Building Fluency with Science & Engineering Practices Jonathan Osborne School of Education Stanford University Feb 24, 2012.

Building Fluency with Science & Engineering Practices

Jonathan OsborneSchool of EducationStanford University

Feb 24, 2012

Main Points

1. The problem with inquiry

2. Why emphasize practices?

3. What practices?

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The trouble with inquiry?

When engaging in inquiry, students describe objects and

events, ask questions, construct explanations, test those

explanations against current scientific knowledge, and

communicate their ideas to others. They identify their

assumptions, use critical and logical thinking, and consider

alternative explanations.National Academy of Science. (1995). National Science Education Standards. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

“...nothing could be more stultifying, and, perhaps more important, nothing is further from the procedure of the scientist than a rigorous tabular progression through the supposed ‘steps’ of the scientific method

– General Education in a Free Society, 1945

Presidents Science Advisory Committee, ca. 1958

In a world where there is an oversupply of information, the ability to make sense of information is now the scarce resource.

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TIMSS Framework 2011

Knowing (35%) Applying (35%) Reasoning (30%)

•Recall•Define•Describe•Illustrate with

Examples•Demonstrate

Knowledge of Scientific Instruments

•Compare, Contrast, Classify

•Use Models•Relate•Interpret

Information•Find Solutions•Explain

•Analyze•Integrate/Synthesize•Hypothesize/Predict•Design•Draw Conclusions•Generalize•Evaluate•Justify

A Model for Scientific Practices?

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Higher Order Thinking

Recall of Information

Producing an Explanation

CONSTRUCTION

WHERE IS THE CRITIQUE & EVALUATION?

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What are the Practices of Science?

1. Asking Questions and Defining Problems

2. Developing and Using Models

3. Planning and Carrying out Investigations

4. Analyzing and Interpreting Data

5. Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

6. Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

7. Engaging in Argument from Evidence

8. Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information

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Questions engage!

Why is the sky blue?

What is the smallest piece of matter?

What is the furthest star?

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What Question is answered?

Students know evaporation and melting are changes that occur when the objects are heated. (Grade 3)

Students know evidence of plate tectonics is derived from the fit of the continents; the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and mid-ocean ridges; and the distribution of fossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones. (Grade 6)

Students know that when one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object always exerts a force of equal magnitude and in the opposite direction (Newton's third law). (grade 9-12)

Students know atoms combine to form molecules by sharing electrons to form covalent or metallic bonds or by exchanging electrons to form ionic bonds.

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3. Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

How does the speed at which sugar dissolves depend on temperature?

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3. Analyzing and Interpreting Data

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4. Analyzing and Interpreting Data

(a) One pupil had the most breaths and she also had the highest pulse rate.

(b) All the people with a high breath rate had a high pulse rate.

(c) The higher your breathing rate, the greater the pulse rate.

(d) On the whole, those people with a higher breath rate had a higher pulse rate.

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4. Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

1. Who is the tallest

2. Who is the smallest

3. What is the average?

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The Challenge?

Traditionally teachers of science have not paid much attention to texts.

Do teachers operate with the vaccination model of literacy and mathematical competency?

6. Constructing Explanations: The upside down tumbler

There are no air inside

There is no glue on the card

There are lots of air outside.

Some of the air is hitting the card

A force is needed to support the water

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Model

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5. Constructing Explanations: The Shape of the Earth.

1. The Earth spins once a day

2. Rocks can be squeezed.

3. Gravity pulls all matter towards towards the center of the Earth

4. A squashed sphere is called an oblate spheroid

5. If something is spinning a force is needed towards the center to keep it going round in a circle.

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6. Constructing Explanations

Why do objects fall at the same rate in the absence of air?

• Gravity pulls on all objects

• If the mass is double, the pull of gravity will double

• Twice the mass takes twice as long to speed up

• Think of two objects, one twice as massive as the other• Force is double but so is the mass

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2. Developing and Using Models

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Water Model of an Electric Circuit

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Bicycle Model of An Electric Circuit

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Bohr Model of the Atom

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The Significance of Argument?

Construction [Recall and Explanation]

Critique [Juxtaposition &

Evaluation

v

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Bohr Model of the Atom

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Something in the Air?

Maria: The water came through holes in the glass.

Ted: The water came over the top of the glass.

Alexis: The water came from the air.

Maria, Ted and Alexis are wondering where the water on the outside of the glass of water with ice comes from.

Teaching and Learning

Science Literacy

Mathematical Competency

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Requirements

• Grade 6-8

• Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.

• Grade 9-10

• Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure or discussing an experiment in a text defining the question the author seeks to address.

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Views of Reading

Complex View of Reading

Perspective Taking

Complex Reasoning

Academic Language

Background Knowledge

Simple View of Reading

Decoding Words on paper

Knowing the Vocabulary

Not Learning to Read BUT Reading to Learn

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Literacy DevelopmentLiteracy Development

Basic Literacy

Intermediate Literacy

Disciplinary Literacy

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Tiers of Words

Tier 1: The 5-7000 most frequent words in English

plant, grow, green, water, chair

Tier 2: Words that are encountered in academic discourse but are not specific to any discipline.

compare, therefore, arguably, illustrate

Tier 3: Words that have a specific meaning within the discipline igneous, photosynthesis, energy

1.What is this picture telling us?

2. What does the heading suggest the text will be about?

3. What is the author trying to tell us in the first paragraph?

4. How does the second paragraph add to the first?

5. Why does the author compare a cloud to a mirror?

6. What does the author mean when he talks about the ‘wavelength of light’?

7. Could you draw a picture to explain why the sunsets are red?

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• a. For a friend who missed the lesson in school• b. For their mother to explain what they did in school today• c. As a poem• d. As an article for a school magazine• e. As a set of instructions for somebody else to do the experiment• h. As a letter to a pen-pal• j. As a report in the New York Times• k. As an entry in your diary• l. For a younger pupil to explain why science is fascinating• n. As an article for a popular magazine• p. As a time traveller from the 16th Century• q. As a piece for a student textbook• r. As part of a a science fiction story.• s. As a text message• t. As a tweet.

Changing the Audience

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Summary & Conclusions

• Approximations of Practice

• Akin to Learning an Instrument - provides a grasp of practice

• Helps to build a deeper understanding of science itself