Science Education - Investigating a Childs Thinking - Assignment Example

EDP225 Science Education Assignment 1 Specific Content Criteria Fail (Marks 0 – 19.5) Pass (Marks 20 – 23.5) Credit (Marks 24 – 27.5) Dist (Marks 28 – 31.5) H Distinction (Marks 32 – 40) Mark Allocation Part A Science Research Failed to explain/ poorly explained science topic and/ or did not define key terms. Material unreferenced or inappropriate sources used. Explained some important aspects about the chosen science topic. Some key terms defined. Diagrams provided. Important aspects about the science topic explained. Most key terms defined. Some relevant diagrams and academic references (1-2) provided. Important aspects about the science topic have been clearly explained. All key terms defined. Relevant diagrams provided. A range of academic references (2-3) provided Important aspects about the science topic have been clearly explained. All key terms explicitly defined. Pertinent annotated diagrams provided. Wide selection of references (4+) taken from strong academic resources. /8 Part B Interview Preparation and Information Did not create 10 age appropriate questions. Partial or no transcript provided. Created 10 age appropriate questions relevant to the topic and provided a full transcript provided. Created 10 age appropriate questions relevant to the topic. Full transcript provided with concrete examples to prompt interviewee and supporting documents (in appendices). Created 10 age appropriate and consecutive questions and appropriate concrete examples to prompt the interviewee. Included a full interview transcript, concrete prompts, work samples and supporting documents (in appendices). Created 10 age appropriate and consecutive questions. Full transcript demonstrates a wide range of question types (open ended, probing, leading, closed etc). Included appropriate concrete examples to prompt interviewee, annotated work samples and other supporting documents. (provided in appendices) /9 Part C Analysing the interview Did not summarise the interview or establish appropriate developing concepts or misconceptions from the transcript. Provided a basic summary and identified some developing concepts from the transcript. Provided a summary of the interview, identified some developing concepts and misconceptions from the transcript. Used some literature to support discussion. Provided a detailed summary of interview. Used interview evidence to explain possible developing concepts and misconceptions. Linked findings to relevant science literature. Provided a detailed summary of interview. Used interview evidence to explain possible developing concepts and misconceptions. Explicitly linked findings to a wide variety of pertinent science literature. /9 Part D Activities and Learning Theories Suggested 4 inappropriate activities that will not develop the child’s current level of understanding. No reference has been made to appropriate children’s learning theories. Suggested 4 activities that will develop the child’s current level of understanding. Discussed appropriate children’s learning theories. Suggested 4 hands-on activities which consider common misconceptions and develop the child’s current level of understanding. Discussed appropriate learning theories and related these to the activities. Suggested 4 exciting, hands- on activities that address misconceptions and develop the child’s level of understanding. Justified the effectiveness of the activities by referring to appropriate learning theories. Suggested 4 exciting hands on activities that clearly address misconceptions and extend the child’s current level of understanding. Used specific examples from the activities to justify their effectiveness when referring to pertinent learning theories. /9 Academic Conventions Academic writing Numerous grammatical and/or referencing issues throughout report. Exceeded word count. Incorrectly presented or absent reference list . Some grammatical and/ or referencing issues identified. Mostly correctly presented reference list. Limited grammatical and/ or referencing issues identified. Correctly presented reference list. Correct font and size, line spacing, header details, writer perspective and word count provided at the end. No grammatical and/ or referencing issues identified. Correctly presented reference list. Correct font and size, line spacing, header details, writer perspective and word count provided at the end. All written work is carefully constructed and presented without error. Writing is succinct and signposts the reader. Correctly presented reference list. Correct font and size, line spacing, header details, writer perspective and word count provided at the end. /5 General comments: Tutor: Mark : /40 Grade: F Pass Credit Distinction High Distinction Child’s Idea about Science Concept Part A: Science Research Science concept chosen: States of matter. Part A: Concept explanation Matter is all around us; it is in all places we glance. Scientists use the word matter to mean anything that occupies space (Slade, 2006). Matter comes in several different states. It can be solid, like a telephone. Matter can also be a liquid, like the water in a fish aquarium. Some matter is in the form a gas, for example, the helium in a balloon, which makes it float, is a colourless gas. Every planet in the universe has matter. Everything in the world, from the tallest mountain to the deepest ocean, is made of matter. Matter makes up our skin, eyes, hair and the rest of our body. Wherever we go and whatever we do we are always surrounded by