SMS+Summer+Institute

=SMS Summer Institute= June 20-July1st is the Science Made Sensible Summer Institute. These are some brief notes from our discussions on various topics. Scroll down, or click these links to jump to a section: Learning Cycle, Misconceptions, Team Effectiveness, Team Building, Education Technology, Scientific Writing Climate Change Discussion, Writing and Communication, Problem Based Learning, and Classroom Management.

The Science Made Sensible Mission Statement:
The purpose of Science Made Sensible is to create a partnership to improve the science communication skills of fellows and teachers while bridging gaps in science education through the use of inquiry based activities.

The Learning Cycle
The five E's (Engage, Explore, Explain, Extend, and Evaluate): Using the engagment period to excite students as well as REFRESH PRIOR KNOWLEDGE that your students have learned will allow your students a better opportunity to successfully perform the exploration excercise. The five E's emphasize the use of exploration prior to explanation. This allows students to develop knowledge on their own, with teacher guidance, as opposed to being "teacher-centered" as they distribute knowledge to the students. Although this can be difficult to apply in the classroom initially, teachers and graduate fellows all agreed that their students responded very well to lab activities that used this exploration method. During the explanation step of the learning cycle, it is important to allow the students to lead the discussion (with teacher guidance) and explain why and how they got their results. This will force students to utilize key vocabulary and organize their thoughts, instead of just regurgitating information that is given by the teacher. Extension is an important part of the cycle and is a great time to allow students to repeat or improve their previous exploration activity. Repeating and improving an activity allows students the satisfaction of being successful, and lets them use the knowledge they have developed (exploration) and verbally described (explanation) again, helping to cement that knowledge as they apply it to the activity. Evaluation is an important component to include in every phase of the learning cycle, this can be as simple as surveying the previous knowledge or misconceptions during the engagement phase. Each step of the learning cycle should give the teacher an opportunity to evaluate the students (and their lesson plan), and for the students to evaluate themselves.

The Importance of Identifying Misconceptions
Students often come to class with predetermined misconceptions about how "science" things work, for example why we have seasons. Many teachers would be shocked to know what their students have determined on their own or through the influence of other information sources. It is important to evaluate what your students think they know (great to incude in the engagement!) so that you can be sure to clarify their misconceptions and "de-program" their previous ideas in order to be replaced with the proper information. It will be very difficult for your students to let go of their preconceived ideas about scientific explanations, so be ready to drill them with the proper information and evaluate that they actually understand (not just regurgitating words without understanding).

Team Effectiveness and Personalities
Every person has a unique personality with their own individual combination of traits (extravert, introvert, flexible, cooperative, dutiful, open, agreeable, etc). In many teachers' perspective, students will display different aspects of their suite of personality traits depending on their mood and the subject matter. Having a mixture of personality types working together in a group can facilitate effective work, however, the specific combination of personalities makes a difference, as well as the tasks assigned to each person. A dominant person is not always the best group leader, because they may not be good listeners and therefore impact the groups ability to function as a cooperative group. As a teacher, you must observe your student group dynamics in order to make adjustments to improve the functionality of each group. Ice breaker activitites are a good tool to use at the beginning of the year so the teacher can begin to learn their student's personality types. One important thing to remember is that one groupmember who is not well-adjusted (i.e. is moody, anxious, insecure, depressed) can bring down an entire group, if not an entire class. These students may not be a good choice for group work activities, or may require special attention and group members who can handle being grouped with such a personality. As a teacher, instilling a sense of trust between your students and you is an important step in your ability to propoerly communicate and nurture the learning in their classroom. However, remember their is a difference between trust and friendship; a teacher is a source of knowledge, nurturing, discipline, and role modeling. Your personality as a teacher will effect the dynamics of your classroom as well, so self reflection is an important part of your professional development, allowing you to improve your "weaker" areas, and improve your ability to work as a team-leader for your entire class. For more information on this subject, read: JE Driskell, GF Goodwin, E Salas, PG O'Shea. What makes a good team player? Personality and Team Effectiveness. //Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice//. 2006, Vol. 10 No. 4, 249-271

Team Building
__Importance of Commitment to the Team:__ Someone who is commited to a team is welcoming, dependable, flexible, consistent, demonstrates follow-through, supportive, open to new ideas, is a listener, optimistic, invested in development and growth, and is willing to share and ask for help. Remembering these things can help you start off on the right foot when working in a team.

