Learning-Goals-Driven Design: Developing Instructional Materials that Align with Learning Goals and Project-based Pedagogy Joseph Krajcik Professor of Science Education Center for Highly Interactive Classrooms, Curriculum and Computers for Education The University of Michigan AAAS Michigan State University Northwestern University University of Michigan Center for Curriculum Materials in Science This work is funded by the National Science Foundation (ES 0101780 and 0227557). Any opinions, findings and recommendations expressed in the materials are those of the authors.

What will we do today Examine why we should redesign curriculum Describe the IQWST Project Explore what is meant by curriculum coherence Discuss our design principles Share some of our findings Discuss

Why redesign curriculum? Inadequate Science Materials Science curriculum materials Cover many topics at a superficial level Focus on technical vocabulary Fail to consider students’ prior knowledge Lack coherent explanations of real-world phenomena Provide students with few opportunities to develop explanations of phenomena

Solution - Design the Next Generation of Middle School Science Materials Investigating and Questioning our World through Science and Technology (IQWST) Utilizes a coordinated approach for 6th through 8th science curriculum materials Uses a learning goals driven design model Applies what we know about student learning Supports students in developing understandings of the big ideas of science (both content & scientific practices) Engages students in complex tasks Is supported through a 5-year NSF grant Based on work from Phase 1 Finishing Year 2 of Phase 2

IQWST SCOPE AND SEQUENCE Coordinated curriculum

Overview: Design & Development Model Learning-goals driven design Focus on big ideas of science Coordinated curriculum: Understanding of scientific content and practices builds across the school year (6th grade) and across middle school (6-8th grades) Inter and Intra unit coherence Project-based learning Teachers involved with design, development, and feedback Revisions based on data Classroom observation and analysis Pre/post tests Pilot enactments Scientists’ input Project 2061 feedback Teacher feedback

Smell Unit Overview 8-week, project-based unit for 6th grade students Driving Question: How can I smell things from across the room? Contextualized within real-world phenomena Three Learning Sets, 15 Lessons Learning Set 1: Students construct models to help them understand the particle nature of matter while focusing on the behavior of gases Learning Set 2: How models help to explain why different materials have different properties Learning Set 3: Using models to explain phase changes Ideas from all three learning sets are brought together through a culminating final task in which students use their knowledge of the particle model.

Unit Learning Goals

Central Practice: Modeling Why modeling? Particulate nature of matter is an abstract concept Scientists use models to better understand phenomena Students develop models to better understand phenomena Role of teacher Help students understand models and the practice of modeling

Curriculum Coherence Curricular coherence: the alignment of the specified topics, the depth at which the topic is to be studied, and the sequencing of the topics within each grade and across the grades (Schmidt, Wang & McKnight, 2005) Curriculum coherence leads to integrated understanding in learners Coherence in IQWST (Shwartz, et al., 2008) Learning goal coherence: selecting key learning goals that build on each other Intra-unit coherence: coordination between content learning goals, scientific practices, and curricular activities within a project-based framework Inter-unit coherence: coordination among project-based units that support multidisciplinary connections. Curriculum Coherence leads to

Built on Big Ideas Big ideas Include both content and scientific practices Help learners to understand a variety of different phenomena within and across science disciplines Provide a framework for thinking about the long-term development of student understanding Allow designers to revisit ideas throughout the curriculum so that student understanding becomes progressively more refined, developed and elaborated Help satisfy learning-goals coherence requirement Value of big ideas Explanatory power within and across discipline and/or scales: The enduring idea helps one to understand a variety of different ideas within and/or between science disciplines. Powerful way of thinking about the world: The enduring idea provides insight into the development of the field, or has had key influence on the domain. Accessible to learners through their cognitive abilities (age-appropriateness) and experiences with phenomena and representations. Building blocks for future learning: The enduring idea is key for future development of other concepts and helps lay the foundation for continual learning. The enduring ideas will help the individual participate intellectually in making individual, social and political decisions regarding science and technology.

Development of Science Ideas: What typically happens Physics Chem Earth Science Life 6th 7th 8th Student Understanding particle model Little understanding

particle model particle model particle model What happens in IQWST 6th Physics Chem Earth Science Life 6th 7th 8th Student Understanding particle model particle model particle model particle model particle model particle model Inter-unit coherence particle model Deep and Meaningful

Development of Scientific Practices: What Typically Happens Physics Chem Earth Science Life 6th 7th 8th Student Understanding Modeling Little understanding

What happens in IQWST 6th 7th 8th Modeling Modeling Physics Chem Earth Science Life 6th 7th 8th Student Understanding Modeling Modeling Inter-unit coherence Deep and Meaningful

