# Presentation: 072708

## Agenda 

- Desired outcomes from physics classes
- National Science Education Standards
- Lab activities
- Inquiry and scientific research

- A. Erzberger   April 2000

## “DOING Science”

- Changing physics education:

## National Science Education Standards

- Science is for all students
- Learning science is an active process
- School science reflects the practice of science
- Improving science education is part of systemic education reform

## All are involved:

- Teaching
- Professional Development
- Assessment
- Content
- Program
- System

## Changing Emphasis inTeaching Standards:

- LESS emphasis on:
- treating students as a whole

- MORE emphasis on:
- individual interests, strengths, needs

## Changing Emphasis inTeaching Standards:

- LESS emphasis on:
- treating students as a whole
- rigidly following curriculum

- MORE emphasis on:
- individual interests, strengths, needs
- selecting and adapting curriculum

## Changing Emphasis inTeaching Standards:

- LESS emphasis on:
- treating students as a whole
- rigidly following curriculum
- focusing on student acquisition of information

- MORE emphasis on:
- individual interests, strengths, needs
- selecting and adapting curriculum
- focusing on student understanding and use of sc. knowledge, ideas, & inquiry processes

## Teaching Standards	LESS      	    MORE	  	

- lecture, text, and demos

- active, extended scientific inquiry

## Teaching Standards	LESS      	    MORE	  	

- lecture, text, and demos
- recitation of acquired knowledge

- active, extended scientific inquiry
- scientific discussion & debate

## Teaching Standards	LESS      	    MORE	  	

- lecture, text, and demos
- recitation of acquired knowledge
- test for  facts at end of unit

- active, extended scientific inquiry
- scientific discussion        & debate
- continuously assess

## Teaching Standards	LESS      	    MORE	  	

- lecture, text, and demos
- recitation of acquired knowledge
- test for  facts at end of unit
- teacher responsible for learning

- active, extended scientific inquiry
- scientific discussion & debate
- continuously assess
- students share responsibility for learning

## Teaching Standards	LESS      	    MORE	  	

- lecture, text, and demos
- recitation of acquired knowledge
- test for  facts at end of unit
- teacher responsible for learning
- competition in class

- active, extended scientific inquiry
- scientific discussion & debate
- continuously assess
- students share responsibility for learning
- cooperation, shared responsibility, respect

## Teaching Standards	LESS      	    MORE	  	

- lecture, text, and demos
- recitation of acquired knowledge
- test for  facts at end of unit
- teacher responsible for learning
- competition in class
- teachers work alone

- active, extended scientific inquiry
- scientific discussion & debate
- continuously assess
- students share responsibility for learning
- cooperation, shared responsibility, respect
- teachers work together

##        LESS			MORE

## Professional Development

- LESS emphasis
- 	on:
- learning sc. by lecture &  reading

- MORE emphasis
- on:
- learning sc. through investigation & inquiry

## Professional Development

- LESS emphasis
- 	on:
- learning sc. by lecture & reading
- separation of science & teaching knowledge

- MORE emphasis
- on:
- learning sc. through investigation & inquiry
- integration of sc. & teaching knowledge

## Professional Development

- LESS emphasis
- 	on:
- learning sc. by lecture & reading
- separation of science & teaching knowledge
- teacher as a technician

- MORE emphasis
- on:
- learning sc. through investigation & inquiry
- integration of sc. & teaching knowledge
- teacher as intelligent, reflective practitioner

## Professional Development

- LESS emphasis
- 	on:
- learning sc. by lecture & reading
- separation of science & teaching knowledge
- teacher as a technician
- teacher as individual in classroom

- MORE emphasis
- on:
- learning sc. through investigation & inquiry
- integration of sc. & teaching knowledge
- teacher as intelligent, reflective practitioner
- teacher as member of collegial professional community

## Content

- LESS emphasis on:
- knowing sc. facts

- MORE emphasis on:
- understanding sc. concepts and developing abilities of inquiry

## Content

- LESS emphasis on:
- knowing sc. facts
- covering many topics

- MORE emphasis on:
- understanding sc. concepts and developing abilities of inquiry
- studying a few fundamental concepts

## Content

- LESS emphasis on:
- knowing sc. facts
- covering many topics
- separating sc. knowledge & sc. process

- MORE emphasis on:
- understanding sc. concepts and developing abilities of inquiry
- studying a few fundamental concepts
- integrating all aspects of sc. content

## Inquiry

- Curiosity is the centerpiece of inquiry.
- We all start our lives as inquirers.
-  The action of seeking ...of asking...
- A scientist learns how to ask "good" questions.
- It’s a way of thinking,                           of processing,                                             of operating in the world.
- Bounded by repeatability of results, self-consistency, ...

## Scientific inquiry

- is  personally driven.
- is concerned with content as well as process.
- is as much about asking good questions as getting good answers.
- occurs within an existing framework of previous knowledge.
- is concerned with gathering evidence.
- is developed in scientists through a mentoring over long time.
-  involves the skills of
- directed observation,
-  problem solving,
- analysis, and
-  experimentation.

## Inquiry Teaching

- Not a list of facts and formulas to memorize.** **
- A shift in attitude by teacher, not curriculum change.
- Teachers active in practice of      inquiry process, too.
- Teacher - a sage, not on stage.                           	A facilitator.
- Students experience process of inquiry and construct other knowledge.
- Not limited to theory; must allow multiple results (NOT most labs!)
- Need both content and process.
- Not all hands-on; use many resources.

## Promoting Inquiry

- Activities that investigate  & analyze sc. questions.
- Longer investigations.
- Students involved in designing the investigations.
- Students using evidence  & strategies for revising explanations.
- Science used as argument  & explanation.
- Communication of scientific explanations.
- Process skills used in context,           to set up and do the investigation.

## 

Inquiry, 
as it relates to science education,          
should mirror as closely      as possible the enterprise of doing real science. 

- Inquiry,
- as it relates to science education,
- should mirror as closely      as possible the enterprise of doing real science.

**Science is what students do, **
**not what is done to them.**