One of the points made in the NSF 2004 article was that 75% of Americans do NOT understand the scientific process. This is so disturbing to me as a science educator! The sci. process is such an important problem solving methodology...used over and over again to find answers/solutions to problems that affect EVERY citizen! In our curricula we don't spend enough time integrating PROCESS throughout the many content units; sometimes, teachers only cover sci. method as a stand alone topic, or when science fair rolls around. We need to continually address how scientists approach problems, and help students understand that experimental design leads to new info, and that process is never ending.
You are right! The scientific method is NOT something for the first weeks of school. Instead it should be integrated throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, I definitely agree! Thankfully I have a great science department that repeatedly stresses the sci. method throughout the year with our labs. But it never fails each time we go to do lab we always get the one student that needs that review again. Does anyone else ever think to themselves, what is so hard about the steps to solve a problem? I can't put my finger on why some kids struggle with it. Just the same- we get through it together!
ReplyDeleteThey know the "steps" but our kids really struggle with independent vs. dependent variable. We do everything possible to make it real but this is a tough one...I think the language is hard. I can change = IV; even if they know that, interpreting graphs for IV/DV is still challenging for middle schoolers...I wonder if they get it in high school?
ReplyDeleteSadly, they still don't get it in high school. We spend an entire month almost going over the scientific method, graphing, and mapping alone! How quickly the forget everything when they are transitioning to another school :(
ReplyDeleteI think one of the reasons that the students have such a hard time with it is because it is taught in isolation so often. At the beginning of the year, you do a unit on measuring, graphing and the sci method and then it is off to the other units... If somehow these topics (IV and DV) could be revisited throughout the year through labs and activities, perhaps it would stick... no?
ReplyDeleteYes...there isn't enough process being experienced/learned...it's a race to get through the content. Once the "SOL" for NOS is covered, that's it. Thanks to this class I did not start the year with reviewing sci.method, measurement, etc., but with two lab activities that are engaging and involve using problem solving and measuring skills. I think for many teachers, especially those without a science background, it is difficult to integrate the nature of science throughout the content. Also, believe it or not, I know many teachers who think the labs and activities are just extras, to be done if the kids are "good" or when they have finished with the content of a unit.
ReplyDelete