__A Fun Teambuilding Activity:__ Premise this activity with a story about being held captive/hostage and needing to escape... Each person gets one string, with a loop on each end to fit over each hand. A pair of people link their strings together so they form a "V", then they must free themselves (check out the video). See if your class will help eachother once a few people figure it out and get free, as a way to practice offering help. Explain to your class that they should not be afraid to ask for help, since in the classroom we are all a team and need to be willing to ask for and provide help. The teacher and fellow are not the only sources of help in the class...their peers are too! We all need to learn how not to be offended by an offering of help, as teachers, fellows, and students. However, remember that there is a time and place to offer help; how and when you offer help influences the reception of that help!

SPOILER ALERT: the solution is in this video! media type="youtube" key="MogSLXX_FRA" height="349" width="425"For the person who will free the pair, whichever side of your string is on top, take that side and go through the hand loop of your partner from the bottom back of the loop and then over the hand, pull apart and you are free....if not, you did it on the wrong side)

__Another fun teambuilding activity:__ Premise this activity with a scenario about the class working at a nuclear power plant, and they need to lower a volatile piece of equipment to the ground by balancing it on all of their fingertips (not grabbing it and without anyone loosing touch of the pole...or it will explode!). This activity requires a person to take a leadership position in order to coordinate...wait and see if someone steps up! It works best witha light weight pole (tent pole) and is most difficult with a lot of people participating! media type="youtube" key="M78f_zsCGd4" height="349" width="425"

__The Adolescence of Group Development:__ At the beginning of any new partnership (i.e. teacher and fellow) there is an orientation stage that is characterized by high expectations, anxiety and excitement. Once the partnership gets going, the next stage is dissatisfaction brought on by the difference between your hopes and the reality of the partnership...including the challenges you will inevitably encounter. A key to forming a successful partnership is the ability to find RESOLUTION. The resolution stage of a partnership relies on personal accountability. Instead of using "why me?", "why don't they listen?", "When will this class start behaving?", use phrases with "I" that focus on actions (what and how). An example: instead of "Why is this happening to me?" say "What can I do to make this better?". Be positive and willing to have flexibility, your creativity will allow you to resolve problems (i.e. supply budgets). Don't look for a scapegoat for your problems, this will further your inability to resolve the problem. That means try not to ask "who..." questions when trying to resolve problems. Instead of "Who caused this problem?" try using "How can we change this?" or "How could we prevent this problem in the future?". The fourth stage of a partnership is effective teamwork. This stage is characterized by collaborative work, feeling team strength, having trust in eachother, sharing leadership, and generally high performance. Remember that partners will not always agree, but that is doesn't need to be a negative thing. A key to this stage is effective communitcation. Listening skills are an important part of this; use eye contact, allow a speaker to finish before you comment, and focus on what is being said rather than what will be your next comment. Responding to your partner is another important part of your communication. Try to make sure you understand what a speaker is saying by repeating back how you understood their statement and asking for verification. Don't be afraid to ask questions about what your partner is trying to say. Preface your objections with an affirmation of what factors you agree by beginning a response with "I agree...". This can help to allow better reception of any objections that follow. Show respect for your partner's individual thinking and remember that although a solution for every problem may not present itself immediately, it doesn't mean there can't be resolution or improvement in the future.

