I really like the idea of using real world data in my Biology class but would need a few guidelines for implementing it: 1) It would have to be simplified so that there was not so much going on that they don't understand it. 2) They would have to be able to make the connection from our class work to the data. 3) Not using that in place of lab data but rather in conjunction with it.
I think one of the ways that it would be really helpful in my classes would be to choose data that corresponds to a lab that we are doing. One of the problems that we have in labs often is that in 45 min. classes my students aren't able to get results or enough results. Having a data set that goes in conjunction with the lab would allow them to do some real data analysis. Also, if they did get good results, they could compare them to the data set information and comment on differences in information.
I have done some web based inquiry activities before and they've gone fairly well. I really like the WISE site and CIESE and will definitely be incorporating them into my lessons. The hardest part I have with the inquiry activities is taking a more hands off approach and letting the students actually inquire (and even make misktakes!). While I've used those kind of activities before I think I need to examine my implementation so that the students are getting the most out of the activities.
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Katie, I've been involved with lots of different levels of inquiry teaching -- middle and high school, curriculum developer, program test site. Despite all the standards that say it is what we want to be doing, effective inquiry is hard to do regularly in a classroom. Some students never get or buy into the idea, and when they look at what they are supposed to do to pass the class, they just want to know the answer. Even with some lessons where the students did a good job of asking the questions and designing the experiments, up to a 1/4 of the class can't make the link between their investigation and the big concept idea. Many of the end of course type assessments really don't test inquiry, so this too reinforces (to students) that inquiry may not be that important. I struggle with inquiry as a learning goal and standards that expect a wide amount of content understanding
ReplyDeleteI had never thought of using real world data along side the student-generated data. Even the act of comparison builds critical thinking skills. Thanks for the idea!
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