Linguistic Resources Used in Grade 8 Students' Submicro Level Explanations : Science Items from TIMSS 2007

Explanations involving submicro levels of representation are central to science education, but known to be difficult for students in secondary school. This study examines students' written explanations of physical and chemical phenomena regarding matter and changes in matter, in a large-scale t...

Celý popis

Uloženo v:
Podrobná bibliografie
Vydáno v:Research in science education (Australasian Science Education Research Association) Ročník 43; číslo 6; s. 2387 - 2406
Hlavní autoři: Frändberg, Birgitta, Lincoln, Per, Wallin, Anita
Médium: Journal Article
Jazyk:angličtina
Vydáno: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.12.2013
Springer
Témata:
ISSN:0157-244X, 1573-1898, 1573-1898
On-line přístup:Získat plný text
Tagy: Přidat tag
Žádné tagy, Buďte první, kdo vytvoří štítek k tomuto záznamu!
Popis
Shrnutí:Explanations involving submicro levels of representation are central to science education, but known to be difficult for students in secondary school. This study examines students' written explanations of physical and chemical phenomena regarding matter and changes in matter, in a large-scale test. This is done in order to understand linguistic challenges in constructing submicro level explanations involving the particle model of matter. Drawing from systemic functional linguistics, the lexicogrammatics used in explanations for realising experiential meaning in student explanations were analysed. Answers to two partly constructed response items from the Swedish part of Trends in International Mathematics and Science Studies 2007, Grade 8, were used to sort out explanations referring to the particle model of matter. These answers (86 from 954) were analysed regarding choices of vocabulary and grammar to distinguish between macro and submicro level of representation. The results show that students use a wide variety of lexicogrammatical resources to realise what happens on both macro and submicro level of representation, with greater diversity of verbs on the submicro level of explanation. The results suggest an uncertainty about the distinction between macro and submicro level of explanation. [Author abstract, ed]
Bibliografie:Refereed article. Includes bibliographical references.
Research in Science Education; v.43 n.6 p.2387-2406; December 2013
ISSN:0157-244X
1573-1898
1573-1898
DOI:10.1007/s11165-013-9363-0