Education Technology: Are our students really technology "natives"?
There seems to be a misconception of how tech-savvy our students may be...at least for educational purposes. Students may be very adept at using technology for games, social networking, or other entertainment purposes, however, many are not able to utilize computers and internet technology to find useful information and apply that information to the topic at hand. Also, there is a lot of variation between individuals' technological abilities. This reaffirms the need to incorporate differentiated instruction and lesson planning even when using technology. Collaboration between science teachers, writing teachers, and computer teachers is important because we need to understand what level our students are at in all three subjects. Collaborating across various instructional areas will allow your lesson plans to be tailored to your students' abilities and work synergistically between subjects. Another important point is that students don't realize what is a legitimate information source, or how to process information they find on the internet. Also, students are often reliant on computers for correcting spelling or answering questions without having to think about them. It is important to not rely completely on technology as teachers (or as a student), but to be proficient in traditional instruction (and learning) as well. Technology incorporates a variety of instructional pathways for students who learn in various ways, and thus can be a very important part of a student's education, but teaching your students how to use technology is just as important for their education and their future ability to thrive in a technological world. Check out the video below...a little inspiration on the need to education technology! For more, read: S Bennett, K Maton, L Kervin. The 'digital natives' debate: A critical review of the evidence. //British Journal of Educational Technology// 2008 Vol 39 No 5, 775-786

media type="youtube" key="dGCJ46vyR9o" height="349" width="425"

Roger Martin: Scientific writing and a discussion of climate change
Think climate change is a new concept? Check out this video about it from 1958: media type="youtube" key="0lgzz-L7GFg" height="349" width="425" Why is it difficult for people to grasp the concept of climate change? Maybe it is due to the difficulty of convincing large masses of people to re-organize they way they think about their world, and help them to grasp a large-scale concept that they can't observe themselves. It also may be due in part to the misconception that climate=weather. Weather is short term (i.e. from day to day, even up to years) whereas climate is long term (i.e. many years, decades, and longer). Listen to this recent NPR report on the public vs. scientist view of climate change... media type="custom" key="9882117" The public receives a very conflicted view of the scientific consensus on global warming, with much of this due to the skewed viewpoint presented in the media. It is difficult to convince people to make sacrifices for a long-term solution, especially when that solution does not contain short-term visible results. Another problem is that short-term political and economic struggles will almost always take precedent over environmental issues, so in an era when the US is struggling economically, there is less concern for seemingly non-pressing issues like climate change. Another noteworthy phenomena is the terminology used with climate change..."Do you BELIEVE in climate change?"...when in fact it is not a matter of faith, but of scientific data, which greatly supports the climate change phenomena. On top of this, it is important to consider that the public may not WANT to believe in climate change because it is a tragedy in the making, and that is a difficult thing to accept.

An article by Roger...

QUESTIONS for us, from Roger: 1) How do we focus more attention on climate change? 2) With what audiences? 3) With what evidence and arguments? 4) Using what media? 5) How do we motivate BEHAVIORAL change?

Our mantra for this topic..."The earth is dying silently...it has no voice."

The Symphony of Science website is a great media tool to capture your students' attention. We watched "Ode to the Brain", embedded below: media type="youtube" key="JB7jSFeVz1U" height="349" width="560"

A few ideas from our brainstorming session about how to intergrate the environmental issues into the classroom and ellicit a change in behavior.

Group 1: Collective sense of responsiblity How to read and electric bill Write a letter to local politicians Photos of local pollution Earth Facebook/Twitter account to give a "voice" to the earth

Group 2: Give updates about the environment via a social media network Artwork from trash PIcking up trash in the area and putting it all in the classroom...evoke an "eewwww" effect Emphasize that environmental issues are not an "either-or"/"Black-and-white" problems The Majestic Plastic Bag video... media type="youtube" key="GLgh9h2ePYw" height="349" width="560"

Group Three: They can't see what is happening...make them visualize it Student projects: recycling bins in the classroom, etc

Group Four: Make it relevant to the students' lives Bring ownership to the kids (recycling, etc) Making videos with facts and misconceptions, using social media networks to spread the information to local and national leaders. Showing videos that help make the concept REAL for the students (time lapse of sea level rise)

