NSTA Press: Implementing Research Projects as Part of the STEM Curriculum
Darci J. Harland
Illinois State University
CeMaST (Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology)
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Former high school teacher: English & biology
Facilitated research with high school and preservice teachers
Expanded my own teaching resources to write this NSTA Press handbook
Currently work at ISU & volunteer at Salem Children’s Home as the science lab coordinator.
About Me
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Topics We’ll Discuss• Overview of the Handbook• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics) Research• Tips on Organizing students in student-designed
research projects– Deadlines– Providing meaningful feedback– Supporting students working in groups– Using technology – Teaching literacy aspects of research
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Levels of InquiryDemonstration Activity Teacher-
InitiatedStudent-Initiated
Posing the Question
Teacher Teacher Teacher Student
Planning the Procedure
Teacher Teacher Student Student
Formulating the Results
Teacher Student Student Student
From: D. Llewellyn. 2002. Inquiry within: Implementing inquiry-based science standards. Thousand Oaks, Corwin Press.
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Written directly to the student
Geared to high school & undergraduate students
“Teacher Cues”
Chapter Questions &
Chapter Applications
Sample rubrics
About The Handbook
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Chapters
1: Beginning a STEM Research Project
2: Research Design
3: Background Research
4: Writing Hypotheses
5: Proposal Writing
6: Organizing a Laboratory Notebook
7: Descriptive Statistics
8: Graphical Representations
9: Inferential Statistics and Data Interpretation
10: Documentation
11: Writing the STEM Research Paper
12: Presenting the STEM Research Project
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Share:• What experience you have in facilitating student research projects.• Something you want to get out of today’s presentation
About You
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
What is STEM Research?Experiments conducted to address problems in STEM fields that can be tested using the scientific method.
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Providing Students with Deadlines
Organizatio
n
Focuses Students
Provides acc
ountabilit
y
Checkpoints f
or feedback
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Sample Deadlines
• Focusing Preliminary Research Ideas (SH#1)• Research Design Table (SH#2)• Background Research Questions (SH#3)• Evidence of library background research• Writing Hypotheses (SH#4)• Research Proposal• Organizing Laboratory Notebook
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Sample Deadlines (cont.)
• Evidence of Data Collection• Organize Data into Tables & Graphs• Peer Editing of data tables & graphs (SH#5)• Rough Draft of Paper• Peer Editing of Paper (SH#6)• Oral Presentation
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Providing Meaningful Feedback
Affirms
Redirects
Corrects
misc
onceptio
ns
Emphasizes
the p
rocess
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Tone of Feedback
Oral and Written
Supportive and Encouraging
Find positive things to say/write.
Don’t give them changes to make, ask them more questions.
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Types of Feedback
Checking for understanding
Checking for completion
Do Until Accepted (DUA)
Class Brainstorming
Peer Editing
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Support Students Working in Groups
Student Roles
Communicatio
n
Division of L
abor
Evaluati
on
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Tips For Successful Groups
Teach “functioning in a group”
Schedule Time for Group Meetings• Determine strengths• Assign tasks• Write contract
Use Technology
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Using Technology
Wikis
Social B
ookmarking
Google Docs
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
• Easily editable webpages• Multiple contributors • Upload files and images• Tabs “behind the page”
– History-who made what edits– Discussion
Wikis
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Sample Wiki Homepage
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Editing a Wiki
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Using a Wiki for Grading
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
• Introduce Google Docs for sharing & collaboration– Word Documents– Excel spreadsheets
• Assignments – Proposal (Word)– Data recording (Excel)
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Using Google Docs for Grading
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Google Docs: Revision History
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Google Docs: Data Collection (Excel)
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
• Bookmark-online and share with others• Mark up webpages,
– highlight– make sticky notes
• Photo Sharing Websites– Flicker, Picaso– Share photos, tag them,
Social Bookmarking
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Teaching the Literacy Components of Research
Scientifi
c Writi
ng
Oral Pres
entations
Background Rese
arch
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Confidence to Teach Literacy• Writing across the curriculum
– Science teachers teaching library research skills?– Science teachers teaching note taking skills?– Science teachers teaching writing skills?
• Talk to English department– Work within the methods they use– Documentation style (MLA/APA) & note taking
strategies
YES
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Background Research• vs.
– Basic search engine vs. database search
• Identifying reliable resources• Free Open Access
– Scholarly research articles for free!– See pg. 39 for a listing
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Note Taking• Have students write 5 overarching questions
they will need to answer– Entity, independent variable, dependent variable,
connections between the 2 variables– Organize background research within these areas
• Old fashioned 3x5 notecards• Research Pages• Online tools: Easybib, NoteStar, SpringNote,
Noodletools
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Scientific Writing• Similar to writing in English class
– Proper grammar & spelling– Topic Sentences & paragraph organization– Transition words for organization
• Different than writing in English class– Succinct writing is preferable
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Passive vs. Active Voice
Voice & Pronoun Sample SentenceActive Voice 1st Person (Future tense)
“I will remove the ball bearing.”
Active Voice1st Person (Past tense)
“I removed the ball bearing.”
Passive VoiceNo pronoun (Future tense)
“The ball bearing will be removed.”
Passive VoiceNo pronoun (Past tense)
“The ball bearing was removed.”
2nd PersonDirective
“Remove the ball bearing.”(Assumed You)
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Summary: You CAN do this!
• Provide deadlines• Give meaningful feedback• Support students working in groups• Allow technology to support students as they
collaborate and research• Emphasize literacy aspects of the process.
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
My Website
http://darciharland.
wordpress.com
Place for teachers to share their tips for teaching research.
Please drop by and make a post!
CeMaST: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Thanks for coming…
• NSTA Bookstore book signing today 1:30• ISU online course for Teacher
Professional development for teaching research (summer 2012)
• http://darciharland.wordpress.com• [email protected]