Monday 2:00 -- Teaching Complex Systems with Models

1. Developing Student Understanding of Complex Systems in the Geosciences, Carleton College, 18-20 April 2010 Monday 2:00 -- Teaching Complex Systems with Models & Learning Modeling Teaching AS a Complex System Bruce W. Grant Widener University

3. accepts Public acceptance of evolution in 34 countries. rejects Miller et al. 2006. Public Acceptance of Evolution. Science 313: 765–766. US US

4. Ecology Topic Introducing Ecology Scientific Thinking Quantitative Thinking Systems Thinking Ecological Thinking (* note: this group is common to all rows below, as well *) Individual Ecology Physiological Ecology Behavioral Ecology Population Ecology Population Genetics Population Regulation Mathematical Modeling Metapopulations (Mis)conception Cluster Scientific Epistemology Evidence-based Empirical Reasoning Observation – Hypothesis – Prediction Correlation – Causation Inductive – Deductive Reasoning, “Prove” Empirical InferenceGraphing, Data Visualization, Modeling, Statistical Inference Ecological Scale Space, Time, Taxonomic Systems Conceptualization and Modeling Direct and Indirect Effects “Balance” and “Order” in Nature Adaptation & Natural Selection Variation, Fitness Sexual, Kin, Group Selection Nature vs. Nurture Cooperation and Altruism Metabolism Energy, Heat, Mass Balance Energy and Materials Processing Regulation and Homeostasis Evolution Qualitative Genetics Quantitative Genetics Variation, Modeling Random Processes Density Dependence/Independence Linear/ Non-linear Feedback Determinism vs. Stochasticity, Chaos Exotic “Alien” Species Migration Ecology Topic Community Ecology Competition Predation/Parasitism Mutualisms Biodiversity Ecosystems Ecology Energy Flow Biogeochemical Cycles Ecosystem Change Conservation Ecology Resource Management Ecological Sustainability (Mis)conception Cluster Modeling Interactions (see above) Community Stability and Resiliency Prudent Predation/Parasitism Symbiosis and Coevolution Spatial*Temporal @#$% in Biogeography, Extinction and Speciation Energy, Heat, Mass Balance Carbon Cycle (any cycle…) Sequences of Events vs. Transformation Processes Disturbances in Space and Time Environmental Ethics Utilitarianism, Deontology, Aesthetics Valuation of Nature Ecosystems Services Strong – Weak Sustainability Advocacy and Citizen Scientists TIEE ESA Memphis

6. Fall 2000 – Bio161 Section A, 24 students

7. Individual variation in student scores on the “Evolution” question during the Fall 2005 semester (red line is the average). average score pre-test mid Sept05 Quiz3 end Sept05 Exam 1 Oct05 Final Dec05

8. Fall 2000 – Bio161 Section A, 24 students 6 went on to graduate in biology 18 did not…

9. “Teaching requires the recognition that education is ideological.” - Paulo Freire 1998, Pedagogy of Freedom

13. Science, 2004. 304: 521-522

14. Crude Content Analysis of Workshop Participant Essays Essay contained evidence from student data (quantitative or “non-anecdotal” qualitative, or cited in ed research journal pub) 21 % …not so

15. What does it mean to apply our understanding of complex systems in our disciplines to improving our teaching and our students’ learning?

16. What is the Goal of the Activity? Inductive Reasoning Specific Observation Hypothesis or General Theory Deductive Reasoning

17. Steps of the Scientific Method Observation of Something Intriguing or Paradoxical Curiosity  Questions/Hypotheses About Causality Experimental Design to Test Hypotheses Obtain Funding to Conduct the Research Perform the Experiment: Collect and Analyze Data Accept or Reject Hypothesis (More Experiments?) Publish Results Anomalies lead to paradigm shifts (Kuhn). (biased toward an “Inductive then Deductive” schema)

