Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of explanation given by science teachers in elementary science classrooms. The literature on explanation in pedagogy, philosophy of science, and everyday discourse were utilized to develop the conceptual framework for this case study of eight elementary school teachers. Data were collected by direct observations on 48 class periods during which the classroom discourse was audiotaped and later transcribed. The constant comparative method was used to analyze the transcripts. Six types of explanations were revealed by the classroom discourse. The characteristics of the explanations suggested that they were best described as metaphysical, practical, analogical, anthropomorphic, functional, and tautological.
| Keywords: | verbal explanation; explanation type; explanation framework |
|---|
[Chinese Version | Index | Chinese Journal of Science Education | Other Journals | Subscription form | Enquiry ]
Mail any comments and suggestions to
hkier-journal@cuhk.edu.hk .