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Jessica- Identity Activity

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Website Evaluation- Australian Museum

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Q1. What has your experience of science been like?
A1. I've generally enjoyed science and the exploration I feel it provides of the natural world.

Q2. What is your notion of science?
A2. I feel like science is not always linear or planned and feel science often follows a formula of  problem solving, wherein there is a clear problem or question, a struggle to apply ideas and concepts to solve the problem, and a final Eureka moment where the answer is found.

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      Jessica
What are your ideas/experiences in science?

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      Jessica
What are your ideas/experiences in science?

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What has your experience in science been like?
(Jess) Depending on the learning area (chemistry, astronomy, biology, etc.) it has varied. However, most of my experience in science has been in a chemistry lab. I have found it to be non-linear, somewhat disordered, but always having an objective to work through. By testing out different methods in chemical analysis, I have been able to find different pathways in exploring scientific questions.

What is your notion of science?

Science is made up of science theory and science in practice. In theory, science might be very structured, objective and rigid, however, in practice there may be less linearity in terms of finding an answer to a scientific question. Science can be structured and straightforward, but it can also be messy, riddled with trial-and-error and a journey of exploration.

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Jessica & Alex

Activity- NOS in Teaching (eg. Tricky Tracks)

Picture 1:

Observation: two different sets of footprints converge. The footprint belong to different individuals of either the same species (one bigger, one smaller) or different species. The larger footprints become further apart down the tracks.
Inference: one animal has been attracted to the smaller animal

Picture 2: 

Observation: footprints have converged, and have been mixed up at a specific location

Inference: mating has occurred/a mother animal has interacted with its young/a predator has attacked its prey

Picture 3:

Observations: after the footprint mix-up, only one set of tracks leaves the scene

Inferences: one animal has consumed another/a mother has picked up its young and carried it off/two animals have mated and one has flown off after mating has occurred

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Jessica & Alex

Activity- NOS in Teaching (eg. Tricky Tracks)

Picture 1:

Observation: two different sets of footprints converge. The footprint belong to different individuals of either the same species (one bigger, one smaller) or different species. The larger footprints become further apart down the tracks.
Inference: one animal has been attracted to the smaller animal

Picture 2: 

Observation: footprints have converged, and have been mixed up at a specific location

Inference: mating has occurred/a mother animal has interacted with its young/a predator has attacked its prey

Picture 3:

Observations: after the footprint mix-up, only one set of tracks leaves the scene

Inferences: one animal has consumed another/a mother has picked up its young and carried it off/two animals have mated and one has flown off after mating has occurred

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Q1. Is this Science?
EXAMPLE: Kathryn Aurora Gray, a 10-year-old girl from New Brunswick in Canada, was in the news for having discovered a supernova using software that allowed her to make time comparisons of a specific area of the night sky near Galaxy UGC3378, which is about 240 million light years away.
A1. I believe this is science. Using the NOS criteria 'Empirical nature of scientific knowledge' we can see that Kathryn used an observation found using software to make a scientific claim (that a supernova had be found), thus she conducted science.

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1. How did the students behave in response?
2. Was planning successful?
3. Was a sense of purpose achieved?
4. Was teaching and learning effectively implemented.
5. Were questions clear, was their a logical sequence?
6. Were the resources used relevant?
7. Instructions were clear?
8. Were individual needs cared for?

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1. QUESTION: Teacher Centred
2. EVIDENCE: Teacher guided
3. EXPLANATION: Teacher guided
4. CONNECTIONS: Teacher driven
5. COMMUNICATION Student Centred

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PREDICT: The arrow would flip when looked through a convex lens.
OBSERVATION: The arrow flipped along the y-axis by 180 degrees.
EXPLANATION: When light passes through a convex lens the individual beams of light converge into a focal point before diverging. If you are beyond the focal point you will see the image flipped because the light has flipped. If you are before the focal point you will see the image as normal.

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1. Pre-activity: Which of these examples would you locate within science?
Example 1 - Kathryn Aurora Gray:

Kathryn Aurora Gray, a 10-year-old girl from New Brunswick in Canada, was in the news for having just discovered a supernova using software that allowed her to make time comparison of a specific area of the night sky near Galaxy UGC3378, which is about 240 million light years away

1.  Pre- -activity: How would you make that decision?
Science encompasses many things, including fascination, problem-solving and discovery. Kathryn used a scientific tool which enabled her to make a discovery of a scientific phenomenon. She applied an effective method(s) in order to find an answer to a hypothesis or query of the world around here.

2. Post activity: Use your understanding of the concept of NOS and decide which of these examples can be locate within science.

-People of all cultures and backgrounds contribute towards scientific discovery and further understanding of the natural world

-Science and technology impact one another- technology enabled her to make that scientific discovery, however, there may have been other effective routes to her discovery as well

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1. How did the students respond towards the lesson content and delivery? (were they engaged, willing, verbally responsive?)

2. Did the lesson go as planned? (were there many interruption/behavioural issues/lack of time?)

3. Did the lesson content align with the learning outcomes?

4. What learning indicators were used to confirm that students comprehended the content and learnt the skills required as learning outcomes?

