Why science?Why science?

Problem Sciences working for understanding and/or solutions

Overpopulation Biology, psychology

National defense Biology, chemistry, physics, psychology

Pollution Biology, geology, chemistry

Global warming Biology, chemistry, geology, physics

Disease Biology, chemistry

Technology Biology, chemistry, physics, geology, psychology

Genetic Engineering Biology, chemistry

Extinction Biology, geology

How are our How are our students?students?

Our educational system is Our educational system is not doing well educating not doing well educating

our youthour youth

Performance on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (1995)

0.8

1

1.2

4th grade 8th grade 12th grade

Grade level

Sc

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re

lati

ve

to

inte

rna

tio

na

l a

ve

rag

e

ScienceMath

What about California?What about California?

California 4California 4thth graders have higher graders have higher proficiency rankings than Guam, proficiency rankings than Guam, Virgin Islands and America Somoa ---- Virgin Islands and America Somoa ---- not bad (?)not bad (?)

We were the We were the BOTTOMBOTTOM of the rest of of the rest of the United Statesthe United States

Bottom line: We are not serving our Bottom line: We are not serving our students wellstudents well

Science Content Science Content Standards for California Standards for California

Public SchoolsPublic Schools Science in public school is under a Science in public school is under a

reform processesreform processes Among the most important is to Among the most important is to

establish standards of science literacyestablish standards of science literacy Concepts that should be understood by Concepts that should be understood by

certain grade levelscertain grade levels

* We will just concentrate on science but there are other areas as well for “content specifications” for California

What does this mean for What does this mean for the class?the class?

YOU YOU will be part of the solutionwill be part of the solution

Understand that, for most children, Understand that, for most children, you will provide their first you will provide their first experiences with math and scienceexperiences with math and science

Therefore, you need to understand it Therefore, you need to understand it to teach it!to teach it!

How people learnHow people learn

There are many hypothesis that try There are many hypothesis that try to address the question of how to address the question of how people learn.people learn.

We will focus on a few “classic” We will focus on a few “classic” approaches and lead to newer approaches and lead to newer approaches more applicable to approaches more applicable to science.science.

BehaviorismBehaviorism

Classical ConditioningClassical Conditioning PavlovPavlov

Operant ConditioningOperant Conditioning B.F. SkinnerB.F. Skinner

Basic idea is that learning is a result of Basic idea is that learning is a result of rewards and punishmentsrewards and punishments

Classical Conditioning: Classical Conditioning: Pavlov’s Dogs Pavlov’s Dogs

StimulStimulusus

ResponsResponse e

= Drool+

PairePaired d StimuStimulili

ResponsResponsee

+ = Drool

Natural ResponseNatural Response

Add New StimulusAdd New Stimulus

What do you think will happen if the Bell is rung without food present?

Operant ConditioningOperant Conditioning

After 10 days, which rat will press the button more frequently?

Rat #2

Ø

Accidentally presses

Receives

Rat #1

Accidentally presses Receives

Where can behaviorism be Where can behaviorism be found in human society?found in human society?

Animal trainingAnimal training GamblingGambling

Behavior research and economics used to Behavior research and economics used to reward the gambler just enoughreward the gambler just enough

ClassroomClassroom Game learning rewards to correct Game learning rewards to correct

answersanswers

*So the consensus of behaviorism today is that it is great for basic skills and controlling behavior but it is not useful for teaching abstract skills

Behaviorism Behaviorism vs.vs. Cognitive Cognitive PsychologyPsychology

Behaviorism is the observable and Behaviorism is the observable and measurablemeasurable How many times did the rat press the bar?How many times did the rat press the bar?

Cognitive is asking happens inside the brainCognitive is asking happens inside the brain What is the rat thinking that makes it press the What is the rat thinking that makes it press the

bar?bar? So what happens when a naïve rat watches a So what happens when a naïve rat watches a

“learned” rat pressing the bar? “learned” rat pressing the bar? The naïve rat learns the behavior without the The naïve rat learns the behavior without the

reward!! reward!! Where is stimulus-response of the behaviorist? Where is stimulus-response of the behaviorist? Cognitive psychologists coin this “observational Cognitive psychologists coin this “observational

learning”.learning”.

