Manjula Sharma Tom Gordon Owen Brasier The University of Sydney National Project HQ/NT, NSW, Regional, SA, WA, VIC

What is STEM? -Science -Technology -Engineering -Maths “STEM is a way to not fool yourself” – Dr Karl Kruszelnicki

What is STEM? -Solving problems -Thinking critically -Essential for the future -Much much more!?

Who does STEM? -Scientists/Students -Teachers -Everyone -Me -Politicians??

Why do STEM? -Satisfy curiosity -Take part in modern society -Employment -Making decisions -Surveyed people said that 80% of jobs will be automated, but only 20% of people said theirs will be.

The problem with modern education “The object of education is not only to produce a [student] who knows, but one who does; who makes [their] mark in the struggle of life, and succeeds well in all [s/he] undertakes; who can solve the problems of nature and humanity as they arise; and who, when [they] know [they] are right can convince the world of that fact… There is no doubt in my mind that this is the point in which much of our modern education fails. Why is it? I answer that memory alone is trained, and that reason and judgment are used merely to refer matters to some authority who is considered final…. To produce [students] of action, they must be trained in action… If they study the sciences, they must enter the laboratory, …” H.A. Rowland, “The Physical Laboratory in Modern Education”, Science What are some buzz words in (science) education?

The problem with modern education “The object of education is not only to produce a [student] who knows, but one who does; who makes [their] mark in the struggle of life, and succeeds well in all [s/he] undertakes; who can solve the problems of nature and humanity as they arise; and who, when [they] know [they] are right can convince the world of that fact… There is no doubt in my mind that this is the point in which much of our modern education fails. Why is it? I answer that memory alone is trained, and that reason and judgment are used merely to refer matters to some authority who is considered final…. To produce [students] of action, they must be trained in action… If they study the sciences, they must enter the laboratory, …” H.A. Rowland, “The Physical Laboratory in Modern Education”, Science (Emphasis is mine) Science capabilities Active learning Problem solving Communication Skills Critical thinking Creative thinking skills Inquiry Skills

… engaging students with stimulating investigations in the classroom … ways and tools for engaging Years 7 to 10 Experiments/practical work field work/investigations Inquiry Skills

Investigation Science in your pocket/MadMaker 45 min What you are to do: Complete experiment - 35 minutes Debrief / feedback session - 10 minutes Round robin between the 2 investigations!

What is science inquiry? (created by Regional Node – University of New England)

1. Learners are engaged by scientifically oriented questions. 2. Learners give priority to evidence, which allows them to develop and evaluate explanations that address scientifically oriented questions. 3. Learners formulate explanations from evidence to address scientifically oriented questions. 4. Learners evaluate their explanations in light of alternative explanations, particularly those reflecting scientific understanding. 5. Learners communicate and justify their proposed explanations. (page 25, National Research Council, 2000) Essential Features of Classroom Inquiry

…. VARIATIONS Essential feature Question Teacher/material provides question Learner sharpens question Learner selects question Learner poses question Evidence Formulate explanation Evaluate Communicate & justify Less learner self directed More More teacher, material directed Less (page 29, National Research Council, 2000) Brook, Bretz, Towns, 2009, ASELL, Australian Curriculum: Science

Levels of scaffolding to support learning Features Demonstration Prescription Structured Inquiry Guided Inquiry Open Inquiry Question prediction No question Teacher/ material provides Learner sharpens Learner selects Learner poses Plan, including data collection Conduct and record Process and analyse Reason, problem solve Communicate and justify Less learner self directed More More teacher, material directed Less

Discussion Consider inquiry skills in your syllabus - Australian Curriculum: Science. What would you list as the features of inquiry? How would you cast the shift towards more learner directed learning? 5 min

Features Demonstration PrescriptionStructured Inquiry Guided Inquiry Open Inquiry Questions predictions No questionTeacher provides Learner sharpens Learner select Learner poses Plan, including data collection No planningTeacher provides Teacher discusses Learner guidedLearner determines Conduct and record Teacher conducts Learner toldLearner sharpens Learner guidedLearner conducts Process and analyse Teacher analyses Learner toldTeacher discusses Learner guidedLearner analyses Reason, problem solve No problem solving Teacher provides Teacher discusses Learner guided –formulate conclusion Learner reasons Communicate and justify No conclusionTeacher writesLearner writesLearner guidedLearner justifies and communicates