Coherence within the “Smell” Unit Learning goals coherence: big ideas of science Particle model of matter Intra-unit coherence: coordination between content learning goals, scientific practices, and curricular activities within a project-based framework

What is food? Does it have energy? How do we get energy from food? Inter-Unit Coherence How do I get the energy to do things? What is food? Does it have energy? How do we get energy from food? How do plants make food? Energy & energy transfer Properties of matter Cells to systems Weather and climate Behavior of light Particle nature of matter Organisms in their ecosystems Water cycle

Learning Goal Driven Design

Developing Learning Goals Step1: Select the most important big ideas / content standards Step 2: Unpack the content standards Step 3: Unpack the practices Step 4: Create learning performances and specify evidence Helps to meet learning-goal coherence for a unit!

Step 1: Select Important Content Standards Use Big Ideas of Science Atoms and molecules are perpetually in motion. In gases, the atoms or molecules still have more energy and are free of one another except during occasional collisions.

Step #2: Unpack Content Standard Part A: Interpret the Big Idea/Content Standard Decompose into related concepts Clarify the different concepts Consider what other concepts are needed Make links if needed to other standards Interpret the Standard Atoms and molecules are perpetually in motion. In solids, the atoms are closely locked in position and can only vibrate. In liquids, the atoms or molecules have higher energy, are more loosely connected, and can slide past one another; some molecules may get enough energy to escape into a gas. In gases, the atoms or molecules have still more energy and are free of one another except during occasional collisions. Increased temperature means greater average energy of motion, so most substances expand when heated.

Step #2: Unpack Content Standard Part B: Identify students’ prior knowledge Students prior knowledge Possible misconceptions Student Prior Knowledge Matter consists in three phases: solids, liquids and gases Matter has mass and volume A gas has mass and volume Matter is continuous Gas are not matter

Step #3: Unpack Practice Why consider the practice? Describes what it means for learners to “understand” a scientific concept Specifies how we want students to use the content knowledge Clarifies how the knowledge is used in reasoning about scientific questions and phenomena

Step #3: Unpack Practice Example - Modeling (MoDeLS group Northwestern, MSU and UM) Models are often used to think about processes that happen… too quickly, or on too small a scale to observe directly… (AAAS, 1993, 11B: 1, 6-8) Central to what scientists do Aspects of modeling Construct: Learners construct models by selecting entities and relationships through an explicit deliberative process of considering alternatives, evaluating fit with scientific knowledge and evidence. Use: Learners use a model to illustrate, explain and predict well-known and new aspects of phenomena. Evaluate: Learners consider the explanatory and predictive power of a model by comparing alternative entities or relationships in competing models, and by analyzing connections to relevant scientific knowledge. Learners try to test models with different cases to find out where it may fail. Revise: Learners modify a model to improve its accuracy and its utility in illustrating, predicting and explaining.

Creating Learning Performances Why use learning Performances? Science standards are declarative statements of scientific ideas. They do not articulate “knowledge in use”. Using “know” or “understand” is too vague We conceptualize understanding science as embedded in practice and not as memorizing static facts. What are Learning performances? Learning performances define, in cognitive terms, the designers’ conception for what it means for learners to “understand” a particular scientific idea Learning performances define how the knowledge is used in reasoning about scientific questions and phenomena

Creating Learning Performances Learning performances combine scientific practices and content standards. Use terms or verbs that describe the performance you want students to be able to accomplish. Learning performances exist at different levels of cognitive complexity: Level 1 - Identify, Define, and Describe Level 2 - Analyze data, Interpret a model, Make a prediction Level 3 - Design an investigation, Construct a scientific explanation, and Build a model.

Developing Learning Performances Content Scientific Learning Practice Performance

Learning Goal Driven Design

Learning Ideas Linked to Project-based Science PBS Driving Question Anchoring experiences Investigation Scientific Practices Multiple means to assess learning Active reading Collaboration Learning Technologies Scaffolding Big/Enduring Ideas Learning Ideas Contextualized Relate to Prior Knowledge and experiences Active Construction Community of Learners Cognitive Tools Expert Knowledge

Contextualize Learning Students need to see the importance of what they are learning What students learn needs to connect to their world Implications beyond the classroom Students develop a need to know Learning Idea

How it Works in the Classroom: Create Meaningful Environments Driving question Links activities to learning goals Ties the unit together Builds intra-unit coherence Anchoring Experiences Experience phenomena in context Use Cases and meaningful scenarios Examples from 6th grade include: Physics: Seeing the Light -- Can I Believe My Eyes? Chemistry: How Can I Smell Things From a Distance? Biology: What Can Cause Populations To Change? Questions should be anchored in the lives of learners and deal with important, real-world questions.

