to hands-on – and beyond engaging students in lego robotics to develop content knowledge...

To Hands-on – and BeyondEngaging students in Lego robotics to

develop content knowledge

SDSTA-SDCTM ConferenceFebruary 6, 2015Crossroads Convention CenterHuron, SDDakota G, 8:30 AM

Sue Brokmeier, SDSU TLLLynda Venhuizen, SDSU TLLLarry Browning, SDSU Physics

Abstract

• In order to build physical science content knowledge and confidence in teaching K-5, a number of strategies including:• hands-on, • robotic, • concept mapping, and • web-based research activities will be discussed.

• Results from introducing these strategies in Higher Education and Elementary Education classrooms will be presented.

Rationale for the Project

Collaboration between our departmentsSue—LEAP (LEGO Education Advisory Panel)Lynda—Integrated CurriculumLarry—Physics professor, experience with ECE students

Noticed needs of ECE students, trends Lack of science in grades 1 & 2, coding, Next Generation Science Standards, Brookings School DistrictAstronomy classInternal grant – Academic and Scholarly Excellence to purchase manipulatives

Timeline

• Grant funded—collaboration between BSD and SDSU• Purchased– Simple Machines

and WeDo Robotics• Sue—trial in second grade

and kindergarten• ECE 412 –survey, pretest,

Simple Machines, wrote science lesson plans, post-test and follow up survey

Dispositions Towards Teaching Science• Surveys pre- and post-

project

What is your academic level?

Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Graduate Student

Other0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

0.00%

9.00%

56.00%

32.00%

0.00%3.00%

Which college-level physical science course have you completed (if ...

Earth and Phys-ical Science for

Teachers

Chemistry Physics Astronomy None of the above

Other0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

17.00%

37.00%

10.00%7.00%

15.00% 15.00%

What was your final grade in the physical science course, or what i...

A B C D F Not applicable0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

17.00%

57.00%

23.00%

0.00% 0.00%3.00%

What is your attitude/comfort level with LEARNING biology?

Very Negative Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

3.00%

22.00%

41.00%

25.00%

9.00%

What is your attitude/comfort level about LEARNING physical geography?

Very Negative Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

0.00%

25.00%

41.00%

28.00%

6.00%

What is your attitude/comfort level with LEARNING physical science?

Very Negative Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

0.00%

6.00%

47.00%

38.00%

9.00%

What is your attitude/comfort level with LEARNING physical science?

Very Nega

tive

Negative

Neutral

Positive

Very Positi

ve0%

20%40%

0.00% 6.00%

47.00% 38.00%

9.00%

Pre

Very Negative

Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive

0%20%40%60%80%

0.00% 6.00%21.00%

61.00%

12.00%

POST

Very Negative Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive

-30.00%

-20.00%

-10.00%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

0.000.00

-0.26

0.23

0.03

Change in %: Comfort with Learning Physical Science

What is your attitude/comfort level with TEACHING young children about Biology or Life Science?

Very Negative Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

0.00%6.00%

31.00%

50.00%

12.00%

What is your attitude/comfort level with TEACHING young children about geography?

Very Negative Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

0.00%6.00%

31.00%

53.00%

9.00%

What is your attitude/comfort level with TEACHING young children about chemistry?

Very Negative Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

10.00%

26.00%

32.00%29.00%

3.00%

What is your attitude/comfort level with TEACHING young children about physical science?

0%

40%0.00% 6.00%

31.00%56.00%

6.00%

Pre

Very Negative

Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive

0%20%40%60%

0.00% 3.00%

42.00%55.00%

0.00%

Post

Very Negative Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive

-10.00%

-5.00%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

0.00

-0.03

0.11

-0.02

-0.06

Change in %: Comfort with Teaching Physical Science

How prepared do you feel to teach young children about motion and stability

0%20%40%60%

0.00%

44.00% 38.00%

12.00% 6.00%

Pre

Very Unprepare

d

Unprepared

Neutral

Prepared

Very Prepare

d0%

20%40%60%

3.00%18.00%

55.00%

21.00%3.00%

Post

Very Unprepared Unprepared Neutral Prepared Very Prepared

-30.00%

-25.00%

-20.00%

-15.00%

-10.00%

-5.00%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

0.03

-0.26

0.17

0.09

-0.03

Change in %: Prepared to Teach Motion and Stability

How prepared do you feel to teach young children about forces and motion?

