TEA Science Workshop #1 September 27, 2012 Kim Lott Utah State University

Draw a Science Teacher On the front of your paper, draw what you believe to be an ideal science teacher. Make sure you include students and the classroom setting.

Discussion Question 1 After scientists have developed a theory (e.g., atomic theory, kinetic molecular theory, cell theory), does the theory ever change? If you believe that scientific theories do not change, explain why and defend your answer with examples. If you believe that theories do change: (a) Explain why. (b) Explain why we bother to teach and learn scientific theories.

Discussion Question 2 Science textbooks often represent the atom as a central nucleus composed of positively charged particles (protons) and neutral particles (neutrons) with negatively charged particles (electrons) orbiting the nucleus. How certain are scientists about the structure of the atom? What specific evidence do you think scientists used to determine the structure of the atom?

Discussion Questions 3 & 4  Is there a difference between a scientific theory and a scientific law? Give an example to illustrate your answer.  How are science and art similar? How are they different?

Discussion Question 5 Scientists perform experiments/investigations when trying to solve problems. Other than in the stage of planning and design, do scientists use their creativity and imagination in the process of performing these experiments/investigations? Please explain your answer and provide appropriate examples.

Discussion Question 6 In the recent past, astronomers differed greatly in their predictions of the ultimate fate of the universe. Some astronomers believed that the universe is expanding while others believed that it is shrinking, still others believed that the universe is in a static state without any expansion or shrinkage. How were these different conclusions possible if the astronomers were all looking at the same experiments and data?

What is Science?  Body of Knowledge: facts, definitions, theories, laws, etc.  Methods of Science: procedures that scientists use to generate scientific knowledge.  Nature of Science: ways of knowing and explaining the natural world.

Nature of Scientific Knowledge  Based on evidence.  Both reliable and tentative.  Product of observations and inferences.  Product of human imagination.  Scientific laws and theories are different.  More than one method of obtaining scientific knowledge.  Subjective sometimes to historical or cultural bias. (Lederman et al., 2002; McComas, 1996)

How can we introduce the nature of science to students?  Inquiry Tubes

What is Scientific Inquiry?  It can refer to how scientists study the world and propose explanations based on evidence.  It also refers to activities of students in which they develop understanding of scientific ideas. (NRC, 1996, p.23)

What are the Levels of Inquiry? (adapted from Bell, Smetana, & Binns, 2005)

A New Framework for Science Education Why do we need it?  In our highly technical world, the demand for science and engineering professionals is great.  Also, since we live in a highly technical world, scientific knowledge is needed in order to make informed decisions from public policy to medical treatments.

A Vision of the New Frameworks “The framework is designed to help realize a vision for education in the sciences and engineering in which students, over multiple years of school, actively engage in scientific and engineering practices and apply crosscutting concepts to deepen their understanding of the core ideas in these fields.” (NRC, 2012, p.8)

Achieving the Vision  Learning is a developmental progression.  Focuses on a limited number of core ideas in science and engineering both within and across disciplines.  Learning about science and engineering involves integration of the content knowledge with the practices needed to engage in scientific inquiry and engineering design. (NRC, 2012, p.11)

What do you want to learn? Write down specific topics that you would like me to address during the following workshops.

References  Bell, R.L., Smetana, L, & Binns, I. (2005). Simplifying inquiry instruction: Assessing the inquiry level of classroom activities. The Science Teacher, 72(7),  Lederman, N.G., Abd-El-Khalick, F., Bell, R.L., & Schwartz, R.S. (2002). Views of nature of science questionnaire (VNOS): Toward valid and meaningful assessment of learners’ conceptions of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39,  McComas, W. (1996). Ten myths of science: Reexamining what we think we know. School Science & Mathematics, 96,  National Research Council (NRC). (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academic Press.  National Research Council (NRC). (2012). A framework for K-12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts and core ideas. Washington, DC: National Academic Press.