Learning Science as Inquiry with the Urban Advantage: Formal-Informal Collaborations to Increase Science Literacy and Student Learning NSF-funded DR-K12 Project NSF-funded DR-K12 Project Investigator, Michigan State University Jim Short, Principal Investigator, AMNH Suzanne Wilson, Co-Principal Investigator, MSU
Introduction Critical need to improve STEM education a national priority highlighted in various reports Importance of teacher quality and teacher support Growing body of research on effective professional development Current work contributes to this body of knowledge
Project Overview Collaborative development and research project Focused on advancing knowledge of role of informal science education institutions in enhancing scientific literacy for middle school students and teachers
Project Goals 1. Refine the Urban Advantage professional development model by including opportunities to engage in field studies and the use of authentic scientific data sets to investigate the zebra mussel invasion of the Hudson River ecosystem 2. Extend the resources available to help teachers understand the nature of scientific work and apply this understanding to their teaching 3. Integrate a research agenda into the Urban Advantage program
Guiding Questions How can informal science education institutions best design resources to support teachers and students to conduct scientific investigations and better understand the nature of science? How are these resources then used, and to what extent and in what ways do they contribute to participants learning? How are those resources then used for student learning?
The goal of the Urban Advantage program is: To improve students understanding of scientific knowledge and inquiry through collaborations between the public school system and science-rich cultural institutions of New York City.
Urban Advantage is about students doing real science
Essential Features of Scientific Inquiry in the Classroom Engaging in scientifically oriented questions Giving priority to evidence Formulating explanations from evidence Evaluating explanations in light of alternative explanations Communicating and justifying proposed explanations Students doing science National Research Council
Understandings about Scientific Inquiry from the National Science Education Standards Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. Current scientific knowledge and understanding guide scientific investigations. Mathematics is important in all aspects of scientific inquiry. Technology used to gather data enhances accuracy and allows scientists to analyze and quantify results of investigations. Scientific explanations emphasize evidence, have logically consistent arguments, and use scientific principles, models, and theories. Science advances through legitimate skepticism. Scientific investigations sometimes result in new ideas and phenomena for study. Scientists doing science
UA Program Components Access to Access to Institution Institutions s Access to Institution Outreach to Families s Professional Development Professional Development Classroom Materials ns and Equipment Access to Capacity- Institution Building and Sustainability s Access to Institution Assessment s
Science Exit Projects NYC Department of Education defines four types of long-term science investigations: Controlled Experiments Field Studies Design Projects Secondary Research
River Ecology Teaching Case resources developed through collaboration: Cary aquatic scientists AMNH educators AMNH videographers AMNH web developers
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1986-2012 Hudson River Monitoring Data One of the longest continuous studies of a biological invasion (Zebra Mussel) in which research began prior to the invasion
Secondary Research In a secondary research project, students use data obtained by others to answer a question. NYCDOE "Grade 8 Exit Project Guide: Science"
Secondary Research Context 1. AMNH s focus in UA program 2. Students and teachers find it difficult lack of first-hand experience with the data collection 3. Spreadsheet skills required to graph/visualize data. Creates a bottleneck to data utilization by teachers/students 4. Mandate for many agencies such as NOAA, NASA, USGS, others. Student and public use of data is a priority, but is lagging 20
Secondary Research AMNH s prior experiences with secondary research: Weather & Climate Earthquakes
Secondary Research Using data from the web usually means using spreadsheets, developing tutorials
Secondary Research River Ecology project goals relative to Secondary Research: 1.Give students a more robust understanding of the data and humanize it 2.Make visualization possible without spreadsheets 3.Pilot a system with potential future application to other large datasets (NOAA, NASA, USGS )
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Preparing Teachers and Students to do Secondary Research on the Hudson River 1. Framework for asking investigable questions (How will affect?) 2. Basic concepts in ecology 3. Nature of science experiences and exposure to the story of the Hudson River s zebra mussel invasion 4. Familiarity with field work and sampling
We go into the Museum to engage in ecosystem concepts In the diorama identify abiotic (non-living) and biotic components Using arrows, diagram one connection that might exist between an abiotic and a biotic component. Can you propose this connection as a question? How will.. affect?
Basic ecology concepts / Zebra mussel story
Nature of science experiences and exposure to the story of the Hudson River s zebra mussel invasion
Some Goals of the River Ecology Case Study 1. Give students and teachers an opportunity to experience the creative process of thinking scientifically and solving scientific problems i.e., the nature of science 2. A step closer to being ready to do secondary research NYCDOE "Grade 8 Exit Project Guide: Science"
PASSAGE 1 1. What effect do you think a zebra mussel invasion might have upon the Hudson River ecosystem? 2. In order to investigate this question, what data about the river might scientists collect?
PASSAGE 2 1. What kinds of data are scientists collecting in the Hudson River? (How does this compare to your answer in Passage 1?) 3. How could this data help the scientists assess the impact of the zebra mussel invation? 2. What types of tools and techniques did the scientists use to gather, analyze, and interpret data?