Writing and communicating
The key to communicating science is to connect to people's everyday lives! You need to pick your media with care, tailor it to the audience, and make it SHORT! Data is not as effective as //stories//, so don't focus your argument on data (that most people don't care about), but try to ellicit an emotional connection to the story. Good science writing begins with a hook, something unexpected or suprising, leaving a gap between the question and answer. Using SHOCK as a hook can evoke the reader's emotion, but then the writer can "detach" from that emotion by inserting a fact, pulling the reader towards that information so they actually stop to think about it and remember it. Visual tools are important, they convey more information (although not necessarily with the same precision) and keep the audience's attention. Another great tool for science writing is "social math", by relating numbers to things people can visually imagine (i.e. weight of a substance into the number of Empire State Buildings that would be). Being concise is very important part of good writing, don't incorporate unecessary words and try to be efficient while maintaining clarity. Use short sentences, little words, and avoid jargon! Changing the "rhythm" of the writing can emphasize your point, such as transitioning from long sentences to very short sentences, alternating between pictures and facts, etc.

Want some analysis of your writing?
Try submitting a writing sample to Edit Central for an analysis of your writing, including number of words per sentence (~13 is optimal for a readable prose), readability index, "fog" index, grade level, and many more. When you submit your sample, you will actually get a report with grammar corrections and underlining of "complex" words. This can be a useful tool when trying to clearly explain science for a "layperson" audience.

A great quote: "Never underestimate the ignorance of your audience." Remember this when trying to decide if your audience will know a particular word or concept when you're writing a piece. "Dumbing it down" is not the goal, you need to keepy our scientific information, but convey that information in a more simple way, without all the jargon. You can convey the scientific information and also help to educate your audience by simplifying your writing in a way that explains the concepts and pushes the reader to make connections and improve their understanding. This type of writing will help to close the divide between scientists and laypersons, a divide that is currently based on the assumption that scientists "talk over my head", "have no common sense", or that the layperson "is dumb", "won't understand anyway", or isn't worth "compromising how I convey MY intelligence as a scientist."

=Problem Based Learning= PBL utilizes cooperative learning; when group members work together to accomplish shared goals. This is different than collaborative learning (separate tasks), competitive learning (winners and losers), or individualistic learning. Cooperative learning helps students develop the skills needed to work together in a group, focusing on the process of learning instead of an end goal of a grade. This is student centered inquiry based learning.

Cooperative learning DISCOURAGES: eyes on own paper, no talking, work done individually, student asks teacher for help, competition for teacher's attention, competition for extrinsic awards (grades) Cooperative learning ENCOURAGES:

5 Elements: 1) Positive interdependence: link students together so they cannot succees unless everyone succeeds. Sink or swim together. 2) Face-to-face interactions: culture of encouragement, help and sharing. Explanation and eloboration by students to other students maximizes knowledge retention. Helps create positive relationships with peers. 3) Individual and group accountability: individual and group assessment encourages responsibility. 4) Use and learn interpersonal skills: Need to help eachother and maintain positive working relationships. Social skills include listening, stating ideas clearly, accepting responsibility, giving constructive criticism, and taking turns. 5) Group processing: teacher observes groups, encourages participation by everyone, summarizes group ideas, and checks that the group decisions are made by the entire group

PBLs are based off of real world problems that relate to the students' lives. Teachers are a mentor/guide for PBL, but needst to select or design case studies carefully, ask probling questions, monitor group progress, review with the class, and assess their students with "real" methods that would be used in the real world to help solve/address/assess the problem (pamphlets, brochures, articles, tv ads, etc.). The students are in charge of the investigation. They need to be asking questions and finding the answers using various sources, allowing self-reliance.

What makes a good case study? It should be controversial, with a problem that needs to be solved. It is important for middle school students to include dialogue. It should incorporate interesting characters, address a contermporary issue, and be "real". Wuestions in the PBL can be reight/wrong, but can also be open ended. A good PBL will have clear learning objectives, so that at the end of the lesson the student is aware of the important objective they have just learned about. To write a PBL case, start by identifying a topic then identifying the objectives (or vice versa), research the current topic or "hook". Invent your characters and identify issues that will likely arrise during discussion. Formulate your questions and be sure to plan how the project will progress to accomplish the learning objective.

