Science Education as Conversation: Experiments in systemic change in progress

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Science Education as ConversationExperiments
in systemic change in progress

• Peter Brodfuehrer, Laura Cyckowski, Anne Dalke,
  Ashley Dawkins, Ann Dixon, Will Franklin, Paul
  Grobstein Ian MortonBryn Mawr and Haverford
  Colleges, Pennsylvania

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• Principles
• Science is a practice of inquiry to get better
  at, rather than any particular set of facts or
  understandings to master.
• The practice of science is a continual process of
  making observations, of developing understandings
  to make sense of those observations, and making
  further observations to test and revise those
  understandings.
• Science is a deeply social activity, one in which
  observations and understandings are shared and
  expanded by interactive exchange.
• Science is a deeply human activity, one that
  relates to problems and questions of concern to
  everyone.

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• Practice
• Emphasize the acts of inquiry observations and
  interpretations, hands-on activities, continual
  observation/ interpretation/testing cycles,
  interactive exchanges with the widest possible
  participation.
• Connect classroom activities to common human
  concerns, individual/social/cultural/political.
• Encourage students to develop a personal
  participation in and learn from the ongoing
  development of science as a social and human
  activity.
• Downplay lectures, textbooks, examinations

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Current evaluation Science as conversation can
be done at all levels of the curriculum, and
yields enhanced student and faculty engagement.
It produces students better equipped to deal with
science in broader social contexts, and makes
significant contributions to an improved public
understanding of science. Student uncertainties
about course objectives, and shared student and
faculty concern about content coverage and
professional preparation can be addressed through
incremental but persistence change across all
educational levels. Problems requiring further
work include development of new assessment
methods specifically designed to measure
achievement consistent with the objectives of
science as conversation pedagogies.
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Supported by the Center for Science and Society
and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute program
for undergraduate science education at Bryn Mawr
College, and by the Serendip website
(http//serendip.brynmawr.edu).