matter. Matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms. Every solid, liquid and gas in the universe has atoms. Atoms are so small you cannot see them. Group of atoms make up molecules. Therefore, all matter whether natural or manmade is made up of atoms and molecules. As has been mentioned above, matter can exist in any of the three states; that is, solid liquid and gaseous state. All these states of matter are all made up of infinitesimal particles called the atoms. However, what distinguishes these three states of matter is the behaviour of these microscopic particles (Monroe, 2010). Matter existing in a gas state is characterized by particles which are well alienated with no standard arrangement and move liberally at high speed. This is because the forces holding the molecules together are very weak. This force is known as the intermolecular force. For this reason gases are weak, hence, they result in a shape that leans to expand all over the container. Matter existing in liquid form is characterized by particles that are closer together with regular arrangement and move about and slide past each other due to weak intermolecular forces. In this regard, liquids have no distinct shape; they take the shape of their containers. Matter existing in solid form is characterized by particles that are tightly packed in a regular pattern and hardly move from one place to the other despite their ability to vibrate. This is due to the fact that intermolecular forces in solids are very strong (Brent, 2008). These distinctions are what define the three classical states of matter. Non-classical states of matter always bear strong correspondence to classical ones, but they may need definite environmental circumstances, or exist principally in presumption (Slade, 2006). Plasma is the most profuse among the non classical states of matter. With the application of heat and pressure, the three typical states of matter can changeover from one to the other. The procedure through which solids change to liquid is referred to as melting, while the opposite is referred to as freezing or solidification (Brent, 2008). This is can be illustrated with. In the liquid state, water can be frozen into ice. Ice is a solid which can consequently be melted back into the liquid form of water. By applying sufficient heat and pressure, liquids can change to gases through a process recognized as vaporization (Monroe, 2010). The reverse of vaporization process is known as condensation. Solids can change straight into gases by means of sublimation, while gases to solid by means of deposition (Slade, 2006). To better understand causes and effects of changing forms in states of matter one needs to understand why the difference in temperature and pressure is the only thing that controls the direction in which heat will flow. Part B: Preparing to Investigate a Child’s Thinking Questions: 1. Do you know what matter is? 2. Do you know what the term states of matter means? 3. Do you know what the 3 basic states of matter are? 4. Can this item (water) transform into other states? 5. What do we call water in gas and solid form? 6. How can a liquid become a gas? What is needed? 7. How can a liquid become a solid? What is needed? 8. Can a solid change back to a liquid? What is needed? 9. Can a gas change back to a liquid? How would that occur? 10. Can these objects easily change states? (A chocolate block, candle, an egg and a steel spatula). Transcript of the interview with Jane She is 10 years old and in grade 4. Steve: Do you know what matter is? Jane: Umm yeah, we have learnt about this. It’s everything. Everything everywhere is matter. Steve: Yeah, that’s exactly right. Anything that you can touch or smell or see or feel is matter. Do you know what the term states of matter means? Jane: Umm...I do but I can’t remember. Steve: Okay, here is a clue; one state of matter is liquid. Can you remember the other two? Jane: Oh yeah, solid and gas! Liquid, solid and gas. Steve: Well done, that’s right. (Pointing to a cup of water on the table) So can the water in- Jane: (Interrupting) Liquid! (Smiling cheekily) Steve: Hah, you got it! But I was going to ask if it can change into a solid or a gas. Jane: Yeah it can be ice, which is solid, and it can be gas, like when it boils. Above it. Steve: What is that called? Jane: Steam. Steve: Does the water have to be boiling to make steam? Jane: Umm yep. The interview with Jane of matter and its state applies the informal curriculum which promotes breakdown of learning process: authencity and practical approach. To help children gain big ideas and understanding of concept. Nature of the interview is such that only if you have an idea can you proceed to the next .Leading questions thus helping the kid in answering the question and meeting the overall goal of understanding. Informal curriculum theory discourages educators from teaching new knowledge directly to students and instead students current knowledge be challenged. What this means is that students current challenged ideas will automatically be adjusted to reflect actual concepts and theories. This is similar to constructivism theory which is built on emphasis of active involvement of student in builingd knowledge for themselves. The theory of Constructivism suggests that an educator should begin with complex problems and take care of the basic skills while solving the complex ones. According to Modern learning theory learning presents itself in different instances. In some cases an idea fits with no difficulty in to the structure present in current understanding as seen