Paul Zachos

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Paul Zachos has been teaching in primary schools, secondary schools, and university settings since the 1970s. He has served as researcher, evaluator, and planner for the New York State Education Department. He has carried out evaluations of educational programs in public and independent schools and in projects funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA. He has a special interest in scientific and educational creativity. He currently offers practical, interactive, online courses in the fundamentals of educational assessment and evaluation. Paul Zachos holds a PhD in educational psychology and statistics and an MS in curriculum and instruction from the State University of New York at Albany. He holds a BA in comparative language from Queens College of the City University of New York. He is co-author with Wil Doane of 'Knowing the Learner: A new approach to educational information

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David Seamon

Kansas State University

Caroline J . Tully

University of Melbourne

Marta Diaz-Guardamino

Durham University

Steven Horst

Wesleyan University

Cor Baerveldt

University of Alberta

David Martin-Jones

University of Glasgow

William Brown

University of British Columbia

Jihoon Kim

Chung Ang University

Rodolphe Calin

Université Paul Valéry - Montpellier

Hanno Pahl

Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

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Papers by Paul Zachos

Pendulum Phenomena and the Assessment of Scientific Inquiry Capabilities

Science & education, Nov 1, 2004

Knowing When You Don't Know

The Science Teacher, Apr 1, 2006

Approaching Error in Scientific Knowledge and Science Education

by Paul Zachos and Thomas Hick

The search for dependable knowledge is a basic human concern. An inescapable aspect of this searc... more The search for dependable knowledge is a basic human concern. An inescapable aspect of this search is the risk of error in making judgments and claims. All aspects of scientific investigation from initial conceptualization to final presentation of findings are fraught with possible error. Ideally, scientific methodology may be seen as a formalization of techniques that have evolved historically to provide scientific investigators with protection against various sources of error through control and counteraction. Explicit, constructive, and even creative approaches to dealing with error often constitute hallmarks of successful scientific research. Still, the role of error in the conduct of scientific research, and in the accumulation of scientific understanding is usually not part of science education. How should the concern for the quality and dependability of scientific knowledge make its way into science education curriculum? At what points in curriculum should the topics of error, and methods for dealing with error, be introduced? Findings from developmental psychology, cognitive science, and science education research can provide suggestions for the design of curricula that will help science students develop sensitivity, understanding, and competence in dealing constructively with the role of error in the development of dependable knowledge about the natural world.

Paul Zachos

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