Constructivism in Science Education

1. Constructivism in Science Education Focus on learning and what we know about how people learn.

2. There is a biological basis for learning that can inform our teaching practices. Dr. Larry Lowery UC Berkeley

3. Focus Question: When discussing the building of pathways in the brain, Dr. Lowery makes the comment, “This is where the word constructivism comes from.” What does the word “constructivism” mean to you?

4. Pendulum Activity • Investigative Question: How does the mass of the object on the end of the pendulum affect the number of swings in 15 seconds? • Prediction: (must include a prediction and an explanation) • Test your prediction • Collect data in a data table • Write a conclusion Set up investigation and record information in science notebook

5. Constructivism The theory that people build their own knowledge and their own representations of knowledge from their own experience and thought.

6. What people learn is not simply a duplication of what they observe in their surroundings, but the result of their own thinking and processing (building their own pathways). Constructivists understand…

7. How People Learn “Students come to the classroom with preconceptions about how the world works. If their initial understanding is not engaged, they may fail to grasp the new concepts and information that are taught, or they may learn them for purposes of a test but revert to their preconceptions outside the classroom.” (p. 10, How People Learn) Think about your own teaching, what does this statement mean?

8. Learning activities must begin by considering: • students’ current knowledge • how that knowledge is constructed

9. Prior Beliefs • Learners begin their formal study of science with ideas already in place about the natural world. • Some parts of these ideas are correct, but some are not.

10. Basis for Conceptual Change • Learners become aware of conflict between what they thought was true and what they observe. • Existing conceptions must fail to explain some new observation. • For conceptual change to occur, their existing conceptions must be unsatisfactory.

11. Process of Conceptual Change • Learners make predictions about the situation based on prior understandings. • When these predictions do not work, learners question their prior beliefs. • This brings existing beliefs to the surface, giving the teachers access to what is in the learners’ minds. • Teachers can help learners reconstruct their beliefs in ways that include the new information.

12. To aid learners in their reconstruction… • Learners should investigate on their own and interact with their peers . • The teacher may introduce minimal understanding of the concept. • Vocabulary • Journal Writing • (Concept Cartoons) http://www.conceptcartoons.com/index_static.html • The learner is compelled to relate new phenomena, ideas, and observations to existing knowledge in ways that are most appropriate to the learner.

13. Teachers combine content knowledge with critical components: • pre and post assessments • WASL-style prompts • rehearsal in systems • inquiry • design(checklist will be inserted)

14. How do we come to know what we know? • How do we learn? • How do our students learn? • This is the essence of Constructivism. • P.E.T. and P.B.I are excellent examples of the constructivist approach.

15. Primary Role of the Teacher • Ask questions to explore learner’s previously constructed information – looking for preconceptions. • Lead learners through exploratory activities that enable them to investigate on their own and come to their own conclusions. • Interact with each to see how he or she is constructing the new information and help to formulate accurate scientific conclusions.

16. Bibliography Larry Lowery video??? Martin, David Jerner. Elementary Science Methods, A Constructivist Approach. Wadsworth, a division of Thomas Learning, Inc. 2003. Naylor, Stuart and Keogh, Brenda. Concept Cartoons in Science Education. Millgate House Publishers. 2000. National Research Council. How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice. National Academy Press. 1999.