Building Fluency with Science & Engineering Practices
Jonathan Osborne
School of Education
Stanford University
Feb 24, 2012
Main Points
1. The problem with inquiry
2. Why emphasize practices?
3. What practices?
The trouble with inquiry?
When engaging in inquiry, students describe objects and
events, ask questions, construct explanations, test those
explanations against current scientific knowledge, and
communicate their ideas to others. They identify their
assumptions, use critical and logical thinking, and consider
alternative explanations.
National Academy of Science. (1995). National Science Education Standards.
Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
“...nothing could be more stultifying, and, perhaps
more important, nothing is further from the
procedure of the scientist than a rigorous tabular
progression through the supposed ‘steps’ of the
scientific method
– General Education in a Free Society, 1945
Presidents Science Advisory Committee, ca. 1958
In a world where there is an
oversupply of information, the
ability to make sense of
information is now the scarce
resource.
TIMSS Framework 2011
Knowing (35%)
Applying (35%)
• Recall
• Define
• Describe
• Illustrate with
Analyze
• Compare, Contrast, •
•Integrate/Synthesize
Classify
•Hypothesize/Predict
• Use Models
•Design
• Relate
Draw Conclusions
• Interpret Information •
•Generalize
• Find Solutions
•Evaluate
• Explain
•Justify
Examples
• Demonstrate
Knowledge of
Scientific Instruments
Reasoning (30%)
A Model for Scientific Practices?
Higher Order Thinking
CONSTRUCTION
WHERE IS THE CRITIQUE & EVALUATION?
What are the Practices of Science?
1. Asking Questions and Defining Problems
2. Developing and Using Models
3. Planning and Carrying out Investigations
4. Analyzing and Interpreting Data
5. Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
6. Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
7. Engaging in Argument from Evidence
8. Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
Questions engage!
Why is the sky blue?
What is the smallest piece of matter?
What is the furthest star?
What Question is answered?
Students know evaporation and melting are changes that occur when the objects are
heated. (Grade 3)
Students know evidence of plate tectonics is derived from the fit of the continents;
the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and mid-ocean ridges; and the distribution of
fossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones. (Grade 6)
Students know that when one object exerts a force on a second object, the second
object always exerts a force of equal magnitude and in the opposite direction
(Newton's third law). (grade 9-12)
Students know atoms combine to form molecules by sharing electrons to form
covalent or metallic bonds or by exchanging electrons to form ionic bonds.
3. Planning and Carrying Out
Investigations
How does the speed at which sugar
dissolves depend on temperature?
3. Analyzing and Interpreting Data
4. Analyzing and Interpreting Data
(a) One pupil had the most breaths and
she also had the highest pulse rate.
(b) All the people with a high breath
rate had a high pulse rate.
(c) The higher your breathing rate,
the greater the pulse rate.
(d) On the whole, those people with a
higher breath rate had a higher
pulse rate.
4. Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
1. Who is the tallest
2. Who is the smallest
3. What is the average?
The Challenge?
Traditionally teachers of science have not paid much
attention to texts.
Do teachers operate with the vaccination model of
literacy and mathematical competency?
6. Constructing Explanations: The upside
down tumbler
There are no air inside
There is no glue on the card
There are lots of air outside.
Some of the air is hitting the card
A force is needed to support the water
Model
!
5. Constructing Explanations: The Shape
of the Earth.
1. The Earth spins once a day
2. Rocks can be squeezed.
3. Gravity pulls all matter towards towards
the center of the Earth
4. A squashed sphere is called an oblate
spheroid
5. If something is spinning a force is
needed towards the center to keep it
going round in a circle.
6. Constructing Explanations
Why do objects fall at the same rate in the absence
of air?
• Twice the mass takes twice as long to speed up
• If the mass is double, the pull of gravity will double
• Gravity pulls on all objects
• Think of two objects, one twice as massive as the other
• Force is double but so is the mass
2. Developing and Using Models
Water Model of an Electric Circuit
Bicycle Model of An Electric Circuit
Bohr Model of the Atom
The Significance of Argument?
Construction
[Recall and Explanation]
v
Critique
[Juxtaposition & Evaluation
Bohr Model of the Atom
Something in the Air?
Maria, Ted and Alexis are wondering
where the water on the outside of the
glass of water with ice comes from.
Maria: The water came through holes
in the glass.
Ted:
The water came over the top
of the glass.
Alexis: The water came from the air.
Teaching and Learning
Literacy
Science
Mathematical
Competency
Requirements
•
Grade 6-8
•
Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research
findings, and speculation in a text.
•
Grade 9-10
•
Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation,
describing a procedure or discussing an experiment in a text
defining the question the author seeks to address.
Views of Reading
Simple View of Reading
 Complex View of Reading
Decoding Words on paper
 Perspective Taking
Knowing the Vocabulary
 Complex Reasoning
 Academic Language
 Background Knowledge
Not Learning to Read BUT Reading to Learn
Literacy Development
Disciplinary
Literacy
Intermediate Literacy
Basic Literacy
Tiers of Words
 Tier 1: The 5-7000 most frequent words in English
 plant, grow, green, water, chair
 Tier 2: Words that are encountered in academic discourse but
are not specific to any discipline.
 compare, therefore, arguably, illustrate
 Tier 3: Words that have a specific meaning within the discipline
 igneous, photosynthesis, energy
1.What is this picture telling us?
2. What does the heading suggest
the text will be about?
3. What is the author trying to tell
us in the first paragraph?
4. How does the second paragraph
add to the first?
5. Why does the author compare a
cloud to a mirror?
6. What does the author mean
when he talks about the
‘wavelength of light’?
7. Could you draw a picture to
explain why the sunsets are red?
Changing the Audience
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j.
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q.
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For a friend who missed the lesson in school
For their mother to explain what they did in school today
As a poem
As an article for a school magazine
As a set of instructions for somebody else to do the experiment
As a letter to a pen-pal
As a report in the New York Times
As an entry in your diary
For a younger pupil to explain why science is fascinating
As an article for a popular magazine
As a time traveller from the 16th Century
As a piece for a student textbook
As part of a a science fiction story.
As a text message
As a tweet.
Summary & Conclusions
• Approximations of Practice
• Akin to Learning an Instrument - provides a grasp of
practice
• Helps to build a deeper understanding of science
itself