Nature of Science (NOS) Strategies to help students get started

View of Nature of Science Questionnaire Form C Purpose: Assess learners nature of science views. Question: By incorporating the following pedagogies in my teaching BSCS 5E model Inquiry Toolkit Student designed lab project Will students learn more about the nature of science?

Student Population N = 36 Foundations of biology course for non-science majors Foundations: primarily first year students

Implementation 5-6 BSCS 5E activities Each activity reinforced a particular concept. 3-4 Guided Inquiry Labs Helping students identify: Independent and dependent variables Question Hypothesis What is a control? Number of trials? Student based lab project

How does the VNOS measure Nature of Science (NOS) Views? Views are classified as: More naïve or More informed Interviews are key Avoid misinterpretation of respondent meaning Indicating problems with previous instruments Generate profiles of meanings ascribed to NOS aspects

Methods Pre and Post Assessment (10 questions) Focus Questions: Question #1a: What is science? Question 1b: What makes science (or scientific discipline such as physics, biology, etc.) different from other disciplines of inquiry (e.g. religion or philosophy)? Question #2: What is an experiment?

VNOS Analysis 8 out of 19 UMF natural scientists 1 Physicist, 1 Geologist, 1 Chemist, 4 Biologists, 1 Environmental Science Educator Established More Informed Concepts Inter-rater reliability 3 undergraduate researchers Science educator

% % % % % % % Pretest Results Q 1a Q 1bQ2Q2

Posttest Results % % % % % % Q 1a Q 1b Q2Q2

Results Summary Question 1a: What in your view is science? 14% were more informed Question 1b: What makes science (or a scientific discipline such as physics, biology, etc.) different from other disciplines of inquiry? 9% were more informed Question 2: What is an experiment? 27% were more informed

Nature of Science Evolution PBS Evolution Resources

How to Observe and Describe Go outside and find 4 natural objects 4 objects must look exactly like each-other (i.e. four leaves of the same size and shape from the same tree) Work in pairs and choose 1 set of 4 objects Label each of the objects A, B, C, D Write a DETAILED description for each object on one side of the index card. On the back of the index card indicate the correct corresponding letter. When you are done be sure to have your descriptions facing up and mix them up. Visit another groups objects and attempt to match the object with its description. ONLY after all 4 objects have been matched, you can check the back of the index cards to see if your matches are correct.

Mystery Cube Beginning to look for trends/patterns

Mystery Shapes: Trends Arrange the 17 figures into groups. You can have as many groups as you and your partner want. On a piece a paper write down a statement describing why you have placed the figures in each particular group.

Mystery Shapes Data Group 1Group 2Group 3Group 4 NKMIAGDNPJC FSCJGKIADE LOBHSOLFB EMH P

What if? Instructor chooses two interesting groupings (e.g. Team 1 & 3) Splits class in half 1/2 class arranges shapes like Team 1 1/2 class arranges shapes like Team 3 Students try and decide why team 1 (or 3 whichever is appropriate) arranged the figures as they did, and they right down the reasons. This is their HYPOTHESIS. Instructor passes out shapes Q & R and students TEST THE HYPOTHESIS by placing Q & R into the groups they think team 1 (or 3) would. Students state why they think Team 1 (or 3) arranged the figures into their groups and to which group they think Team 1 would place Q & R Team 1 now reveals whether the discussion has been accurate. If so the HYPOTHESIS IS SUPPORTED. If not, the hypothesis is not supported and must be rejected. If Q & R are placed in the right group but for the wrong reasons other than those that Team 1 originally stated, the hypothesis is supported, but the hypothesis is incorrect. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT FOR DISCUSSION

Checks Lab NOS Skills in Action

Getting Organized Divide into research teams 2 per team Envelope with 16 checks is distributed Envelope contains the same set of 16 identical cancelled checks from the same family or individual. Select only four checks at random WAIT FOR THE INSTRUCTOR TO TELL YOU TO DO SO!!.

Analyze Checks What kinds of data do these cancelled checks give us?” Select one recorder per group to keep track of the data (4 check sets randomly chosen) Remove any four checks blindly and randomly from the envelope and begin constructing a “story” about this family or individual. What does this have to do with science? This phase is similar to scientists getting information in a non-linear fashion and at different intensities.

Summary On Newsprint record an outline of your story and select someone in your group not the recorder to share you conclusions. Investment in your data Scientists who may study a phenomenon for years cannot help but have an investment in the data they have been collecting. It is when this data and personal buy-in becomes public that ideas are either supported or refuted. That is how science works.

Checks Lab Directions Individual teams collaborate after preliminary analysis Individual teams must collaborate Similar to a scientist traveling to the Antarctic during a specific time of the year because of the weather. Scientists must collaborate with each other to piece together a “story”

Beluga’s

Location

Beluga Characteristics

Donner Party: What is the data telling us? ObservationsInterpretations

NOS Video PBS Nature of Science

NOS in Action Observations: Young woman enters theater alone Young man enters theater alone and sits next to woman He does not say anything to her

How to start? What Questions do you have about the situation?

Organizing Information What can we change? (Note: you can not ask the two people questions) What will we observe? When we change______________ will the man/woman _____________? Based on this question, We predict,______ __________________________ FORMING A HYPOTHESIS: Converting a question into a statement.

Inquiry Grab Bag Working with Donner party data teacher stuff

Introductory Exercises to Promote Science Thinking Skills Observation skills Mystery Shapes: Looking for Trends Analyzing Data: Looking for Trends