Jim Slotta

Graduate School of Education

University of California, Berkeley

This research is funded by the the National Science Foundation under grants No. RED-9453861 and No. REC-9873180. Any opinions, findings, recommendations,

and conclusions expressed in this material are those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.

Inquiry and Technology in the Science Curriculum

- Researching a Web-basedlearning environment.

Thanks to the WISE & TELS Research group, UC Berkeley

WISE: The Web-based Inquiry Science Environment

(NSF ROLE grant)

TELS: Technology Enhanced Learning in Science

(NSF CLT Center)

Some guiding ideas from research Conceptual Change as re-structuring of

knowledge (Chi, diSessa, Smith, Keil, Carey, Brewer)

Technology as “scaffolding” for learning processes (Scardamalia, White, Songer)

Inquiry as process of “knowledge integration”(Linn, Collins, Bransford, Gomez, Driver)

Collaborative/Social nature of learning(Brown & Campione, Palinscar, Bereiter, Cole, Hall)

Scaling provides opportunity to research professional development, leadership models (Krajcik et. al, Cohen and Ball, Confrey)

Research Areas - Slotta Design framework for inquiry curriculum

Technology scaffolds for students, teachers

Teachers’ adoption of new pedagogical approaches

Learning communities Research or development partnerships Content communities School districts Professional development programs International communities

… Technology is coming- U.S. Classrooms Connected to the Internet

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, National Center for Educational Statistics, Advanced Telecommunications in U.S. Public Schools surveys, 1994-2002

The Web: challenges & opportunities

“Natural resource” for science education Rich source of content, interconnected materials Connections to science controversies, online expertise Rich media (video, images, dynamic sites) New functionality (e.g., java simulations, collaboratories)

But… Generally un-reviewed, unedited, unbalanced, unwieldy, … often un-useful

Need to integrate Web materials into inquiry projects

Possibly scaffold students’ use of Web materials in a Browser-based learning environment

Technology-Rich Resources … in Chemistry

… in Mathematics

http://www.wri.com

Mathematica/Maple

...in Molecular Biology

...in Economics and Political Science

http://www.microsoft.com/MAPPOINT/

…in Geo Sciences

Digital Weather Stationhttp://inkido.indiana.edu/research/dws.html

Web-based Learning Environment- Design Features

Integrate Web materials in a project-based context “Scaffold” students as they work collaboratively Technology tools for inquiry

“Inquiry maps” for procedural guidance Online discussions, reflection notes, journals, whiteboards,

modeling, visualizations Cognitive guidance to promote reflection and critique

Embedded assessments of conceptual understanding Support teachers as they adopt new inquiry practices Authoring tools for partnerships to create new inquiry

projects or teachers to customize existing ones.

The Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE)

Students Collaborate Using WISE

Inquiry as Knowledge Integration Inquiry projects help students make connections:

Topics from class (e.g., Earthquakes, Malaria projects) Everyday topics and experiences (e.g., news media) Their own beliefs about science and learning

Design framework for inquiry with technology: Making ideas visible (e.g., simulations, real-time data) Students learning from each other (online discussions) Providing accessible models and topics Development of autonomous learning

Teacher’s role becomes more of a tutor or guide

Make Thinking VisibleEvidence, arguments, models, visualization

Help Students Learn From Each Other –Discussion, debate, peer review

Make Science Accessible - Curriculum emphasizes connections

Promote Autonomous Learning- Reflection Notes and Hints

WISE Components- The Sensemaker Argument Editor

WISE Components- Online Discussions

WISE Components- Data Visualization, drawing, & Causal Mapping

WISE Components- Assessing Student Work

Integrate existing handheld activities into well designed WISE projects

html Forms are downloaded from WISE to handhelds

Forms scaffold data collection or observations using handhelds

Observation data are uploaded into class data set for later display and analysis

WISE Components- Handheld Forms and Activities

WISE Integrates Technology & Inquiry

Integrate current science topics or issues Global Warming/Climate Change Genetically Modified Foods Invasive Species/Biodiversity Control Malaria or HIV worldwide

Help students gain technology skills Critique Web resources Online discussions and collaboration Design tools (concept maps, drawing, white boards) Hand held technology and probeware Database and statistics

Promote Inquiry Skills Design Solutions Debate Arguments Perform Investigations

- Authoring or Customizing Projects

WISE Curriculum Design frameworkMajor Principles Design Guidelines Inquiry Activities

