Learning in science as the development of big ideas. Wynne Harlen

Transcription

1 Learning in science as the development of big ideas Wynne Harlen

2 Learning as progressive understanding Understanding seen as developing bigger ideas from smaller ones Students working out their own ideas, needing help to test ideas in a scientific way to try alternatives when their own ideas are found not to be consistent with evidence When ideas are shown to explain further experience, they become bigger, more encompassing, and more useful.

3 Questions about big ideas 1. Why big ideas? 2. Who needs them everyone, or just future scientists and technologists? 3. Should they include ideas about scientific activity as well as ideas that result from scientific activity? 4. Are they the only goals of science education? 5. What criteria should guide the selection?

4 Why big ideas? Some pragmatic reasons There is an enormous range of possible content; there has to be some way of selecting the most relevant The facts about the material world that science has provided need to be placed in a bigger picture that informs the development of the curriculum Students and teachers need to know where they are going and how what they are doing helps to explain things they find important The more that is explained, the more powerful the idea. A smaller number of more powerful ideas can explain current and future experience better than a larger number of small ideas

5 Why big ideas? Some principled reasons Science education should aim to develop learners curiosity about the world, enjoyment of scientific activity and understanding of how natural phenomena can be explained to enable every individual to take an informed part in decisions, and to take appropriate actions, that affect their own wellbeing and that of society and the environment understanding of a set of ideas of science and about science scientific capabilities concerned with gathering and using evidence scientific attitudes

6 Questions about big ideas 1. Why big ideas? 2. Who needs them everyone, or just future scientists and technologists? 3. Should they include ideas about scientific activity as well as ideas that result from scientific activity? 4. Are they the only goals of science education? 5. What criteria should guide the selection?

7 Selection criteria for big ideas Ideas that: have wide-ranging explanatory power facilitate understanding of current issues that affect human health and wellbeing, the environment, the use of energy, etc provide pleasure in understanding and satisfy curiosity about the natural world have cultural significance in relation to human activity and its impact on the environment.

8 Big ideas of science All material in the world is made of very small particles Some objects can affect other objects at a distance Changing the movement of an object requires a net force to be acting on it. Energy is needed to make things happen The composition of the Earth and its atmosphere shape the Earth and its climate The solar system is a very small part of one of millions of galaxies in the Universe Organisms are organised on a cellular basis Organisms require a supply of energy and materials for which they are often dependent on other organisms Genetic information is passed down from one generation of organisms to another The diversity of organisms, living & extinct, is the result of evolution

9 Big ideas about science Science assumes that for every effect there is a cause or multiple causes Scientific explanations and theories are those that best fit the facts known at a particular time Models are created to derive and test explanations The knowledge produced by science is used in technologies to create products to serve human needs Applications of science often have social, political and ethical implications

10 Progression and the curriculum The (national) curriculum document should set out what is to be learned, and why, but not how a clear progression towards to development of the big ideas from primary through secondary education what ought to be achieved at various points based on research and understanding of how learning takes place Schools and teachers should decide the content most appropriate (interesting, engaging, seen as relevant) to help their students in their progress, with the big ideas in mind the pedagogy