Reflection Question Is student engagement with the work of scientists--such as the River Ecology case study --a component of student inquiry and inquiry-based instruction?
Exploring the HR Variables in the Field
Out in the Field
Building an Investigation How will affect?
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Analyze the Data
End Goal: A Secondary Research Investigation
Teaching Teachers Science: The Case of Urban Advantage Principal Investigators: Suzanne M. Wilson, MSU and James Short, AMNH Research Team: Jamie N. Mikeska, Patricia Bills, Kenne Dibner, Suzanne Elgendy, Mark Helmsing, Tamara Shattuck
Research Project How are teachers developing understanding and practice enabled by the availability and use of resources?
Methods Sample: First cohort of middle school science teachers (n=15) attending UA PD in fall 2010 Data sources included: PD observations Classroom observations Teacher interviews Qualitative data analysis involved: Coding and linking together data segments Memoing Content analyses of field notes and interviews Graphic mapping
Teachers PD Learning Opportunities Guiding Question: How are these resources used? Observed PD sessions and completed structured observation protocol describing each PD activity Coded each PD activity for: Opportunities to do science Opportunities to understand the nature of science (NOS) Opportunities to understand the nature of scientific inquiry (NOSI)
Coding PD Activities: Scientific Practices
Coding PD Activities: NOS and NOSI NOS Aspects Tentativeness Empirical basis Subjectivity Creativity Sociocultural embeddedness Distinction between observation and inference Distinction between laws and theories NOSI Aspects Questions guide investigations Multiple methods of scientific investigations Multiple purposes of scientific investigations Justification of scientific knowledge Recognition and handling of anomalous data Sources, forms of, and distinctions between data and evidence Community of practice
Findings: Learning about the Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry PD enacted a theory of teacher learning involving two features: Having teachers witness scientists work Recreating similar experiences for teachers to engage in to understand this work PD activities emphasized processes for how scientific knowledge is generated 1) Range of methods used 2) Iterative and nonlinear nature of investigations 3) Importance of background knowledge and evidence
Range of Methods Used Doing science Diagrammed two secondary research questions using Investigation Design Diagram (IDD) Title: Question: Hypothesis: Investigation Design Diagram (IDD) Independent Variable: Witnessing scientists work Watched Hudson River teaching case video showing Cary Institute scientists: Collecting data on various abiotic and biotic variables Making and discussing data collection decisions Change in independe nt variable: Number of repeated trials: Dependent Variable: Constant variables: Adapted from Students and Research: Practical Strategies for Science Classrooms and Competitions, 3rd Edition, by Cothron, Giese, & Rezba. (2000). Kendall/Hunt Publishing.
Importance of Background Knowledge and Scientific Evidence Doing science Used information to generate hypothesis about how certain physical characteristics could affect observations of water quality variables Witnessing scientists work Watched a video showing scientists conducting an investigation about the melting ice caps What is your question? Developing a Scientific Explanation Tool (DSET) Support for your explanation Claim based on the evidence (What is the answer to your question based on your evidence?) Evidence (observations/data that answers your question) Scientific Reasoning (why you think this happened based on background research) Scientific Explanation = Claim + Evidence + Science Reasoning My claim is (fill in with above claim) because (evidence and science reasoning)
Teachers PD Learning Opportunities UA creates opportunities for teachers to watch science being conducted or to do science themselves UA resources (e.g., teaching case materials, IDD, DSET) used as an integral part of this work Challenge is to help teachers go meta
So what are teachers learning?
What evidence can we see of teacher s learning in UA exit projects?
What is a Science Exit Project? Urban Advantage Exit Projects are the primary tangible product emerging from UA s professional development sessions. Mimic NYC eighth graders endof-year science projects Partner institutions offer learning opportunities tailored towards different kinds of projects, such as controlled experiments or secondary research. Exit Projects display evidence of teachers learning in two distinct but related capacities: ecological content knowledge and analytical content knowledge.
Exit Projects at the American Museum of Natural History Exit Projects all use River Ecology dataset to perform a secondary research investigation Teachers may investigate any of the variables in relationship to one another Teachers tend to stick closely to the UA Exit Project formula - i.e. Powerpoint presentations with similar slides for research questions, background research, hypothesis, procedure, analysis, conclusion, etc.
What does quality mean? Breadth and depth of teachers communicated understanding of scientific content Use of scientific reasoning to determine clear, logical investigative steps throughout project Artifacts: Exit Project Slides, Notes from Presentations
Evidence of Teachers Learning - Ecological Content Content specific to the variables present in the Hudson River dataset and the relationships between them Teachers chose to position the population of Zebra Mussels as the independent variable in their investigation Projects communicated background knowledge about the variables to different levels of depth
Evidence of Teachers Learning- Ecological Content (examples)
Evidence of Teachers Learning- Ecological Content (examples, cont.)
