brenda s_inquiry project 1

8/14/2019 Brenda S_Inquiry Project 1

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The Fetal Stem Cell Debate: How HighThe Fetal Stem Cell Debate: How High

School Biology Students Separate FactualSchool Biology Students Separate Factual

Information from Agenda on the InternetInformation from Agenda on the Internet

Brenda SteigerBrenda Steiger

CEP 806 Internet Inquiry ReportCEP 806 Internet Inquiry Report

https://reader010.{domain}/reader010/html5/0628/5b34f65ed046e/5b34f6604674a.jpghttps://reader010.{domain}/reader010/html5/0628/5b34f65ed046e/5b34f6604674a.jpg


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My purpose for this inquiry:My purpose for this inquiry:

I wanted to know more about howmy students use the internet toform opinions and obtaininformation about science issues.


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Internet Issues:Internet Issues:

According to Bruce Bertram in hisAccording to Bruce Bertram in his

article,article, Credibility of the Web:Credibility of the Web:Why we Need Dialectical ReadingWhy we Need Dialectical Reading(2001),(2001), users of the web holdusers of the web holddifferent perspectives on thedifferent perspectives on thereliability of its text.reliability of its text.

Where are my students at?Where are my students at?


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Internet Inquiry ProjectInternet Inquiry Project

Questions:Questions:

Through online discussions withThrough online discussions with

other teachers and my readings, Iother teachers and my readings, Ihave formed three questions thathave formed three questions that

I think will help me uncover whatI think will help me uncover whatmy students think about themy students think about the

internet as a source ofinternet as a source of

information.information.


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How do high school biologyHow do high school biology

students come to terms withstudents come to terms withconflicting information regardingconflicting information regarding

fetal stem cells on the internet?fetal stem cells on the internet?

Question #1:Question #1:


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Are they able to separateAre they able to separateinformationinformation that is more factualthat is more factual

in nature fromin nature from information thatinformation that

has some underlyinghas some underlying

agenda?agenda?



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Which criteria do they use toevaluate the credibility ofdifferent websites relating to fetal

stem cells?



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How would my 21 biology students

respond to the three questions?

Heres what I thought.

Predictions:Predictions:


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How do high school biology students come to terms withHow do high school biology students come to terms withconflicting information regarding fetal stem cells on the internet?conflicting information regarding fetal stem cells on the internet?

Their opinions will first be based onTheir opinions will first be based ontheirtheir initial feelings about the issue,initial feelings about the issue,regardless ofregardless of the information thethe information thewebsites contain. Givenwebsites contain. Given their reliancetheir reliance

on particular search engines, Ion particular search engines, I thenthenpredict that a few students will want topredict that a few students will want to

look to sites for information other thanlook to sites for information other thanthethe three that I provide.three that I provide.

Prediction #1:Prediction #1:


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BackgroundBackgroundThrough my online discussions, I base myThrough my online discussions, I base my

prediction on a common theme amongprediction on a common theme among

students:students:

they prefer to rely on typical sitesthey prefer to rely on typical sites

like Wikipedia as a source oflike Wikipedia as a source of

informationinformation

Websites with user-friendlyWebsites with user-friendlyformats are preferred over thoseformats are preferred over those

of less familiar sitesof less familiar sites


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How do they separate information that is factualHow do they separate information that is factual

from information that has some other agenda?from information that has some other agenda?

Students will have difficulty indetermining the underlying purposes

behind any particular sitescontent.



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Prediction #2Prediction #2

Background:Background:My students may not yet have the skills toMy students may not yet have the skills todifferentiate between the treasures and thedifferentiate between the treasures and the

junk of science information on the internet.junk of science information on the internet.

The web today hides its preciousThe web today hides its precioustreasures behind a greater mass oftreasures behind a greater mass of

semiprecious or junk-grade texts.semiprecious or junk-grade texts.--Bertram, Bruce.--Bertram, Bruce. Digital Content: TheDigital Content: The

Babel of Cyberspace. JAAL (1999)Babel of Cyberspace. JAAL (1999)


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Prediction #3Prediction #3

What criteria do they use to evaluate the credibility of different websitrelating to fetal stem cells?

Most will have a few ideas about how toidentify

a legitimate site, but will not be able toname more than one particular criteria

to evaluate it.

