Northern Indiana Science Math and Engineering

Collaborative \\\\\\\

At our table: • Gordon Berry, Ph.D.

– Professor of Physics, Notre Dame

• Sara Nielsen, Saint Mary’s College– Senior Chemistry Major, Secondary Education, at Washington HS.

• Joseph Bellina, Ph.D.–Professor of Physics, Saint Mary’s

• Stuff to look at from our library at SMC.

Changing How Science Is Taught

• Learning Science Like Scientists.

• Engagement rather than delivery.

• Adopt a guided inquiry curriculum.

Please Don’t Expect To Understand All

Lecture is a poor techniqueIf not familiar with language and concepts.

Just stimulate your curiosity

Learning about the World

• We all construct conceptual mental models of the world.

• Fragmented lives / fragmented models.

• Fragmented models often not scientifically accepted ones.

• We all have these misconceptions.

• Strongly Held..our framework for thinking.

• Inhibits learning from lecture or reading, need active engagement

• Learn in the way scientists learn..guided inquiry

Different Visions of Science

• Private Science – Being wrong is an opportunity to learn– Guided Inquiry, but no “scientific method”– Learned in conversation– Teachers rarely see this, grad students know.

• Public Science– Looks like the “scientific method”

• Traditional School Science– Deliver list of conclusions– Memorization and rule-driven deductive thinking

New Science Learning:Private Science in the Classroom

• Teachers guide student inquiry.

• Curriculum situates content and process…student centered.

• Student/scientists predict, observe, write in notebooks, and reflect in groups.

School City of Mishawaka, K-6NISMEC’S Role:

• Guided Choice of Curriculum.• District adopted NSF-funded curriculum.• Teacher Science Institutes.

– Private Science and Guided Inquiry.

• In-School Support for Teachers.• Science Notebooks and Literacy.• Positive change has occurred.

Future

• Expand effort to other districts.• Whole school, whole district approach.• Work to change the curriculum.• Support informal education.

Want to know/see more?

Come to our table and chat

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Gr 4 Science

Gr 6 Science

Gr 6 Writing

El Centro School District PerformanceGuided Inquiry Hands On Curriculum67% free lunch, 50% Limited English

Years in school

Percentile

On California State Test

What can happen

Interactive Engagement Trumps Traditional Physics