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Brain Behavior Institute 2008 - Session 1
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BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR INSTITUTE 2008 |
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Being a Scientist/Explorer/Creator (Theory)
Starting Wherever We Are, To Get it Less Wrong, Together
Getting to know each others' stories
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In what ways are you similar to/different from me/others here? Include in your posting in the forum area below something of your feelings about "science", whether you think of yourself as a scientist or not and why.
Thinking about science (and science education)
| Traditional Linear | Loopy Story Telling |
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| Science as body of facts established by specialized fact-generating people and process
Science as successive approximations to Truth
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Science as process of getting it less wrong, potentially usable by and contributed to by everyone
Science as ongoing story telling and story revision: repeated making of observations, interpreting and summarizing observations, making new observations, making new summaries ... individually and collectively Science as skepticism, a style of inquiry that can be used for anything, one which everybody is equipped to to/can get better at/be further empowered by, and contribute to - a way of making sense of what is but even more of exploring what might yet be |
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| If science is as much about creation as discovery then the "crack"is a feature, not a bug ... and differences among people are an asset to the process rather than a problem or an indication it isn't working |
Trying It Out ...
Which of the following two stories do you prefer?
- personal observations?
- observations made by others (personally verified or not)?
- social stories (heard from others)?
- usefulness?
- Very old
- Less old
- Recent
- Still more recent
- SeaWiFS Biosphere Globes
- Ask a Scientist
- Why it matters (sometimes)
- personal observations?
- observations made by others (personally verified or not)?
- social stories (heard from others)?
- other?
- Older
- More recent: Ptolemy, Copernicus (1473-1543), Brahe (1546-1601), Galileo (1564-1642), Kepler (1571-1630)
- Integrating projectiles and orbits
- Recent and when it matters
- Which Way IS It?
Is one or the other story true? Have there been others? Will there be others?
Scientific
stories are frequently efforts to summarize the widest possible range
of observations, always motivate new observations and hence new
stories, should never be understood as "authoritative" or "believed
in", do not compete with or invalidate other stories. Key issues about
scientific stories
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Which of the following stories do you prefer?
- Existing life forms (including humans) are as they are because of a previous and ongoing process of evolution consisting of random change and natural selection (differential reproductive success).
- Existing life forms (including humans) are as they are because of repeated creative acts of a supernatural being with a plan and intent?
- Existing life forms (including humans) are as they are because of an initial creative act with a supernatural being with a plan and intent?
- Other?
- personal observations?
- observations made by others (personally verified or not)?
- social stories (heard from others)?
- other?
- is one or another story "true"?
- National Center for Science Education
- Institute for Creation Research
- Evolution and Intelligent Design: Perspectives and Resources on Serendip
- Science as Story Telling in Action: Evolution (and revolution?)
Loopy story telling science is a tool to help one become better at thinking for oneself
at using observations to make one's own stories that motivate new observations that motivate new stories that one shares with others Science education should help people become better at thinking for themselves at ongoing, shared, exploration and creation That's the theory, this afternoon the practice| Science
= open-ended transactional cyclic observation/interpretation/creation;
being wrong and conflict an important part of it; give up
"definiteness" for usefulness and openness (pass it on).
Where do we get the ability to inquire? to make observatons? tell/share/compare stories? revise hypotheses/stories? Tomorrow the brain ... |
What do think of the science as story telling and story revising? of "getting it less wrong"? Good points? Bad points? Put your thoughts in the forum below to help others think about it too.
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Comments
Science Education
In my experiences with school children experiments and active science are a highly effective learning tool. They provide the children with a pleasant memory to associate any concept being taught. I have often thought that the scientific method rasies the experiments to a complex level that the students are not prepared for. On the other hand the Loopy Story evens the playing field for students. It will allow them to be able to concentrate all brain power on the experiment and concept at hand considering there is know right or wrong answer.
Introduction
My name is Seta Palmer. I'm a fourth grade teacher at Feltonville Intermediate school in Philadelphia. I've always enjoyed science especially the hands on, which I like to use in the classroom. I like to consider myself a life learner. One way of doing this is by attending different classes peridically. I'm unique in that I work hard, I love learning new ideas and applying them in school.
Theory v. Law
Doesn't modern physics also
Weighty Problems
The following is from Wikipedia on the anomilies of gravity.
I don't claim to understand much of this, but I have been following the debate on the nature of Dark Matter and the expansion of the universe.
There are some observations that are not adequately accounted for, which may point to the need for better theories of gravity or perhaps be explained in other ways.
More falling apples
Problems with Gravity
From our wiki buddies - fascinating list of recent alternative theories
To touch again on the matter of summary of observations
What students do
But there is more value in proving how/why something is wrong because it requires a certain level of research, empowerment, inquiry, confidence etc. from students that is worth practicing and strengthening.
So the real question therefore is how to go about grading students on the basis that nothing is right but only less wrong. One interesting way would be to mimic the protocol when teaching the methods of debate; rewards are given to those who are able to come to sophisticated, well-researched arguments-stories- that they can strongly defend orally or otherwise.