Making Science

Accessible

Project builds on student ideas

Project builds scientific knowledge framework

Students can connect project to personally relevant questions

Project connects to standards-based curricula

Project models the inquiry process

Project ideas are accessible to diverse learners

Investigating a driving question or

inquiry task

Eliciting student ideas

Connecting to personally relevant

problems

Making

Thinking Visible

Students create and use personal representations

Students express their ideas

Students are scaffolded to explore new representations

Students encounter multiple representations

Representations are incorporated into assessments

Activity promotes learning through representations

Activity illustrates the process of inquiry

Modeling, simulating, animating

Graphing, representing data

Representing arguments

Questioning / explaining

Drawing

Learning From

Others

Activity incorporates different kinds of social activity structures

Students listen and learn from each other

Peers have productive interactions to develop understanding

Students develop shared criteria for scientific discourse

Students have the opportunity to share their findings after generating

their own ideas

Developing criteria

Discussing with peers on-line

Discussing with peers in the classroom

Reflecting on discussion

Conducting a debate

Critiquing peers

Promoting

Autonomy

Project engages students in meaningful reflection

Project engages students as critics of diverse scientific information

Project engages students in multiple approaches to science inquiry

Project helps students understand and generalize the inquiry process

to diverse science projects

Project provides opportunities for learning and applying context-

embedded content knowledge

Writing reflection notes

Conducting a project

Preparing for a debate

Describing an inquiry

Critiquing own performance

Designing an inquiry

Revisiting ideas outside of class

Designing WISE Curriculum

Establish a Partnership Scientists, Ed. Researchers, Teachers

Use WISE Design Framework Scaffolded Knowledge Integration Design principles capture successful patterns

Use WISE Authoring Tools Authorware, Collaboration tools Create and revise activities, materials, guidance

Classroom Trials and Refinement What Features were successful? Where were students engaged? Where did teachers need customizations?

Life Science• Deformed Frogs (4)

• Genetically Modified Foods (2)

• Malaria (2)

• Space Plants (4)

• Wolves (2)

• Rainforest Interactions

• California Flora: Native or

Alien?

• HIV Prevention

• Gypsy Moth Invasion!

• Land Use and Human Impact

• Skin, Hair, and Nail Disorders

• Worms, Worms, Worms!

Earth Science• Next Shake Project

• Water Quality (5)

• Search for Planets

• Plate Tectonics

• The Rock Cycle

• Ocean Stewards

• Salton Sea

Physical Science• How Far Does Light Go?

• Desert Houses (2)

• Probing Your

Surroundings

• Sink or Float?

• Explosions!

Math• Rainforest Statistics

• Area and Perimeter

• Pizzeria Plan

• Skateboard Park

• Fractals and Infinity

Nature of Science• Life on in Mars?

• Monarch Butterflies

• Darwin's

Revolutionary

Evolutionary Theory

• Tabloid Trash or

Serious Science?

•Comet Collision

WISE Project Library

Pre-post Learning GainsProjectName

Content and Inquiry Standards Studentsin study

Pre-postgain

OceanStewards

Content: Biodiversity, marine healthInquiry: investigations, design

29 urban10 -12th

1.45**

(280%)

PlateTectonics

Content: Plate tectonics, continentsInquiry: evidence, simulations

362 urban9th-11th

1.3*

(70%)

RainforestInteractions

Content: biodiversity, food chains,Inquiry: causal mapping, lifestyle

22 urban6th

0.45**

(37%)

GM Foods Content: crosses, genetics, farmingInquiry: evidence critique, argument

173suburb 8th

1.09**

(47%)

HealthyCreeks

Content: Pollution, eutrophicationInquiry: causal maps, data collection

183suburb 6th

0.42*

(36%)

** significant at 0.0001 level; * significant at 0.001 level

Teaching with WISE - Challenges

Foster deep interactions with students around their ideas

Help students connect material to their personal understanding

Encourage social interactions

Incorporate new technologies

Develop an atmosphere of inquiry, critical thinking, and principled understanding.

