ED 737 (Sec. 001) Topics in Ed Studies: Designing Science Learning Environments

Educational Studies, School of Education

University of Michigan

Instructor: Joseph Krajcik

Office: 4109 SEB

Phone: 747-0597

Email: krajcik@umich.edu

Office Hours: Wednesday, 2:00 &emdash; 3:50

Time/Location Course: 4:00 - 7:00 pm, 2241SEB

 Course Overview

Designed as a seminar, this course allows the learner to explore issues in designing science learning environments to promote deep understanding of science content and process. Particular emphasis will be placed on promoting student learning through inquiry, collaboration and the use of technology. In addition, we will focus on issues of meeting the needs of diverse learners. It is my hope that, through course activities, you will develop an understanding of some of the current work that has been developed and the principles underlying that work.

Driving Question for the Course

The following question will be the focus of our work: How can we design science learning environments to promote a deeper understanding of process and content for all students?

Structure of Course

The course has two major components. In the first component, we will explore state of the art science education learning environments. Each participant will take the role of leader in presenting one such environment. The next section of the course will involve students developing their own learning environment.

Exploring state of the art environments

Each participating student will take the lead in exploring one state of the art science education learning environment. Possible learning environments include: Global Lab (TERC), Kids as Global Scientists (Songer), the Virtual High School (Tinker), Computer as Lab Partner Project (Linn), Knowledge Integration Environment (Linn), WorldWatcher (Edelson), Scientist in Action (Sherwood), CoVis (Gomez/Fishman), Astronomy Village (McGee), Guided Inquiry (Palincsar and Magnusson), and Project-based Science (the Michigan Group), ChemCom, Biology in the Community, and KidsNet (NGS and TERC). Other possibilities also exist.

Each participant will be responsible for leading one 3-hour class session in which they facilitate the exploration of the learning environment. You will be responsible for identifying readings one week prior to your session.

 In exploring each learning environment, you should consider the following components. Besides reporting on each of these considerations, make sure you also do a critical analysis of each.

In addressing the design, consider the following:

The following ideas are related to the design aspect but are important enough to bring to the front.

Your exploration also needs to include a critical analysis of the following:

There still could be other considerations that I did not think of. You might want to brainstorm additional considerations.

Designing a learning environment

The second component of the course requires you to design your own science education learning environment. As a component of this work, you will present your work to the class. To facilitate your presentation, one week prior to your presentation, you will distribute your work to the class.

In designing your learning environment you need to include the following:

1. Goals: what are the goals of your learning environment?

2. Materials that describe your learning environment.

• Detailed description of your environment.

• Description of concepts, principles and processes students will learn

• Sample teacher and student materials

3. Description of how your environment satisfies the following considerations:

• Standards Based: What national science education standards (either the National Science Education Standards from the NRC or Benchmarks from AAAS) will students meet by engaging in the program? Give specific examples.

• How does the environment promote inquiry?

• How does it support collaboration

• What types of supports are used?

• How does it provide multiple and varied phenomena to support student learning?

• How do you create an authentic (meaningful, important, real world) environment for

learners?

• How does the material accommodate the needs of diverse learners?

• Do materials routinely include suggestions for having each student express, clarify,

justify, and represent his/her ideas? Are suggestions made for when and how students

will get feedback from peers and the teacher?

• Learning Technologies: What learning technology, if any, is used? What role does the

technology play? What are the key features of the technology?

• Assessment: How are students assessed? How do they receive feedback?

4. Description of the theoretical framework your learning environment is based on. This is a rationale for how you built the learning environment. What are the assumptions that you are basing your design on with regard to teaching and learning?

To help with this design assignment, one class will focus on how to begin the design of your learning environment. As a class, we will also spend portions of each class discussing issues that might arise. Finally, I will meet individually with each of you to discuss your progress.

Assigned Readings (on reserve in IRIS):

Krajcik, J., Czerniak, C., & Berger, C. (1999). Teaching children science: A project-based approach. McGraw-Hill- Chapter 2.

Krajcik, J. S., Blumenfeld, P., Marx, R. W., Bass, K. M., Fredricks, J., & Soloway, E. (1998). Middle school students’ initial attempts at inquiry in project-based science classrooms. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 7(3&4), McCutchan Publishers.

Barron, B. J., Schwartz, D. L., Vye, N. J., et al. (1998). Doing with understanding: Lessons from Research on problem and project-based learning. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 7 (3&4), McCutchan Publishers.

Blumenfeld, P.C., & Marx, R.W., Patrick, H., & Krajcik, J. S. (1997). Teaching for understanding. In B.J. Biddle, T.L. Good, and I.F. Goodson (Eds.). International handbook of teachers and teaching. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer

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  • Others to be assigned by member of class.

    Recommended Texts (on reserve in IRIS):

    AAAS. (1993). Benchmarks for Science Literacy. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Krajcik, J., Czerniak, C., & Berger, C. (1999). Teaching children science: A project-based approach. McGraw-Hill.

    National Research Council (1996). National Science Education Standards. Washington, DC: National Academic Press.

     

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