ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
I been asking everyone I can about research studies that have published
findings on the value of experiential, hands-on, inquiry-base, etc,
etc,... Because I want to bring them to our district superintendents to
influence their decisions on museum visits and the museums curriculum
and Prof dev programs.
I didn't get back many responses...but here is one that I think might be
helpful to this group. It summarizes several studies that indicate that
inquiry based science instruction does have positive effect on the
development of reading comprehension and science literacy:
"Teaching Hands-On/Minds-On Science Improves Student Achievement in
Reading: A Fresno Study" by Jerry D. Valadez, Science Coordinator,
Yvonne Freve, Analyst. Fresno Unified School District--Urban Systemic
Program.For more info about this, contact Jerry Valadez, K-12 Science
coordinator ([log in to unmask])
I also think it would be a valuable ASTC conference to compile and
present such findings because I feel we lack concrete evidence to affect
changes in policy without it. I
Maria Mingalone
Director of Education and Public Programs
Berkshire Museum
39 South Street (Route 7)
Pittsfield, MA 01201
(413)443-7171, ext 14
[log in to unmask]
See "A Faerie Tale Festival of Trees," an enchanted forest of 200
decorated trees, fairy tale "artifacts," and more, November 19-December
31, 2005. www.berkshiremuseum.org
-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Beryl Rosenthal
Sent: Friday, December 02, 2005 8:32 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: school program numbers
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
************************************************************************
*****
>I get a lot of anecdotal comments about this. Empirical or not, the
>bottom line is, if the teachers can't come out because that is what
>they have been told, there is a valuable lesson there. I have found
>that some districts, ie the ones that typically do well on the tests,
>continue to visit. Those that are in trouble, ie the ones that do
>poorly on the tests, have come less and less. If you want empirical
>studies, just look at the list of schools who come and don't come, and
>note note the districts they represent, (which frankly, has high
>correlation to economics). It's pretty damn sad when the districts and
>kids who could really benefit from inquiry-based experiences can't get
>it because they are busy being taught how to respond to a test question
>so their school scores will go up. That's not learning, that's
>propaganda.
Now would you like to know how I really feel???
Beryl
>SEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
>Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and
related institutions.
>***********************************************************************
>******
>
>I have one comment and one question about this discussion:
>
>1) (Comment): I agree with Alexis's statement that informal educators
>should be involved in education policy. I would also add that we should
>be involved with educational research (at least reading it) to inform
>our involvement with policy. Alexis noted that teachers might be
>"dropping the fun, hands-on stuff to focus more time on test materials
>and test-taking skills". Although some of the readers of this list
>might scoff, I think that one of the best things we might be able to
>do, vis-a-vis policy, is to help argue that the "fun, hands-on stuff"
actually helps kids to learn what they "need to"
>learn. I haven't seen any empirical evidence to suggest that
>inquiry-centered activity (in the classroom or elsewhere) helps kids to
>perform better on standardized tests. That might be nice to have. Being
>comfortable with such research would require, of course, that the tests
>actually assess what the readers of this list would probably say
>qualifies as "important". Therein lies another possible policy
>challenge for us as informal educators: to provide evidence (or at
>least use other people's
>evidence) to support curriculum and testing decisions that come as
>close as possible to supporting a definition of "science literacy" that
>we can accept.
>
>2) (Question): For Beryl (and others who have noted that "teachers now
>have to justify the trip and pretty much guarantee that the visit will
>result in substantially higher grades"). Do you know of any empirical
>evidence to support this idea, or are your data based upon what you
>hear "informally"
>from teachers?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Bill
>
>Bill Watson
>Research Assistant, SCALE-uP
>The George Washington University
>Graduate School of Education and Human Development Department of
>Teacher Preparation and Special Education
>2134 G St. NW
>Washington, DC 20052
>Phone: (202) 994-1171
>Fax: (202) 994-0692
>[log in to unmask]
>www.gwu.edu/~scale-up
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Informal Science Education Network
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Alexis Abramo
>Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 1:25 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: school program numbers
>
>
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
>Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and
>related institutions.
>***********************************************************************
>*****
>*
>
>I have been doing some informal polling among teachers I know and have
>found that in addition to the high cost of transportation, many schools
>are also experiencing a reduction in the overall budget, and therefore
>have less money to spend on "extras."
>
>Additionally, I believe there are two reasons to blame the No Child
>Left Behind legislation.
>
>First, because of NCLB's focus on testing, many teachers are dropping
>the fun, hands-on stuff to focus more time on test materials and
>test-taking skills.
>
>Second, and maybe more importantly: the focus on testing and meeting a
>minimum academic level means that schools must spend more of their
>budgets getting every kid up to speed. I wholeheartedly agree that we
>need to make sure all students reach a minimum level but there is an
>unintended result. Creating academic requirements without providing
>financial resources to help reach them means that schools are
>transferring their limited resources away from enriching activities for
>all students and focusing them on students who need to catch up.
>(Witness: the drop off in arts programs, field trips, etc.)
>
>Another good reason why even informal educators should get involved
>with educational policy!
>
>
>Alexis Abramo
>Education Program Coordinator
>Sciencenter
>601 First St.
>Ithaca, NY 14850
>[log in to unmask]
>607-272-0600 ext. 20
>
>[log in to unmask]
>
>***********************************************************************
>More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
>Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at
http://www.astc.org.
>To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
>message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
>[log in to unmask]
--
Beryl Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs MIT Museum
265 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139
Tel: 617-452-2111
Fax: 617-253-8994
[log in to unmask]
"A great place to explore ideas, invention, and innovation:
http://web.mit.edu/museum"
***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at
http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
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