Inspiring Innovation in Student Research Workshop

1. Inspiring Innovation in Student Research Welcome and Good Morning! • Please sign in and grab a folder, binder and the book • Enjoy networking time with your colleagues and help yourself to coffee • Please copy the documents from the flash drive located at the front of the room (DO NOT take them) • Copy the “2014 NCSEF Workshop documents” folder to your computer – lots of helpful information • Be ready to start at 9:00 AM

2. Inspiring Innovation in Student Research! July 8, 2014 Appalachian State University Boone, NC

3. Introductions Who we are – NC Science Fair Foundation (NCSFF) • Organizing body of the NC Science and Engineering Fair (NCSEF) • 501c3 Non-Profit Organization • Staffed only by volunteers and in-kind services • The state affiliate of the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) • Sponsor of student competitions and awards • Provider of teacher professional development • Website http://ncsciencefair.org/

4. Introductions, cont. • Sponsored by Biogen Idec Foundation The Biogen Idec Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of people’s lives and contribute to the vitality of the communities in which we operate. The Foundation puts special emphasis on innovative ways to promote science literacy and encourage young people to consider science careers. The Foundation focuses on STEM education initiatives and is committed to sparking a passion for science and discovery, supporting innovative initiatives, and strengthening efforts to make science accessible to diverse populations. • Participants – tell us about you • Name • School • Grade level and subject • Any previous experience with student research and/or Science Fair • Why are you here today?

5. Desired Outcomes Guiding Student Research p 57 By the end of this session, participants will have a(n) • Understanding of the research process • Understanding of effective strategies and processes to engage students in STEM related research • Understanding of the process required to participate in the NC Science and Engineering Fair including forms and ISEF rules for the Regional and State fairs • Understanding of the why and how ensuring adherence to safety and research standards • Understanding of the NCSEF website resources for students, teachers, parents and community members

6. Consensogram Questions • Please go the charts and use one of your dots to respond to each question or statement • Place your dot on a horizontal line

7. What do you think of when you think of a Science Fair?

8. Today’s students investigate NEW PROBLEMS

9. with New Solutions

10. The purpose of guiding student research is to give young people the opportunity to: • Experience the excitement of inquiry-based science • Learn about science and engineering by engaging in student-led research • Learn about a new subject or more about an old one • Learn what scientists and engineers do • Have fun doing all of the above! Video “Science Fair: A journey”

11. Why should my students do independent research? A research project: • teaches a student how scientists approach a problem and seek answers • teaches lifelong learning skills, organization, and time management • allows personal development as students become “experts” in their field of investigation • encourages students to pursue their natural curiosity and questions that they are interested in answering! • helps you to comply with the Next Generation Science Standards

12. Why should teachers have this as part of their curriculum? • Allows students to integrate science across curricula and provides skills to students • Reading & writing in content areas • Math analysis of data, graphing, charts • Computer skills in presentation, graphs, text • Interpretation of scientific data • Increase science literacy, student interest in science, and motivation to pursue scientific careers • Learn real world skills • New K-12 Next Generation Science Standards states that science education should be built around “Scientific and Engineering Practices”

13. Types of projects:Scientific Thought vs Engineering Goals Guiding Student Research p 67 Science – any system of knowledge that is concerned with the physical world and its phenomena and that entails unbiased observations and systematic experimentation. In general, a science involves a pursuit of knowledge covering general truths or the operations of fundamental laws. Engineering– the application of science to the optimum conversion of the resources of nature to the uses of humankind. …creative application of “scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property.” What types of projects have your students done? Definitions provided by Encyclopedia Britannica

14. How is Research Done?The Inquiry Cycle #4 Test & Discover #3 Experimental Design #5 Student Analysis & Dissemination #2 Develop Testable Question #1 Student Curiosity & Interest

15. Engineering Design Cycle

16. Comparison of the Methods* *Sciencebuddies.org

17. The Process at a Glance – Teachers Guiding Student Research Ch 4; p 68-72 • Set a Time Line • Plan time for each portion of the research • Sample timeline on ScienceBuddies • Set up schedule for review of research plans prior to experimentation • Develop time line for designing experiment and methods, experimentation, and analysis. • Reserve time for putting together paper or project board • Look at schedule for school and higher level competitions • Think backwards: State Fair is the end of March, Regional Fairs are late January/February (Region 7 is in December) In groups brainstorm a brief timeline of when to introduce the concepts, have students explore ideas, write a research plan, conduct experiments and a time for your local/school fair

18. Transferring Student Work to Graded Assessment Guiding Student Research p 77 and 85-89 • Each portion is assessed separately, not looking at the final complete project for the next Einstein • As we will model today, each portion is reviewed for how well students follow the science and engineering process • Teachers can provide feedback throughout the process and encourage student’s critical and creative thinking • Rubrics for grading each portion can be found in sciencebuddies.org

19. The Process at a Glance – Teachers Guiding Student Research Ch 4; p 68-72 • Set a Time Line • Form Review Committees • Get Parental Support • Educate parents concerning student’s projects • NOT parent’s projects! • Provide information as to scientific investigation • NOT cookbook lab • Stress support roles of parents • Request volunteers for mentoring and science competitions • Culturally Responsive What have you found to be most effective for recruiting?

