Creating Physicists: What is science process, how do you teach it, and how do you know if it is learned?

Lawson Primarily a hypothetico-deductive process Make an observation of a “strange” phenomenon, generates tentative theories, deduce specific predictions to test these theories through experimentation. Requires skills: properly identify and control variables, proportional, probabilistic, and correlation thinking. Allchin and others Inductive processes a major component Induction a useful tool for identifying regularities, patterns, and associations “proper” science reasoning can be done even when limited theory or prior concepts exist to guide initial observations.

Epistemological Beliefs of Students Students rely on more rote learning strategies when they hold a positivist view of science: science as an existing body of knowledge to be discovered by authority and/or passive observation Edmondson, K.M. & Novack, J.D., Journal of Research in Science Teaching 30, (1993) Students holding a constructivist epistemology typically are far better at making connections and constructing experiments; they also demonstrate greater ability to achieve significant gains in conceptual knowledge. Edmondson, K.M. & Novack, J.D., Journal of Research in Science Teaching 30, (1993). Tsai, C.-C., Science Education 82, (1998). Moore, J.C., European Journal of Physics Education, 3(4), 1-12 (2012).

Personal Epistemologies “in the moment” Demonstrating the ability to switch between epistemological resources in approaching a problem is an indicator of what is called the “journeyman-expert transition” Bing, T.J. & Redish, E.F., Physical Review STPER 8, (2012). “Expertness” not defined by how good someone is at getting the “correct” answer. How good are they at deploying multiple resources in their strategy in the moment.

Metacognition and Epistemological Resources The “expert” consistently evaluates their own thinking and utilizes multiple resources towards solving the problem. The “novice” is typically “stuck” in one frameing and rarely evaluates their own reasoning.

Scientific abilities are "habits of mind" of scientists and engineers, things that they do on a regular basis in their work. - Rutgers Physics Education Group Abilities not skills – not automated, requiring deep thinking and self-evaluation at all stages. Referred to as “practices” or “process” in the Next Generation Science Standards to distinguish from the concept of “learned skill.”

The subtle distinction between “skill” and “ability” Skill Using a thermometer to measure temperature Ability Evaluating and minimizing the uncertainty in the temperature measurements

an ability to represent knowledge in multiple ways; an ability to design experiments to investigate new phenomena, test hypotheses and solve experimental problems; an ability to collect and analyze experimental data; an ability to devise and test relationships and explanations; an ability to evaluate reasoning and experimental design; an ability to communicate. Examples of scientific abilities in physics ISLE Physics Resource, paer.rutgers.edu

an ability to represent knowledge in multiple ways; an ability to design experiments to investigate new phenomena, test hypotheses and solve experimental problems; an ability to collect and analyze experimental data; an ability to devise and test relationships and explanations; an ability to evaluate reasoning and experimental design; an ability to communicate. Examples of scientific abilities in physics ISLE Physics Resource, paer.rutgers.edu

Multiple Representation Tasks (Why?) Multiple Intelligences: Students learn in different ways. Different representations are compatible with different learning styles. Visualization for the brain: Physical quantities and concepts can often be visualized and understood better using concrete representations. Help construct another type of representation: Some concrete representations help in constructing a more abstract (often mathematical) representation. Some representations are useful for qualitative reasoning: Qualitative reasoning is often assisted by using a concrete representation. Abstract math representations are used for quantitative reasoning: A mathematical representation can be used to find a quantitative answer to a problem. ISLE Physics Resource, paer.rutgers.edu

Multiple Representation Tasks In the Classroom (a)Give one representation, have students create another. (b)Give two or more representations, have students check for consistency between them. (c)Give one representation, have students choose a second consistent one from multiple choices. What are some examples?

Design Experiments (Why?) Hypothetico-deductive reasoning: Students learn to reason using the logic of If … And … Then. Epistemology: Students learn to look for conflicting evidence, not supporting evidence and base their knowledge on evidence not on authority Assumptions versus explanations, and predictions: In everyday language these terms are used interchangeably. Students learn to differentiate among assumptions, explanations, and predictions. Epistemic cognition: Students learn to deal with situations when there is no right answer as the prediction might not work because of poor assumptions, or wrong explanation, or bad experimental techniques. Decision making: Students learn to make decisions about representing data, considering outliers, deciding whether the explanation is rejected. Real data: Students learn to deal with complexities.

“It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong.” - Richard Feynman

Observation Experiments Testing Experiments Application Experiments

Observation Experiment Investigate a new phenomenon No predictions or expectations about the outcome Collect data, analyze and find patterns THEN, explain reasons for the patterns and/or construct relationships

You have a sealed hollow metal sphere with an unknown gas inside. You also have a thermometer, a pressure gauge, a hot plate, some ice and a container containing water. Design an experiment to determine if there is a relationship between pressure and temperature of the unknown gas when its volume is kept constant.

Come up with at least one example of an observation experiment you could do in your day-to-day life.

Testing Experiment “Explanation-testing” experiments Use an explanation or relationship to make a prediction of the outcome of an event Perform experiment and record outcome

Design an experiment to test the following rule: an object always moves in the direction of the net force exerted on it. You have a dynamics cart, dynamics track, a spring scale, masking tape, a bowling ball, a mallet, a small ball and a cushion to play with.

If an object always moves in the direction of the net force exerted on it, And the dynamics cart moves to the right Then the cart should move to the left when it rolls on the masking tape But the cart did not move to the left So the hypothesis that an object always moves in the direction of the force exerted on it is not supported.

Come up with at least one example of a testing experiment you could do in your day-to-day life.

Application Experiment Typically involves solving a practical problem or determining an unknown quantity by performing experiments. Use at least two different methods and then compare the results. Often need to perform additional experiments or make informed estimates to determine some physical quantities.

Design at least two independent experiments to determine the coefficient of static friction between your shoe and the sample of carpet/linoleum provided. Equipment: Spring scale, ruler, protractor, carpet or wood surface, tape.

Come up with at least one example of an application experiment you could do in your day-to-day life.

“To destroy or not to destroy, that is the question.” - Every child that comes across a sand castle

Don’t Touch! Visual observations only! Write down as much as you can, whether or not you think it is relevant

Try some non-destructive giggling! Write down as much as you can, whether or not you think it is relevant

Watch me BREAK the thing! Write down as much as you can, whether or not you think it is relevant

What’s going on inside? Make some guesses.

Thursday, April 28 th … Making process explicit: Observation experiments We’ll look at a couple of examples of observation experiments in the classroom, how students can document the experiment, and how you can assess the student’s work.