18Tue
Coordinator: Mr. Pritesh Ranadive
https://badal.hbcse.tifr.res.in/index.php/s/MsXKKWqMjMK3MyX
20Thu
Coordinator: Dean's Office
Design and Development of a Methodology for Relational Content Analysis of the Language of Science by Re-representation with Special Reference to Biology
This thesis is about the language of science, specifically biology, from the perspective of relational content analysis of biology textbooks and students' representations. We identified gaps and problems in the nature and usage of predicates used for connecting concepts and objects in sentences. To address these gaps, a method of re-representation was designed and developed with iterative refinements focusing on the semantics of predicates, inspired by semantic network-based knowledge representation, concept mapping, representational redescription, and systemic functional linguistics. The method was validated by using well-defined predicates from published open biomedical ontologies (repository of predicates and concepts). The method was used for modelling biology language in terms of predicates used for describing structures, processes, variable properties, experimental procedures, and explanations. This resulted in curating a Reference Set of predicates (relations, attributes, and logical connectives). This Set was used for extending the relational content analysis of cell biology passages from six textbooks as well as students' representations. Our findings are interesting and illustrate the insights one could gather from such an analysis. We also conducted a feasibility study to demonstrate how the method may be used in a classroom by suggesting a constrained concept mapping method derived from the work. We performed a proximity study to demonstrate how the method can be used as an indicator of expertise. The thesis highlights the importance of developing rigor by eliminating ambiguities, and concludes by drawing implications of the work for research in biology education and science communication in general.
20Thu
Coordinator: Dean's Office
Investigating interactions between teachers and curriculum materials: the role of values and valuing
Present-day scholarship see teachers and curriculum materials as 'participating' together to construct the enacted curriculum. Thus, it is necessary to understand the the ways in which teachers interact with and use curriculum materials, and the factors affecting these interactions. This thesis explores teachers' values and valuing processes as they engage with curriculum materials. In the talk, I first provide a theoretical overview of values, highlighting the dynamic and context-dependent nature of values, the importance of investigating the process of valuing, and the relationship between values and teachers' agency. To study how values play a role in teachers' interaction with curriculum material, the Vigyan Pratibha (VP) programme was chosen as a site of study. In one study, teachers' classroom enactment of VP learning units were observed, along with pre- and post-unit interviews to understand their decision-making and practice. In a second study, teachers participated in discussions with VP facilitators to design an outline for a VP learning unit. These discussions were analysed to reveal teachers' values underlying the design decisions, as well as how these values were negotiated with peers and facilitators. From these studies, I provide a description of teachers' values and valuing process with respect to curriculum materials. I also identify contextual factors, including the structure of the curriculum materials, conversations with curriculum designers, and teachers' prior experiences with scientific inquiry, which can influence this process.