Epistemic Complexity as a measure of inquiry progress in science education ?

1. Tecfa Epistemic  Complexity  as a measure of inquiry progress in science education ? Dr. François Lombard Prof Dr. Mireille Betrancourt TECFA – Geneva University

2. Rationale • “Educational gains” • Strict statistical significance but… all interventions have an effect (Hattie 2008) • Poor scientific understanding of students (PISA, Rocard, 2006) • Relevance of what is measured • “the need to develop appropriate and feasible assessments that specifically target inquiry to track changes” Capps, D. Crawford, D. (2013) • Process measure vs Curricular assessment • What is measured as progress… • Comparison subject-independent

3. Epistemic complexity • Epistemic complexity (Hakkarainen, K. 2003, Zhang, J., Scardamalia, M. 2007) ≠ simple/ elaborate descriptions (facts)… -> simple / elaborated explanations • Current biology paradigm • Explanations of underlying mechanisms (Morange, P. 2003) • Higher level cognitive skills(Bloom, 1956)

4. Research Design • Part of a larger (PhD) research • Develop IBL design (~10 years) • Validate design : • School : adequate curricular / results / • Relevant to biology paradigm • In-depth scientific understanding • Analyze design : DBR • Analyze iterations of design / holistic approach • Conceptualization • -> Relevant variables • Validated Design Rules

5. « In other courses, youwait a few moments and the teachergives the answer, soyouwriteit down and don’t do the effort of thinking, and finallyyou must redo all the workof understandingat home. '’ A studentduring the evaluation of the activity 2006

6. Inquiry Based Learning • How does the teacherensurestudentsadress the « good » questions whilehavingthemkeepownership of Q° • Under press in JBE • Whatscaffolding / ressources access / social structure guides towards in-depthscientificknowledge ? • Findings not discussedhere • 34 Design rules • Synthetic abstract model of IBL.

7. Research Q° • What measure of student understanding Relevant / Content independent ? Today : “Can epistemic complexity be used as a measure of inquiry progress in science education ?”

8. The design we analyzed

9. Sample • 19 year old final higher secondary school students N = 61 • Wiki records 106 words • Questionnaires • End of year • 1 year later at university • 4 years 2006-2010 • Full year inquiry • 12-16 students / 4 groups • Normal time, curriculum, exams T=R !

10. Codingmethod • Students write their understanding in a shared wiki space. • Documents critical for student exams • One final Wiki document typically 200 EC items • 3-4 weeks, 3000 words 3-4 students • Coding of all units of meaning within student text into 4 categories of EC • Dependent on writing of students – assignments -> measure possible at a limited number of moments • Not double coding.

11. Codingscheme : 1/2 • 1 Unelaborated facts: • Description of terms, phenomena, or experiences without elaboration. • 2 Elaborated facts: • Elaboration of terms, phenomena, or experiences. • “Antigen : Any substance against which antibodies can be • produced. Also called Immunoglobulin”” • “Antibodies are composed of two heavy chains and two light assembled to form a Y. These chains are joined by disulfide very flexible bridges (= hinge zones on fig.A) between the two heavy chains and between each light chain and heavy chain.” Zhang, J., M. Scardamalia, M. Lamon, R. Messina, and R. Reeve. "Socio-Cognitive Dynamics of Knowledge Building in the Work of 9-and 10-Year-Olds." Educational Technology Research and Development55, no. 2 (2007): 117-45. Appendix B pp 142-143

12. Codingscheme 2/2 • 3 Unelaborated explanations: • Reasons, relationships, or mechanisms mentioned without elaboration. • 4 Elaborated explanations: • Reasons, relationships, or mechanisms elaborated. How are the correct type of lymphocytes activated by cytokines, i.e. what is double activation? Double activation. Certain T8 responses require T4 : T8 recognizing antigens on weakly co-stimualtory cells can only be activated in presence of T4 linked to the same APC. This happens mainly by way of a T4 recognizing an antigen on an activated APC inducing high levels of co-stimulatory activity on the APC, which in turn activates T8 to produce it’s own IL-2.(Translated from french) »  Zhang, J., M. Scardamalia, M. Lamon, R. Messina, and R. Reeve. "Socio-Cognitive Dynamics of Knowledge Building in the Work of 9-and 10-Year-Olds." Educational Technology Research and Development55, no. 2 (2007): 117-45. Appendix B pp 142-143

13. Investigation progress

14. Inquiry progression / Duration needed

15. Yearlong progress / duration

16. Compare implementations Year 2005-6 Year 2006-7

17. Inform teacher’s intervention

18. Information to discuss phases

19. Potentials and limits • Relevant to biology • Coherentwithscientificparadigm • Process variable : informs progression • Subject-independant • Comparisons of implementations, interventions, designs etc. • Teacher training : discusslearningeffects • - routine class use : simpler version ? • - acceptance in research : not validated • - acceptance in schools : not alignedwithfrequentassessment.

20. Acknowledgements : • Advisor Daniel K. Schneider • With the support of Département de l’InstructionPublique Genève, DGPO • TECFA , IUFE University of Geneva • Collège Calvin

21. Thankyou for … For your attention Francois.lombard@unige.ch

22. Define scientific understanding • Knowledge justified (Toulmin) • Based on data • Aware of methods and assumptions -> limitations • Debated with community • Subjected to peer-reviewing • “Deepness” of scientific understanding • Knowledge is within student • To understand scientifically ≠ about science • Scientific understanding : potential explanation (of mechanism)