using the method of multiple working hypotheses to frame an inquiry-based science laboratory kari l....
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USING THE METHOD OF MULTIPLE WORKING HYPOTHESES TO FRAME AN INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE LABORATORY
Kari L. Lavalli & Sally K. Sommers Smith
Division of Natural Sciences
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THE GOAL: STUDENT-DIRECTED INQUIRY
Required year-long general education course
Theme: evolutionary theory, human evolution as a case study
Challenge students to design and perform experiments, interpret data, and write about their findings
Avoid “cookbook” labs Make laboratory the focus of the course
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THE CORE TEXT FOR THIS COURSE
The Method of Multiple Working Hypotheses (T.C.Chamberlain, 1897, reprinted 1931)
Idea: Scientists become attached to their explanations; these attachments influence the data collected and analyzed
Multiple hypotheses prevent focus on a single explanation
Elimination experiments narrow the possibilities, until only a few explanations are likely
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APPLICATION TO STUDENT LEARNING
Students are presented with opportunities to observe organisms closely
These opportunities included: Observation of gorillas at Franklin Park Zoo;
comparison with human behavior Territorial behavior of Betta splendans (fighting
fish) Mating behavior of Drosophila melanogaster
(fruit flies)
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APPLICATION TO STUDENT LEARNING
Initially, students observe carefully, using behavioral sampling techniques
From these data, students suggest multiple hypotheses to explain their observations
Students test their hypotheses by designing and performing experiments
Students share their hypotheses and raw data with the class in short presentations
Lab groups write a formal laboratory report on their findings and conclusions
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LABORATORY GROUPS
Sasha Shahidinijad and Jonathan Ho
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STUDENT EXPERIMENTS
Reina Yasouka Charlotte Altirs Erica Cohn
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STUDENTS LEARN TO DESCRIBE EXPERIMENTS
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STUDENTS LEARN TO GRAPH DATA
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OUTCOMES Students become accustomed to formalizing their observations
and turning them into answerable questions Students become accustomed to the idea that several different
explanations may be considered to explain a set of observations Students become accustomed to designing experiments with
quantifiable endpoints, and graphing their data immediately Students become proficient at presenting their hypotheses and
data to other lab groups Challenges: students have difficulty communicating their
observations, findings, and conclusions in formal laboratory reports
Opportunities to revise lab reports improve scores, but lessons learned in revision may not be repeatable
We are currently testing ways of improving student writing in the sciences