Assessment: Asses your students by circulating and monitoring participation throughout the activity. Note the issues they identify and questions or investigations they develop. Whether/what resources are used is another important assessment to make. At the end of the class a group presentation is an easy summary assessment. Peer and self-evaluation is a very important part of the PBL process in addition to poster or presentation grades. Be careful about always offering rewards such as candy, you need to also allow them to find value in the learning process. What happens when you run out of candy money? Will your students still want to do the activity?

Also assess your PBL plan. Was the case too vauge? too difficult? too long? not challenging enough? or have any other problems? Note whether the time was adequate and whether students were able to generate questions that they were able to investigate. Assessment and facilitation can be done with teacher(s) acting as "roving facilitators" that circulate the room from the middle of the room. Set up your class and groups in a way that allows quick and easy transition between groups. If only one facilitator is present, set up your room with more focus towards the front of the room/facilitator. This allows you to gain student attentions to moderate class discussions. With higher level classes, student facilitators can be assigned within each group.

Case Study Sources: Emory university University at Buffalo University of Delaware Bioquest University of Wisconsin

=Classroom Management Discussion= Classroom management can be approached in a variety of ways. Building relationships with your students is an important first step to managing your classroom. In order to build empathy withy our students, the teacher needs to check your ego at the door and open to what is happening with your students (i.e. have they eaten today?). Some students are going through very difficult times in their lives, and a teacher should be cognicent of the possiblity that an unruly student is acting out due to a home-life issue. A careful balance between empathy and discipline can be acheived through consistency in your classroom management. This will allow the students to develop a sense of trust and respect for you, although it may not happen immediately. Without consistency, students will not be able to trust you or respect you...just stick to your plan. However, too much empathy can open you up to being vulnerable to students taking advantage of you. Clear boundaries, a separation of empathy from emotional responses to student situations, and understanding that you can't save all of them, will help you to find a healthy and funcitional balance of empathy and authority. There is a thin line between being a friend and being a teacher/role model/authority figure. It is not inappropriate to interact on a personal level in //some// aspects of your life (i.e. being a Heat fan), but never cross the line into the friendship zone. Although it may initially seem like an easy way to establish some sanity in your classroom, interacting with stuents like friends will backfire later! Teacher and fellow pairs need to be careful about students playing the two of you off of eachother, which can also be avoided by consistent application of classroom management. Communicate with eachother and have a clear plan for classroom management. Another thing to note is that although you have experienced and dealt with many experiences in your life, don't expect your students to be experiencing the same things, or accept your experiences or responses as applicable to their lives. Attitude problems are one of the most common issues in the classroom. Some attitudes deserve no acknowledgement at all (selective hearing), others deserve slight attention without focusing on the issue and delaying your class, and still others need more of a serious response. English learners or non-english speakers can be a real challenge to adapt to in the classroom. Try pairing students with ESL students and don't discount their intelligence despite communication difficulties. Alternative assignments for ESL students is a good way to ensure that these students have a task to complete. Assignments focusing on vocabulary (in english and spanish, or their language), and incorporating images, is a great way to help a student begin to make the transition to learning science in english. The article suggested using a life road map or poetry as a way for students to provide personal information and allow the teacher to obtain a viewpoint of their cultural and/or home life. This can be difficult for some students to do, especially if they have, or are, experiencing something that they don't want to share or remember. this strategy can be applied in a modified way, such as asking students to indicate what/who they identify with, or to share cultural aspects, instead of more deeply personal aspects. Incorporating historic African American or Hispanic scientists into your lessons can help students connect the subject to their culture and help to build the student-teacher relationship that assists with your classroom management.

Daritza's Classroom Management Presentation
media type="youtube" key="gHzTUYAOkPM" height="349" width="425"