Process skillsProcess skillsused by

South African and Norwegian students to perform cognitive tasks on magnetism, acids and bases

Oyvind Mikalsen and Meshach Ogunniyi

Origin of SATASYOOrigin of SATASYO

Scientific, Technological, Literacy project

STL Project

Graduate Studies in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education

GRASSMATE

Science Among Thirteen and Sixteen Years Olds in South Africa and Norway

SATASYO

The six major themes for the various conceptsThe six major themes for the various concepts

1. Energy and Forces

3. Measurement

5 Soil, Plants & Animals

2. Properties of matter

4. Adaptations of Organisms to their Environment

6. Human systems

List of all the instrumentsGrade 7 (8)List of all the instrumentsGrade 7 (8)

1. Acids and bases in the home2. Energy and change3. Forces4. Magnetism5. Measurement and Matter6. Our environment and us - Part 17. Our environment and us - Part 2

AnalysisAnalysis

The analysis involves both: ”marking” - to establish validity ”probing” - to attain a deeper under-

standing of underlying assumptions

Types of probesTypes of probes

The probes are of three types:

(i) Tracking a trend within a single category(ii) Tracking across two or m ore categories(iii) Relating findings to experiences outside the

assessment framework, e.g. out-of-school activities and interests.

Basic assumption 1: Basic assumption 1:

If the claim that students’ conceptual under-standings evolve from their immediate life world experiences is valid, then it is reasonable to situate both the curriculum and instruction in those experiences.

Basic assumption 2Basic assumption 2

The assumption here is that a curriculum or an assessment, which lacks some experiential foundation from the students’ perspectives is not likely to succeed in engaging the students’ intellectual interest.

Aim of the study 1Aim of the study 1

The SATASYO-project is based largely on a constructivist paradigm, i.e. learning as a process of active knowledge-construction.

The study is concerned with determining what knowledge, attitude or views about science and technology are held by grades 7 – 10 pupils in the Western Cape region and the area around Bergen in Norway.

Aim of the study 2Aim of the study 2• The overall aim is to determine grades 7 – 10 South

African and Norwegian students’ conceptions of various scientific concepts.

• This report focuses specifically on grade 7 and 8

students’ conceptions of magnetism, acids and bases. • Using an Assessment Framework the study explores

the process skills used by the students in performing the cognitive tasks on magnetism, acids and bases.

MethodsMethodsTwo instruments, “Students’ Conceptions of Acids and Bases in the home” (SCABITH) and “My ideas of Magnetism” (MIM) were used.

The students’ responses were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively in terms of basic and high-order process skills.

Assessment frameworkAssessment frameworkCategories of science performance:

1.  Use process skills to investigate2.  Conception of scientific concepts and principle3.  Applying scientific knowledge and skills

innovatively4.  Use of scientific knowledge and skills in

responsible decision-making and management5.  Scientific versus alternative conceptions or

traditional worldviews.6.  The revisionary or tentative nature of scientific

information

ReliabilityReliability

Inter-reliability for MIM and SCABITH were 0.97 and 0.98, on average.

Reliability values for RSA and Norway, using KR-21, were 0.81 and 0.72 on MIM and 0.91 and 0.88 on SCABITH, respectively

Findings 1Findings 1

The findings indicate that while there is no significant difference in the students’ conceptions of acids and bases in terms of sex, age and career interest, there are, with the exception of sex, significant differences of magnetism on account of age, language and career interest.

Findings 2Findings 2

Overall, less than 40% of both groups of students hold valid conceptions of the concepts.

Likewise the process skills demonstrated by the students are largely of low-order category

Performance per individual question (SCABITH)Performance per individual question (SCABITH)

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The two highest responses on SCABITHThe two highest responses on SCABITH

A Table with the colours of various indicators in ACID and BASIC solutions is given before the questions.

Q3.1 What will be the colour of thymol when added to vinegar? (Mean 63%)

Q3.3 What will be the colour of litmus when testing a base? (Mean 63%)

The two lowest responses on SCABITHThe two lowest responses on SCABITH

Basic substances taste … and feel … (Mean 15%)

When you add the indicator bromo-thymol blue to a solution of sodium bicarbonate the colour changes to blue. What does this colour change tell you about sodium bicarbonate? (Mean 19%)

Students’ selection of various careers on SCABITHStudents’ selection of various careers on SCABITH

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Students’ performance according to career interests (MIM).Students’ performance according to career interests (MIM).

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Students’ performance on the MIM according to the assessment frameworkStudents’ performance on the MIM according to the assessment framework

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Performance on individual items of the MIM,ranked on increasing average performancePerformance on individual items of the MIM,ranked on increasing average performance

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List of all instruments - Grade 8 (9)List of all instruments - Grade 8 (9)

1.Adaptations of organisms to their environment2. Soil, Plants and animals3. Electricity4. The interdependence of organism5. Properties and classifications of matter - Part 16. Properties and classification of Matter - Part 27. Gases - Part 18. Gases - Part 2

List of all instruments - Grade 9 (10)List of all instruments - Grade 9 (10)

1. Chemical change of substances2. Electricity3. Force, Work, Energy and Power4. Pressure5. The Cell6. Plants7. Human systems