Course Assignments for Science Inquiry for Children! (EDU 613)

last update - April 5, 2023

Class Assignments - Overview

Assignments were created to achieve the course goals, expressed as principled procedures, through discussion and investigation of six focus questions. The ten course goals are derived from national professional standards and written to focus on key ideas those docouments emphasize. Those ideas do overlap so it is possible to map them to the six focus questions for the class. It is hoped you will use research and wisdom of practice to operationalize your own goals or principled procedures to use to guide your practice. These goals or principled procedures are also aligned to the overall Curriculum and Instruction Program outcomes at Wayne State College. The professor reserves the right to change any assignments as he deems necessary to meet the needs of the class.

I believe the goals and activities are open enough to allow each one of you to meet your individual needs for a course with this title. I have identified general activities. However, any class member who wants to substitute activities to better meet their needs, please communicate your wishes to the instructor during the first week of the class along with suggested substitutions. Every attempt will be made to accommodate individual desires and needs as they relate to the selection of activities that are able to meet the goals of the course.

Discussion

Is required for the six focus questions and other activities as described.

Required assignments for the class

    1. Participate in the discussion of the six focus questions. They are introduced on the page - professional development as a science educator and what one needs to know to be an outstanding professional science educator. Information on that page is linked to other pages which include other class activities described below.
    2. View as many of the four videos that you need to discuss with the class the questions posted at the video page. The first three videos present problems with a non constructivist approach to science instruction and the fourth suggests possible recommendations for change. The titles are: A Private Universe, Can We Believe Our Eyes, Lessons From Thin Air, Under Construction.
    3. Submit to the instructor your answers to the questions about the Nature of Science. answer key.
    4. Report to the class your answers to the six questions on the Educational philosophy work sheet assignment and participate in its discussion. The first two links are short essays, or think of them as mini lectures to motivate you to leave no rock unturned and not to be afraid of being critical. The third link has questions to hopefully help reconnect us to what our ancestors held as important for education and more importantly what our children would see as a worth while and productive reason for school. The last two links show samples of possible answers to the questions and a completed philosophy, which isn't to be finalized until after class discussion of everyone's shared ideas for the six questions. The most important aspect is for you to create yours so you are passionate about what you think school should do and know why you do it.
    5. After discussion of six questions in #4. - complete your Educational Philosophy and submit it.
    6. Read and report to the class how the information you found in your readings can be used in a beneficial manner and what the possible results might be. Also join in the discuss with others responses. (Reading - at least 500 pages from the suggested required readings).
    7. Submit an essay or position paper or curriculum document that includes a multidimensional definition of science literacy and demonstrates a need for a comprehensive science curriculum, with goals and student outcomes to attain science literacy or an appropriate level for the students age. Purpose is to identify - What students need to know to be scientifically literate. What student goals and outcomes you would recommend, and what benefits could be attained. This document can be used as part of an independent project.
    8. Submit an essay or position paper or curriculum document with: description of how children and adolescents conceptualize science and how to facilitate and assess different dimensions of science literacy.

    Concept mapping - information to assist with activity 9 and 10 is linked to the Teacher Tools page. When you arrive at the page scroll down until you see the three lines in the following box. Below the words - Concept mapping will be links for explanations and samples that can be used to assist for these two assignments.

    Curriculum development and planning

    Planning

    Concept mapping

    9. Select a science topic, standard, or concept. Unpack it, create a map, and share it with the class.
    10. Select a science topic, standard, or concept from a different category than the one in number 9. Unpack it for multiple grades (K-8, or 6-12) and share it with the class.

Independent Project or Activities

Towards the end of the second week send a message to the professor explaining what you might consider for an independent project or other activities.

The purpose for the independent project or activities, with respects to evaluation, is for you to demonstrate your personal abilities to incorporate beliefs and principled procedures into your professional practices as they relate to the class focus questions. As you plan or complete the project you can fill in the class goals in the project sheet.

The independent project or activities may be created by a student or small group of students. It is an opportunity to update current curriculum or pedagogy by incorporating new ideas or a new topic.

The logical source for ideas is from the class readings. Hopefully you have selected a source that you will want to use ideas from to incorporate into your classroom. This is the opportunity to plan how it will fit into your curriculum and possibly create one unit of study ready to use.

Documentation should include an overview or position statements about science literacy and how the curriculum and pedagogy in your plans and implementing it will move students toward science literacy. May use ideas from class discussions, the class goals, readings from your selected texts, concept mappings, and the two position papers.

If you have questions, send them to me. As always I am here to help make this class as useful for you as I can.

 

 

Dr. Robert Sweetland's Notes ©