REINVENTING SCIENCE EDUCATION THROUGH VIRTUAL

WORLDS

Learning to be scientific

Diane Jass KetelhutTemple University

“WE’VE MANAGED TO TURN PEOPLE OFF OF SCIENCE BY MAKING

IT SOME KIND OF ROTE LEARNING

EXERCISE”

Bruce M. Alberts (1995)

Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 3/30/2010

Science education issues

Career Interest1/3 high school students take one year of science

Of all doctorate-holding scientists: 5% are either African-American or Hispanic

25% are womenRising above the gathering storm; Nation’s report card 2005

3/30/2010

Science education issues

Conceptual Understanding31% say humans evolved through natural selection

46% do not know that an electron is smaller than an atom

AAAS and Pew Survey 3/30/2010

What turns students on?

3/30/2010Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University

World of warcraft www.worldofwarcraft.com

92% of all 2-17 year olds play video and computer games

97% of teens play videogames

45 Million homes own a videogame console

National institute on media and the family 2001; Pew Foundation , 2008 3/30/2010

“When individuals play modern video and computer games, they experience environments in which they often must master the kinds of higher-order thinking and decision-making skills employers seek today.”

3/30/2010fas summit on videogames, 2006

“…games that incorporate simulations provide …a way to translate what is learned in training to application in the workplace.”

Role for sims and games

Scientific inquiry: Provide access for all Model integration with content

Immersion: Identify formation Engagement

Situated learning Learning in contexts close to where knowledge

will be usedContextualized assessmentDiane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 3/30/2010

Two example projects

River city http://muve.gse.harvard.edu/

rivercityproject/ collaborative scientific inquiry-based

learning Epidemiology content

SAVE science Series of assessment quests for 12-14 year

old Assess local school curriculum Problem-based

3/30/2010Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University

River City

Middle school curriculum Modeled scientific inquiry for teachers Integrated content with inquiry A non-linear approach to learning

Immersive Situated learning experiences without

leaving the classroom! Ability to explore identity as a scientist

Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 3/30/2010

Virtual Inquiry Tools

Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 3/30/2010

Before Change After drying up the bog

Controlled virtual experimentation

3/30/2010Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University

Outcomes

Better understanding of student processes

EngagementLearning content and Scientific inquiry

Increase in career interest

3/30/2010Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University

Student comments

‘we had to figure out things and ask questions and use our brains and think really hard ... because we had to figure out what was wrong’

‘It was different by exploring by myself not being told what things to test out.’

‘...when I was making the experiment and going around asking everything I kind of felt like a detective’

‘more challenging’3/30/2010Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University

http://www.wonderville.ca/

http://muve.gse.harvard.edu/rivercityproject/

Not all games are created equal!

Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 3/30/2010

Situated assessment in VEs for science content & inquiry

Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

Motivation: Text based high stakes test Separation of inquiry and content “Students do not come to understand inquiry simply

by learning words such as ‘hypothesis’ and ‘inference’ or by memorizing procedures such as "the steps of the scientific method” (NRC)

Series of modules to assess local curriculum 7th and 8th grades Integrate scientific inquiry with content Students demonstrate understanding of inquiry and

content by engaging in context-based quests

Initial learning

Contextualizing the problem helps

Inferences about scientific inquiry

Illuminated misconceptionsEngaging!

3/30/2010Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University

Teachers

Good games require a teacher to embed in classroom culture and curriculum

Requires rethinking pre-service and in-service education

3/30/2010Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University

Pre-service educators

Something like this should be used in classroom

“We are currently living in an age where video games, ipods, laptops and cell phones rule.  In order to compete schools must find ways to engage and maintain our students' attention.  We have to incorporate more computer based research and activities into our lessons.”

Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 3/30/2010

But beyond the value…

“I am a teacher who has two computers at home, I occasionally use my daughter's ipod, I play video games with my son and who doesn't have a cell phone.  I have all of these devices at the tip of my hand and yet I rarely use technology in my classroom.”

Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 3/30/2010

How do we help teachers?

Create models in K-12 and higher edTime on task*Technical and social support*Previous Experiences

One on one works best but unsustainableFully online sustainable but ineffectiveSuccess with hybrid, teacher videos,

stories, collaboration

3/30/2010*Schifter, 2008

In summary…

“It is simply my unwillingness to think out of the box when it comes to technology.  I'll try the latest teaching strategy or do something out of the norm that my colleagues won't do and yet I refuse to give technology a try.  Here I go with the excuses: lack of working computers, time, the curriculum, standardized testing, students' behavior, school walkthroughs, etc, etc, etc.  In spite of these I know I have to do better by my students.  Hopefully, this summer I'll be able to create some lessons and reformat activities that will incorporate more interactive technology.  Sadly, this statement sounds familiar.  Oh yeah, I think I said it last spring......”

Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 3/30/2010

Thanks

For more information, contact: Diane Jass Ketelhutdjk@temple.edu The instructional practices and assessments discussed or

shown in this presentation are not intended as an endorsement by the U. S. Department of Education.

This material is based upon work supported under Grant No. 0310188 and 0822308. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 3/30/2010