Bringing advanced science inquiry tools in for a
soft landing: report of a five year study
Oregon Association of Teacher Education Conference
Portland, Oregon August 2007
Mike Charles & Bob Kolvoord
(Pacific University) & (James Madison University)
Research supported by the
National Science Foundation
And the Tommy Thompson Award
Presentation available at
http://fg.ed.pacificu.edu/charlesm/presentations.html
The promise
Scientific visualization tools provide...
Rich use of the computers available in schools
Connections to science/math for visual learners
Vehicle for inquiry-based science

Use tools which were originally designed to help
scientists understand and explore data
Goal: To draw today’s increasingly visual learners
into in-depth study of science/math topics
The opportunity
How to get more teachers involved in using
visualization tools in their classrooms?

Promising tools that require advanced skills
Extended training in the tools is often too
much, too soon...
Project VISM
Three week summer institutes sponsored by the
Interdisciplinary Science and Technology program at
James Madison University
Cross-training in different visualization techniques,
including image processing, GIS, molecular modeling and
simulation
Middle and High School science and mathematics teachers
with some higher education participants

Teacher educators who work with prospective science and
mathematics teachers
Summers of 2000, 2001, and 2002--118 participants total
3 day follow on workshops-about 20 participants each time
held at James Madison (Summer 2003) and Pacific
Summer 2004)
Tools taught in Project VISM
Image processing
NIH Image/Scion Image/Image J
Geospatial Analysis
ArcView GIS
Molecular Visualization
RasMol/Chemscape Chime
Systems modeling
STELLA
ImageJ (NIH Image/Scion Image)
Public domain image
processing software
Software and free
classroom activities
available at
http://www.evisual.org/
Animal hands: identifying
x-rays of animal hands by
describing the hand and
identifying its function
IP--a powerful tool for sci inquiry
because…
Ability to set scales and measure
distances
 Measure angles as well
 Measure distances other than
straight line
 Select pixels of a given value
and measure
 Measure area
 Compare circumference to
diameter to approximate Pi
Ability to see multiple exposures of
the same images
ArcView GIS
Available for educators-See the ESRI
homepage
http://www.esri.com/
Classroom activities
available at
http://gis2.esri.com/indu
stries/education/arclesso
ns/arclessons.cfm
Plate Tectonics
visualized
GIS--a powerful tool for sci
inquiry because…
Ability to see information
geospatially
Make a map…with multiple layers
 E.g. where’s the most recent
earthquake?
 What patterns do you see in
earthquake distribution?
 Environmental trends
 Using historical maps to answer
questions
 Mapping where elements come
from and researching how they
get into everyday objects.
http://www.csc.noaa.gov/mpa
ss/tools_gis.html
RASMOL/Chemscape Chime
Public domain software for mol viz
Presented as “molecular storytelling”
Resource page:
http://sharepoint.cisat.jmu.edu/isat/klevicca/
Web/VISM/VISM.htm
"Come See the Molecules—Using 3-D
Modeling Programs to Learn Chemistry" in
ISTE's Learning & Leading with
Technology
http://www.iste.org/L&L/archive/vol29/no4/index.html
(Note: Must be a subscriber to the periodical in order to access Acrobat
files of the articles)
Molecular visualization--a powerful tool
for sci inquiry because…
Allows the learner to “see” what is
happening at the molecular level
E.g. Observing the effects that has a
solute has on the boiling point of
liquid
http://sharepoint.cisat.jmu.edu/isat/klevicca/Web/VISM/VISM.htm#example
STELLA
Commercial systems
simulation software
Strong educator user base
More info at
http://www.hps-inc.com/
Pictured here: simulation
model for a cup of coffee
cooling using stocks and
flows
System simulation--a powerful tool for
sci inquiry because…
Asks students to model
mathematically a real event in the
world
E.g. Research your own
endangered species. Determine
reasonable rates for reproduction
and attrition. Create a STELLA
population model that shows this.
 Grizzly bear
http://www.nps.gov/akso/ParkWise/Students/PhotoGallery/DENA/
wildlife/photoindex.htm
The ACOT model of stages of teacher
development in using technological tools
Entry level-competent using the tool at the
workshop