18. Anomalies lead to paradigm shifts (Kuhn). (biased toward an “Inductive then Deductive” schema)

19. Challenges to Scientific Teaching Making Keen Observations Reflection Crafting Testable Questions Avoiding “Deficit” Explanations Basing Hyp’s on Learning Theory Steps of the Scientific Method Observation of Something Intriguing or Paradoxical Curiosity  Questions/Hypotheses About Causality Experimental Design to Test Hypotheses Obtain Funding to Conduct the Research Perform the Experiment: Collect and Analyze Data Accept or Reject Hypothesis (More Experiments?) Publish Results Multiple Causality and Underlying Latent Variables “Control” Over Variables, and Other Limits to Positivist Reductionism Qualitative and Ethnographic Methods “Quasi-Experimental Mixed Method Designs” METACOGNITION – How do we know when we know? Ed. Research Journal Domains Collaborations w/ Ed. Faculty REWARDS SYSTEM

20. What is the Goal of the Activity? Pure/Applied Science Informed by… Resolve Reflect Specific Observation from Practice Personal Theory of Practice Repeat Revise Research Cycle of Practice (≡ PRAXIS !!)

21. Thus, the goal is not generalizable theory, but rather the construction of contextualized knowledge that improves the action of one’s practice because the outcomes produce good ends. • Practitioner research is value driven, goal-oriented, and transformative advocacy for both teacher and student, because that is the right thing to do. • Education is liberating, the capacity to teach and learn is emancipatory, our students deserve it, our culture demands it, and these outcomes not only constitute a core western ideological position (Freire 1998)… • …it is a • “way of • knowing”

22. theoria poiēsis praxis Aristotle of Stageira (384 – 322 BC)

23. pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, contemplative inquiry using a priori reasoning to achieve knowledge of eternal truths of no relevance to the conduct of everyday practical activities. Theoria activities guided by reasoning called techné that form the basis of productive life and require knowledge, methods and skills that constitute technical expertise (e.g., craftsmen, poets, farmers, economists, and scientists). Productive Philosophy Poiēsis action to progressively realize the good or virtuous conduct of a morally worthwhile life. Praxis is putting theoretical knowledge into practice, and it emphasizes the need for a constant cycle of conceptualizing the meanings of what can be learned from experience in order to reframe action. Practical Philosophy Praxis http://www.geocities.com/krinklyman2/toyaristotle.jpg Carr 2006. Philosophy, Methodology and Action Research. Journal of the Philosophy of Education 40 (4): 421-435.

24. Theoria pure science applied science Poiēsis Productive Philosophy Practical Philosophy Praxis action/ practitioner research http://www.geocities.com/krinklyman2/toyaristotle.jpg Carr 2006. Philosophy, Methodology and Action Research. Journal of the Philosophy of Education 40 (4): 421-435.

25. The Place of Praxis in “Scientific Teaching” Inductive Reasoning Specific Observation Hypothesis or General Theory Deductive Reasoning One’s “Personal Theory of Practice” becomes an extension of the concept of a “Specific Observation” in the western scientific hypothetico-deductive process.

26. Why do some things work but not others?

27. Anomalies lead to paradigm shifts (Kuhn). (biased toward an “Inductive then Deductive” schema)

28. New to Fall 2006: •  major content reduction, •  many classes began with a survey of essay or short answer questions (5-10 mins) to elicit (mis)conceptions on the next topic, • results of these surveys, i.e. the frequencies of students’ (mis)conceptions, became the “lecture outline” for the next topic – course content was permuted to address observed (mis)conceptions.

29. Frequencies of Bio161 students’ misconceptions on the “Evolution” question on the pre-test in Sept 2006 (n=54) frequency of responses TIEE V6 – Grant, Figure 6

30. Final Exam DINO NECK Scores +10 +9 +8 +7 +6 +5 +4 +3 +2 +1 +0 0 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 0 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% great answer ! mentioned genetics, but… nothing outrageous Lamarckian or teleological need drives the variation 2000-2005 2006-2007 way off track TIEE V6 – Grant, Figure 7 0 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 0 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

31. FINAL EXAM Dino Neck score averages among years (max of 10 pts) for students who completed both pre- & post-tests (Sept & Dec) Post- Pre- pairwise t-tests P<0.001 P<0.05 * sample sizes: 45, 42, 49, 36, 40, 44, 49, 66 TIEE V5 – Grant, Figure 14

32. Comparison of final exam “Dino Neck” vs. “≡ Evolution” scores for all students in 2000-2005 (left, n = 247) and 2006-2007 (right, n = 118).

