fostering creativity in the science and mathematics classroom sheila tobias
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Fostering CreativityFostering Creativityin the Science and in the Science and
Mathematics ClassroomMathematics Classroom
Sheila Tobias
AuthorAuthor
Overcoming Math Anxiety
Succeed with Math
Breaking the Science Barrier
Revitalizing Undergraduate Science
The Hidden Curriculum: Faculty-Made Tests in Science
They’re not Dumb, They’re Different
Rethinking Science as a Career
Why Creativity is ImportantWhy Creativity is Importantto America’s Futureto America’s Future
InnovationInnovation
EducationEducationScienceScience
MathMathCreativityCreativity
NewNewBusinessBusiness
New JobsNew Jobs
EconomyEconomy
Innovation=Bringing an Invention Innovation=Bringing an Invention or a New Idea to Marketor a New Idea to Market
Not enough to generate creative technical people
Have to educate business leaders to understand and appreciate inventiveness
This means: Science and Mathematics for All
Capacity to InnovateCapacity to InnovateWhat the Scholars Tell usWhat the Scholars Tell us
The cognitive ability to produce novel and valuable ideas [Torrance, 1988]
Students who use content in creative ways learn the content well. They also learn strategies for identifying problems, making decisions, and finding solutions both in and out of school. [Starko, 1994]
21st century schools should foster creativity, judgement, the ability to think, and the power of expression [Ogawa, Kuehn-Ebert, Devito, 1991].
When the Teacher Values When the Teacher Values Creativity Creativity
in the Science/Mathematics in the Science/Mathematics ClassroomClassroom
Modeling Creativity
Stimulating Creativity
Rewarding Creativity
(above all) Not Punishing Creativity
The Opposite: Rote LearningThe Opposite: Rote Learning
Memorization
Recognition of learned materials
Recitation
Seatwork
Teacher-directed small group discussions
Structured instructions
[Refs: Torrance, 1962,Weistein, 1991 Takahashi, 1993]
Creativity EducationCreativity Educationin General is Fostered byin General is Fostered by
Student-Centered classroom
High-level Interaction with teacher, with other students
Less structured lesson plan
Exposure to various learning strategies; allowing students to choose their own
Active participation (performance)
Self-management
Personality Variables and Personality Variables and General CreativityGeneral Creativity
Passionate, positive, tenacious, and energetic
Has a long attention span
Does not like a biased view or prejudice
Unique and original, divergent thinking
High self esteem
Looks for various solutions, even after a single solution has been found
But may be Difficult to TeachBut may be Difficult to Teach
Perseverance: sticks to an idea but
Is often impatient
Must finish what he/she starts
Responsible and tenacious but
Indifferent to others’ opinions
Spontaneous, headstrong, even rude
How do you knowHow do you knowwhat you thinkwhat you think
you know?you know?
What doWhat doyou know?you know?
What would youWhat would youlike to know?like to know?
Do you knowDo you knowwhat you thoughtwhat you thought
you knew?you knew?
What newWhat newinformationinformation
have youhave youlearned?learned?
TopicTopic
Cultivating a Proper Attitude Cultivating a Proper Attitude toward Errorstoward Errors
“I find my mistakes interesting; my confusions even more so. They are windows into my thinking.”
“What is making this problem difficult for me? How can I make it easier for myself?”
Reif’s “extra points” – Distinguish your trivial from nontrivial errors. Describe how you will avoid trivial errors. Discuss your nontrivial errors in some detail.
Question PosingQuestion Posing
Bloom found that >95% of test questions are at Lowest level, recall of information
EvaluationEvaluation
SynthesisSynthesis
AnalysisAnalysis
ApplicationApplication
UnderstandingUnderstanding
RecallRecall
[Bloom, 1956, Himsl and Millar, 1993]
Question Posing 2Question Posing 2
Stage One – Gathering Information
Factual: what? why? how many?
Procedural: information as to how something happened
Stage Two – Organizing Information:
Higher level “why” questions including “why not” questions
Stage Three – Extending Information
Hypothetical questions: what might happen next? What else might have happened?
Speculative questions: creating new knowledge
Himsl and Millar (1993)
Teaching TechniquesTeaching Techniques
Mosteller’s Minute Paper:
1. What was the theme of this unit?
2.What would you like to learn more about?
3. What was the muddiest issue?
Divided Page ExerciseDivided Page Exercise
Thoughts
Feelings
Speculations
What if Questions
Solution in a logical sequential form
Three part Math ExamThree part Math Exam
One-third credit for the correct answer
One-third credit for finding MORE than one way to solve the problem
One-third credit for writing a paragraph-long essay on what makes the problem mathematically interesting
(This could be done for science, as well)
Making Use of Other People’s Making Use of Other People’s ResearchResearch
Crux issues in experimental research
Stories around research breakthroughs
Description of current unsolved problems
Vary Approach: Howard Gardner’s Multiple Vary Approach: Howard Gardner’s Multiple IntelligencesIntelligences(1983, 1999)(1983, 1999)
VerbalVerbal
InterpersonalInterpersonal
NaturalistNaturalist
ExistentialExistential
VisualVisual
MathMath
LogicLogic
MusicalMusical
KinestheticKinesthetic
Inquiry-Based LearningInquiry-Based Learning
Change in Emphasis from “What we Know” to “How we come to know.”
Development of inquiry skills
Nurturing of inquiring attitudes, habits of mind
Going from known to unknown to generating new knowledge
Becoming not an “all-knower” but an “expert learner”
Arons: Introduction to Teaching of Physics
MacDermott
ConstructivismConstructivism
Theory:
Learners are active creators of their own knowledge by asking questions, exploring subject, and constantly assessing what and how they know.
Each new knowledge must be reconciled with prior understanding; else false models (previous knowledge/paradigms) continue to prevail
Teaching through pupil-generated experiments, real-world problem solving, discussion, debate
Role of Teacher:
Coach
Developing Expert LearnerDeveloping Expert Learner
Expert sees patterns and meaning not apparent to novices
Experts have in-depth knowledge of their fields, structured so that it is most useful
Facts in experts’ memory are accessible, transferable, and applicable to a variety of situations
Experts can easily retrieve their knowledge and learn new information in their fields with little effort.
Concept MappingConcept Mapping
Teacher use:
To communicate complex ideas
Student use:
To explicitly integrate new and old knowledge
Assessment use:
To assess understanding or diagnose misunderstanding
[Ausubel, Novak, U.S. Buzan, U.K.]
The Latest Word on The Latest Word on “Learning Styles”“Learning Styles”
Abuse: “Don’t expect me to take notes teacher. I’m an auditory learner.”
Facts: Most professionals use more than one learning style, choose most suitable to
problem/situationOur goal as educators is to “e-ducare” lead one out of
one’s comfort zone into new methods of learning
ReferencesReferences
www.sheilatobias.com
www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/month6/
www.officeport.com/edu/blooms.html
Journal of Creative Behavior
Ai-Girl, Tan, “Singaporean Teachers’ Perception of Activities Useful for Fostering Creativity” (2001)
Norko Srek, Xitro Fan, Lani Van Dusen,“A Comparative Study of Creative Thinking of American and Japanese College Students” (2001).
Howard Gardner, “Frames of Mind” (1983), “The Disciplined Mind” (1999), “Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligence for the 21st Century” (1999).
National Science Resources Center www.nsrconline.org
J.D. Novak,, “Clarify with Concept maps (1991), How do we learn our lesson? (1993)
M.J. Lawson “Concept Mapping,” 1994
T. Buzan “The MindMap book”, 1995.
Richard Felder, Learning Styles