Abstracts - Earli

analyzed using a multilevel technique to identify effective teachers based on learning gainestimates. The ToMOS, a newly developed observation schedule, was then used to record theoccurrence of specific teacher actions relating to (i) promoting conceptual understanding and (ii)communicating expectations. Observations were made of teachers identified as being effective.Preliminary findings indicate that the actions specified on the schedule distinguish betweendifferent levels of effective teaching. Further refinement of the ToMOS is being undertaken toprovide a valid reflective instrument for mathematics teachers wanting to improve theireffectiveness in the classroom.B 428 August 2007 17:30 - 18:50Room: -1.62Paper SessionScience educationChair:Philip Adey, Kings College London, United KingdomStudents’ understanding of the taxonomic implications of nominal groups construed inphotosynthesis science textTing-lun Lai, Grad. Institute of Science Ed., National Taiwan U., TaiwanWen-Gin Yang, Grad. Institute of Science Ed., National Taiwan U., TaiwanThis study aimed to investigate taxonomic organizations implied in nominal groups on sciencetextbooks and student’s perception and understanding about these taxonomic organizations.Subjects were students in two learning stages, and a total of 133 students from junior high schoolsand universities were involved. The experimental text was based on the photosynthesis unit inHanlin’s textbook for junior high school students. According to the text, a 2-tier "A ReadingComprehension Test of the Photosynthesis Unit" was designed and answered by the subjects afterreading. The result findings showed that both junior high school and university students had anincomplete perception of taxonomic organizations implied in nominal groups, and junior highschool students presented a serious deficiency. In addition, when taxonomic organizations impliedin nominal groups were not consistent with those commonly agreed among scientific communities,a proportion of students would deduce a set of inexistent taxonomic organizations under thegrammatical hints of nominal groups. This proportion was higher among undergraduates thanamong junior high school students. Thus, the use of nominal groups in textbooks requires theconsideration of learning stages and the functions of specific modifiers, so that correct taxonomicorganizations can be presented to induce correct perceptions from students.The effect of pre-test sensitizing in a digital system on the acquisition of science conceptsFloor Bos, University of Twente, NetherlandsCees Terlouw, University of Twente, NetherlandsAlbert Pilot, University Utrecht, NetherlandsEffective instruction for science concept learning looks to be necessary, because of the decreasingface-to face availability of science teachers, and the relative high student-teacher ratio insecondary education. The use of ICT looks a promising approach to solve this problem. From the– 77 –