Inquiry-based Science learning

Clients view on the education system

Dr Joseph Shapira Nov. 2013

Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Abstract
On Inquiry-Based Learning of science A citizen in a modern 21st century society requires self-branding, adaptively and ever learning qualities. While science laws hardly changed during the past century - technology, which utilized and integrates these rules into systems, is developing in an exploding rate that reshapes our living environment and occupation. At least 30% of the citizens are influenced directly by technology in science, technology, engineering or related services. Most of the rest need STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) literacy for their daily life. Reality-based science learning, relying on interactive analysis and creative development are the basis of the academic and technologic culture, and of the social dialog. About 6% of the graduates from the education system in Israel have chosen 5 units science, and about 90% of them will end up in industry or services after academic graduation. The gap in quantity and in quality, between that and the economy need has been identified. Alternative learning models have proven advantageous in various communities and recommended by science academies. The talk reviews Inquiry-Based and Project-Based learning. Research reports of 20% of graduates from a specific school adhering to IBL have been evaluated by Technion faculty. These represent a full distribution, not only exceptional students. The evaluation is discussed, along with the unique teaching model and teachers community. The essentials of IBL and requirements in planning inquiries are reviewed.

Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Challenges
Inputs
Physics is an elective topic in high-school How to bring young students to choose physics

Outputs
How to train the student for 21st century skills

Process
How to change the rules of the process ( program, exams, evaluation and control) How to train and motivate teachers for IBL

Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Challenges
The challenges facing the education system: Physics has an image of a tough topic, suitable only for the most dedicated and mathematical talented students. Most students opt for an easier, more amusing, subjects. It is argued that this image stems from an outdated style of learning that does not suit both the salient nature of todays students and abundance of information and attractive applications of science. High school education has to prepare the student for meaningful, contributing and rewarding life. The technology-rich society they grow into is striving to ever more sophisticated means and tools for improving life and production processes. Inquisitive, rigor thinking, creativity and persistence are qualities sought in the 21st century. Teaching physics starts with observing the real world and deriving insights from experience. These build up into a world picture. The introduction of the mathematical formulation to a young student comes next. It is very instructive to read Einsteins biography. His great revelations came from conceiving and image picture of actual physical scenario. Only then did he formulate it in mathematics. Changing the theme of learning physics is an enormous challenge for the education system, and may require a new breed of inquiry teachers and supporting communities.

Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Worm up exercise

Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Newtons cradle.

One ball hits the row one ball comes out. Two for two. Very elegant. Does it exemplify Newtons law of Impulse-Momentum? How many equations do we have?

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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

N ewtons cradle what if the ball s mass is 2m ?

2m

Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Surprize?

Or did we learn broken knowledge and did not learn to analyze situation? We were taught point mass, impulse and momentum before and after impact, but not the impact process, elasticity and dynamics and did not acquire relevant intuition.

Conceptual acquaintance with a broad range of related phenomena builds intuition

Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Where do I come from

During my professional life I studied/ developed/ participated in the development of systems and technologies: Microtron ( electron accelerator), Curved-profile cyclotron Electromagnetic engineering, antennas and dynamic arrays Radars and remote sensing systems Electro optics systems Cellular communications (CDMA the 3rd generation) I trained and mentored generations of engineers and scientists ( and volleyball players too) I built research labs and development centers, started and managed High-tech companies (including Qualcomm Israel) During the last 3 years I study the physics education in Israel Bottom-up and Top-down
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

I nput

Process (education) Producion line? Manufactures cloans? Or develop creativity? Who specifies the objectives? and the process?

Output

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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

The education system

The education system is a huge enterprise, exceeding any industrial project and competing in scale and complexity with the defense establishment. Viewed as such: The education system tends to define the product ( the qualifications of the graduate) according to its own criteria, and lingers in adopting the requirements of the evolving market ( industry, economy, etc.). The education methodology leverages on a pedagogical success and structures the successful case studies into a set of detailed procedures and quality criteria much like a manufacturing floor. The teachers are the production engineers, the supervisors are the quality assurance engineers and the curriculum is the process rules. This creates a built-in dichotomy between the manufacturing culture and the problem-solving, inquisitive thinking and creativity expected from a graduate. The complexity of the system does not lend itself to a fast comprehensive reform. Apart fro changes in the syllabus and exam system, teachers need to go through a massive training in inquiry-based learning, and inquiry-teachers communities need to develop. This is a bottom-up process, led by local leaders.

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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Gaps
Israel has the potential to double the export; the missing element is engineers (E.Yanay, chairman, Israel electronic Industries
assoc.)

