Strategies & Challenges for Facilitating Nature of Science in the High School Classroom

1. Strategies & Challenges for Facilitating Nature of Science in the High School Classroom Catherine Koehler 1University of Connecticut

2. Goals of Science Education • Scientific Literacy (NRC, 1996) • “the knowledge and understanding of science concepts and processes required for personal decision making, participation in civic & cultural affairs, and economic productivity” • Nature of Science (NOS) promotes scientific literacy (NRC, 1996; AAAS, 1989, 1993) • Inquiry promotes an understanding of the scientific endeavor & critical thinking skills (NRC, 1996, Pugliese, 1973; Schwab, 1962)

3. Theoretical Framework: Literature • Four Related but distinct lines of research in NOS (Lederman, 1992) • Assessment of Students’ conceptions • Development & assessment of curricula • Improvement & assessment of teachers’ conceptions • Relationship between teachers’ conceptions, classroom practice & student conceptions

4. Theoretical Framework: Literature • Preservice teachers and student teaching– NOS is rare in planning lessons – barriers exist • (Abd-El-Khalick, Bell, Lederman 1998) • Physics & NOS – differing contexts for learn NOS and teaching NOS • (Abd-El-Khalick, 2001) • Teaching NOS course – NOS - a content area • (Moss & Koehler, in preparation)

5. Theoretical Framework: Literature • NOS must be explicit • (Moss, Abrams & Robb, 2001; Abd-El-Khalick, Bell, & Lederman, 1998 ) • Teachers’ role in NOS important • (Lederman, 1992, Abd-El-Khalick & Lederman, 2000 ) • Teachers’ conceptions of NOS do not translate into classroom practice • (Brickhouse, 1990, Lederman & Zeidler, 1987)

6. Research Question • Provided with a strategy (The Model for Teaching NOS) for fostering NOS understandings: What are the challenges facing experienced teachers in facilitating NOS understandings in the high school classroom?

7. Participants • Three Experienced Biology Teachers • Master’s Degree Students • Enrolled in SCI 580: Teaching the NOS • Interested in learning new ways to teach science

8. Methodology • SCI 580: Teaching the Nature of Science (Fall 2004) • VNOS – C Questionnaire (x3) • (Lederman, Abd-El-Khalick, Bell, Schwartz, 2002) • Written Directive – Define NOS (pre & post x2) • Curriculum Project based on NOS Model • Other artifacts – (reflective journals, classroom observations, lesson plans)

9. SCI 580 – Teaching the NOS • Classic Literature from Kuhn, Popper, McComas – Conceptual Change Model (Posner, Strike, Hewson, Gertzog, 1982) • Discussion - What is NOS? • Activities explicitly directed toward NOS understandings • Curriculum Projects Using NOS model

10. There is no single definition of NOS Defined by researchers Additional tenets may include: There is no one scientific method of inquiry Dynamic Demand evidence VNOS (Lederman, Abd-El-Khalick, Bell, Schwartz, 2002) Tentative Empirically based Theory-laden Social & cultural Humanistic/Interpretative Creative & Imaginative Distinction between: Laws & Theories Inferences & Observations Shifting the Paradigm- What is NOS?

11. Strategy: Model for Teaching NOS Inquiry Scenario NOS Content Process

12. Inquiry Scenario • Context of Lesson • (Brown, Collins, Duguid, 1989; Schwartz, Lederman, Crawford, 2004) • Relevance to Students’ Lives • Socially & Culturally Based • STS, SSI • Teacher initiates the Inquiry Scenario – students can develop own questions

13. “Content” Element • Embedded in one or more disciplines of science (Earth/Space, Biology, Chemistry, Physics) • Supports the Inquiry Scenario • History of Science

14. “Process” Element • Skill base to “do science” • Experimentation, Data collection, Analysis • Problem Solving & Decision making • Includes Mathematics as it applies to science

15. Tying It All Together: NOS • Must be explicitly addressed throughout lesson • Ideal for teaching NOS • Must be assess as one outcome objective • Meets objectives of scientific literacy movement

16. Murder on The Hill Who Did It? • Crime Scene Investigation • At 12:00 pm on Thursday May 26th, 2005; a male body was found with a stab wound in the storage closet of Room 103 at The School on the Hill. A knife has been observed to be protruding out of the victim’s abdomen All students of the Anatomy and Physiology class are to remain in the room during the investigation until the perpetrator is found. WHO, IN THIS ROOM, DID IT??????

17. Example: Murder on the Hill! Who Did It? • Inquiry Scenario – Context of Lesson • Murder in Storage Closet • Knife protruding from victim’s abdomen • Blood on victim & floor • Students’ task – Who Did It?

18. “Process” Doing A Science Investigation • Collecting evidence from crime scene • Process the blood • Analyze The Blood • Determine “Who Did It?”

19. “Content” Objectives • Immune Responses • Blood Analysis • Anti-body & Antigen • Rh factor • Transfusion of Blood

20. NOS: Where does it fit in? • Tenets of NOS Addressed in Lesson • Decisions based on evidence • Tentative & dynamic • No one method to do science • Interpretative • Assessment – Reflection piece • Closure – NOS explicitly addressed

21. Results • Implementation of NOS activities in classroom • Student Reactions • Hurdles encountered • Students want the ‘right’ answer • Students want instant gratification • Reluctance to work collaboratively • Perceived lack of content taught • Some students need more structure • Time constraints • Evolving Conceptions of NOS

22. Implications for Science Education • Provides a methodology for fostering NOS in the classroom • Demonstrates that NOS is not a content objective • Defines hurdles encountered when fostering NOS understandings • Defines a progressive approach for teaching science