Interactive Games
I found an interactive brain game that I think your students will like: http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/split-brain/splitbrainexp.html
This game will help your students play and draw conclusions about the brain. Even set up research proposals with funding. Your students have to be able to read simple directions but it is mainly for middle and up.
websites
Here are some websites to check out... not all include online activities... they are mostly directed toward middle school science curriculum:
http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/drainproj/information.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/meta.html
http://pbskids.org/zoom/games/3puckchuck/
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr019.shtml
Interactive lesson plan (Salt water food chain)
The following is a weblink to the site we found on food chain;
http://www.secretsatsea.org/story/1a.html
Click on it and have some fun learning about food chain in the ocean.
The website is very colorful and actually presents the lesson in form of a investigative assignment where students will act as detectives looking for culprits who dump hazardous wastes into the ocean.
Interactive lesson plan (Salt water food chain)
The following is a weblink to the site we found on food chain;
http://www.secretsatsea.org/story/1a.html
Click on it and have some fun learning about food chain in the ocean.
The website is very colorful and actually presents the lesson in form of a investigative assignment where students will act as detectives looking for culprits who dump hazardous wastes into the ocean.
It's important that we get technical
(To reiterate)
Just for verification purposes, a summary of observations, in a scientific context, does also carries with it a prediction.To look at the example mentioned earlier today again.
The sun comes up everyday.
This summary of observations that IMPLYS that the sun will continue to rise every single day.
A basic summary of observation would simply state
To this present day, the sun has come up everyday.
This summary is non-generative, for it does not motivate further exploration and experimentation for new observations.
The skepticism and curiosity a summary of observation appropriate for science should also invoke is one good thing to take from this redefinition of the process of the Scientific Method. Having the students think about what observations had to have been summarized in order to make such a claim/ story up is a very valuable skill that can only benefit the individual. For it is like what my mother once told me, A prender no pesas, to learn does not weight us down.
Something one teacher mentioned
If the Summer Institute can include k-12 teachers and become effective in their work, more schools can include students from k-16 to work together even if it is simply for community service projects, educational praxis’, or environmental/health education courses.
Facts or Truths??
If we say that there are no truths as such but just a summary of observations, I wonder what we do teaching mathematics. In Philadelphia we use Everyday Math to teach math in the elementary grades. Each lesson usually begins with a message that pulls each child into a realm of displaying his or her prior knowledge in that area. Right after that it is the job of the teacher to go over what the kids have done and guide them into the "TRUTH".
Now, I understand that I have to remember I am not teaching the truth but "we are getting it less wrong".
Tola
math vs. science
As I understand it, there is a fundamental difference between math and science. Mathematics is a discipline that is constructed by humans to contain the concepts of proofs, truths, and universals.
The sciences, either the physical or social sciences, are a process of inquiry. They are based on observations of organic or cultural objects. We are not able to prove any universal ideas in science with inductive logic. Unlike mathematics there is no garuntee that what was repeatedly true, will continue to be true.
Getting it less wrong...
I find the idea that science is a collection of observations or an ongoing process of getting it less wrong is a very accurate and interesting concept. Teaching science to a group of 8th graders who believe they know everything and can be convinced of very little can be a bit challenging when certain scientific theories go against their belief system. I look forward to using this explanation of science to better explain why neither their beliefs, nor scientific explanations for certain issues are right or wrong, nor do they have to be. I also look forward to applying the concept of science as an ongoing story revision to better explain this concept.
Hello Brain and Behavior
Right Thinkers
Are we all Right-Thinkers? The discussion became very interesting when people began to question Paul’s idea of “getting it less wrong”. To paraphrase Cynthia’s idea, she said why do we need to know whether the world is flat or round just as long as I can walk on around on it. Then Carol was so intent upon completing the evolution exercise by having Paul say openly which scenario was the best. I personally dislike the idea of calling science a “story” especially with high school students who have little regard for what is important or “real”. To say the word “story” will automatically have my students thinking that it is a lie. For example: “Mrs. Theriot, I saw on TV a show that said the moon landing was fake and they proved that it was all shot on a movie set.” Why do my students believe this kind of show but not the tons of evidence to the contrary? My students enjoy living in a virtual world. More than enjoy they crave this form of entertainment. Worse yet they begin to form ideas that this is real and then have trouble distinguishing real vs. games. I think that school shootings have evolved based on this very problem. Right-thinkers would know that they should not be bullied and in fact can NOT be bullied. Do they then begin to believe that they are right in avenging themselves and eliminating the bullies and those that aligned themselves with the bullies? Worse of all will they think that the bully has then learned his lesson and will be a nice (alive) person from now on?
I learned that there is
I learned that there is
evolution
Traditional science instruction v.s. Story telling
story-telling7-07-08
I am able to do a lot of inquiry-based learning in Math and Science. These two subjects are the children's favorites-not surprised. When the children use their background knowledge and experiences, they discover, question, and love to learn.