5. Were differing student abilities catered for? How was the lesson diferentiated to meet the needs of all students?

6. Was the lesson discourse logical and did it flow?

7. Were the students aware of the purpose of the learning tasks?

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Predict: when looking through the convex lens, the image on the other side would flip sideways
Observe- when looking through the convex lens, the image on the other side flipped along the y axis
Explain- light bends through the medium of a lens. So a convex lense converges light into a focal point. Past the focal point, the light diverges and the image is flipped.

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Light passes through

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Connects to the brain

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Contains the photo-receptors

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Allows the cows to see in low level light conditions (eg. night)

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Allows eye to retain shape/support (maintains intraoccular pressure

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Using program builder: this program, was well-designed, versatile and easy to use.
Creating criteria- also easy to do
I would definitely use program builder during my teaching career, as it is important to make use of ICT for convenience and ease of access to others

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How can this cow-eye dissection be used in enquiry-based learning?

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How can this cow-eye dissection be used in enquiry-based learning?

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Before the dissection activity, the teacher could get a discussion started on how animal vision differs from human vision. Or how glasses and lenses work and use that as the starting concept from which knowledge is built upon. Students would be able to identify the relevance of this activity to the learning content and use their experimental observations to link it back to important concepts on this topic.
Inquiry questions:
-How are some animals physically different from humans?
-What is a convex lens and how does it help an animal to see?
-How do glasses, camera lenses and telescopes work?

Task 2: How will you integrate biology and physics for stage 4 and 5 students?
Ideas/Research questions:
-How is light bent through a medium? Use the topic of optics (physics) and apply it to this dissection activity. We would look at biological lenses, such as those in animal eyes.
-Blood pressure: looking at blood volume, blood pressure and pressure against blood vessel walls

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Seasonal change was discussed, and we were investigating how we would model the concept of seasonal change to a group of Stage 4 science students. Many factors were raised:
-earth's rotation on an axis
-perihelion (earth closer to the sun in Southern Hemisphere summer and further away from the sun in Northern hemisphere winter)
-atmosphere and shape of the earth (tides caused by the moon)

We investigated the effects of a tilted earth on seasonal change, and looked at the key variables: tilt vs sunlight. The question 'does direct sunlight heat a surface (earth's) faster/more than indirect sunlight?'
This was investigated using a heat lamp and a container of soil with a thermometer.

Results:
When indirect sunlight was applied to the soil for 3 minutes, the temperature of the soil increased from 18oC to 21oC. When direct sunlight was applied to the soil for 3 minutes, the temperature of the soil increase from 18oC to 28oC.
Therefore, our hypothesis was confirmed- direct sunlight= more radiation + heat than indirect sunlight. We can say that a tilted earth causes direct sunlight to be applied to one hemisphere of the earth, whilst at the same time, the other hemisphere is illuminated by indirect sunlight.

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1. How does modeling help you to understand students' conceptual development?

Students may choose to illustrate their understanding of a concept through diagrams or drawings. Modeling a concept can be used alongside written text to facilitate conceptual development

2. How does modeling help you to design inquiry based teaching?

It is a way in which we can physically demonstrate a concept to students so that they can grasp the concept with greater ease. They can then use this modeling as an observation, which may be succeeded by further explanation,research and data collection to reaffirm an idea or concept.

3. How does modeling help you to understand your students' learning better?

Students can give verbal feedback through answering discussion questions in class (formative assessment). They can use diagrams and other illustrations to convey their levels of understanding of a concept

4. How can you make sure individual students learn concepts properly?

By facilitating conceptual development through the GEM model- generate --> evaluate --> modify

5. What are your strategies to include diverse students (academically low ability students, non-native English speakers etc.) in your classroom?

Use multimodal forms of learning- text, verbal discussion, video, powerpoint, simulation, etc. Also, asking them to illustrate their understanding in the same way- multimodally

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Datalogger is an easy way of recording scientific variables such as temperature, light, pH, etc. It is easy to learn how to operate and one can transfer the collected data onto a device as an excel spreadsheet.

We would teach students to use Datalogger primarily through interpretation of line graphs and using variables when collecting data (eg. time vs temp). Once they understand the basic function of datalogger, we can then use more complex functions such as statistical analysis and comparing different samples

Datalogger can be used for a range of activities, which may include reaction rates, exothermic and endothermic reactions, change in ph, light absorption, dynamics, etc. As long as there are variables that can be measured, it can be applied in any hands-on scientific activity

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Jess: Q1. What formative assessement techniques would you use for each phase of the 5E's?

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Jess: Q1. What formative assessement techniques would you use for each phase of the 5E's?

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Engage:

Students engage in class discussion about a certain concept/idea, where teacher receives verbal feedback on their current understanding of the concept

Explore:

Students do independent research on the concept, which they publish on an online platform, where teachers can see what knowledge they have come across and may have used constructively to extend their understanding

Explain:

Students demonstrate communication skills where they present their new understanding to the class and the teacher gets an idea of their understanding

Elaborate:

Students apply the skills they obtained in regards to conceptual development and apply it to a new or related concept. The teacher can then use their application to assess how their knowledge has been extended through their research

Evaluate:

students engage in self-reflection of what they have learnt this lesson. This self-reflection can be posted to an online platform where the teacher can read the student response and gauge their new understanding of the concept

Q2. How will you provide high quality feedback based on assessment technique/s you have chosen to use to assist students in their learning challenges?