The Technion is short of qualified candidates in order to maintain its leading position in the world league. An additional preparatory year is needed for most. Israel economy, and well being of its citizens, depend on their suitable education and life-long learning skills. Status: Only 6-9% graduate high-school with proper physics education The majority of graduates need additional pre-academy education.
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

Qualities and skills needed in the 21st century

Self-supported, contributor and self-content
ICT Information, Communication Technology Cognitive skills Information media literate Technological literacy Critical thinking Creative thinking skills Problem solving skills Communication skills Collaboration skills Cross-cultural skills Leadership skills Social skills Self-monitoring, self-directing Accountability

Inter-personal skills

Self and task management

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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

How to become a Star Engineer

Robert E. Kelley: How to be a Star Engineer, IEEE Spectrum, October 1999

Bell Laboratories won more Nobel prizes than all US universities. All top graduates sought positions there. However, only a few turned to be stars and contributed significantly to Bell and to science. The stars were not standouts because of what they had in their heads but because of how they used what they had. The productivity mystery lay in learning how to transform their talents into high productivity--much like turning potential energy into kinetic energy. Stars, we saw, are made, not born.
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

Adapt the system to the 21st century

Laws of physics did not change during the last century The reality surrounding us has changed:
Technology, an ingenious integration of physics laws, is everywhere Science is technology and computational resource based Everyday tools are complex Useful occupation requires understanding, critical thinking and decision making.

Solutions of well modeled questions are algorithmic and lend themselves to automation. Analysis of a complex scenario or system, or conception of such, requires creativity that does not lend itself to automation, and needs training.
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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Adapt the pupil to the system or system to the pupil?

Teaching, cognition, discipline

1456- The print revolution
Human knowledge is captured and communicated linearly in words, numbers and equations. Direct access to the multi-sensing space ( whatsup, facebook, instagram, youtube, variety of play stations, and robots) Impatient students, needing immediate sensing challenge and satisfaction. Multitasking Self-assured, challenging authority The teacher is not knowledge provider, rather organizer
Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

2000 The multimedia and cyber revolution (ongoing)

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Einstein
and the importance of the mental picture
Excerpt from Einstein's biography ( Walter Isakson, 2007):

At the age of 16 he attended a school that taught according to Pestaluci, encouraging students to imagine and create a mental picture of the problems, and build intuitions. The visual understanding of concepts became a solid aspect of Einsteins genius.This type of Gedanken experiments became an emblem of his career Observe, induce underlying models, deduce a mental picture and examine consistency
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

Science as a culture
Observation trying to identify the wires that pull the scenario Analysis identifying the role of each wire Integration ( hypothesis) trying to conceive a model of the scenario Critical testing pulling, and tearing each wire to verify its role sanity check of the model by comparison to similar scenarios Look to the horizon search the limits to the validity of the model Physics is a platform for science-culture education: The surrounding environment provides familiar scenarios The number of rules involved is small, the rules are simply formulated, and exercising scientific inquiry is natural to the student.
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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Babies are born with intuitive physics knowledge,

Kristy van Marle, News Bureau, Univ. Missouri, Jan 24, 2012

A child grows up surrounded by physics he touches it , smells it and accrues a world picture and self confidence. The physics is in his bones.
Poincare:

We prove with our logic, but discover with our intuition

Education has to rely on insights and intuition previously acquired
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

The teachers frustration

The teacher is challenged with transforming a generic, mathematically formulated physical model into vivid, realistic, physical scenarios that he was not trained to research and analyze. Newtons models formulate relations between point masses. They are scalable and do not consider intrinsic characteristics of the bodies and materials involved. Any physical scenario involves multiple laws and depends on the bodies and material parameters. Inquiring and discussion of reality-derived examples enhances previous cognition and intuition derived from real life and past experience. Imaginary example, avoiding reality consistency, disrupts the students world picture
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

Learning efficiency
Most of the class hours are dedicated to exercising imaginary single-rule examples. The objective is a skill to solve a final exam problem in 20 minutes Who needs this skill in the industry? In the academy? Where is real scenario connection Where is a parametric assessment of the scenario? Where is the validity range of the model?
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

Did you know?

Graduation in 5 units physics is possible today
Without knowing what center of mass (gravity) is Without knowing what moment is how a swing operates Without knowing harmonic motion Without understanding why a plate breaks when falling to the floor a rubber ball swings back from the floor, but a steel ball breaks it
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

Exciting, interactive, authentic teaching

Reality-related and emotionally exciting scenario.

This is an example from a teaching book in the HighTechHigh system an educational system k-12 in San Diego, US, that educates through PBL Project-Based Learning, harvesting an impressive success over the past 12 years almost 100% of graduates accepted to colleges. A child remembers the laws of the pendulum much better when linked to an exciting scenario he has a personal appeal to.

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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Authentic, interactive exciting

How not to do An instruction on the exam file: Pay attention! Do not bother if the numeric solution you arrived at is far from the reality this is only an exam question! What is the insight the student is going to attain?
Riddle-solving smarts the mind, but leaves nothing for the next riddle

Physical research is based on previous layers of knowledge , feeds the next research, and creates expertise
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Dr Joseph Shapira learning Inquiry-based science

CDIOConceive, Design, Implement, Operate

MIT the leading technical university, launched an engineering training model CDIO, back in 2000. Having recognized the gap between modern engineering challenges and practices and the traditional method of education, it conceived and applied a system by which student groups are assigned to an ambitious project early in their curriculum, and follow it through the years to graduation. The formal tutorials are all related to the theme. As of today, universities in 31 countries have adopted the model. The Technion is considering respective changes in its curriculum.

