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What did you try?
Share your
experience at your
table.
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VALUE
Was it successful
or not? Why do
you think so?
Report to large group
By ddpavumba, Fredigitalphotos.net
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Additional Value Resources
Timely Relevance Resource: The Science of the
Olympics!
• NBC Learn
• NSF streaming clips
• Science 360
E-TEAMS Companion Website
• www.niu.edu/eteams
Autonomy
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FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Some believe humans
have a basic need to feel
autonomous – this need
underlies behavior
Students who feel a sense
of control, have more
intrinsic motivation
toward academic tasks
and are less deterred by
obstacles
CHOICE is a KEY
INTEREST & Curiosity are important, too
So are TOOLS and STRATEGIES for self control.
ADOLESCENTS THRIVE ON AUTONOMY
Findings about Autonomy
• When teachers are autonomy supportive,
students engage more deeply
• Students generally feel that they have few
choices in their science classes
• Girls perceive having less choice than boys do,
especially in labs and report feeling less in
control than boys across all science activities
• Teachers often step in too quickly for girls
• Teachers often believe inquiry = hands off
Provide opportunities for students to
take responsibility
• Student explains how she has responded to
opportunities to take responsibility and show
initiative related to her science class.
• Students rise to the responsibility: Mighty Acorns
• Field trips are organized so that Mike’s students
take responsibility for teaching each other and
their parents science content.
• Meg's students extend their learning by taking
responsibility for completing a service learning
project in the community.
Choices
Large: Here are the state standards for our class, here is our book:
How can we do this?
Moderate: What do you know about cells? Students generate
questions and plan labs to answer those questions
Khan Academy , a free online multi-subject learning resource for
teachers, parents, and students has a science section for an array of
tutorials that students can choose to help themselves understand
content and complete assignments.
Small: Which order to complete things, what colors to use on your
graph or for your gummy bear to learn about dispersion.
Emphasize Student Ownership
of the Learning Process
• Greg makes his students experts on the worm
farms giving them control, choice, and
opportunities to inquire.
• Meg supports student autonomy during a
problem based learning project.
Inquiry
Use inquiry methodology
Sources of inquiry projects.
• Students feel motivated and accomplished doing
a lab using inquiry approach in Ray’s class.
• Greg’s students use the solar energy,
vermacompost, and mini-farms available to them
in the classroom to answer their own questions.
Challenges to Supporting Autonomy
• Giving up control is scary
• Students may be reluctant to accept control
• Doing true inquiry is difficult
– Materials & resources
– Getting ideas
– Supporting inquiry
Discuss: Are these concerns for you? Strategies
for overcoming these difficulties?
Practical Suggestions & Resources
Autonomy
• Provide opportunities for students to take
responsibility
• Give students choices in class activities
• Emphasize student ownership of the learning
process
• Provide students with materials to solve
problems themselves, not answers to
problems
• Use inquiry methodology