33. Summary of Findings to Date: • (a) students explained evolution more accurately • (b) specific types of misconceptions decreased significantly • 1 - more students recognized the importance and nature of phenotypic variation as occurring among co-existing individuals, • 2 - more students understood the role of random mutation as the origin of these within population variants, • 3 - more students appreciated the action of natural selection as selecting among these coexisting variants, and • 4 - more students had jettisoned teleological/ Lamarckian explanations for evolutionary change based on need • (c) more students demonstrated improved cognitive capacity at applying factual knowledge across cognitive domains to synthesize information

34. Why scores improved. Direct confrontation with students’ misconceptions, Concept reinforcement within a repetitive template (scaffolding) – complex ideas were more manageable, Surveys got students to class on time, and writing woke them up, But… more importantly,

35. Why scores improved (con.). I talked to them about themselves! I acknowledged and validated their struggles with learning the concepts, What they knew and didn’t know mattered and affected what we “covered,” Learning was more personal, relevant, and accessible to them – their struggle with learning this material was really about their struggle with learning about themselves.

36. Why I enjoyed it. A stack of essay quizzes (50+) was like a field notebook containing REAL DATA. It was actually interesting to labor to extract evidence, I enjoyed seeing into their thinking, and for many, witnessing their growth in understanding, Teaching IS research, and for me, research is fun.

37. Anomalies lead to paradigm shifts (Kuhn). (biased toward an “Inductive then Deductive” schema)

38. Scientific Teaching is needed because… teacher professional development needs to change teachers from “consumers of knowledge about teaching” to “producers of knowledge about teaching” National Science Education Standards (NRC 1996) “scientifically based [education] research” must drive the use of federal education funds at the state and local levels “No Child Left Behind” Act (2001) Design-Implementation-Outcomes (DIO) Cycle of Evidence Evidence: An Essential Tool (NSF 2005) Practitioner Research (e.g. Jarvis 1998, Stenhouse 1985) Action Research (e.g. Hollingsworth 1997) Exploratory Research(e.g. Allwright 1984…2005) Reflective Practitioner (e.g. Schon 1983, Bassey 1992)

39. Praxis is… • “a form of action directed towards the achievement of some end… [and] the ‘end’ of praxis is not to make or produce some object or artifact, but progressively to realize the idea of the ‘good’ constitutive of a morally worthwhile form of human life. • But praxis is not ethically neutral action by means of which the good life can be achieved. …praxis is a form of ‘doing’ action precisely because its ‘end’ — to promote the good life — only exists, and can only be realized, in and through praxis itself. … • Praxis is thus nothing other than a practical manifestation of how the idea of the good is being understood…” • Carr 2006. Philosophy, Methodology, and Action Research. • Journal of the Philosophy of Education 40 (4): 421-435.

40. According to Carr 2006(and ref’s therein…), • Practical philosophy was deliberately marginalized in modern times… • “because the indeterminate and imprecise nature of praxis unavoidably entails that practical philosophy is an ‘inexact’ science which yields a form of knowledge that cannot be applied universally and unconditionally.” • Thus, • “practical philosophy.. is nothing other than a pre-modern version of twentieth century action research. Like action research, it takes ethically informed human practice as its unique object domain. • Like action research, it can be defined as ‘a form of reflective enquiry undertaken by practitioners in order to improve their own practices, their understanding of these practices and the situation in which these practices are carried out’ … And, like action research, it accepts that the knowledge that informs and guides practice is ‘contextualised knowledge that cannot be separated from the practical context in which it is embedded’….” • “contemporary rehabilitation of practical philosophy”