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Constructivist Viewpoints for School Teaching and Learning in Mathematics and Science DOCUMENT RESUME ED 419 710 SE 061 460 AUTHOR Ahtee, Maija, Ed.; Pehkonen, Erkki, Ed. TITLE Constructivist Viewpoints for School Teaching and Learning in Mathematics and Science. Research Report 131. INSTITUTION Helsinki Univ., (Finland). Dept. of Teacher Education. ISBN ISBN-951-45-6733-1 ISSN ISSN-0359-4203 PUB DATE 1994-00-00 NOTE 180p. PUB TYPE Collected Works General (020)-- Reports Research (143) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC08 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Chemistry; *Constructivism (Learning); Elementary Secondary Education; *Environmental Education; Foreign Countries; *Mathematics Instruction; *Physics; *Science Instruction ABSTRACT This research report contains a fairly concise overview of the role of constructivism in the teaching of mathematics and science in Finland. Included papers have been grouped into three parts. The first part, "General Considerations," consists of the seven articles on theoretical considerations, social constructivism, teachers' and pupils' beliefs, geometry teaching, development in physics teaching, constructivism in physics teaching and learning, and the idea of space in geography. The second part, "Research Projects," contains nine papers on the teaching of optics, student teachers' environmental awareness, changing pupils' beliefs, construction and assessment of conceptual and procedural knowledge, mathematics on the child's condition, real-time microcomputer-based laboratory tools, the comparison of teachers' conceptions, mental maps in geographical research and teaching, and teaching the force concept for engineering students. The third part, "Action Research at Schools," includes 12 short reports on the subjects of the teaching of chemistry, the teaching of physics, environmental project work, and the teaching of mathematics as well as two general reports on active working and motivational concepts. (Author/NB) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Maija Ahtee Erkki Pehkonen(eds.) O Constructivist Viewpoints for School Teaching and Learning in Mathematics and Science Department of Teacher Education University of Helsinki U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS CENTER (ERIC) BEEN GRANTED BY This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 1:1 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view or opinions stated in this INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. 1 T1 -7-77 7 I 1:34 "' ".r. a !. 4-1 f ---F; L 1-°-14 1--= Editorial Board:" Pirkko Attalla Terttu Grohn Jarkko Hautamaki Juhani Hytonen Pertti Kansanen Irina Koskinen Veijo Meisalo Kari Perenius (Secretary) Ordering address: Department of Teacher Eduvation P.O. Box 38 (Ratakatu 6 A) 00014 University of Helsinki Tel. 191 81078 Int.tel. +358 0 191 810 Telecopie +358 0191 8114 Research Report 131 Maija AhteeErkki Pehkonen Constructivist Viewpoints for School Teaching and Learning in Mathematics and Science Helsinki 1994 4 ISBN 951-45-6733-1 ISSN 0359-4203 Yliopistopaino 1994 5 HELSINGIN YLIOPISTON OPETTAJANKOULUTUSLAITOS Tutkimuksia n:o 131, 1994 Maija Ahtee, Erkki Pehkonen (toim.) Konstruktivistisia nakokulmia matematiikan ja luonnontieteiden opetukseen ja oppimiseen koulussa. 175 s. Tiivistelma Raportti jakautuu kolmeen osaan. Ensimmainen osa Teoreettisia tar- kastelu'a koostuu seitsemasta artikkelista, jotka kasittelevat konstruktivis- tisen oppimisnakemyksen yleista merkitysta ja kehityssuuntauksia. J. Lei- no, Teoreettisia tarkasteluja; 0. Bjorkqvist, Sosiaalisesta konstruktivis- mista; E. Pehkonen Opettajien ja oppilaiden uskomuksista; T. Keranto Geometrian opettamisesta;M. Ahtee ja K. Seinela Fysiikan opettamisesta, H. Rikkinen & L. Mikkola Spatiaalisesta ajattelusta maantieteen opetukses- sa. Tutkimusprojekteja osassa kuvaillaan yhdeksaa kaynnissa olevaa ope- tukseen liittyvaa tutkimusta. Fysiikan opetukseen Iiittyvissa neljassa tutki- muksessa tarkastellaan valo-opin (M. Ahtee), lampoopin (M. Eratuuli) ja voimakasitteen (J. Viiri) opetusta seka tietokoneen kayttba laboratorio- opetuksessa (J. Lavonen). V. Eloranta kasittelee luokanopettajaksi opiske- levien ymparistotietoisuutta; H. Rikkinen & L. Mikkola spatiaalista ajatte- lua maantieteen opetuksessa. Matematiikan opetusta kasitellaan artikkeleis- sa L. Haapasalo, konseptuaalisesta ja proseduraalisesta tiedosta; L. Flagg- blom, matematiikkaa lapsen ehdoilla; E. Pehkonen & L. Lepmann, opetta- jien uskomusten vertailua Virossa ja Suomessa. Opettajien kaytannossa toteuttamista opetuskokeiluista kandessa L. Pehkonen, projektityoskentelysta ja