Researching Professional Development

Whole middle school science department 6 Teachers, approximately 1000 students Internet lab dedicated for project Workshop to introduce WISE

Mentor (retired master teacher) worked closely with teachers in Year 1 “faded” in Year 2

Teachers varied widely: Science topic, teaching experience, teaching style

Measures: observations of teacher practices, teacher-student

interactions Pre-post scores, student project work in WISE

Study 1: Design “Ice breaker” - Meteorite Controversy Project

Mentor guided set-up and practice of all 6 teachers Simple 2-day introductory project - observations, interviews

1st Semester WISE Project - “mentoring” Mentor scaffolded 1st period, then faded Teachers were observed, interviewed Students assessed through pre-post, embedded measures

Second Semester - “independent use” Mentor helps schedule lab, makes sure things run smoothly

Second Year - “free to choose”Teachers can use the lab to run WISE if they wish“self-organized” around a group leader from within

Two 7th grade teachers run WISE Cycles of Malaria - observations

Sandra -7th grade Biology Technology Experience: “Shy” - can’t start up her

own computer; “Suspicious” about technology- it fails often

Teaching Style: “Interactive” - Enjoys hands-on labs, personal interactions with students.

Gilbert - 7th grade Biology Technology Experience:“Neutral” - uses desktop PC Teaching Style: “Traditional” - orderly and uniform.

“Everyone needs to be on the same page”

The Cycles of Malaria Project: - Students debate three different approaches to

controlling Malaria

Develop a pesticide that will kill the Anophales mosquito, e.g., DDT

Research a vaccine that will prevent people from contracting the disease

Implement social programs like education, cleaning up standing water or bed nets

Students critique evidence in support of all three approaches, then hold a “Mock U.N.” debate in class

Differences in Teacher Practice

Sandra - “Trusts the Technology” Deep Interactions for uncomfortably long periods...

Gilbert - “Constantly Circling” Makes sure to visit every group frequently...

Gilbert0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Sandra

Frequency (count)

Duration (sec)

Interactions with students

Pre-Post Student Learning Gains Improved Conceptual Understanding

Disease Vectors, Vaccines, Life Cycles, Medical Research Making Connections to Project Materials

Malaria Control, Banning of DDT, Competing Programs Applications to Personally Relevant Situations

Travel to Foreign Countries, Illness of children

0 = no response1 = off topic or disconnected2 = partial understanding3 = full understanding

Mean

Rati

ng

on

Test

Item

s

0

.25

.5

.75

1

1.25

1.5

1.75

2

2.25

Pre-test Post-test

Sandra

Gilbert

Pre-post gains for both teachers significant at the p< 0.0001 level

Pre-Post Student Learning: Personally Relevant ProblemsProblem 3: What advice or warnings would you give a friend who is planning to travel in a country where Malaria is wide spread?

Student Responses to Problem 3

- Gilbert 7th grade, n = 76 pairs- Sandra, 7th grade, n = 90 pairs

0

.25

.5

.75

1

1.25

1.5

1.75

2

2.25

Gilbert Sandra

Mean

Rati

ng

of

Test

Item

s

0 = no response1 = off topic or disconnected2 = partial understanding3 = full understanding

Student Project Work Allows Deep Analysis for Learning and Cognition

Analysis of Student “Reflection Notes” - Purpose: to help students make connections

- to content from project - to other life experiences, ideas and reflections

- Did teacher differences affect students’ ability to reflect deeply and make connections?

Measuring “Depth of Connections” in notes:- Develop coding scheme that focuses on number

and quality of connections made within note

- Perform coding of 6 notes within Cycles of Malaria project - compare between Sandra and Gilbert

Example - Note: “Develop a Vaccine” Prompt: Developing a vaccine is a good idea because…

However, some of the problems with this solution are...

Sample Student Ideas/Connections:- takes money to research- easy to administer,cost effective to administer- Cheap/too expensive for the poorest people- won’t harm environment/long term solution - disease “mutation”/side effects/”no vaccine exists!”- difficult problem – parasitic vaccine…- need different vaccines for different stages of

Malaria.

Student Note - Poor Connections

“We think that developing a vaccine is a good idea because it could protect everyone from the disease. 2. However, some of the problems with this solution are it would take a long time and it would be very expensive.”

- One student from Gilbert’s class

Student Note - Rich Connections

” We think that developing a vaccine is a good idea because it could create for the body an immunity in which people would not be infected by the parasites, even if they were bitten by an already infected mosquito. Also, it would be easy to make, easy to transport, and does not effect the environment. The overall price of the vacinnes would also make the poorest countries be able to afford them. |2. However, some of the problems with this solution are that scientists have not yet been able to create a really effective vacinne, although there was a vacinne in England that used DNA to prevent from getting infections such as malaria, it wasn't as effective as it needs to be. Scientists also are afraid that introducing new DNA may cause cancer for some people.

