Uppeldi og menntun

						STEFNUR   OG   STRAUMAR   j   N ÁTT Ú R U F R ÆÐI M E N N T U N

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U.S. Department of Education. 1999. What happens in classrooms? lnstructional prac-

tices in elementary and secondary schools, 1994-95. Washington D.C., National

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A constructivist view of science education. http://www-perg.phast.umass.edu

/perspective/Constructivism.html. (Sótt á Netinu í nóvember 1999).

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ABSTRACT

This article is divided into three parts. In the first part a summary of major

developments in science education since the 1950s is presented and the conclusion

reached that most recently there has been an emphasis on the "three C's" - curri-

culum, comparison and constructivism. Many countries have in the last 10-15 years

prepared national curricula of varying structure and detail. A large number have

taken or are taking part in large-scale international comparative studies such as

SIMS, TIMSS and the OECD PISA study. Since the 1970s research in science educa-

tion has increasingly looked at learning, often with a focus on alternative concep-

tions or conceptual change. Increasing attention is being paid to social constructi-

vism and ideas introduced by Vygotsky.

The second part of the paper looks at a selection of research moving from

leaming in general to leaming in classrooms to the continued professional develop-

ment of science teachers, with particular attention being paid to some interesting

and persuasive research based firmly on social constructivism.

In the final section some features of the new national curriculum in science in

Iceland are introduced and some issues presented. To what extent can one teach

according to a standards-based curriculum yet work according to constructivist

principles being advocated in recent research findings and professional applica-

tions of those findings?

M. Allyson Macdonald

er prófessor og forstöðumaður

Rannsóknarstofnunar Kennaraháskóía íslands.

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