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4 Orientation and Theoretical BackgroundWe introduce here a special issue of this journal on the theme of "Conceptual Metaphor and Embodied Cognition in Science Learning." The idea for this issue grew out of a symposium that we organized on this topic at the conference of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) in September 2013. The eight papers collected in this issue reflect the emergence of a critical mass of studies in science education applying ideas from the perspective of "embodied cognition" in cognitive science. Up until the 1980s, most research in cognitive science assumed a view of the mind as an abstract information processing system. On this view, our sensorimotor systems were often seen as serving a peripheral, input/output role, conveying information to or from a central cognitive processor where abstract, higher level thought took place. The research focused on developing models of cognition incorporating language-like, propositional representations and syntactic processes, and largely ignored the specifics of human physiology and interaction between the person and the material and social world in which he or she thinks and acts. Since then, several different approaches to cognitive science have adopted some version of the assumption that cognition is embodied -that is, they have assumed that models of cognition need to attend to the characteristics of human brains and bodies, and the material contexts in which thought is taking place (e.g. Barsalou, 2008;Clark & Chalmers, 1998;Shapiro, 2011; Varela, Thompson, & Rosch, 1991;Wilson, 2002) Wilson (2002) carefully distinguishes and assesses six distinct claims that fall under the general heading of embodied cognition: (1) that cognitive processes are situated, varying depending on the real-world contexts in which they are carried out;(2) that cognitive processes must be understood with respect to the specific temporal 5 constraints imposed on our brains by the environment when cognitive tasks are carried out; (3) that cognitive processes recruit the material, symbolic and social structure of the environment, reducing what actually needs to be performed in the mind itself; (4) that cognitive systems can be viewed as extended, where there is no sharp divide between internal and external contributions to cognition; (5) that the function of cognition is not primarily to represent the external world but to guide action in it; (6) that even cognition that takes place in the "mind" proper relies on knowledge structures that emerge from body-based experiences. This introduction is not the place for a discussion of Wilson's evaluation of these claims. We simply note that she finds the fourth claim "deeply problematic" but cautiously accepts the first three and fifth claims, suggesting that the range of applicability of each still needs to be more fully assessed.The sixth claim she considers to be the most powerful of all the claims and reviews evidence suggesting that body-based cognitive representations and processes ground a wide ran...

Various features of scientific discourse have been characterized in the science education literature and challenges students face in appropriating these features have been explored. Using the framework of conceptual metaphor, this paper sought to identify explicit and implicit metaphors in pedagogical texts dealing with the concept of entropy and the second law of thermodynamics, an abstract and challenging domain for learners. Three university level textbooks were analyzed from a conceptual metaphor perspective and a range of explicit and implicit metaphors identified. Explicit metaphors identified include Entropy As Disorder, Thermodynamics Processes As Movements Along A Path, and Energetic Exchange As Financial Transactions among others. Implicit metaphors include application and elaboration of the generic Location Event Structure metaphor, application of the Object Event Structure metaphor, and others. The similarities and differences between explicit and implicit metaphors found in the textbooks are also described. Two key pedagogical implications are discussed: that the selection of explicit instructional metaphors can be guided by consistency with implicit metaphors; and that the range of implicit metaphors found in pedagogical texts imply that a multiple instructional metaphor strategy is warranted. The depth of the phenomenon of conceptual metaphor and its implications for future research are also discussed.Arrow of Time 3

It has long been recognised that analogies may be a useful tool in science education. At the same time, it has been found that there are challenges to using analogies in teaching. For example, students might not identify a suitable analogy, might not recognise how the taught target domain is similar to the source domain to which it is compared, or may fail to realise where the analogy breaks down. The present study offers a review of two trends which reflect the ambition to come to terms with such challenges: self-generated analogies, making use of students own analogies in teaching, and; analogy generation in collaborative settings, such as in small group work. Empirical studies show predominately positive results with regards to students' enjoyment and learning gains, and point to opportunities for formative assessment. The specificities of language in conjunction with analogy and the role of analogies in authentic science classroom discourse are suggested as areas of study that deserve more attention going forward.

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Integration of technology, social learning and scientific models offers pedagogical opportunities for science education. A particularly interesting area is thermal science, where students often struggle with abstract concepts, such as heat. In taking on this conceptual obstacle, we explore how hand-held infrared (IR) visualization technology can strengthen students’ understanding of thermal phenomena. Grounded in the Swedish physics curriculum and part of a broader research programme on educational uses of IR cameras, we have developed laboratory exercises around a thermal storyline, in conjunction with the teaching of a heat-flow model. We report a narrative analysis of how a group of five fourth-graders, facilitated by a researcher, predicts, observes and explains (POE) how the temperatures change when they pour hot water into a ceramic coffee mug and a thin plastic cup. Four chronological episodes are described and analysed as group interaction unfolded. Results revealed that the students engaged cognitively and emotionally with the POE task and, in particular, held a sustained focus on making observations and offering explanations for the scenarios. A compelling finding was the group’s spontaneous generation of multiple "what-ifs" in relation to thermal phenomena, such as blowing on the water surface, or submerging a pencil into the hot water. This was followed by immediate interrogation with the IR camera, a learning event we label instant inquiry. The students’ expressions largely reflected adoption of the heat-flow model. In conclusion, IR cameras could serve as an access point for even very young students to develop complex thermal concepts.

As per the Springer Copyright agreement, a Postprint of the Accepted Manuscript (PDF) is available via the personal website of the author(s) at the following link:

http://webstaff.itn.liu.se/~konsc/Haglund_Jeppsson_Schonborn_2015_Postprint

A challenge in the teaching of entropy is that the word has several different senses, which may provide an obstacle for communication. This study identifies five distinct senses of the word 'entropy', using the Principled Polysemy approach from the field of linguistics. A semantic network is developed of how the senses are related, using text excerpts from dictionaries, text books and text corpora. Educational challenges such as the existence of several formal senses of entropy and the intermediary position of entropy as disorder along the formal/non-formal scale are presented using a two-Dimensional Semiotic/semantic Analysing Schema (2-D SAS).