ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
Jason -
I'll try to answer your questions from the perspective of a science
center Education Director (and as such, a person who works with science
teachers regularly) and a teacher, which was my career before I joined
the Dark Side. I suspect some of my comments might stir up some
controversy, but it's Friday afternoon, so I might be feeling up to a
fight. :)
*How do you transform core content and science standards into a hands-on
inquiry based activity?*
We learn from the experts. We're a small shop - much smaller than the
Louisville Science Center. So we primarily do activities that have been
developed through a strong R&D process, such as the Full Option Science
System (FOSS) out of Lawrence Hall of Science. Admittedly, these
activities are made for classroom use, but we make them fit our programs
pretty neatly.
Our other option is to develop content that we like and that "works"
based on our understanding of local and state standards. Then we work
backwards to link with national standards (and sometimes even to state
standards). We find that teachers don't usually say, "It's hard for me
to teach ________. Do you have a program that can do it?" We were kind
of hoping that they would, to give us some direction, but it's worked
out well that they don't because that gives us a lot of freedom.
*Can inquiry be used on all standards?*
That's a toughie. I work with the National Science Resources Center's
LASER project, which is designed to give school systems the tools they
need to "switch" to an inquiry-centered curriculum. However, I've found
that even the NSRC, which is committed to inquiry for all students,
finds it difficult to find materials to teach *all* topics through
inquiry. So, in my experience, the answer is no, inquiry cannot (and
perhaps should not) be used on all standards.
*How do you deal with time constrictions?*
Focus. You could do a darn good inquiry-centered activity and teach a
lot of content in, say, a 2 hour after school session. String 5 of those
together, and you've got an awesome program. Better yet...10...or 15...
*How many materials is too many?*
When the materials become a burden, that's too many. In other words,
materials are there to facilitate the learning, not to be the center of
attention. I'm a proponent of *guided* inquiry, though. A focused
learning activity, which means focusing the materials, can be a powerful
learning tool. Look at our exhibits: we don't just throw people into an
exhibit floor with a bunch of mechanical devices. We carefully choose
the exhibits we think will be best to get a particular point across, and
then let the students/visitors choose how best to learn from them.
I think too often we focus on a definition of inquiry that is too broad:
"give kids a bunch of stuff and let them invent" or something to that
effect. I really believe that it is important to give kids some
structure. There again, though, we do a lot of our work to support
formal education. Those science centers that "push the envelope" with
their activities might structure their activities to be more open-ended.
Students who visit the programs of those science centers might come more
prepared, having had inquiry in their classrooms. This is not the case
in southern Alabama - yet. So we structure our programs around guided
inquiry experiences.
*Is it ever OK to tell students the answers to their questions?*
Sure it is. Some questions just don't lend themselves to, "let's
research that" - or that response is not practical given the resource
limitations, whatever they may be (time, research materials, expertise,
money, etc.). Now, if it is a question asked to circumvent working a
solution to the specific topic/principle/problem around which your whole
activity or experience is based, then I'd say, no, don't answer the
question directly. But if it's a question sort of asked along the way
with an answer that will help the students get to the deeper meaning and
point of the process, then I say go for it.
I hope those answers help.
Bill
Bill Watson
Education Director
Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center
Mobile, AL
(251) 208-6851
***********************************************************************
Visit the all-new permanent exhibit MINDS ON HALL, featuring
cutting-edge technology exhibits and the Ciba Hands-on
Science Lab. Get in on the action starting January 9, 2004!
And coming soon to the Gulf Coast's only IMAX Dome
Theater: SHACKLETON'S ANTARCTIC ADVENTURE
and Disney's YOUNG BLACK STALLION.
***********************************************************************
-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sanchez, Jason
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 2:12 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Science Inquiry
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
************************************************************************
*****
I am currently trying to develop a curriculum for an after-school
program at
the Louisville Science Center that must correlate with science
standards.
In doing so I have encountered the following questions/problems:
How do you transform core content and science standards into a hands-on
inquiry based activity? Can inquiry be used on all standards? How do
you
deal with time constrictions? How many materials is too many? Is it
ever
OK to tell students the answers to their questions?
I would be interested to hear how other Science Centers are dealing with
these questions.
Jason Sanchez
Jason Sanchez
Whitney Young Scholars in Science (WYSci) Program Coordinator
Louisville Science Center
727 West Main St.
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 561-6100 ext. 6421
(502) 561-6690 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
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More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
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To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
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