Transcript Slide 1

What Is A Scientific Question?
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How would you define creative thinking?
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Creative Arts
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Thinking “outside the box”
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Looking for the exception rather than the rule
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Using a new technique/method for old questions
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Using science to educate nonscientists
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Either the individual, community, or humanity
Science
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Use of past experiences & knowledge to come up
with new solutions, insights, hypotheses.
The sky is the limit (let your curiosity go wild)
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How would you define critical thinking?
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Logical thinking
Making conclusions based on empirical data,
repeated observations.
Judging information rationally in order to
decide what to believe or accept.
Examining any belief or form of knowledge in
the light of the evidence for or against.
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People are more likely to accept something as true
from their neighbors than any other source.
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Science requires both creative and critical
thinking in designing both research
questions and experiments.
Often science is thought of as dry,
uncreative or boring.
However those who are creative often
approach science in an exciting new way.
Thought Swap: Objectives
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To determine what is already known about a topic.
To encourage language risk-taking in a non-threatening
environment.
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To increase active listening skills.
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Makes topic socially relevant (hearing their peers).
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To allow students to hear language on a specific topic.
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Used for introducing a topic/brainstorming/review.
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It requires that all students participate.
What makes a good
scientific question?
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Answerable
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Unanswerable questions are often Why? questions or
questions that deal with opinion.
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Why is there air
Is basketball is a better sport than soccer?
Can be tested by some experiment or
measurement
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Contributes to what is already known
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Repeatable
Brainstorming & Clustering
What we already know
What we want to find out
Objectives
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To start the questioning process
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To develop organization skills
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To use language in meaningful ways
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To reinforce “What is a good scientific question?”
To determine what is already known and what students
want to know about a topic
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Fellow gives talk about their research,
broad topic, or habitat.
Students are asked to write down what
they know.
Students are asked to write down what
they would like to know; in question form.
Similar questions are grouped.
Students pick a group and choose &
further modify questions.
Questioning Strategies
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Purpose:
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Invite students into activities
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Create interest in a new topic
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Recall students’ prior knowledge
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Help guide logical thinking
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Initiate sharing of ideas
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Encourage development of multiple
hypotheses or alternative explanations
Questioning/Discussion Strategies
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Create a classroom culture open to
dialogue
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Pose questions in a non threatening way
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Be supportive
Use both preplanned and emerging
questions
Use of Broad vs. Focused Questions
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Respond to students’ answers
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Actively listen
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Make sure the students feel validated (write down
responses)
Ask probing questions to illicit further response or
to correct misconceptions
Don’t use questions only as a prelude to a
topic
Use sufficient wait time and let students know
how they should respond
Accommodate diverse learning styles & allow
for creative approaches
Oh come on!
One of you must have an answer!
What is happening when you ask a
question and all you get is silence?
The student who “talks to much” or
“always knows the answer”
Vs.
The student who “never speaks” or
“only speaks when called upon”
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Explicitly tell the students that you expect
everyone to participate
Tell students how they should respond to
questions
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Hand raising
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Call on students in sequential order
Wait until you have sufficient number of
responses
Value critical/original thinking even if the
response is incorrect
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Observe effective student/teacher
interactions
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Discuss ineffective techniques
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Thought Swap
Suggestions anyone?
Classroom Discussions
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Studies have found that even when
teachers are attempting to call on as many
girls as boys, boys are still called upon
more frequently.
Broader questions tend to be more
difficult to answer. Start with specific
questions for reluctant students.
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Focused questions require an informing or
praising response from the teacher
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Acknowledging correct/partially correct
responses
Praising or congratulating responses
Broad questions require accepting
responses
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Passive Acceptance-acknowledge participation
Active Acceptance-restating answer
Empathetic Acceptance-explaining reasoning
behind answer