KNOWLEDGE BUILDINGQCS503 Innovations in Design and Practices for Primary Science (2 AUs)

SOUND OF MUSICCENTRAL STATION ANTWERP (BELGIUM)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EYAUazLI9k

ASSESSMENT TASKS

a) Group-based Component (70%)

b) Individual Component (30%) - Conduct and reflect a science lesson that

follows KB during TP - Submit lesson plans and critique - Deadline: 31 March 2010, 1700 hr

- Key ideas in Knowledge Forum- Group’s discussion at end of week 3, 4 and 5 on Trigger Activity

45%

- 12 min presentation on KB / scientific ideas

25%

How is learning in school different from learning at work/daily life

WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE BUILDING?

Production and continual improvement of ideas/concepts by learners to be of value to a community eg in business or school

These ideas will themselves be catalysts to increase further knowledge for themselves and others eg how technology advances

Diverse and initial ideas, no matter how “weak” are valuable as long as they are “improvable” that is, can be built-upon

TWO WAYS OF KNOWING

In school, knowing is often taught transmissively and is reproductive is content

Kids are instructed to learn just A, B, & C, which is both necessary & sufficient

Non-learning is due to deficits on the learner and motivation is a problem

In KB, ideas are always refined, whatever stage of Ss development, young & old

With guidance, all will pursue emergent questions in deeper cycles for understanding

Non-learning is due to deficits on the initial question, time not motivation is the main obstacle

HOW DOES KB DIFFER FROM SCIENCE INQUIRY?

INQUIRY-LEARNING

Involves activities and skills, focus on active search for knowledge

Reflects constructivist model of learning Knowledge is built in a step-wise fashion Teacher begins with a question Topic, problem to be studied and methods

used to answer the problem are determined by the student and not the teacher

INQUIRY ACTIVITIES ARE OFTEN TASK-CENTERED.

Task

Idea

Idea

Idea Idea

Idea

Idea

EXAMPLE OF TASK-CENTRED ACTIVITY

Gently push a pin through the sticky tape and then pull it out.)  (a) Describe what you observed.   (b) Did you guess correctly?   (c) What can you say about air from this experiment?   

WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT:

Whose information that is being learnt?

The type/form of authentic knowledge that is being learned?

The amount of knowledge that is being learned?

Any room for collaboration and lifelines?

The end-point & utility of the learning? Assessment modes? Individual or

collective?

KNOWLEDGE BUILDING IS IDEA-CENTERED.

Idea

Task

Task

Task Task

Task

Task

Learning predetermind content from textbook and Tr

Testing of fixed variables to learn a fixed theory

Can be fun if there is a lot of hands-on

See themselves as a student of science in learner/teacher centered environment

Learning emergent content assisted by textbook & Tr & any other authoritative sources

Learning whatever theories (JIT)(through testing variables)

Both minds-on & hands-on

See themselves as doing work similar to scientists, both Tr & learners are in the same position

Science classrooms KB classrooms

KEY FEATURES OF KNOWLEDGE BUILDING

An activity of producing and continually improving ideas NOT just learning stuff

Asking problems of understanding not answering questions

Through discussions and shared goals Building ideas that are valued and of interest

by a community All individuals contribute to and advance the

understanding of all community members

12 PRINCIPLES OF KNOWLEDGE BUILDING

1. Real ideas, authentic problems

2. Improvable ideas

3. Idea diversity

4. Rise above

5. Epistemic agency

6. Community knowledge, collective responsibility

7. Democratizing knowledge

8. Symmetric knowledge advancement

9. Pervasive knowledge building

10. Constructive use of authoritative sources

11. Knowledge building discourse

12. Embedded and transformative assessment

WHY KNOWLEDGE BUILDING

Practice of science Become producers of knowledge: inventions,

discoveries, planning

Nature of scienceHuman endeavor, creative, social, subjective,

values & beliefs, evidence-based & interpretive and no single –method

Deeper understanding of content knowledge

SOME THOUGHTS ON KNOWLEDGE FORUM

http://ikit.org/mvt/cs.htm

USE OF KNOWLEDGE FORUMwww.kfnlp.servy.net

KNOWLEDGE FORUM

Graphical Interface

KNOWLEDGE FORUM

Sentence openers

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MEAT ROTS?

TRIGGER ACTIVITY FOR EACH GROUP

Grow the seeds provided Record what you did and make daily

observations of the growth of each kind of seed

Bring them all on Second Lesson next week

TYPES OF SEEDS GIVEN

Chinese Flowering Cabbage Egg Tomato Radish White Sweet Corn Water Spinach Kankon Wheat Grass Zinnia (Dahlia Flora)

BRING LAPTOP NEXT LESSON FOR KF