Very Unprepare

d

Unprepared

Neutral

Prepared

Very Prepare

d0%

20%40%60%

0.00%

34.00%50.00%

9.00% 6.00%

Pre

0%20%40%60%80%

3.00% 12.00%

61.00%

21.00%3.00%

Post

Very Unprepared Unprepared Neutral Prepared Very Prepared

-25.00%

-20.00%

-15.00%

-10.00%

-5.00%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

0.03

-0.22

0.11 0.12

-0.03

Change in %: Prepated to Theach about Forces and Motion

How prepared do you feel to teach young children about underlying forces and types of interactions?

Very Unprepare

d

Unprepared

Neutral

Prepared

Very Prepare

d0%

20%40%

6.00%

38.00% 44.00%

6.00% 6.00%

Pre

Very Unprepare

d

Unprepared

Neutral

Prepared

Very Prepare

d0%

20%

40%

3.00%

27.00%

45.00%

24.00%

0.00%

Post

Very Unprepared Unprepared Neutral Prepared Very Prepared

-15.00%

-10.00%

-5.00%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

Change in %: Preparation to Teache Forces and Interactions

How prepared do you feel to teach young children about how energy is transferred and conserved?

Very Unprepare

d

Unprepared

Neutral

Prepared

Very Prepare

d0%

20%

40%

12.00%

44.00%31.00%

9.00% 3.00%

Pre

Very Unprepare

d

Unprepared

Neutral

Prepared

Very Prepare

d0%

20%40%60%

3.00%21.00%

61.00%

9.00% 6.00%

Post

Very Unprepared Unprepared Neutral Prepared Very Prepared

-30.00%

-20.00%

-10.00%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

-0.09

-0.23

0.29

0.00

0.03R² = 0.15087836104426

Change in %: Preapared to teache about energy transfer and conservation

How has your confidence toward teaching science changed as a result...

0%20%40%60%80%

84.00%

3.00%13.00%

Content Knowledge Findings• Pre-test of physics-related concepts, 25 questions: Scores

ranged from 36-76% correct• Post-test of physics-related concepts: • 29 of the 33 students improved their scores • 16 students improved by 1-3 points• 10 students improved by 4-6 points • 3 students improved by more than 6 points

• 2 students’ scores remained the same• 2 students actually had more mistakes on the post-test• Only 1-2 points lower

Caution--Keep your eye on the objectives• So many got the question wrong:

In a perfectly efficient machine, the work input is _____ work output.a. equal tob. greater thanc. less thand. independent of

• Focused on the details that the students lost sight of purpose

Building Confidence as well as Content Knowledge• Manipulatives—LEGOs, common items (ex. bucket with washers,

SMILES, etc.)• Problem-solving (theme within NGSS: process AND product) • Making predictions (ex. dropping items at same time)• Books (trade books)• Concept Maps (pre and post?) VUE K-W-L Bubbl.us Tree of LIfe• Web-based research activities • creation of informational text to help build content knowledge

• Harvest

Benefit--Integrated Curriculum

• Tie math and language arts standards• 21st Century skills• Working with technology teacher • We (classroom teachers) focus so much

on isolated skills, but children are motivated to learn through “play”

Coding with Kids

• Programming: Scratch, LEGO Robotics, LabVIEW

Discoveries

• Large percentage felt unprepared to teach science pre and post• Primary grade science• Focus on reading and math (Common Core)• Children naturally fascinated by science activities (curiosity, inquiry, willing to

take risks)• Time for scheduled science instruction tends to start in 3rd grade• Are teachers in these grades science-phobic?• Attitudes toward teaching science improved, but knowledge of understanding

principles did not…assumed they would know that, but they didn’t…got caught up in the process and use of manips rather than focusing on learning objectives (universal concern)

Future studies

• Learning with manipulatives• Learning style inventory• Survey that is independent of course/instructor…would the results be

the same? (3rd party evaluator)• Validate questions• Science adverse teachers in primary grades?• Depth of understanding when teaching science…positive attitudes,

but what are they teaching?• Your interest in using WeDo or Simple Machines?

DiscussionLarry.browning@sdstate.eduSue.brokmeier@sdstate.edu

Lynda.venhuizen@sdstate.edu