Challenges in use DQ Develop a question that will both engage students and meet important learning goals Support teachers in using the DQ throughout a unit How can a teacher focus instruction on a driving question rather than on specific topics? How can the driving question be used to link concepts and diverse activities together to build intra-unit coherence.

What a Learning Goal Driven Model Provides: Coherence Big idea Standards Materials Unpack idea Instruction Learning Assessment

Student Investigations: An Example Purpose: In this investigation, you will explore how air can be expanded and compressed. You will create and revise models to explain the behavior of air. Procedure: Fill the syringe with air by pulling the plunger back halfway. Block the end of the syringe with your finger. Pull the plunger back, but do not pull the plunger out. Now push the plunger in as much as you can.Release the plunger (but keep blocking the end of the syringe) and observe what happens. Sequencing of the the tasks builds intra-unit coherences Creating Models If you had a special microscope that would allow you to see the air inside the syringe, what would the air look like? Draw what the air in the syringe would look like if the microscope focused on one tiny spot. Drawing #1: Before pushing the plunger.

What a Learning Goal Driven Model Provides: Coherence Big idea Standards Materials Unpack idea Instruction Learning Assessment

Multiple Means to Assess Learning Students construct models of the particle model to explain phenomena Pre- Posttest comparison Embedded assessments

Example: Question 4 Student Pre and Posttest Models Shayna had a small bottle of Bromine gas. The bottle was closed with a cork. She tied a string to the cork, and then placed the bottle inside a larger bottle. She sealed the large bottle shut. (See Figure 1.) Next, Shayna opened the small bottle by pulling the string connected to the cork. Figure 2 shows what happened after the cork of the small bottle was opened. First, draw a model that shows what is happening in this experiment. Second, explain in writing what is happening in your model. Question 4 model Posttest: average response we get from students Figure 1 Figure 2

Example: Question 4 Student Pre and Posttest Models Shayna had a small bottle of Bromine gas. The bottle was closed with a cork. She tied a string to the cork, and then placed the bottle inside a larger bottle. She sealed the large bottle shut. (See Figure 1.) Next, Shayna opened the small bottle by pulling the string connected to the cork. Figure 2 shows what happened after the cork of the small bottle was opened. First, draw a model that shows what is happening in this experiment. Second, explain in writing what is happening in your model. Figure 1 Figure 2 Posttest Pretest Question 4 model Posttest: average response we get from students

Embedded Assessment: Modeling Smell Your teacher opened a jar that contained an odor. Imagine you had a very powerful microscope that allowed to see the odor up really, really close. What would you see? Students initial models 45% of students created continuous models Typical description: The odor is coming out of the source

Embedded Assessment: Modeling Smell Lesson 5 student models 52.3% of students created a particle model 70.5% of models include movement Typical description: Molecules in the liquid come off the surface of the liquid and become a gas. They move around and change direction when they come in contact with another object.

Embedded Assessment: Modeling Smell Lesson 15 student models 75% of students create a particle model, 25% a mixed model 68% of students include odor particles that are moving in straight lines until they collide into each other; 32% include both odor and air 55% of students’ written portion of models explains movement of particles; 25% include incorrect mechanism

Learning Goal Driven Design

Our Study: One teacher Two 6th grade class Data Collection 57 students Data Collection Pre and Posttests Student work Video of curriculum enactment Data Analysis Coding rubrics

Do students learn? How do students understanding change as they participate in a coherent, contextualized and model based unit in chemistry that focuses on the particle nature of matter? Prediction: If we have learning-goals coherence and intra-unit coherence and if the materials are aligned, we should see significant learning gains.

Overall Student Learning Gains: Pre to Posttest

Summary Statement To design curriculum materials that develop integrated understanding, build curriculum resources with coherence Learning-goals coherence Use big ideas Unpack standards from a learning perspective Create learning performances as a way to specify knowledge in use Intra-unit coherence Use driving-questions as support to link ideas together Create alignment by iteratively aligning learning goals with tasks and assessments Inter-unit coherence Build connections between Units

Thanks to many IQWST and MoDeLS Development and Research Team Colleagues at University of Michigan Joi Merritt Colleagues at Northwestern University Colleagues at Weizmann Institute of Science David Fortus Many teachers with whom we work National Science Foundation

Questions???? Always feel comfortable contacting me: krajcik@umich.edu

References Shwartz, Y., Weizman, A., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Reiser, B. (2008). The IQWST experience: Coherence as a design principle. The Elementary School Journal, in press. Krajcik, J., McNeill, K. L., Reiser, B., (2008). Learning-Goals-Driven Design Model: Developing Curriculum Materials that Align with National Standards and Incorporate Project-Based Pedagogy. Science Education, 92(1), 1-32.