by Jane’s ability to easily explain what happens to changes in different changing forms of matter. Other instances new understanding relies on connecting familiar instances to form a new and coherent framework. Still in other cases new and old ideas conflict and stored in the in-depth for later retrieval or to be used differently until the subconscious mind finds its connection with other ideas. (Abell and Lederman, 2007: Carlin, Bass and Constant, 2005). Adair (2005) in his idea of using the stepping stones of analogy explains why it is necessary to understand that everything has possibly been invented and our role in creative thinking is to have new eyes for what already exist. No one puts it better when he says that it is no need trying to re-invent the wheel. Part C: Reporting on a Child’s Thinking Establish what developing science concepts the child demonstrates Jane’s knowledge of states of matter is limited to only the effects of a particular state of matter for example she is conversant with the concept of matter when she says matter is everything. It is important to note that she acknowledges this to somewhere she got the concept; it could be in class maybe. To the question on states of matter she admits knowledge of the concept but testifies to not recalling. Given a clue she captures the concept confirming to the claim that she knew but had just forgotten. Jane appears to have a basic understanding of the changing forms from ice to water and gas. For a kid at 10 and in grade four to say that she had not tried is an understatement. Educators’ expectations of how much and well a learner will learn directly influences their learning. Both Verbal and non verbal behaviours such as educators smiling and eye contact enhance positive feedback. Less feedback and praise usually lead to inaction especially if the learner needs corrective action to improve. It is only natural for learners to be sensitive to educator’s beliefs about them and prolonged tendencies most likely contribute to faith in the situation being unalterable. With this in mind educators have to help a student to believe in his/her ability to learn effectively. A more practical approach would be building learners confidence by simplifying difficult projects into smaller steps that are easily achievable (Carin, Bass and Constant, 2005; Cruickshank, Jenkins and Metcalf, 2006; National Research Council, 2001) State any possible misconceptions the child holds Matter to an average man just like Jane puts it is everything we see. A student with a science bias is likely to add an example to the definition he/she could say matter is everything around us. Our bodies involved made of tiny forms of matter called atoms. Possible misconceptions could be for example all solids, gases and liquids behave similarly when subjected to energy and heat (Digest, 1999). Jane might not be aware that if something becomes extremely cold its atoms stop moving and can therefore not get any colder. It is also unlikely that she knows that at the lowest temperature absolute zero some gases turn into metals and some metals become superconductors. The interview with Jane displays a misconception in view of the response given for whether water has to be boiling to make steam. Water boils at 100 degrees while paper catches fire at 184 degrees. Steam on the other hand is experienced even before water starts to boil. Jane was right putting water into a freezer to turn it into water however water freezes at Zero degrees thus emphasis on the specifics. It is correct that the spatula is not bound to melt in the experiment however it would be a misconception that it cannot melt altogether. At 1535 degrees iron melts and at 5000 degrees we have the hottest flame able to melt all matter; in addition at 5500 degrees we have the surface temperature of the sun (Digest, 1999). An egg presents a unique situation since it is both solid on the outer cover and inside is liquid. An opportunity presents itself to introduce the idea of atoms and molecules of different aspects of matter. Theory developed can also be used to explain why some things are heavier than others. The reason some things are heavier than others can at this stage be simply explained as partly because of the kind of atoms it contains and partly on how closely they are packed. A science educator should be ready to handle controversies if and when they present themselves. Learners unlike scientists are not aware that scientific ideas have been tested are not controversial. It is likely that a learner will be confronted with a science concept which differs from prior knowledge in such instances educator should aim to support the goal of effective science which stresses on understanding and not believing. This is likely to arise in topics related to evolution and religion possible mix with science. An educator should therefore not ignore verbal or nonverbal behaviour while instructing on possibly controversial topics, in case of the event clarification of the difference between believing and understanding should take priority (Anderson, 2007; Bybee, 2004 and Staver, 2003) Part D: Activities to Advance a Child’s Understanding Many children are faced with the challenge of enjoying to learn. This is important since a lot is about being motivated to learn. Some people are just born with it while the majority has to develop it or have it implanted with the right teacher (Friedman, 2005).The question of whether educators are interesting enough to their students is viable. Deci (1995) however argues that real motivation contributes to