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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Inquiry or Research
A student research work is termed inquiry to differentiate from scientific research. An inquiry is a learning process. The student is challenged to expand his knowledge base in related areas, acquire science culture and skills. An inquiry has to be mentored, planned and bounded.
Inquiry ( by a student) Objectives Research ( by a scientist)

Acquaintance with science culture Scientific explorations Acquire science skills and practices Govern a broad science area A comprehension achievement Value to the student ( and mentor) Inquiry process Acquired knowledge and skill Scientific achievement
Dr Joseph Shapira

Benefit Evaluation

Value to science Scientific achievement

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Inquiry-based science learning

Interim exercise
An inquiry question: who jumps higher? (on one foot or two?) ( This is not a simple one. Just watch basketball). How much will the following influence the inquiry: The personal experience and intuitive feeling? The motivation to study a n exciting activity? The social challenge, when a group is addressed?

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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Analysis of complex systems/ scenarios

Causl/ logical axis

How does it work

Top Down

Structural axis

How is it built

Forward

Topology Reverse

Bottom Up

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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Analysis of complex systems 2

Complex systems are not transparent. They are exposed in their output/ outcome, and in their inputs/ causes. The study of the system is penetration of the core: The topology connecting the cause and the results, and the components and the whole. Study axes: Causal/ logical Output/observed scenario Input/cause/governing rules Structural/geometrical Observed structure/scenario building blocks
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

Analysis tools
Models searching for relevant rules and analogies for conceiving a system model Experiments/measurements for validation and calibration of the model

Estimation
Things should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler. Albert Einstein
The accuracy of the model should suit its impact on the system. Topology is built by hierarching and chaining dominant interactions Measurements validate and calibrate partial and overall model
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

Example structure for an inquiry process

Why is the sky blue

( ) The configuration Sun Earth, the spherical, radially dilluted atmosphere. ( ) The (almost) omnidirectionality of bluish light, everywhere, reddish in the direction of the Sun in Sunrise and set. Conclusion: scattering. Question what is the scatterer? ( ) Hypothise dust particles? Air? ( ) (From literature) Tindel: particle scattering. Rayleigh: obeys (a/)4. Einstein: molecules act as dipoles. ( ) Why do we not see far way mountains in Red? (if the blue is stripped off, we should see red). The scattering is only high above the mountains? ( ) Scattering only when the density of scatterers is very sparse. Denser distribution renders a dielectric media.
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

Home exercise

What is the color of the sea?

Does it depend on depth? Angle of the Sun? viewing angle? Wind? Brightness of the sky?

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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Children are not afraid of physics

If we do not frighten them with equations and unfamiliar math, And do not suppress their natural intuition. Their world is physical Children love challenges, especially when socially involved Children love sport activities Children love technology and its manipulation Children are creative and achievement oriented Children need leadership and mentoring in these activities We need creative teachers that are leaders/mentors for these In elementary, mid and high school, and community And we are bound to enjoy curious, motivated physics students
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

Teachers communities
The concept of teachers communities is spoken in the pedagogical community, Its implementation does not have a marvelous record. Why teachers communities? The role of a teacher as a curiosity, creativity and critical thinking exciter and empowerer, and knowledge organizer, and as a bridge to the world of science and technology is creative and demanding more than that of an average engineer or scientist. Yet, the teacher does not have a structured frame for communicating, updating, debating, peer reflection as the engineer and scientist have. A science-oriented peer community is needed to revive and maintain the teachers striving for excellence.
Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

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ACHERET center
A regional center of physics teachers leading Inquiry-Based Learning. Active since 2006. Creator and manager Moshe reich, Academic manager Dr Amos Cohen. All physics students involved in IBL. Senior engineers volunteer to support mentoring. A weekly workshop reviews the inquiries and enjoys current lectures on physics and technology. Archimedes point is a novel inquiry-teachers training center, accommodating students countrywide.

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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Mentors workshops

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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Interactive inquiries

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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Achievements
240 high school students learning physics ( 20%, compare to 6% countrywide). 37% of them conducing 5 units Inquiries ( 8 times over country average). Average physics score above 85, Inquiry score above 95. Self built air tunnel for inqiring Magnus effect

Vortex in inquiring Tornado

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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

Inquiry reports 2012/13

Dr Joseph 39 Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

2013 inquiry reports

Experiments in interferometry in optics and in sound Light absorption in materials Influence of the topography and overlay on the geo-electric field. The secrets of the Tornado the parameters of vortex flow in a cylindrical vessel. The pulsing dwarf star The Levitron Optical and sound tunneling Holographic microscopy Non-Newtonian liquids Super-cavitation On Magnus effect Satellites constellation Insects flight.

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Dr Joseph Shapira

Inquiry-based science learning

Thank you for your attention

D r Joseph Shapira
jshapira @netvision .net.il
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Dr Joseph Shapira Inquiry-based science learning

0546 607088