Dear Plant-Eders:
In the spirit of Dr. Kramer's message below (which I deemed worthy of
archiving on my hard drive) I would refer one and all to an excellent
publication by the American Geological Institute. The title is 'Evolution and
the Fossil Record' and it was so good I could not resist printing a copy from
the PDF. I have read it all (approximately 34 pages) and am very impressed
with the ideas which it conveys about science. Highly recommended for all
biology teachers, both secondary and college. I will consider using this for
a special topics course on science which I may teach in the coming fall.
You may order a copy at nominal price or download the PDF from the following
URL:
http://www.agiweb.org/news/spot_06apr01_evolutionbk.htm
I'm off on April 19 to judge the Florida State Science and Engineering Fair
in Ft. Myers. The next day I'll be in Jacksonville at the Radisson Riverwalk
Hotel for the 12th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning
(Propeller Room at 2 PM; Topic is 'Teach Metabolism Backwards!').
Hope to meet some of you!
Dave Williams
Dean of Science
Valencia Community College, East Campus
701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail
Orlando, FL 32825
profdhw at aol.com
407-299-5000 x2443
URL: http://www.blackboard.com/courses/BIO1002/
Under "Guest Access" click "Visit as a guest..."
In a message dated 2001/04/12 8:20:05 AM, kramer.8 at osu.edu writes:
>I've read all the excellent messages in this thread and can't resist
>jumping in!!
>>I agree on the importance of students learning and following the scientific
>method (even though scientists still debate what the exact steps are!
>or
>what they should be called!) but we should be willing to rise above purely
>semantic issues, accepting the use of several terms to describe the various
>steps as long as the basic observation/problem/hypothesis/data gathering
>and analysis/conclusion/communication rubric is there.
>>Most of us at one time or another have criticized 1) science fair projects
>and 2) the teachers who make these assignments (seemingly with limited
>understanding of the process of science). We volunteer as judges and are
>too often dismayed by what usually amounts to a lack of instruction or
>faulty instruction of the students. So we criticize. Afterall, we're
>trained to be critical of what we see!! Some of us decide that it isn't
>worth our time to continue to be involved in such a poorly conceived and
>executed endeavor.
>>But: If we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem!
>>Let us rejoice that at the very least the science fair introduces thousands
>of students to the joys and frustrations of hands-on science. At least
>they are not just reading about science or passively watching a video.
>They are DOING science. But we need not ignore the fact that they could
>be
>doing it better.
>>Rather than simply criticizing how it is being done poorly in too many
>cases, let's try to think of ways of improving the process. Here are just
>two ideas:
>>1) Volunteer to visit at least a few schools in your area that have science
>fair projects to talk to the students (and their teachers... insist that
>the teachers stay in the room so they can give this lecture next year)
>about the scientific method, i.e., the process. Don't just name the steps
>but explain the logic, the role of each step. Use this as an OPPORTUNITY
>TO TEACH THAT in everday speech they use "theory" the way scientists use
>"hypothesis"... a predicted explanation that needs to be tested. AND in
>science we use the word "theory" also but to mean something very different:
>A principle that has a very high degree of predictability, that has been
>supported with data under a wide variety of circumstances (e.g., over a
>long time, in many places, under many conditions, with many different
>organisms, etc.). WE NEED TO EXPLAIN THAT the Cell Theory, the Theory
>of
>Evolution, etc. are NOT HYPOTHESES but are more akin to the LAWS of the
>physical sciences.
>>Next year go to several new schools. After several years you will have
>educated lots of students and their teachers.
>>2) We also need to provide students and their teachers with a one-page
>(well, maybe two!) explanation of some very basic (developmentally
>appropriate) statistical analyses. What is a mean? a median? a standard
>deviation? a percentage? tests of statistical significance? When should
>these various analytical techniques be used? What do they show us? I
>enounter lots of students (even in my college classroom!) who can calculate
>percentages, for example, but have no clue as to why you would want to
>do
>so!
>>Students also need to know the value of making data sets visual through
>graphing techniques. Can you graph a hypothesis even before you have
>gathered data? (What should the graph look like if the hypothesis is
>supported by the data?) When is it appropriate (and inappropriate) to
>use
>a line graph? bar graph? pie chart? I encounter two problems with
>statistical analysis in science fair projects: 1) too little data, 2)
>incorrect choice of analytical tool. The students have access to some
>fairly sophisticated software tools and many students know how to use them
>to construct beautiful graphs but they don't understand which kind of graph
>is used for which purpose.
>>I think we can do a better job of supporting science fair and similar
>programs. Our professional societies can publish a brochure on the
>scientific method and another one on statistical analysis and make these
>available to our members to distribute when we 1) train teachers (WE are
>the ones who prepare the teachers!!), 2) talk to students about science
>fair projects, and 3) judge science fair projects. The Botanical Society
>of America would be pleased to do this. Send me your suggestions.
>>Dave
>>*********************
>David W. Kramer, Chair
>Education Committee
>Botanical Society of America
>http://www.botany.org>>Asst. Prof. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
>Ohio State University at Mansfield
>1680 University Drive
>Mansfield, OH 44906-1547
>Phone: (419) 755-4344 FAX: (419) 755-4367
>e-mail: kramer.8 at osu.edu>--------------------
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