Inquiry Based Science Education the CreateTestUse Concept

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Inquiry Based Science Education --the
Create-Test-Use Concept

• A presentation to Iraqui Science Teacher
  Educators
• November 6, 2007 at U of A

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Definition of Science

• Science is the study of the natural world in an
  attempt to describe, explain, and predict changes
  and products.
• A goal of science is to create, test, and use
  (with confidence) a scientific concept (and then
  to falsify).

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Nature of Science Umbrella
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Epistemological ChoicesWhen Presenting a Concept

• Inductive (creating a concept)
• Hypothetico-inductive (testing)
• Hypothetico-deductive (testing)
• Deductive (using the concept)

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Natures of Science
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Natures of Science Umbrella
s
I H-I H-D D
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Lab Report Processes
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Creating the Arrhenius Concept of Acids and
Bases--inductively

• Purpose To create the Arrhenius concept of acids
  and bases.
• Problem What kinds of chemicals form acidic and
  basic solutions i.e., are acids and bases?
• Design Each of the solutions is tested with
  litmus paper.

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Testing the Arrhenius Concept of Acids and
BasesH-I

• Purpose To test the Arrhenius concept of acids
  and bases.
• Problem What kinds of chemicals form acidic and
  basic solutions i.e., are acids and bases?
• Hypothesis Chemicals whose formulas begin with H
  are acids and end with OH are bases.
• Design Each of the several new solutions is
  tested with litmus paper.
• (Note Say to test, not to verify.)

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Using the Empirical Definitions of Acids and
Bases--deductively

• Purpose To use the Arrhenius concept of acids
  and bases.
• Problem Which of the provided chemicals is an
  acid or a base?
• Hypothesis /or Prediction (none)
• Design Each of the solutions is tested with
  litmus paper.
• Note This is not a use the Arrhenius concept it
  is a use of the empirical definitions of acids
  and basessometimes the CTU cycle is incomplete.

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Testing the Arrhenius Concept of Acids and
BasesH-D

• Purpose To test the Arrhenius concept of acids
  and bases.
• Problem Which of the provided solutions is an
  acid or a base?
• Prediction According to the Arrhenius concept,
  the acids are and the bases are .
• Design Each of the solutions is tested with
  litmus paper.
• Note embrace falsification.

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Evidential Bases

• There are many ways to present evidence in a
  classroom setting.
• There is no excuse for not employing evidence
  based reasoning in the classroom.
• Schools, teachers and students need choices for
  how they will gather evidence to create, test and
  use science concepts.

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Evidential Bases

• thought experiment
• analogy
• demonstration
• dry lab (lab exercise)
• wet lab
• field trip

• Computer presentation
• simulation/ animation
• video analysis
• video lab
• computer probes/sensors
• remote access

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Evidential Bases1
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Evidential Basesusing computers
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Evidential Bases for CTU Cycle
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Create-Test-Use is

• a chronological order
• a concept that helps to organize a laboratory
  program
• a concept that includes, rather than excludes,
  alternate views on the natures of science
• a concept that helps instructors to see from an
  external (big picture) view of labs what is
  missing
• a concept that helps instructors to be internally
  consistent with processes in different kinds of
  labs
• a concept that provides instructors and students
  with the rules for the knowledge game.

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Create-Test-Use is not

• a system that describes all laboratory and
  demonstration work
• a concept that tries to exclude pedagogic
  activities that help the visual (etc.) learner
• a system that is meant to restrict laboratory
  workbut is meant to extend and encourage this
  kind of work, including spontaneous demos.

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Nature of science language for use on tests and
orally in the classroom

• Based upon the evidence gathered here, .
• According to the concept of ___, .
• The certainty (in significant digits) is .
• The evidence suggests that .
• It is logically consistent to say .
• The purpose is to test the predictive power of .
• Concepts describe, explain and predict, so .
• The evaluation of the concept is based upon .

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Concepts for teachers students

• Concepts describe, explain and predict.
• Concepts (including definitions) can be empirical
  or theoretical.
• Theories explain in terms of unobservables e.g.,
  forces and electrons.
• Hypothesis and prediction are different.
• Evidence is data with a scientific purpose.
• Evaluating evidence means the evaluation of
  design, materials, procedure skills.
• Evaluate evidence before hypothesis and/or
  prediction.
• difference is different from error yield.
• Chemistry is a different science that employs
  parallel empirical and theoretical ways of
  knowing.
• In the history of science laws (empirical)
  precede theories.
• Science is used to explain technologies (and
  sometimes to predict).

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Evidence-Based Reasoning

• My experience is that there are many students
  (and the public) who do not understand the
  importance of evidence-based reasoning. Negative
  instances include
• psychic fairs, pseudoscience, astrology
• television programs e.g., Medium and X-Files
• lack of understanding of research reports in the
  media e.g., health research.

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Ultimate Goals for IBSE To understand

• concept of certainty/uncertainty
• single- and double-blind studies
• anecdotal evidence
• reliability vs. validity (accuracy)
• refereed (peer-reviewed) journals
• valid experimental designs
• short- vs long-term studies

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Ultimate Goals for Inquiry Based Science
Educationbeyond the lab

• concept of certainty/uncertainty
• single- and double-blind studies
• anecdotal evidence
• reliability vs. validity (accuracy)
• refereed (peer-reviewed) journals
• valid experimental designs
• short- vs long-term studies

• replication of a study
• research sample size
• evaluating evidence
• placebo and Hawthorne effect
• tolerance of uncertainty
• statistical significance
• risk-benefit analysis
• tolerance for uncertainty
• problem solving for everyday life

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Ultimate Goals for IBSE2 To understand

• replication of a study
• research sample size
• evaluating evidence
• placebo and Hawthorne effect
• tolerance of uncertainty
• statistical significance
• risk-benefit analysis

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In summary

• Inquiry occurs in scientific, technological and
  societal/environmental (STSE) contexts content.
• Understanding scientific inquiry includes natures
  of science, problem solving, processes and
  skills.
• Create-test-use describes the natures of science
  and the progress of science (including
  falsification).
• Evidence based reasoning is facilitated by
  gathering evidences in a variety of waysseveral
  evidential bases.
• An ultimate goal of IBSE is for informed decision
  making for everyday life e.g., critiquing
  experimental designs.
• Watch your language i.e., nature of science
  language.