20. The Process at a Glance – Teachers Guiding Student Research Ch 4; p 68-72 • Set a Time Line • Form Review Committees • Get Parental Support • Culturally Responsive • Plan for Differentiation • Collect and Copy Forms • Mentor Students • Science and Engineering Fair • Set up • Scoring

21. The Process at a Glance – Students Guiding Student Research Ch 4; p 68-72 • Think about what interests them, their own real world problems • Start Journal on Research • Topic Selection • Background Research • Develop Questions • Develop a Research Plan • Experiment • Write • Display • Present Research

22. Developing the Project

23. Resources for getting started • Visit the NC Science and Engineering Fair Web Site • http://www.ncsciencefair.org/ • Use online guides • Intel ISEF Science Project Planner • http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/participate • Science Buddies (Project Ideas, Project Guide, “Ask an Expert”, and Resources) • http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/science-projects.shtml

24. Guiding Student Research Ch 3 Getting Students onboard “Research is formalized curiosity, It is poking and prying with a purpose” - Zora Neale Hurston, in Dust Tracks on a Road, 1942 • Use students’ interest • Allow them to be the experts • Don’t be limited by your own knowledge and keep an open mind to their ideas In groups come up with 3 strategies to engage your students Developing embryo movie

25. Picking the topic the Most Difficult Part • Topic (noun) • a subject of conversation or discussion: to provide a topic for discussion. • the subject or theme of a discourse or of one of its parts. • Rhetoric, Logic. a general field of considerations from which arguments can be drawn. • Also called theme. Linguistics . the part of a sentence that announces the item about which the rest of the sentence communicates information, often signaled by initial position in the sentence or by a grammatical marker. • Should come from something of great interest • Hobby or topic they know something about • Encourage students to think about their environment/their life • Should not be too broad that it can not be answered through the investigation • Begin keeping your journal/research log! • Good resource is the “Topic Wizard” on www.sciencebuddies.org

26. You get to design a project • In groups of 3-4 you will come up with a Topic, develop a Testable Question, create a Research Plan and determine how to Present your Data • Groups should consist of educators teaching the same grade level and have a similar science interest • First, explore your interests and pick a topic • Try out the “Topic Wizard” on www.sciencebuddies.org

27. Share your topics • Is it a topic? • Was the wizard helpful? • Pitfalls to using the wizards • Has anyone used other resources?

28. The student will now become the expert on the topic through research • Background research – general information about your problem that might include: • Definition and/or explanation of the topic or problem • Definition and/or explanation of terms found in the problem • Information about topics that relate to the problem • Explanation of why it is important to know about this problem • While students are doing their research they are looking for questions that they would like to answer

29. Conducting background research • Resources • Use internet - but look at sites, should look for “.edu” or “.gov” • NOT ALL INFORMATION ON THE WEB IS CORRECT! • Try using Googlescholar.com for journals • Use libraries – local resources and at NC State (as well as community and other colleges and universities) • Talk to experts in the field - local and distant (NC State, Science Buddies, etc.) • Create a bibliography of your sources • At least 3 for elementary and 5 for Junior and Senior

31. Organize the information • Look at what you have learned • Think of questions that were not answered • Narrow your focus for your topic to a particular idea • Develop the “testable” question!

32. Creating a testable question • Once you find a general topic that interests you, write down the question that you want to answer. • A scientific question usually starts with: How, What, When, Who, Which, Why, or Where • Can you design a fair test to answer your question? • A "fair test" requires that you change only one factor (variable) and keep all other conditions the same • If you cannot design a fair test, then you should change your question • Your science fair project question should involve factors or traits that you can easily measure using a number. Or, factors or traits that are easily identified. From Science Buddies

33. Create your testable questions • “Topic to Experiment” worksheet (PDF in the files provided) • Use this to work through information and develop your question • Question must answer: • topic • what is being changed/tested • what is being measured Develop your testable question using this worksheet Once your group has your question, write it on the big pieces of paper

34. Developing the Research Plan

35. Developing authentic Inquiry Guiding Student Research Ch 3; p 58 • Generating research questions • Selecting variables • Developing simple controls • Developing relatively complex controls • Making multiple observations • Observing intervening variables • Using analog models • Simple transformation of observations • Complex transformation of observations • Developing theories and mechanisms • Multiple studies of the same type • Multiple studies of different types • Studying expert research reports

