Field Test

Using the Nature of Science as a Metacognitive Resource

Electricity and Magnetism Unit

Erin E. Peters

 

Goals

Implementation

Dimensions of Assessment

Assessment Implementation

Content Goals

1.      Behavior of static electrical charges

2.      Behavior of electrical current

3.      Behavior and internal mechanisms of magnets

4.      Behavior of electromagnetic interactions

·        Hands-on Inquiry activities

·        Reporting of group members’ findings

·        Collaborative teacher and student development of notes from group members’ findings

·        Elaboration

·        Correspondence to expert position on topic

·        Pre-test

·        Post-test

·        Interviews with focus groups – One with sample students from experimental group and one with control group

·        Think aloud with focus groups – one inquiry activity will be performed while talking about thinking

Nature of Science Goals

1.      Scientific knowledge is tentative but durable

2.      Science has a creative and a subjective component

3.      Historical, social and cultural factors influence science

4.      Science and its methods cannot answer all questions

5.      Empirical evidence is used to support ideas

6.      Science and technology impact each other but are not the same

7.      Careful data recording is a habit of mind of scientists

8.      Theories help to connect and explain scientific facts

·        Experimental and control group

·        Experimental group will get embedded metacognitive prompts in the inquiry activities

·        Control group will get activities without metacognitive prompts

·        Pre- and Post-Test will have questions about the nature of science

·        Elaboration

·        Correspondence to expert position on topic

·        Pre-test

·        Post-test

·        Interview with focus groups

·        Think aloud with focus groups

·        Pre- and Post-Metacognition in NOS survey

Metacognition Goals

·        Develop ability to realize thinking patterns

·        Compare thinking patterns to scientific thinking patterns

·        Identify barriers to scientific thinking

·        Experimental and control group

·        Experimental group will get embedded metacognitive prompts in the inquiry activities

·        Control group will get activities without metacognitive prompts

·        Pre- and Post-Test will have questions about metacognition

·        Evidence of metacognition

·        Elaboration of metacognition

 

·        Pre- and Post- MOLES

·        Interview with focus groups

·        Think aloud with focus groups