Cognitive Psychology Cognitive Psychology Key Ideas: Observational learning; Abstract ThoughtKey Ideas: Observational learning; Abstract Thought Example: Leaning to read and writeExample: Leaning to read and write

Cognitive StageMemorizing the Alphabet(observation/memorization)

Associative Stage Reading/recognizing words previouslymemorized (i.e. practice!)

Rat Cat Bat

Autonomous StageWriting words, Sounding out novelwords (i.e. application)

Chordata

Arthropoda

ConstructivismConstructivism

States that there is a relationship States that there is a relationship between the learner and the between the learner and the information to be learned --- mystical information to be learned --- mystical bent!bent!

Deals with the abstract nature of Deals with the abstract nature of knowledge and how an individual knowledge and how an individual develops new knowledgedevelops new knowledge

Basic Assumptions of Basic Assumptions of ConstructivismConstructivism

Every learner has previous experiencesEvery learner has previous experiences The learner explains these experiences The learner explains these experiences

with a set of beliefs about how the world with a set of beliefs about how the world worksworks

When learners encounter new When learners encounter new experiences, they have certain experiences, they have certain expectations based on their explanationsexpectations based on their explanations

What actually happens can either meet What actually happens can either meet the expectations or notthe expectations or not

Basic Assumptions of Basic Assumptions of Constructivism (cont.)Constructivism (cont.)

The relationship between expectations The relationship between expectations and reality effects the learner’s and reality effects the learner’s explanations. explanations. If expectations are met, the explanation is If expectations are met, the explanation is

reinforced; reinforced; If expectations are not met, the explanation If expectations are not met, the explanation

can be judged irrelevant to that situation, or can be judged irrelevant to that situation, or the explanation can be modified to account the explanation can be modified to account for the new experience; for the new experience;

Learning occurs when you alter your Learning occurs when you alter your previous explanation.previous explanation.

Constructivism: exampleConstructivism: example Learning is based on matching new Learning is based on matching new

experiences to existing explanationsexperiences to existing explanations

Previous Experience: Explanation: Seeds need soil and waterto germinate

New Experience:

Expectation: Won’t Germinate

What Happens:

Conclusion?

Constructivist paradigm Constructivist paradigm vs.vs. Scientific MethodScientific Method

Not really different at allNot really different at all

Let’s substitute terminologyLet’s substitute terminology

Constructivism: exampleConstructivism: example Learning is based on matching new Learning is based on matching new

experiences to existing explanationsexperiences to existing explanations

Observation Hypothesis: Seeds need soil and waterto germinate

New Experience:

Prediction: Won’t Germinate

Experiment:

Conclusion?

Another example: scientific Another example: scientific terminologyterminology

ObservationsObservations Many of you have not done well in science in Many of you have not done well in science in

the pastthe past HypothesisHypothesis

You have not done well because science is You have not done well because science is hardhard

PredicitionPredicition You will do poorly in this class no matter You will do poorly in this class no matter

whatwhat ExperimentExperiment

Try your best and see what happensTry your best and see what happens

Sound bleak?Sound bleak?

Another concept in science is to Another concept in science is to develop develop Alternative Alternative

HypothesisHypothesis

Alternative Hypothesis: you have not Alternative Hypothesis: you have not done well because you done well because you thinkthink science is science is hard; therefore you make it harder than hard; therefore you make it harder than it is.it is.

Prediction: if you realize that science is Prediction: if you realize that science is not hard, you will do well in this class, not hard, you will do well in this class, but if you persist in thinking science is but if you persist in thinking science is hard, you will do poorly.hard, you will do poorly.

Experiment: try to think of all of this as Experiment: try to think of all of this as easy, then try your best.easy, then try your best.