a more self-regulated learner. In his book he highlights the critics argument that students learning in isolation perform lower compared to those with collaboration and mediation. While he agrees that talks, discussions and arguments help in motivation it is not an end in itself, efforts should be made in understanding what motivates each learner and aim at creating an environment ideal enough. In her paper Jeannine supports using children’s literature that is structured to compliment science instruction. This when integrated into science curriculum can be a motivating force as the child reads the content with a sense of wonder. The bigger picture here should be to connect knowledge from other departments which ultimately contributes to overall understanding of the world. According to her the science concepts expressed should be inline with the intellectual and inquiry learning and thinking content. The advocators for improved science education recommend that elementary schools design curricula that introduce scientific concepts. In this section several activities that will enhance a child’s learning of science concept will be suggested. Suggested Activities The first suggested activity is in relation to organization. The study of science can be made handy by systematizing and categorizing natural experiences (Friedman, 2005). For instance ordinary matter can be collected in hierarchies. In this case it can be from atoms, molecules, mineral piece, strata, mound, mountain and universe. The child can be introduced to this concept by sorting objects like water, stone or air according to their characteristics. The child may then be asked to classify these objects according the properties he or she observes in them and then compare with classification schemes used by scientists. This activity helps in doing away with the misconception that a child is not able to spot some characteristics of science as is evident in objects and be able to link them indirectly with those of scientists (Deci, 1995). The second activity that will enhance the learning ability of a child is in relation to the cause and effect. Nature behaves in unsurprising ways and seeking for explanations is the foremost activity of science (Myers, 2008). Effects cannot occur without cause. A child can learn about cause and effect by observing the effect that heat have on liquid water, ice and steam. The child can also learn about the effect that pressure have on the three states of matter particularly water. This activity will help in discrediting the misconception that a child hardly understands the scientific reasons behind the daily processes. Scales means quantity, both comparative and complete. Devices of measurements such as thermometers or rulers as well as weighing elements assist children see that objects and energy vary in quantity. It may not be easy for a child to comprehend that certain principles can exist only within unchanging restrictions of dimension (Yount, 1996). The child can start to comprehend the size he or she is asked, for instance, to picture a rabbit the size of a hippo. Would the rabbit still have the same proportions if it were that large? What changes would have to occur in the hippo-sized rabbit for it to function? The other activity is in line with models and change. Models or blueprints of objects that stand for other things can be created. A child can achieve knowledge with it by sketching a picture of a cell as he or she examines it using the microscope. Alternatively, the child can be asked to use the model of the earth’s crust to demonstrate the cause of the earth quakes. In regards to change, the ordinary world repeatedly changes, though some changes are too dawdling to detect, and the extent of changes differ. A Child can be asked to detect changes in the location and obvious form of the moon. A child can also monitor and illustrate changes in the features of water when it boils, melts, evaporates, freezes, or condenses. This activity will discredit the misconception that apparent scientific changes cannot be easily observed by children. This misconception has always derailed the learning abilities of children. References Abell, S.K., & Lederman, N.G. (2007). Handbook of research on science education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Adair, J. (2007).The art of Creative Thinking and Development of Great Ideas. New York: Kogan Page. Anderson, R.D. (2007).Teaching the theory of evolution in social intellectual and pedagogical context. Science Education, 91, no.4, pp.664-677. Bybee, R.W. (2004). Evolution in perspective: The science teacher’s compendium. Arlington, A: NSTA Press. Carin, A.A., Bass, J.E., & Constant, T.L. (2005). Teaching science as inquiry. Upper Saddle River NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall. Cruickhank, D.R., Jenkins, D.B., & Metcalf, K.K. (2006). The act of teaching (4th Ed).Boston, MA: McGraw Hill. Deci, E.L. (1995). Why We Do What We Do: The Dynamics of Personal Autonomy. New York: Putnam's Sons. Driscoll, M.P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. John, R.S. (2007). International Academy of Education (IAE). Belly France; Immprimerie Nouvelle Gonnet. Lynnette, Brent. (2008). States of Matter. New York: Crabtree Publishing Company. Myers, David G. (2008). Exploring Psychology. New York: Worth. Suzanne, Slade. (2006). States of Matter. New York: Rossen Classroom Thomas, L.F. (2005). The World is Flat. New York: Farrar & Straus Tilda, Monroe. (2010). What Do You Know about States of Matte? New York: Rosen Publishing Group Inc. . Read More