Learned the Animal Hands activity at a workshop
Adopt the tool into their teaching practice

Successfully used the Animal Hands activity with my students
Adapt the tool into their teaching practice

Made significant modifications to the Animal Hands activity to
make it work better with my students
Innovate with the tool in their teaching practice

Brought in new images from a local zoo of animal hands to add to
the activity
The VISM matrix: The ACOT model
described for each of the four tools
Created based on conversations with the instructors over
the duration of the project
Updated in successive years of teaching as instructors
gained experience with practicing teachers
Posed as a hypothetical path that teachers might follow
We did NOT expect teachers to reach the innovate level
with all four tools, but instead to make professional
choices among their visualization options

VISM Matrix
Critical attributes of advanced tools
Competency with the software tool (ACOT model)
Competency with the scientific data that the tool uses
Competency with the pedagogical content knowledge needed to teach
curricular content using the tool

Pedagogical content knowledge identifies the distinctive bodies of
knowledge for teaching. It represents the blending of content and
pedagogy into an understanding of how particular topics, problems or
issues are organized, represented, and adapted to the diverse interests and
abilities of learners, and presented for instruction. Pedagogical content
knowledge is the category most likely to distinguish the understanding of
the content specialist from that of the pedagogue. (Shulman, 1987)
Data
Follow-up questionnaires filled out online
Follow-up classroom visit/observations and interviews
Questionnaires
35 questionnaires from Summer 2003 and 2004 “reunion”
workshop participants
36 respondents in spring 2006--some duplicates
A little less than half of the participants have responded to
at least one follow-on survey
Follow-on interviews
19 interviews, 14 with classroom visits

From Hawaii to New Jersey
Starter questions for open-ended interviews
 Briefly describe 1 or 2 projects you carried out last year with your
students using one or more of these visualization tools.
 What were your greatest obstacles in using these tools with your
students during the year?
 Briefly describe what you think you accomplished this year based
on your participation in the VISM workshop, and one thing you
had hoped to accomplish but perhaps did not.
Classroom visits
Let me see you using one of the VISM tools in
your teaching.
Let me see any examples of VISM projects your
students have done
Let’s talk about any other inquiry based projects
you’ve done with your students
Revisit rationale, obstacles, and professional
development options, plus see projects (both tech
and non tech)
VISM tools--levels of use summary
29 of 36 responded
2 kinds of adopt:


1 activity
Several activities
Use of VISM tools
Innovate
30%
Adopt
47%
Adapt
23%
VISM tools-implementation summary
Which tools?
40%
35%
Percent of responses
2/3rd’s of the
responses were
GIS or IP
Significant prior IP
use in this group
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Geospatial
Analysis
Image
processing
Molecular
Visualization
Tool
Systems
modeling
Increased abilities with the tools
Tool skills
90%
80%
70%
60%
Less competent
50%
same or more
competent
40%
30%
20%
10%
E
RA
S
M
O
L/
CH
IM
LA
ST
EL
Ar
cV
ie
w
ag
eJ
0%
Im
Teachers developed
further skills in 2 of the
tools…without formal
follow-up
Classroom ready materials
using the tools, follow-up
courses, reviewing notes
from the workshop…
Twice as many responses
for more competent or
same as there were for less
competent
How did they get better?
Purchase curriculum support materials
A second workshop, often focused around that tool
Revisit workshop notes
Obstacles
Greatest obstacle for your use of these tools?
(1--not an obstacle…5--serious obstacle)-32 respondents
Average
Lack of space in a crowded curriculum to do projects that use these
tools
3.6
Lack of adequate teacher preparation time to prepare activities
3.6
Lack of teacher knowledge of these software tools
3.0
Lack of well-designed curriculum-based materials using these tools
2.6
Student difficulty learning the tools
2.5
Lack of adequate hardware/software
2.4
Relating the use of these tools to increasing student achievement scores
2.2
Incompatibility of these tools with the district’s stated educational
objectives
2.2
Obstacles
Time--to develop classroom ready activities
Space in the curriculum
Higher demands of NCLB and high stakes testing
Changes in teaching assignment and personal life
Hardware/software access as it changes-…negotiating adequate computer time for students to do their work is
nonetheless a major challenge for these teachers.
Indirect effects
96.8%-Better equipped to learn and use
other technology tools or resources (other
than the VISM tools) in your teaching
71%-Raised your status in your school
and/or district as a technology leader
Case study examples
In-depth interviews with 19 teachers
1 day classroom visit with 14 of the 19
VISM tools in action
 Other VISM student projects
 Other engaging science projects