- One student from Sandra’s class

Notes vary in quantity, quality of connections

Mea

n R

atin

g of

Con

nect

ions

(1 =

“lo

w”,

3 =

“hi

gh”)

0

.2

.4

.6

.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

1 2 3 4 5 6

Reflection Note - Cycles of Malaria

Gilbert’s students(N = 76 Pairs)

Sandra’s students(N = 90 Pairs)

Differences Between Teachers: Student Reflection Notes

Year One - Discussion

WISE curriculum accommodates diverse teaching styles - “not so brittle that it breaks” Sandra could rely on WISE technology to help

with classroom management Gilbert could rely on WISE Pedagogical

Scaffolding to help students make connections Note- neither teacher interacted more than 2

minutes per student, on average

Some differences in student achievement do result from differences in teacher practice

Sandra and Gilbert both choose to run Malaria again WISE Mentor has completely faded, researchers absent Much greater level of independence, confidence“Sandra still Sandra, Gilbert still Gilbert”

Cycles of Malaria - One Year Later...

Reflection Note - Cycles of Malaria

0

.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

Note 2 Note 3Note 1 Note 6Note 5Note 4

Gilbert Year 1

Sandra Year 1

Gilbert Year 2

Sandra Year 2

Mea

n R

atin

g of

Con

nect

ions

(1 =

“lo

w”,

3 =

“hi

gh”)

Year Two - DiscussionWhy did their students improve so

much??- 7th grade students had WISE as 6th graders- Teachers were more confident with WISE- Scheduling and syllabus were better

managed.WISE accommodates variation in

teaching styleStudents and teachers gain lasting

benefits

WISE Teachers and Students- registered, ran projects in classroom

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

May'99

Sep'99

Jan'00

May'00

Sep'00

Jan'01

May'01

Sep'01

Jan'02

May'02

Sep'02

Jan'03

May'03

Sep'03

Teachers

Students

Expanding horizons - Opportunities To research student learning

In diverse contexts - urban, rural, remote With teacher customizations

To research professional development with decreasing levels of contact with a diversity of teaching styles in focused in-service program

To create partnerships For professional development (e.g., districts or other

research grants) For technology development (e.g., other developers) For content communities (e.g., with agencies, museums,

publishers, etc).

WISE Online Communities: - Sustaining Professional Development

Links to knowledge Resources (materials, readings)

Connection to mentors online

Opportunities for interaction and exchange

WISE International Partnerships

WISE Holland: GM Foods

WISE Norway: Cycles of Malaria

WISE Germany: Deformed Frogs

WISE Japan: Global Warming Model

Cross-cultural comparisons: - The WISE-Norwegian wolf curriculum

Wolf biology, predators, ecosystems, biodiversity

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Curriculumframeworks

Account-ability

StudentPopulations

PedagogicalFlow

U.S. • Localizedcurriculumat schooldistrict level• standards-based content

• standards-based testsfor students• high stakesfor schools

• Sometracking• modularcourses

• Short classperiods withwell-definedactivities• Teacher asauthority

Norway • NationalCurriculum• focus onproject work• many topicsper grade

• Limitednationaltesting• "teachingpractice"guidelines

• Students"apply" forschools• Teacherremains withstudents forseveral years

• Projectemphasis• student-centered• flexibleschool hours.

Comparing Educational Systems

Researching International collaborative inquiry activities Questions:

How can we design an inquiry project that takes advantage of international differences?

Why should we hope that students can benefit from such a project?

Goals: Help students to “think globally” about local issues Leverage cultural differences to provide new perspectives

Basic Approach Consider differences between students in U.S., Norway Design inquiry project that leverages those differences Measure impact of project in terms of targeted concepts

Research Design Identify “key concepts” where U.S. & Norwegian

students differ: Global Interdependence: Norwegian students may be

more sensitive to this, and more knowledgeable. Biodiversity: U.S. students may have focused more on

this (greater forests, much greater number of wolves) Design a new WISE project that targets those concepts

1. Capture students’ initial ideas in preliminary assessments 2. Host two online discussions: one for each concept 3. Capture students’ ideas in a final assessment

Hypothesize: students will differ initially, which will influence their exchanges, and be apparent in final assessment.

