breaking through the barriers to student learning jake burgoon nwo symposium 2009
TRANSCRIPT
Breaking Through the Barriers to Student
Learning
Jake BurgoonNWO Symposium 2009
A lesson on heat began with the question, “What is heat?”
The students said that heat came from the sun and from our bodies
One student spoke up about the heat in sweaters, and everyone agreed that sweaters were hot … and hats and rugs, too!
The teacher decided to let the students find out
www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/workshops/teachingforconcept.html
The students placed thermometers inside sweaters, hats, and a rolled-up rug
After 15 minutes, the temperature didn’t increase, so one student suggested to leave it overnight
The students predicted three-digit temperatures the next day
But the students came in the next morning and found the temperature to be the same“Cold air got in somehow”“We didn’t leave them in there long enough”
www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/workshops/teachingforconcept.html
One student decided to seal the hat, with a thermometer, inside a plastic bag
Other students put their sweaters in closets or desks
Again, the next day, the students found that the temperature had not changed
One student wanted to put the hat and thermometer in a metal box and leave it for a year
Surely the temperature would change then!www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/workshops/
teachingforconcept.html
After some discussion, the teacher offered the students two theories:Heat could come from almost anything, even hats
and sweaters. In measuring this heat, we are sometimes fooled because we’re really measuring the cold air that gets inside
Heat comes mostly from the sun and our bodies and is trapped inside winter clothes that keep our body heat in and keep the cold air out
Most students chose the second theory, and decided to test it by putting thermometers in their hats during recess
www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/workshops/teachingforconcept.html
Students come into the classroom with their own conceptions about the natural world
These conceptions are:ExplanatoryRe-confirmed by everyday experiences
Students are often resistant to give up these ideas
Changing students’ initial conceptions can be a long process
How can people live on this spherical earth without falling down?
How can the earth be spherical and flat at the same time?
oAstronomical object oSphericaloUnsupportedoGravity towards the
center of the earth
o Physical object o Flato Supportedo Up/down gravity
Everyday ExperiencesClassroom instruction
Students draw conclusions that were not intendedLesson designPrior experience
Incorrect explanations Textbooks
STUDENTS
TEACHERS
1. Mastering science content
2. Being aware of your students’ misconceptions
3. Addressing misconceptions with instruction
Lack of content knowledge = inadvertently providing students with scientifically incorrect information
Teachers (and other adults) often have the same misconceptions as students
Compare the masses of the three containers
FROZEN HEATEDROOM
TEMPERATURE
Greatest mass42%
Least mass37%
50%
33%
In order to correct student misconceptions, you must FIRST know what they areDive into the research
AAAS Benchmarks, Making Sense of Secondary Science
Formative assessmentsYour students may have unique ideas
The most important factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly.David Ausubel
Assess before, during, and after lessons
Formative assessments should elicit students’ explanations and personal theories about conceptsMore than true/false or yes/no
Ensures that you are giving your students EXACTLY what they needAlign your instruction to their
misconceptionsLessons are slightly modified each year
Help students overcome misconceptions
Use misconceptions to guide instruction
Become aware of student misconceptions
Formative assessment
Increase student learning
Hands-onSorting activities
Writing things downWritten probes
Watching cartoons or viewing comicsScience Concept ComicsAnimated Cartoons
Don’t put the coat on the
snowman – it will melt him!
I think it will keep him cold, and stop him from melting.
I don’t think the coat will make any difference.
1) Dissatisfaction with existing conceptionso Cognitive conflicto Difficult to achieve!
2) New conception must be intelligible
1) New conception must appear plausible
1) New conception must seem fruitful
Discrepant eventsDemonstrationsExperimental activities
The power of PREDICTION
Critiques:Students do not see the conflictStudents become discouraged
1) Dissatisfaction with existing conceptionso Cognitive conflicto Difficult to achieve!
2) New conception must be intelligibleo Understanding terms and symbolso Internal representation of concept
3) New conception must appear plausibleo Not counter-intuitiveo Consistent with personal theory or past experiences
4) New conception must seem fruitful
Spring pushes on
hand
Foam pushes on
book
Flexible board
pushes on book
Table pushes on
book
Initial Conception: A table cannot push up on a book
1) Dissatisfaction with existing conceptionso Cognitive conflicto Difficult to achieve!
2) New conception must be intelligibleo Understanding terms and symbolso Internal representation of concept
3) New conception must appear plausibleo Not counter-intuitiveo Consistent with personal theory or past experiences
4) New conception must seem fruitfulo Resolves dissatisfactiono Potential of concept to lead to new insights and
discoveries
Metaconceptual awareness
Adults are more likely to change their conceptions
Intentional learning
Epistemological beliefs (what is knowledge?)
Simple and certain
Complex and continuously evolving
Makes a difference in students’ responses to conflicting evidence
Making Sense of Secondary Science: Research Into Children’s Ideas by Rosiland DriverStudent misconceptions about numerous topics
Benchmarks for Science Literacy by AAAS Project 2061Chapter 15 is called “Research Base”On-line at
www.project2061.org/publications/bsl/online/index.php
A Private Universehttp://www.learner.org/resources/series28.html
Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It by William RobertsonChemistry; Air, Water and Weather; Electricity
and Magnetism; Energy; Force and Motion; Light; Sound
Science For All Americans by AAASScience Matters: Achieving Scientific
Literacy by Robert Hazen and James Trefil
Uncovering Student Ideas in Science (Volumes 1 to 4) by Page Keeley100 total formative assessment probes
Science Formative Assessment: 75 Strategies for Linking Assessment, Instruction, and Learning by Page Keeley