36. Things to think about • Is this original? • Is this doable? • Materials • Location • Home • School • University • Laboratory • Industrial Setting • Medical Center • Field • Mentor

37. Adult roles and Responsibilities Guiding Student Research p 122-125 • Adult Sponsor • Oversees project • Parent, teacher, youth leader, scientist • Qualified Scientist • Required for some projects • Projects involving: • BSL-2 biological agents • DEA-controlled substances • human participants (dependent on project)  • vertebrate animal studies • Designated Supervisor • Important for projects involving vertebrate animal; hazardous chemicals, activities or devices; or when a qualified scientist is required but cannot directly supervise In groups discuss where students could find a mentor in YOUR community

38. NCSEF website has a section on “Doing a Science Fair Project” http://ncsciencefair.org/index.php/students-a-parents/doing-a-science-fair-project Includes: • Before you Start your Project • Selecting a Science Project • What is the Scientific Method? • Planning and Conducting the Investigation • Online Resources

39. Develop Research Plan Components of a Research Plan: • Question being addressed • Hypothesis/Problem/Goal • Description in detail of method/procedures • Any possible safety issues and how they will be handled • What type of data you are planning to collect (what is being measured) • How will you analyze the data that you collect

40. Considerations for the Research Plan • Develop an experimental design BEFOREcollecting data! • Explain what you are going to do, what will be involved, and what you are trying to find out (remember that “testable” question!) • Need to have controls and document factors that influence experiment • Be sure to have large enough numbers to be valid • Need to have limited variables so that you know what is changing and why • Review types of data expected and how it will be analyzed

41. Develop a research plan to investigate YOUR testable question • In groups create a basic research plan • On your large paper write down: • Location of experimentation • Materials needed (the main ones) • Basic timeline (how long will you conduct the experiment) • Do you need a mentor/scientist? • Type of data you plan to collect

42. Rules and Regulations • We follow the rules put forth by ISEF • Can find the complete rules as a PDF in your workshop folder • Why? • Protects students • Protects you • Raises the expectations for quality work • Gets scientists involved in your school • Allows students to compete at higher levels • Develops understanding of how science is regulated in U.S.

43. Who enforces these rules? • EVERYONE!!!!! • Committees can be established to review projects BEFORE experimentation • Scientific Review Committee (SRC) • Institutional Review Board (IRB) • At all levels • Local, Regional, State, National/International

44. SRC (Scientific Review Committee) • Reviews some projects before experimentation • Reviews ALL projects just prior to competition • Local level • Regional level • State level • Membership must include: • a biomedical scientist (Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., D.D.S., D.O.) • an educator • one other member

45. IRB (Institutional Review Board) You can establish a school level committee Just make sure that none of the three are the adult sponsor or qualified scientist working with the student • Must review all projects involving humansfor physical and psychological risk BEFOREexperimentation. • May be part of your SRC • Must have 3 people (one in each category) • Educator • School administrator • Someone qualified to review physical and psychological risk: nurse, doctor, licensed counselor, licensed social worker

46. What do they check? • No microorganisms for elementary students • No home culturing of microorganisms • Extra forms, if needed – use checklist • Research plan • Does plan match checklist? • Bibliographies – 3 for elementary and 5 for Junior and Senior projects • Acceptable risk differs – better safe than sorry… • Disposal plan for chemicals and microorganisms • Final project – did it follow the research plan? • Plan reviewed and approved before experimentation

47. What are ISEF Forms • Requiring ISEF Forms protects students and school. • Forms must be reviewed BEFOREExperimentation • http://ncsciencefair.org/index.php/students-a-parents/forms • Local fairs can save paper by using an online system for Forms 1, 1A and 1B. Research plans, abstracts, and other forms need to be in hard copy. • Students who win and go on to the next level will need hard copies of all forms.

48. Forms required for all projects A Research Plan is required that must incorporate all of the relevant topics listed in the Research Plan Instructions. An Abstract on the official form must be submitted.

49. ISEF Rules Wizard • ISEF rules wizard can be useful to determine forms needed • http://apps.societyforscience.org/isef/students/wizard/index.asp Does your project need any more forms?

50. Form 3 – HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS, ACTIVITIES OR DEVICES (HCAD) Any devices or compounds that are regulated by ANY agency (local, state, or federal); requiring the signature of a licensed individual (i.e. pharmacist, doctor); or introduce a risk above and beyond that encountered in the student’s everyday life. • Radiation • Hazardous Devices (dad may be a carpenter, student is not, therefore power tools are hazardous) • Fire • Boiling water • DEA Controlled Substances • Prescription Drugs • Alcohol & Tobacco • Firearms (including bows) & Explosives • Hazardous Chemicals – if label has a warning on the use, then consider it hazardous