Study 3 - Design Participants

US: 30 sixth grade students (age 12) Norway: 22 tenth grade students (age 15)

Materials WISE + Viten wolf projects (approx 6-8 hours)

• Students in each country ran this project separately New WISE project: Wolf Populations: A Global Issue

• Short project - students exchange ideas about 2 key concepts• 3-4 hours of class time.• Students interact with international peers

Asynchronous interactions, with U.S. students contributing, then Norwegians 9 hours later, etc.

Activity 1: Introductions & pre-assessment

Activity 2: Online Discussions

Activity 3: Final Assessment

Initial Assessment - student ideas Global Interdependence: Norwegian students had greater

emphasis on nation and culture Biodiversity: U.S. students had greater emphasis on causal

mechanisms of populations

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Biodiversity(Causal

Mechanism)

GlobalInterdependence

U.S.Students

NorwegianStudents

because it is a part of our nature. so that it should be saved for our next generation so that they can study it and know about it.

- Norwegian Student

they keep the natural balance of things. if we were to kill all of the wolves and all of the other predators the ecosystem would be very unbalanced. The predators eat until food is less ubundant. then the predators die off so the deer, elk and other things grow more populated and this will happen forever until we dusturb

the equilibrium. - U.S. Student

Online Discussions Global Interdependence: Norwegian students emphasized

cultural context, and added ideas for the U.S. students. Biodiversity: Both U.S. and Norwegian students showed

understanding, and the discussion did not progress very far.

Final Assessments Global Interdependence

U. S. students were influenced by online discussions

It is important so you can get a diffrent viewpoint on everything so that you can understand that the problem doen't just affect you and one sulution in america could wreck the sulution in norway or another country. - U.S. Student

It is important because that's one of the only ways to truly get the ideas of people from another country. We can also get a lot of new ideas and information you can't get out of a book. - U.S. Student

It is important because the ecosystem is a part of the whole world. If we exchange ideas with them then we get good solutions about the wolves problems. We can also learn about how the wolves problem in other part of world. We can also have a good relationship with other countries which has the same problem like us. - Norwegian Student

Assessment Item: Why is it important to exchange ideas with students from other parts of the world?

Conclusions: International Study

• U.S. Students gained:• Cultural perspective of Global Interdependence

• Norwegian Students gained:• Exposure to a much larger wolf population

• Students benefit from interactions with peers• International Collaborative activities are highly sensitive to role of instructor, timing.• Next steps:

• Larger, more controlled run of the project.

Technology Enhanced Learning in Science: TELS

Affiliated Schools

Durham Public Schools

Berkeley Unified School District

Mount Diablo Unified School District

Tempe Elementary School District

Maynard Public Schools

Cambridge Public Schools

School Partners

Affiliated Universities

Norfolk State University

Pennsylvania State University

North Carolina Central University

Mills College

Leadership partners

Affiliated Universities

Boston University

Concord Consortium

University of California, Berkeley

Technion

Arizona State University

Research Partners

TELS center

TELS Goals Leveraging technology for science learning Create TELS Innovations. Merge successful technologies to create customizable

technology-enhanced learning environments Research leverage points for technology. Collaborate with school partners

serving diverse students to identify & teach benchmark topics Synthesize research on technology and science learning. Create TELS

Perspectives and Design Principles Database Prepare the next generation of educational leaders. Offer TELS fellowships,

TELS Collaborative Courses, and TELS Certificates.

TELS Research Partners

TELS: New Technology Partnerships

Simulations of Physical Science Pedagogica

controls the user experience

Integrates a flash animation with the Molecular Workbench

Rich Assessments of student ideas

TELS Innovations - Next generation learning environment

Build on WISE Learning Environment

Concord models, simulations, probeware, structured activities

Re-engineer the data model, LCMS

Toward the Future… Given a flexible research-based authoring and

delivery system for curriculum and assessments… What are the opportunities?

For research (e.g., activity patterns, classroom discourse, prof. dev) For content communities To explore new technology innovations

• simulations, models,

• Real-time collaboration (IM, sharing, col-labs, multi-user)

• Knowledge aggregation – semantic webs, wiki,

What are the challenges?• technology platforms• school technology capabilities• pedagogical paradigms, standards, high stakes testing, etc• teacher content knowledge, PCK• limited cognitive models of learning and instruction (full circle)