Nuclear Reactions: Studying Peaceful Applications in the Middle and Secondary School

Abstract

ost citizens are concerned about M nuclear reactions and their real and imagined consequences. The emotional burden of those concerns may interfere with analysis of available evidence and its use to construct a meaningful understanding of nuclear reactions and of the social issues they raise. Students need experiences to provide foundations for the conceptual understanding of issues related to the nuclear reactions in fission and fusion.Both nuclear fission and fusion produce energy. Nuclear fission produces energy through the breaking up of a heavy nucleus into smaller nuclei, whereas nuclear fusion produces it through the building up of a heavier nucleus from smaller ones (Hoffman 1996a). Each reaction process can pro-CYNTHIA SZYMANSKI SUNAL, a professor of tencher education, and DENNIS W SUNA L. a pmfessor of science education, teach at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosu; both are interested in interdisciplinury studies. Their work with middle and .\econdaty schools is partially supported by the U. S. Department of Energy Alabama Experimental Program to Stimulate Cooperutive Research (Alabama DEE/EPSCoR) und the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program administered by the Alahamu Commission on Higher Education.

Stories told and performed: a methodology for researching drama assessment in schools

“…Constructivist learning theory is also based on the premise that learners actively construct their own understandings through reflections upon their own experience (Damarin, 2004; Jadallah, 2000; Jonassen et al , 2003). Sunal and Haas (2011) define constructivism as a learning theory based on the concept that people are “active” knowledge seekers powered by their own innate curiosity. Constructivism and drama education are similar in that they both acknowledge the importance of the understandings, beliefs and skills that an individual brings to the experience of learning.…”

Instruction: examining elementary preservice teachers' self-efficacy for designing inquiry

“…The course focused on PSTs learning how to teach social studies to pre-Kindergarten through 6thgrade students. The methods course required PSTs to complete an instructional technology resource assignment, produce a social studies unit background research paper (content paper), develop a social study teaching and strategies paper, and design three inquiry-based concept lesson plans which constitute a mini-unit using a learning cycle lesson plan template SSRP 18,1 (Sunal and Haas, 2011) and College, Career and Civic Life (C3) framework (National Council for the Social Studies [NCSS], 2013). The PSTs developed the first lesson (Unit Lesson Plan 1) after some instruction in inquiry-based concept lessons with feedback provided by the instructors.…”

“…I conceptualize PSTs' self-reported efficacy for lesson design as beliefs about their ability to design lessons, in this case for inquiry-based K-6 social studies instruction. Thus, competence in inquiry lesson design entails PSTs' capability to successfully engage in inquiry methods instructional tasks, including identifying, collecting, analyzing, evaluating, adapting and creating new learning activities to help young students make sense of their world (Cuenca et al, 2018;Sawyer et al, 2020;Sunal and Haas, 2011). Specialized training in inquiry-based methods supports PSTs in attaining this goal.…”

Social studies marginalization: Examining the effects on K-6 pre-service teachers and students

“…pioneers, causes of the American Revolution, past and present transportation, maps and globes, etc.). Prompt agreement on a specific topic is essential, as pre-service teachers gradually create unit assignments such as a background information paper, rationale, goals, and lesson plans that are based on the learning cycle approach (Sunal & Haas, 2011). While pre-service teachers are in the university methods class, weekly, instructors teach methods, materials, and practical applications of modern social studies instruction based on constructivist theory.…”