What do our students really know about geophysics?

1. What do our students really know about geophysics?

3. Challenges to conceptual understanding in the geosciences • Developing understanding is complex due to the abstract nature of many topics (Ault, 1984) • Topics are multidimensional and hierarchical e.g the Earth as a system requires understanding of not only concepts (descriptions), but also structure, materials, processes and interactions (causal explanations) ( Blake, 2005)

4. Student Understandings • Children develop their own non-scientific explanations of events, prior to instruction (e.g. Ault, 1982, 1984, 1994) • Can express scientifically accurate statements while also holding misconceptions ( e.g. Cohen & Kagan, 1979) • Can recite correct definitions with no understanding (e.g. Haz et al, 1987) • Understanding; description and explanation (Newton, 2000)

5. Why start with this information?

6. Making waves into your classroom Increase the quality and quantity of seismological instruction.

7. What will we accomplish? • Increase your content knowledge • Provide new activities • Active Learning Instructional Strategies Beyond reach at present The Stretch Current practice

8. What are models? • Conceptual Model • Mathematical • Computer • Physical • Shared attributes • Shared function Mental Models • Generative • Involve tacit knowledge • Simplified • Constrained by worldview (Greca & Moreira, 2000; Franco & Colinvaux, 2000 )

9. Why use models in science education? • Invites interest and excitement • Building mental models is the essence of constructivist learning • Provides direct experience • too small or too large • too long or too short • impractical and unsafe

10. Teaching with models • Like reality - emphasize relevant elements of model & explicitly map the connection to target • Unlike reality - emphasize short-comings of the model that can lead to alternative conceptions of target (Grosslight et al. 1991; Greca & Moreira, 2000)

11. Inquiry • Multi-faceted activity that involves making observations, posing questions, examining information sources; planning investigations, collecting, analyzing and interpreting data, proposing answers, expiations and predictions; communicating results. (NRC, 1996)

12. Teaching for Conceptual Change • The student must be dissatisfied with the current understanding. • The student must have an available intelligible alternative. • The alternative must seem plausible to the student. • The alternative must seem fruitful (useable) to the student. (Smith,1991)

13. Argumentation • Argumentation is a critical thinking skill that helps students propose, support critique, refine, justify, and defend their position. • Elements • Assumptions • Claim • Evidence • Explanation

14. Formative Assessment Assessment that provides information needed to adjust teaching and learning while they are still happening • Gots and Needs • Gots- On your XXXX sticky, write several things you “GOT” from the day’s instruction • Needs – On your XXXX sticky, write up to three things you “NEED” (e.g. more info about, clarification on, activities to cover, etc).

15. Learning Cycle • Instructional model for lessons and unit plans • 5E Cycle • Engage, Explore, Explain, Extend, Evaluate • OPERA • Open, Prior Knowledge, Explore/Explain, Reflect, Apply