Most will know what the domains .com, .organd .gov stand for, but will not have opinio

as to legitimacy for each.


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Background InformationBackground InformationLike spoken language, technological literacyLike spoken language, technological literacyis continually evolving, and students willis continually evolving, and students will

need the training and experience to copeneed the training and experience to copewith these changes, according to the article,with these changes, according to the article,Twenty-First Century LiteracyTwenty-First Century Literacy(1998) J Flood,(1998) J Flood,S.B. Heath, & D Lapp (Eds,).S.B. Heath, & D Lapp (Eds,).

Are my students prepared to deal withAre my students prepared to deal withthese changes?these changes?


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www.gothamgazette.comwww.gothamgazette.com

My Inquiry Plan:My Inquiry Plan:

Project StepsProject Steps


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Step 1:Step 1:

I introduced basic information to the studentsI introduced basic information to the studentsregarding the biology of the stem cell to getregarding the biology of the stem cell to get

them thinking.them thinking.

http://http://www.stemcellnews.com/index/images/stemcellimage.jpgwww.stemcellnews.com/index/images/stemcellimage.jpg
http://www.stemcellnews.com/index/images/stemcellimage.jpghttp://www.stemcellnews.com/index/images/stemcellimage.jpg


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Step 2:Step 2:

I provided my students with theI provided my students with the

addresses of three websites ofaddresses of three websites of

differing points of view.differing points of view.


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Right to Life of Michigan (RTL)Right to Life of Michigan (RTL)http://www.rtl.org/html/stem_cell_resources/ihttp://www.rtl.org/html/stem_cell_resources/i

ndex.htmlndex.html

National Institute of HealthNational Institute of Health(NIH)(NIH)

http://stemcells.nih.gov/http://stemcells.nih.gov/

Medra, Inc.Medra, Inc.http://www.medra.com/index.htmlhttp://www.medra.com/index.html


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I allowed students time to browseI allowed students time to browse

each of the three websites, andeach of the three websites, andthen they filled out athen they filled out a

questionnaire based on the threequestionnaire based on the three

inquiry questions.inquiry questions.

Step 3:Step 3:


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I compiled questionnaireI compiled questionnaire

information and conducted follow-information and conducted follow-

up interviews with a fewup interviews with a few

representative students.representative students.

Step 4:Step 4:


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Student Task #1 Results:Student Task #1 Results:

Students compared and contrasted the positive andStudents compared and contrasted the positive and

negative aspects of fetal stem cell research presentednegative aspects of fetal stem cell research presented

on each of the three websites.on each of the three websites.

How did the students handle conflictedHow did the students handle conflictedor perhaps de-emphasized informationor perhaps de-emphasized information

about fetal stem cell researchabout fetal stem cell researchcontained on each site?contained on each site?


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Task #1 Results:Task #1 Results:

Typical Student ResponsesTypical Student Responses

All of the sites had good information.All of the sites had good information.

Maybe more science should be done toMaybe more science should be done to

figure it out.figure it out. Medra says that it helped people. ItMedra says that it helped people. It

(fetal stem cell therapy) should be(fetal stem cell therapy) should be

allowed.allowed.

I dont think fetuses should be killed,I dont think fetuses should be killed,because there may be other ways tobecause there may be other ways to

cure diseases.cure diseases.


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Task #1 Results:Task #1 Results:

Five students indicated that theyFive students indicated that they

werent sure what to do with thewerent sure what to do with theconflicted or de-emphasizedconflicted or de-emphasizedinformation on these three sites. Theyinformation on these three sites. They

spent some time looking upspent some time looking upinformation elsewhere.information elsewhere.


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Task #1 Analysis:Task #1 Analysis:

Some students expressed strongSome students expressed strongopinions from either side of the debateopinions from either side of the debatebased on both what they saw on thebased on both what they saw on thesites and through somesites and through somepreconceptions that they held.preconceptions that they held.

Unfortunately, they were more eagerUnfortunately, they were more eager

to express an opinion about the issueto express an opinion about the issuethan to give an indication of how theythan to give an indication of how theyarrived at it.arrived at it.


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The students responded as IThe students responded as I

predicted, evaluating the positivepredicted, evaluating the positive

and negative sides of stem celland negative sides of stem celluse from a limited perspective.use from a limited perspective.