Hope to get to 25 classrooms total at the end
of this year (6 more in the midwest)
Exemplary uses of all four tools by experienced scientific
visualization tool users
Teacher One
Image processing
Innovate
Physics Image project—photographing and dropping a ball and determining acceleration rate of gravity.
Adapted from discussions with a VISM participant.
-90 minutes period to do
-90 minute period to analyze
Geospatial Analysis
Innovate
Would “watering holes” in the desert reduce mortality rates for illegal aliens?
Plotted paths on an image of the southwest
-2 week activity
Built an online eAtlas database of economic indicators for 6 border crossings between AZ and Sonora
-8 week project
Molecular Visualization
Adapt
What is the polarity of a given inorganic solid structure?
RASMOL model of a number of different inorganic solid structures which they observed the shape of and predicted the
polarity
-90 minute lab activity
Systems modeling
Adapt
Teacher created STELLA model of immigration rates with or without “watering holes”
-90 minute lab activity
Comments
Already at the innovate level with NIH Image and ArcView prior to VISM
More typical implementations
Teacher two
Teacher three
Teacher four
Image
processing
Adopt
Completed Travel USA activity with 9th
grade computer apps course as part of a
population sampling activity
1 period activity
Adopt
Demonstrated one NIH Image
activity to students.
No student activities or projects
1 period activity
Adapt
Maintained her use of this tool. Demos
several activities-- students may investigate
“hands on” outside of class.
Offered summer institutes for 20 teachers
in NIH Image.
Geospatial
Analysis
Innovate
11th/12th grade elective GIS course with 22
students in each of 2 semesters.
Students complete GIS projects-ESRI text
Multi-week mapping projects
Adopt
Demonstrated one GIS activity re
the distribution of volcanoes.
No student activities or projects
1 period activity
Innovate
Taught a GIS applications course to a broad
range of professionals in the region
Applying for an NSF grant to design a GIS
program on campus
Scholarship to GIS in Ed. conference
Molecular
Visualization
Not yet
Adopt
Demonstrated 3D capabilities of
software
No student activities or projects
1 period activity
Not yet
RASMOL Saturday workshop and materials
given to a colleague in chemistry
Systems
modeling
Not yet
Not yet
Not yet
Considering using as part of a BLM prairie
dog town research project
Comments
Pursuing further instruction in ArcView
Intends to do student projects in
advanced courses next year.
Greatest need: more GIS training
VISM tools not yet “landed” in teaching
practice
Teacher five
Teacher six
Teacher seven
Teacher eight
Image processing
Not yet
Not yet
Not yet
Conducted workshops with
teachers--minimal results in
classrooms
Geospatial
Analysis
Not yet
Not yet
Not yet
Conducted summer workshops
using Mapping Our World
Molecular
Visualization
Not yet
Not yet
Adopt
Authored a webpage tutorial
re polar and nonpolar
molecules Used once with
Not yet
students with limited
effectiveness
Systems
modeling
Not yet
•Not yet
•Greatest interest for use
with calculus class
Not yet
Not yet
Comments
Adopted
probeware/astronomy
software based on
VISM tech expertise
New math/science
center -- upcoming
sabbatical to develop
curriculum specific
activities
Hardware access
obstacles
Workshop marked him as a
possible tech leader in his
school.
Hardware access obstacles
Restimulated interest in a new
set of software visualization
tools and motivated her to try
more training in these areass
Crowded curriculum & NCLB
Key predictor--science inquiry
projects (without technology)?
Hurricane houses
Richard’s cardboard boats
Argues against the
idea that
visualization tools
support science
inquiry?
Discussion
Current professional
development literature
argues for professional
development efforts that
are:



site-based
curriculum-specific
with significant on-site
follow-up
Project VISM was an
effective professional
development effort that
was:



university-based
with materials that had only
general curriculum
connections
no significant on-site
follow-up component.
Fundamentally constructivist
nature of teacher learning
Professional Development
Staff training
Intrinsic motivation
Extrinsic motivation
Constructing their own
program
Program determined by
organizational mission and
goals
Personally constructed
Mandated by the
organization
An interesting case…
Teaching at a K-3 school on the
Navajo Reservation
Not using any of the VISM tools
“I believe these [VISM tools] are valuable
tools for learning. However, my school has
prioritized the curriculum to cover reading
and arithmetic. Therefore I target those two
areas when students come to the computer
lab.”
What effect did VISM have on
your professional development?
Raised comfort level with computers
Greater awareness of the possibilities-go
beyond..
Creativity--“I always remember that
phrase—the aha moments—and I try to
create that among my students”
“Using the computer as a learning tool.”
Summarizing student experiences using
multimedia and publishing to the web
Presentation for Vivian Banks Charter
School in California, where students shared
with their pen pals
Presentation (to be published to the web) in
which students write about that experience
Kayla’s photo and article
Why publish to the web?
Curriculum collision?
AIMS and VISM
AIMS--a computer assisted instructional
program keyed to the Arizona testing
program
What value does Norm see in the AIMS
program?
How these come together…technology as a tool
for humanizing an increasingly technical learning
environment…is less a collision and more of a
negotiation that he balances his own sense of what
is best for his students and what he can
accomplish within a constrained system.
Rigor of the study
Member checks
Triangulation of findings
auditable data (questionnaires, interview
transcripts, interview sound files)
Study limitations
No random sample group design in this type of study
Reliance on teacher self report data
Observations are brief (one day)
Possible investigator bias (as a person who has implemented
these tools and an advocate for their use)
How clear is the tie to the overall goal?--draw today’s
increasingly visual learners into in-depth study of science/math
topics

Lacking a measure of “in-depth study” and better at simply rating tool
implementation
Roger’s diffusion of innovation theoryA predictable chronology of adoption
Innovators (2-3% of social system)
Early adopters (13-14%)
Early majority (33-44 %)
Late majority (33-44%)
Concerned…(15-16%)


Distinguished by differences in their tolerance for and the time
they will dedicate to addressing the uncertainties that come with
the innovation
Require different kinds of support
Support recommendation…
Innovators
Stay out of their way!
Early adopters
Publicize their success
Early majority
Focus support here and make it
collaborative
Develop reliable applications of the
innovation
Don’t force the innovation
Late majority
Concerned
Concern: is the VISM approach only workable for early adopters?
Formal & informal learning
A look at teacher
professional
development that
better accounts for
the interaction
between formal &
informal learning?
http://life-slc.org/
Hope & vision…
Vision--a larger view of teacher
professional development?
Hope--that inquiry-based learning not be
lost in the current push toward “measurable
learning gains” as the only valid way to
assess student learning
For more info
Mike Charles at Pacific University

charlesm@pacificu.edu
Bob Kolvoord, Project Director, at JMU

kolvoora@jmu.edu
Project VISM home page
http://www.isat.jmu.edu/common/projects/VISM/