singapore, exploring understanding of the topic of Ionisation Energy {the report Tan, D., Goh N. K. and Chia L. S. and Taber, K. S. (2005) Development of a Two-Tier Multiple Choice Diagnostic Instrument to Determine A-Level Students' Understanding of Ionisation Energy, Singapore: National Institute of Education – may be accessed from this link Tan et al (2005) Ionisation Energy.pdf}.
- Challenging Chemical Conceptions – exploring students' understanding of chemical concepts (based on a Royal Society of Chemistry Teacher Fellowship Project – see http://www.chemsoc.org/networks/learnnet/miscon2.htm)
- Scaffolding Learning in Physical Science project – exploring the nature of teaching materials that support conceptual learning