A. Pietild, motivaatioon liittyvista kä- sityksista tarkastellaan yleisia opetukseen liittyvia aiheita; kolmessa J. Jo- ki; J. Paasonen & M. Salmela; M. Rossi kasitellaan matematiikan, kolmes- sa M. Aksela; T. Asunta; U. Komulainen & M. Ahtee kemian, kolmessa H. Levavaara; N. Lindroos & M. Ahtee; E. Leinonen & M. Rossi fysiikan ja yhdessa Kolari & M. Messo ymparistokysymysten opetusta ylaasteella. Avainsanat: konstruktivismi, matematiikan opetus, luonnontieteiden opetus UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI DEPARTMENT OF TEACHER EDUCATION Research Report 131, 1994 Maija Ahtee, Erkki Pehkonen (eds.) Constructivist Viewpoints for School Teaching and Learning in Mathematics and Science. 175 pp. Abstract This book contains a fairly concise overview of the role of construc- tivism for teaching of mathematics and science in Finland today. The pa- pers have been grouped in three parts. The first part, General Considera- tions consists of the seven articles: J. Leino on Theoretical considerations; 0. Bjorkqvist on Social constructivism; E. Pehkonen on Teachers' and Pupils' Beliefs; T. Keranto on Geometry teaching; M. Ahtee on The de- velopment in teaching of physics; K. Seine la on Constructivism in physics teaching/learning; H. Rikkinen & L. Mikkola on The idea of space in ge- ography. The second part, Research projects comprises the following nine pa- pers: M. Ahtee on Teaching of optics; V. Eloranta on Student teachers' environmental awareness; M. Eratuuli on Changing pupils' beliefs; L. Haapasalo on Construction and assessment of conceptual and procedural knowledge; L. Haggblom on Mathematics on the Child's Condition; J. Lavonen on Real-time microcomputer-based laboratory tools; E. Pehko- nen & L. Lepmann on Comparison of teachers' conceptions (Estonia and Finland); H. Rikkinen & L. Mikkola on Mental maps in geographical re- search and teaching; J. Viiri on Teaching the force concept for engineer- ing students. The third part, Action Research at Schools contains twelve short re- ports. M. Aksela; T. Asunta; U. Komulainen & M. Ahtee on teaching of chemistry; H. Levavaara; N. Lindroos & M. Ahtee; E. Leinonen & M. Rossi on teaching of physics; M. Kolari & M. Messo on environmental project work. J. Joki; J. Paasonen & M. Salmela; M. Rossi on teaching of mathematics. The reports of L. Pehkonen, Working actively and of A. Pietild, on Motivational concepts deal with more general topics. Key words: constructivism, mathematics/science teaching Constructivist Viewpoints for School Teaching and Learning in Mathematics and Science Preface During last years in Finland, there have been vivid discussions about im- proving school teaching. Especially among teachers and teacher educators of mathematics and sciences, the discussion about the role and implica- tions of constructivism for teaching has been very active. In June 1992, there was a one-day specialist seminar on the theme Constructivism and Mathematics Teaching at the Department of Teacher Education in Helsin- ki, inspired by the book Constructivist Views on the Teaching and Learn- ing of Mathematics (eds. Davis & al. 1990, NCTM). In the seminar, the participants pondered what constructivism is and what it means for math- ematics teaching in Finland. Based on this seminar, the book Matematii- kan opetus ja konstruktivismiteoriaa ja kaytantoa [Mathematics teach- ing and constructivismtheory and practice] (eds. Paasonen & al. 1993) was published in Finnish in the series of Reseach Report in the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Helsinki. In this book we want to enlarge the view point from mathematics also to the teaching of science. The content of the book is three-fold: The first part presents the theoretical considerations which lie behind the re- form of school teaching. In the second part, some of the on-going re- search projects which are carried out within the constructivist framework are introduced. The last section contains action research which active field teachers have carried out in their classes. As we aimed to a fairly concise overview on the present situation in Finland we restricted the pages of the articles so that in the first part the maximum number of pages is eight, in the second part six and in the third part only four. We regret if these limits make it hard for the reader to obtain a full under- standing of the work which has been carried out in each case. We believe that the contributors are happy to inform you further, if necessary, and therefore, the addresses of the contributers are included at the end of the book. Our warm thanks are due to all contributors. We want also to extend our
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