Evidence of Teacher s Learning - Analytical Content Evidence of analytical content learning in two primary ways: teachers ability to outline investigation procedures, and teachers correct usage of scientific concepts to back up their conclusion/reasoning Again, quality varied considerably: teachers communicated procedures and conclusions ranged from perfunctory to in-depth and well-supported.
Evidence of Teacher s Learning - Analytical Content (examples)
Evidence of Teacher s Learning - Analytical Content (examples, cont.)
Trends in Teachers Learning The quality of teachers exit projects varies dramatically Despite evidence that quality of exit projects varies considerably across projects, it seems that quality remain largely consistent within projects.
Exit Projects in an Urban Advantage Context IDD Abstracts variables and relationships to help design and direct the investigation Teaching Case Materials Enables learning content in the context of scientific inquiry DSET Scientific reasoning contextualizes the results of investigation
Classroom Practice as Teacher Learning Data Sources: Classroom observations of 7 case study teachers Semi-structured interviews with teachers How teachers use UA tool (IDD, DSET): No use of SR teaching case materials, but use them As structures that guide long-term investigations As supports for other curriculum materials
Portraits of Practice Ideas about science inquiry and pedagogy Sense-making of UA resources and tools (IDD, DSET)
Annette: Background 14 years teaching experience Pre-med background B.A. and Master s in biology More comfortable teaching physics and chemistry
Annette: Ideas about Inquiry engaging in the practice of conducting an experiment, research[ing] information, [and] sharing it with others attend to the mystery that students view in natural world Helping them to think past the myths, to discover something new.
Annette: Ideas About Pedagogy Wants students to question more Feels her practice is absent ways to help students ask questions that unpack scientific processes Wants to help students learn through active science learning in and out of school (i.e., visiting NYC s many science institutions)
Annette: Use of UA Tools IDD used most often: It really helps to pinpoint, you know, how students write the question in the format they (UA) have suggested, which is how [one thing] will affect another thing because of a scientific reason they [students] know... (Annette) Writing a hypothesis and hypothetical thinking: IDD helps translate inquiry into written work. (research memo) Identifying variables and their relationships Could use the IDD for almost every science lesson I have to teach.
Annette: Use of UA Tools DSET (Designing Scientific Explanations Tool): Working with students on warranted assertions in scientific investigations if you re going to see [something], you have to have, you know, the proof to back it up, so I think that that was good just getting students to break down the way they learn and understand material.
Annette: Use of UA Tools Exit Projects valuable for her: Research essays IDD analysis Inferring evidence of variables Constructing logical conclusions Can now let students discover learn through involvement in an activity not rushing to give [students] answers, let them find it out.
Ellen: Background 3 years of teaching experience NYC Teaching Fellows Bachelor s in environmental science Two Master s level courses in education just prior to her first year of teaching Deep interest in science as a child growing up in NYC, regularly going to Bronx Zoo, for example Informal science learning, experiential learning, summer camps, scuba instruction, education outreach, Peace Corps, Boys and Girls clubs, etc.
Ellen: Inquiry and Pedagogy Inquiry Based Teaching I do feel students learn science best from hands-on and doing labs and from going outside and going on field trips, and that s my favorite way to teach, but it also depends on what you re teaching for there s so much to accomplish in science because I think it means that if I teach students how to do the scientific method, how to analyze, how to think critically, how to draw conclusions...
Ellen: Use of UA Tools UA Tool Use: IDD used with a lab sheet on solubility Used as a guide through the investigation Provided answers to some parts of IDD that were explained in other labs Students filled in the rest of the form as they worked through the investigation Modified the DSET for students Credits UA with helping her to help students do successful Exit Projects, to imagine new ways to present science (e.g., field studies).
Contrasts of Expanded Teaching Repertoires Annette: UA tools embedded into well-established practices Fit within deep understanding of curriculum and content Ellen: UA tools modified and appropriated into developing practices Supported developing coherence of inquiry-based curricula and strategies
Veteran and Novice: Common Threads Immediate appropriation of tools and language into practice UA tools and resources supported their attempts to teach inquiry Using UA tools as supports in varied science activities View UA as highly beneficial to their development as teachers though at very different stages of their careers
Discussion: Mechanisms at Play Dialectic that UA sets up between doing science and learning about science How UA sets teachers up to learn from their work in classrooms with their students, and then brings them back to the museum to both display students work and dig deeper into science
Interplay between Science Content and Scientific Inquiry IDD Abstracts variables and relationships to help design and direct the investigation Teaching Case Materials Enables learning content in the context of scientific inquiry DSET Scientific reasoning contextualizes the results of investigation
Theory of Teacher Learning and Change Learning by doing science Learning by watching others Teachers classroom practice
Continued Work Development work Refine PD model and teaching case materials Pilot and refine student materials Research work Create teacher resource maps Extend analysis to include student learning and teacher learning in other cohorts and PD cycles