Story telling
Go ahead, disprove this story
Per Paul’s assertion in class that we do not currently have any evidence to disprove any of the current dominant stories about the origion of the species, I would like to add that there are in fact an infinite amount of stories that we do not have evidence to disprove. For example the story that the universe was created by a blue giraffe named Herbert. There is no evidence to disprove this story. There is also no evidence to disprove the story that the earth was designed as a giant laboratory experiment by mice to test human behavior. In fact this is actually a fairly useful story.
Herbert - Creator of the universe?
Introduction
My name is Grace and I am a Montessori kindergarten teacher in Philadelphia. Science as a system of observations is appealing to me as the students I teach are full of ideas about the natural world.
I hope to learn more about effective teaching practices that are based upon current brain research.I am curious about how this research will improve my pedagogy of working with ADD and ADHD students.
Brain Behavior Institue 2008
brain and behavior
brain and behavior
My name is Adi Flesher. I
My name is Adi Flesher. I am a wonderer/wanderer.
I have been among other things, a teacher, soldier, employee of all sorts of failed business ventures, a very bad pool hustler, an even worse Buddhist meditator, and a surprisingly adept builder of mosaics.
I most recently ran a leadership oriented summer camp for High School students.
My main question as a scientist, of sorts, is how we can help people deepen their understanding of their own minds.
Not a good way to make money!
INTRO
Hi
Brain Behavior Institue 2008
introduction 7-07-08
Uniqueness
Hello, my name is Judy and I am an unique person because God made me unique. I teach science in Chester PA. I think of my self as a scientist because scientist think out of the box. Hmm!, what you see is not always what you get, especially in science! Science is ever changing and we need to change with it. I also bring skills and talents to my world because of the unique experiences in my life!
I also enjoyed the diversity of this classroom and the unique gifts and talents that make each one of us in this group unique!
Morning thoughts - Usefully Different
I teach chemistry at Central High School of Philadelphia. I bring to the classroom years of experience in teaching as well as in heavy industry, international business, and retail. This added esperience can help to lend veracity to the examples I choose to make science "real" for the student.
The experience in international business has taught me the value of multiculturalism, which I can also bring to my students.
Further, my experience in theatre (I am the sponsor of Central's Drama Society.) and the use of its tools and tricks helps to make my course more exciting, fun, and hopefully relevent.
As a future chemistry
As a future chemistry teacher, I have some questions about necessary credentials and experience. Should every science teacher have been an active member in the scientific community before becoming a science teacher? Including first grade teachers?
Or are there other ways to obtain experience relevant to teaching science? What about the connections between dark room photography and chemistry? Or more generally, art and science? Might not a really observant person have a lot to contribute to the loopy story telling method of science described above?
Should all science teachers have been researchers?
Not all science teachers need to have done "real research," though it is a good idea to take advantage of some of the "Research Experiences for Teachers" (RET) that are offerred during the summer at Drexel and UPenn. (The pay isn't too bad either.) These programs really give the classroom teacher a feel for how science is really done today. It is probably enough so that the teacher can pass this on to the students.
Also, by participating in more than one of these over time, the teacher may actually gain more diverse experience than would be present in a person who focussed narrowly in one field of research for a period of time. Further, a good researcher doesn't necessarily make a good teacher -- and vice-versa. The needs and temperments of the 2 professions are decidedly different.
As for photography and cooking and other chemically related fields: Knowledge in these diverse areas will help here and there, I think, but it has not proven to be as useful as I'd hoped. It is possible that I am not creative enough to use it. If you find ways to integrate material like this, you should publish the lesson plans. I think many of us would be happy to "borrow" your techniques. If you think you shouldn't b/c you are new to the field, don't let that stop you. Many advances are made by people who didn't know enough to think that it couldn't be done . . . which could be why many scientists make their big discoveries in their youth.
seeing teachers and students in varying roles
It is an interesting idea to think about both teachers and students serving in different roles. For example, students are powerful teachers of each other, often more powerful than we adults are of them. It seems important to use the power of peer influence as a postive by having them teach things to each other, whether it is older to younger, or peer to peer.
Also, it's clear from all sorts of research, that the single most important factor in determining a child's success is one committed, interested adult in his/her life (I heard this fact from a lecture by the head of a Harvard School of Education program called 'Risk and Prevention') This supports the importance of teachers being personally involved and invested with students (but we knew that!)
It does seem really worth thinking about the diverse roles that students can play in their own education and their own schools; and the diverse roles teachers can play; and trying to be creative about those roles. Also what we know about brain development, I think, supports the idea that brains learn best in a social interaction context, so using kids to teach each other, having learning involve interaction, has to be good.
My Intro
My name is Joyce Hubert-Theriot I am a science teacher at Rustin High School in West Chester, PA. In addition I taught science education to teachers at the Franklin Institute, was an aquaric research specialist at Penn and a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines.
I ahave never-ending questions, comments and ideas about the world around me. I enjoy problem-solving challenges and am skilled in flipping mundane activities into higher cognitive level investigations focused on inquiry. Best of all I will be the one who makes everyone feel that they are on time.
introduction
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