By providing them with written and verbal feedback both instantaneously and at a later time.

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Q1. Reflect on your own identity as a science teacher
My identity as a science teacher is shaped through experience, content knowledge and teaching pedagogy. It is also shaped by feedback from others that may observe my lessons and also self-reflection

Q2. As a teacher, what role will you play in identity verification in your students? How will they affect their own identity verification?
By providing them with feedback throughout the duration of the lesson and giving them the opportunity to reflect on and explore their learning progress. They may reflect on their goals/strengths/weaknesses, as well as personal interests and values/attitudes/beliefs

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Discussing our own experiences of project-based learning

1. What did you have to do?
Synthesize a range of compounds that could be effective as fruit-fly attractants. We had to research the current understanding of these compounds and their effectiveness, and then use that data to inform our own methodology in the lab
2. What were you assessed on?
We were assessed on our ability to analyse synthesize compounds using different methods (spectroscopy, chromatography, melting point, etc.), our ability to collaborate in a group and delegate work appropriately, our ability to use relevant literature to inform our research and our ability to compile data effectively to produce a cohesive and scientifically accurate paper

3. How were you assessed?
Summatively, at the end of the project. We were interviewed about our experience and how each group member contributed, and we were also assessed on the final paper that was produced

4. How was the experience like?
It was a great experience, very eye-opening to the different methods used in chemical analysis, and also a good perspective into working in a scientific team

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Types of student inquiry:

Structured Inquiry- students follow the lead of the teacher
Controlled Inquiry- teacher chooses topics
Guided Inquiry- students choose topics but have the guidance o the teacher to lead them in the right direction
Free Inquiry- students choose their topics without reference to any describes outcomes

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Activity 1 using technology in the science classrooms and classroom innovations

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Activity 1 using technology in the science classrooms and classroom innovations

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Q1. What are the things (he said) about educational research that all of you agree?

Although many researcher predicted that education would be revolutionized through technology, so far this has failed to come to pass. Students are still taught (largely) in groups with the assistance of a single teacher, in a structured classroom environment. I agree that less mental effort is exerted, when watching simulations and videos on a concept. This means that the brain is just not stimulated in the same way! Thus, it makes sense that static graphics would teacher students more about something like blood flow around the heart, because students are required to use their brains to visualize the movement of blood around the body, instead of a video/simulation doing that for them.
"What limits learning is what can happen inside the student's head"- I wholeheartedly agree with this notion.

Q2. What are the things (he said) about educational research that may not be conclusive?

No one technology is inherently better than another. I think this can continue to be tested, as there is no limit on what kind of technology can exist.
He states that learning is best achieved in a social environment, with others learners and a caring teacher. This can also be tested, because we are constantly evolving as a society, and therefore, students are constantly evolving. We still do not know to what extent a social learning environment achieved a higher level of education, compared to solitary learning environments. Certainly, there are social benefits from mainstream education in group settings, however, it has not been concluded that academic achievement is higher in social settings.

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We certainly still need teachers in classrooms. In an effective learning environment, they are facilitators of learning, and do not pose a primary authoritative role. Students need to be able to ask a question face to face, and have that real human interaction when being assisted with their learning. Teachers also help to create a positive classroom culture, where ethics and appropriate behaviours are taught. The role of the teacher is not only a transmitter of information, but a medium of alternative teaching methods(differentiation) and an assessor or learning. Teachers do more than just teach, they assess students' learning needs, so that students can be taught holistically, they provide a nurturing parental role (important in early childhood + primary education) and they give students the opportunity to construct their own knowledge from the information provided in class.

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Alex and Jess were not here this week (Jess had Dr's appt.). This will be a theoretical write-up, using existing knowledge of organic material and chemical reactions.

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How to Integrate Biology with Chemistry & Physics

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Q1. Describe and apply your own personal life story and the relationship this has to do with our understanding of identity and your role as a science educator/teacher

I view my teaching style as reflective of the person I am: I value patience and respect, and believe that the students will participate in class if they have a reason to do so (so making the lesson engaging). I have an avid interest in science, which has been reflected clearly in the classes I have taught on my practicum, as I include many interesting facts which capture students attention. Often, students will ask me random facts about the physical world, which I find is a reflection of my willingness to share what I know

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-Using language that students understand so that they can comprehend lesson content better (not using overly field-specific jargon)
-Self-explanation- the more you talk about something, the more you understand. So the teachers get time to reflect upon their own understanding through discussion with students about specific concepts. So its important to igive all students the opportunity to speak in class and share their understanding of a concept/topic
-modelling: students make several models throughout the course of a concept taught in class, eventually leading them to represent scientifically-accurate models to represent a concept (demonstrating conceptual development through modelling)