PROJECT CLARION Module IV: Scientific Investigation Center for Gifted Education, The College of...

PROJECT CLARIONModule IV:

Scientific Investigation

Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009

Instructional Purpose

– To develop an understanding of skills and habits important to a scientist.

– To develop an understanding of the steps of scientific investigation.

– To apply macro-concept generalizations to scientific investigations.


In the ideal science classroom:

What would teachers be doing?

What would students be doing?


VideoWhat are teachers

doing?What are students

doing?

What is Scientific Inquiry?

…an approach to learning that involves a process of exploring the natural or material world, and that

leads to asking questions, learning more through observation, forming a

hypothesis, and rigorously testing the hypothesis in

the search for new understanding.


Research on Inquiry-Based Classrooms:

What do they look like?• Inquiry-based classrooms are ones where:

* Teachers serve as facilitators in question-asking and processing to help students arrive at new understandings (Holbrook & Kolodner, 2007)

– Students are actively engaged in learning science and experimenting (DeBoer, 1991)

* There is student activity and engagement in the act of being a scientist – not as an onlooker but an active participant (Haury, 1993)

– Students are working in groups to pose and test questions about science (Bishop & Ryan, 2007)

– Students are discussing and reflecting upon their findings with teacher guidance (Holbrook & Kolodner, 2007)

Research on Inquiry-Based Classrooms: How Effective Are They?

• Promoting inquiry in a science classroom…* Enhances student performance in science when students are actively

engaged and discussing content – (Mattheis & Nakayama, 1988)

– Improves critical thinking – (Narode et al, 1987)

– Promotes positive attitudes toward science – (Rakow, 1986)

* Posits higher achievement scores on tests – (Glasson, 1989)

– Improves content knowledge, process skills, collaboration, communication, and planning skills far exceed those of their peers in traditional classrooms

– (Holbrook & Kolodner, 2007)* Is found to be difficult until students and teachers are trained in inquiry-

based processes and continue to practice them– (Holbrook & Kolodner, 2007)


Benefits of Inquiry• Encourages communication through

practical action as well as through symbols.

• Develops language and literacy capacity.

• Provides direct and accurate knowledge of each child’s level of science learning.

• Advances children’s knowledge of science, inquiry, and scientific habits of mind.

• Contributes to children’s social development.


Three Types of Question Models• Problem-based learning

– What do we know?– What do we need to know?– How do we find out?

• Scientific Reasoning model– What data or evidence supports your position?– What inferences do you draw from the evidence?

• Concept Model– How does the macro-concept (change) apply to essential

understandings (understanding life cycles)?


Sample Questions for Inquiry

• Is it possible to…– Is it possible to clean polluted water?

• Comparing…– When comparing radish seeds with grass seeds, which will sprout

sooner?• What if…

– What if we put vinegar and baking soda into a balloon?• How can we…

– How can we prevent erosion on our model mountain?• What is…

– What is the life span of a mealworm?

Pearce, C. R. Nurturing Inquiry, Heinemann.


Other Sample Inquiry Questions

• If I had _____, how could I _____?

• How can I improve_____?

• What will happen if _____?

• Suppose I could _____?

Pearce, C. R. Nurturing Inquiry, Heinemann



Inquiry can be spurred through observation

Observation• Observation is fundamental to all scientific

disciplines;• Inquiry, hypothesis, and data collection are based on

observation;• Practice is required if children’s observational skills

are to become increasingly more powerful, productive, and scientific;

• And yet, observation is an often under-valued skill in educational settings.

– Eberback, C., & Crowley, K. (2009). From everyday to scientific observation: How children learn to observe the biologist’s world. Review of Educational Research, 79(1), 39-68.



Comparative observation

ObservationObservation

subjectCharacteristics

(Be specific and precise)

What is different?

What is similar?


Question Asking with the Need to Know Board

What do we know?

Prior knowledge

and observation

What do we need to know?

Questions

How can we find out?

Observation

Research

Experimental design

What have we learned?

Conclusion


Lower Primary Wheel of Scientific

Investigation and Reasoning

Javits Project Clarion, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary

SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION AND

REASONING

Make Observations

Ask Questions

Learn More

Design and Conduct the Experiment

Create Meaning

Tell Others What Was

Found SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION AND

REASONING

Wheel ofScientific

Investigationand

Reasoning


Use your curiosityFind something of interest to study.Use your senses to learn.

Make Observations

Ask Questions

Learn MoreFind what you need to knowFind what others know.Learn more through observations.Re-examine your question.


Form a hypothesisList experiment steps.Identify materials you need.Conduct experiment.Record data.

Organize your data.Analyze data.Make inferences and draw conclusions.Check to see if you answered your question.Think of related questions.

Select an audience.Decide on the best way to communicate.Include data tables.Report conclusions.


REASONING

Identify all the questions you have.Select ONE question you want to answer.

Create Meaning


Found

Modeling: Questions to HypothesisMy Question… What caused the shadow to get larger

or smaller?

I learned more… •I learned that a shadow is a dark shape made by something blocking light. •I observed that the shadow of an object may change.

I now think… A shadow changes when the object making the shadow is moved closer or further away from light.

My prediction or hypothesis… When an object is closer to the light it creates a larger shadow than when it is further from the light.


Experiment vs. Activity

An experiment is a fair test. Anything else you do is an activity.


Design and Conduct an Experiment•Start with a testable

question•Form a hypothesis•List materials and experiment steps•Check that the planned experiment should prove or disprove the hypothesis•Conduct experiment•Carefully record data


Create Meaning…

• Organize your data.

• Analyze data.

• Make inferences and draw conclusions.

• Check to see if you answered your question.

• Think of related questions.

• Was your hypothesis correct?

• Why or why not?

• How could you change your hypothesis?


Data Options


Data Options


Data Options


Tell Others What You Found• Select an audience.• Decide on the best way to

communicate.• Include data tables.• Report conclusions.• Tell what you did.• Tell what you found.• Explain why the information is

useful.• Tell how you would change the

experiment the next time.



REPEATas needed



REASONING

Make Observations

Ask Questions

Learn More


Create Meaning


Found SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION AND

REASONING

Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary

Scientific Investigation conclusions:

Observation and Inquiry

Questions to Testable Questions to Hypotheses

Research and Experimentation

Meaning and Sharing

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