STEPs Toward Authentic Learning

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STEPs Toward Authentic Learning

• Bethany Vice Bowling
• Michelle Daniel
• Bartley Richardson
• Michael Rust
• University of Cincinnati, Project STEP

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Authentic Learning what is it?

• Occurs when students are challenged to think, to
  develop in-depth understanding, and to apply
  academic learning to important, real-world
  problems (Newmann Wehlage 1995)
• Authentic real world practices (Leonard 2004)
• Investigation procedures that are similar to
  those that scientists use (Gitomer Duschl,
  1995)
• Diversity of meanings

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Constructivism

• If I had to reduce all educational psychology to
  just one principle, I would say this The most
  important single factor influencing learning is
  what the learner already knows. Ascertain this
  and teach him accordingly.
• - David Ausubel, Educational Psychology A
  Cognitive View 1968

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Project STEP

• Science and Technology Enhancement Program
• NSF grant
• 4th year
• Collaboration between the University of
  Cincinnati and Cincinnati Public Schools
• Science and engineering graduate students in high
  school classrooms
• www.eng.uc.edu/step

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Goals of Project STEP

• Graduate Students produce scientists,
  engineers, and educators who are experienced in
  developing and implementing authentic educational
  practices
• Lessons/Activities design, develop, implement,
  and disseminate authentic learning
  lessons/activities

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Our Students - Demographics

• 80 African American
• 17 Caucasian
• 3 Hispanic, Asian, Multi-Racial
• 40 Economically Disadvantaged

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What our students know
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Everyday Genetic Engineering
10th GradeBiology

• Started with what the students know
• Television
• Foods that are in the supermarket

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Everyday Genetic Engineering

• Expanded to the details of genetic engineering

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Everyday Genetic Engineering

• Students perform first step of genetic
  engineering DNA extraction

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Everyday Genetic Engineering

• Students reaction
• Enjoyed Genetics is Right, got them interested
  from the start
• Loved doing the DNA extraction
• Wanted more look at it under a microscope
• Made them think a little differently about the
  food they consume
• Some were confused by the process of genetic
  engineering

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Modify for a different audience

• Rural students
• Focus on food production
• Impact on local farms

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The Coca-Cola Challenge
9th GradePhysical Science

• Started with what the students know
• Sugary sweet caffeinated beverages Diet and
  Regular Coke

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The Coca-Cola Challenge

• Students investigated the mass, volume and
  density of Coke using the scientific method

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The Coca-Cola Challenge

• Expanded to the details of Industrial Engineering
  and its relationship to Coca-Cola production and
  distribution

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The Coca-Cola Challenge

• Students reaction
• Increased student interest in science
• Liked learning new things about Coke (regular
  coke is more dense than diet)
• Disliked not getting to do a taste test

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Possible Modifications

• Use local or popular soda brand (Pepsi, RC, 7-UP,
  etc.)
• Include social issues

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The Bengals Oily Mess
11th GradeEnvironmental Science

• Started with what the students know
• Cincinnati
• Ohio River
• The Cincinnati Bengals
• Everyday household materials

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The Bengals Oily Mess

• Expanded to details of environmental engineering
  and water pollution
• Specifically Point-Source Pollution

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The Bengals Oily Mess

• Students designed and implemented an Oil Removal
  Plan using scale model oil spills

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The Bengals Oily Mess

• Student Reactions
• Liked participating in groups and doing creative
  things.
• Enjoyed the challenge
• Liked the chance to act like an environmental
  engineer
• Loved making a mess!
• Liked that it was hands-on
• It was fun!

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Possible Modifications

• Move the oil spill to Kentucky
• Google Earth
• Use local venues
• Actual oil spills in Kentucky

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Accident Scene Investigation
11th/12th GradePhysics

• Students investigate an accident scene
• Placed in role of investigating police officer

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Accident Scene Investigation

• Use local surroundings and streets
• Hughes High School

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Accident Scene Investigation

• Students use physics and data to find
• Find the grade of road
• Speed of car when brakes applied

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Accident Scene Investigation

• Students reactions
• Enjoyed being put in role of CSI
• Liked that it related to real life
• Appreciated the connection between physics and a
  typical job

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Accident Scene Investigation

• Rural students
• Modify location to something in their area
• Incorporate local law enforcement

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Mega Mining Mart
9th GradePhysical Science

• Use surroundings to ground lesson
• Start with what they know about local Kroger

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Mega Mining Mart

• Introduction to data mining (computer science)

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Mega Mining Mart

• Students create their own store layout
• Use pre-determined association rules
• Optimize for highest revenue
• Use common sense and previous knowledge to place
  other products

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Mega Mining Mart

• Students reactions
• Enjoyed the discussion about computer engineering
• Liked making the store and using the data mining
  rules
• Students were engaged and actively debated their
  choices on product placement

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Mega Mining Mart

• Possible modifications
• Focus on other types of stores or local markets
• Still use data mining connection

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Cell City
11th GradeA P

• Students were struggling to connect organelles
  with functions
• Lesson attempts to make connections between
  cellular organelles and parts of a city

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Cell City

• Ribosomes Factory
• Nucleus City Hall
• Mitochondria Power Plant
• Golgi apparatus UPS/FedEX
• Lysosomes Garbage collector

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Cell City

• Students make posters and present their ideas to
  the class

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Balloon Powered Vehicle
12th GradePhysics

• Surveyed students interests
• Many reported interest in cars
• Lesson design
• Students to build car to investigate Newtons 3rd
  law
• Constraints
• Power source air-filled balloon
• Materials toothpicks, straws, lifesavers, etc.
• Cost each part is assigned fixed cost

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Balloon Powered Vehicle

• Design Tradeoff
• Cost vs Distance
• Competition style activity
• Distance, creativity , top overall (cost
  effective and distance)
• Engineering Concepts
• Design, failure analysis, testing

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Questions? Comments.
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References

• Gitomer, D. H., Duschl, R. A. (1995). Moving
  towards a portfolio culture in science education.
  In S. M. Glynn R. Duit (Eds.), Learning
  science in the schools (pp. 299326). Mahwah, NJ
  Erlbaum.
• Leonard, M.J. 2004. Toward Epistemologically
  Authentic Engineering Design Acitivities in the
  Science Classroom. National Association for
  Research in Science Teaching. Vancover, B.C.
• Newmann, F.M. and G.G. Wehlage. 1995.
  Successful School Restructuring A Report to the
  Public and Educators by the Center Organization
  and Restructuring of Schools. Wisconsin Center
  for Education Research, Madison, WI.