PMSS 2015 Continuing Professional Learning Program

Session 1: Focus on Science and Literacy Facilitators Sophia McLean: Professional Learning Manager Louise Rostron: Professional Learning Consultant

Workshop purpose You are here to experience and create a shared understanding of the fundamental link between science and literacy

Workshop outline (90 minutes) INTRO:Purpose, outline, outcomes (5 mins) ENGAGE:To capture participants’ interest and elicit ideas prior knowledge about (15 mins)“Genetics” EXPLORE:To explore the link between “everyday literacies” and “literacies of (15 mins) science” using a labelled diagram of the DNA molecule EXPLAIN:Consolidate the links between science and literacy with explanation of (20 mins)the DNA molecule ELABORATE:Conduct, represent and discuss results of a survey investigation (20 mins) EVALUATE:Examine the range of “literacy focuses” in science (15 mins)Summarise, reflect and evaluate

Outcomes On completion of this module participants will understand: the fundamental link between science and literacy the shared meanings of the terms “everyday literacies”, the “literacies of science” and “scientific literacy” some concepts from the Biological sciences field of Genetics and demonstrate several “literacies of science” ways to evaluate the quality of “literacies of science”

ENGAGE Continuing Professional Learning Program

Looks like Feels likeSounds like Question: What do you think you know about the field of Biological sciences called Genetics. Observers use the Y chart to record.

Four stages of learning Aware that I knowAware that I don’t know Unaware that I knowUnaware that I don’t know AWARE UNAWARE KNOW DON’T KNOW

Claims claims claims!!! Whenever a student makes a representation about a science phenomenon whether verbal, written, gestured, drawn ….they are making a “claim” about what they do or don’t understand at that point. These claims are like “gold” and provide teachers with insights into students’ thinking. Delving into these claims with questions is like digging for more gold.

EXPLORE Continuing Professional Learning Program

A bold statement “You cannot claim to know something without being able to represent it!” (Prof Vaughan Prain, La Trobe University)

Labelled diagram Draw a labelled diagram of a DNA molecule Discuss the size of the molecule and where it is located Make a list of what you don’t know about the representation and discuss how you might find out

The confusion! Three different expressions are used. What do they mean? How are they similar? How are they different? literacies of science scientific literacy everyday literacies

Everyday literacies are the literacy skills students bring to the learning process are tools of learning are processes and practices that represent what learners know, do or demonstrate when they represent and communicate understanding involve multiple modes of representation.

EXPLAIN Continuing Professional Learning Program

Diagrams of DNA

July 25 th 2014 Rosalind Franklin’s 94 th birthday Visual representations can drive the science understanding…DNA

Literacies of science are particular language practices, processes and products that students learn about and use to represent and communicate their understanding of science concepts and processes are multi-modal: factual text, data tables, labelled diagrams, symbols, graphs, models, drawings, computer- generated images, gestures, role-plays.

The relationship Literacy skills do not develop in isolation from a context. students use everyday literacies and learn literacies of science the science context provides a meaningful purpose for literacy development.

So what is scientific literacy? The use of everyday literacies to learn about science concepts and processes – including the development of the literacies of science – contributes to students’ developing scientific literacy as they learn about, communicate and represent science understanding.

Scientific literacy is a high priority for all citizens, helping them to: be interested in, and understand the world around them engage in the discourses of and about science be sceptical and questioning of claims made by others about scientific matters be able to identify questions, investigate and draw evidence- based conclusions to make informed decisions about the environment and their own health and well-being. Defining scientific literacy Goodrum, D., Hackling, M. and Rennie, L. (2001). The status and quality of teaching and learning of science in Australian schools: A research report. Canberra: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.

Scientific literacy develops _________________________________________________ None/very littleinformed adult ‘The notion of progress in scientific literacy is fundamental to the growth in students’ knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes and the ability to use that knowledge and understanding in everyday situations.’ Goodrum, D., Hackling, M. and Rennie, L. (2001). The status and quality of teaching and learning of science in Australian schools: A research report. Canberra: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.

ELABORATE Continuing Professional Learning Program

Literacy focus - table

What was changed (independent variable) What was measured/ observed (dependent variable) Each row should show a different treatment, organism, sampling site etc. Table of the number and type of organisms found in a sample of leaf litter Organism typeNumber of organisms leaves29 Woodlouse10 Beetle larva4 Spider2 Literacy of science - data tables

Statistics and Probability - Data F– represents data and interprets data displays made from objects 2– gathers and organises data, displays data in lists, tables and picture graphs, and interprets the results 4 - selects appropriate methods to collect data, and constructs, compares, interprets and evaluates data displays, including tables, picture graphs and column graphs 6 - uses appropriate methods to collect data and constructs, interprets and evaluates data displays, including dot plots, line graphs and two-way tables ….Data Collection, Single variable Data Analysis, Bivariate Data Analysis…

Literacy focus - graph

Literacy of science - graphs Horizontal (x) axis: What was changed (independent variable) Vertical (Y) axis What was measured/ observed (dependent variable)

Graphs: Questioning for analysis What is the “story” of your graph? Do the data in your graph reveal any patterns? Is this what you expected? Why? Can you explain the pattern? Why did this happen? What do you think the pattern would be if you continued the line of the graph? How certain are you of your results?

The story of graphs

Quality matrix for improving representations Literacy of science: graph FeaturesCharacteristics of a high-quality product Opportunity for improvement TitleClear and accurateWrite in a straight line Check spelling Horizontal axisStraight line Clear label Regular increments Units of measurement Write label clearly Measure the increment spaces

QCER Q:What question are you trying to answer? C:What is your claim at this point? E:What specific evidence do you have to support your claim? R:How does the evidence support the claim? Can this be linked to a science concept? Are their alternative explanations for the data collected? How accurate is the data? Students need encouragement to move from making claims only to citing evidence to support the claims. Older students can make full conclusions with claims, evidence and reasoning. The Question Starters can be used to model and practise this process.

Literacy development at the Elaborate phase Students use their everyday literacies to plan and conduct the investigation Students learn the literacies of science suitable for their investigation such as data tables and graphs Students develop scientific literacy though the investigation process and the evidence-based discussions of the results

EVALUATE Continuing Professional Learning Program

Linking science with literacy supports students to: use their everyday literacies to construct their understanding of science concepts and processes learn the particular literacies of science develop scientific literacy using science as the meaningful context by representing and re-representing their understanding and critically analysing their findings In summary

A bold statement “You cannot claim to know something without being able to represent it!” (Prof Vaughan Prain, La Trobe University)

Beliefs continuum- a collaborative learning strategy ___________________________________________________________ AgreeDisagree