This issue turned out to be newThis issue turned out to be new

for most of them, so many didntfor most of them, so many didntknow what to think whenknow what to think when

presented with various sources ofpresented with various sources of



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Student Task #2:Student Task #2:

Students matched the followingStudents matched the following

statements with what theystatements with what they

thought would characterize eachthought would characterize each

of the three sitesof the three sites


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Task #2Task #2

Students choseStudents chose all that appliedall that appliedtoto

each of the 3 sites:each of the 3 sites:

to maketo make moneymoney.. toto persuadepersuade people into thinking apeople into thinking a

certain way.certain way.

to simplyto simply informinform people about thispeople about this

topic.topic.


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Task #2 Results:Categorizing sites by

agenda

0

4

8

12

16

20

PERSUADE

0

4

8

12

16

20

MONEY

0

4

8

1216

20

INFORM

RTL

Medra

NIH


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All of the students indicated thatAll of the students indicated thatthe NIH website intended to bethe NIH website intended to beinformative in nature. In myinformative in nature. In myprediction, I underestimated theirprediction, I underestimated theirability to notice this.ability to notice this.


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Task 2 Analysis:Task 2 Analysis:

Most students placed the Medra, IncMost students placed the Medra, Incwebsite into all three categories.website into all three categories.Some indicated that the testimonialsSome indicated that the testimonials

from patients on this site made itfrom patients on this site made itparticularly informative in nature.particularly informative in nature.

The site doesnt explicitly state theThe site doesnt explicitly state the

costs of their services, yet mostcosts of their services, yet moststudents recognized that Medra, Inc isstudents recognized that Medra, Inc isa business. I did not predict that theya business. I did not predict that theywould see this.would see this.


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The Right to Life website elicitedThe Right to Life website elicited

various responses, but mostvarious responses, but mostagreed that it was persuasive inagreed that it was persuasive innature.nature.

Many students indicated that theyMany students indicated that theyassociated this organization withassociated this organization withits anti-abortion stance.its anti-abortion stance.


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Student Task #3Student Task #3

Students were asked to make a list ofStudents were asked to make a list of

the items found on a website thatthe items found on a website thatwould indicate that it was a goodwould indicate that it was a good

source of information.source of information.


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Task #3:Task #3:

Typical Student ResponsesTypical Student Responses

How do you know a website containsHow do you know a website containsfactual information?factual information?

It explains things well.It explains things well. If its like wikipedia.If its like wikipedia.

It has lots of information.It has lots of information. It isnt selling something.It isnt selling something. If it was posted by a scientist.If it was posted by a scientist.


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My students already have some goodMy students already have some good

ideas as to what constitutes a reliableideas as to what constitutes a reliable

website.website.

When comparing the considerationsWhen comparing the considerations

listed on the Johns Hopkins Universitylisted on the Johns Hopkins University

website,website, Evaluating Information FoundEvaluating Information Foundon the Interneton the Internet, my students matched, my students matched

a few.a few.


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Students already have someStudents already have some

concept of these criteria:concept of these criteria:

AuthorshipAuthorship

Publishing bodyPublishing body

Point of viewPoint of view


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Students need reminders or instructionStudents need reminders or instruction

in these evaluation criteria:in these evaluation criteria:

Referral to other sourcesReferral to other sources VerifiabilityVerifiability CurrencyCurrency Distinguishing propaganda,Distinguishing propaganda,

misinformation, and disinformationmisinformation, and disinformation


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Emergent ideasEmergent ideas::

High school students have grown upHigh school students have grown up

with the web; their experiences havewith the web; their experiences have

provided them already with some ofprovided them already with some ofthe tools for finding reliablethe tools for finding reliable


They still require instruction inThey still require instruction in

evaluating science information on theevaluating science information on theweb. The more they know about aweb. The more they know about a

topic, the better they get at suchtopic, the better they get at such

evaluations.evaluations.


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Emergent Ideas:Emergent Ideas:

In such a survey, the way aIn such a survey, the way a

question is presented canquestion is presented can

determine the quality of the datadetermine the quality of the datacollected.collected.

I would like to take more time inI would like to take more time in

comparing my results with thosecomparing my results with thoseof my online colleagues, to see ifof my online colleagues, to see if

my results are typical for othermy results are typical for other

t d tt d t

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