Teaching with Data

Cathy Manduca

Iowa State University, 2005

Consider design of a data rich activity Questions we need to ask Decisions we need to make Resources we need to find

Using Data Can . . Engage students in learning

By providing real world context Creating student ownership of questions

Enhance learning experience Better retention by constructing knowledge Transferable or useable understanding Understanding of process of scientific inquiry Subtlety

A Range of OpportunitiesWe can use data. .

To illustrate or describe As a basis for problem solving

To understand a concept To learn a technique

To engage in research As a basis for making judgments

To Illustrate Concepts

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

0.35

1870 1890 1910 1930 1950 1970

Inscription Date (Years AD)

Su

rfa

ce

Re

du

cti

on

(m

m)

Data taken from Dragovitch, D., 1986, Weathering rates of marble in urban environments, eastern Australia, Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, v. 30, p. 203-214.

~8.5 mm/50 yrs = 0.17 mm/yr

Weathering Rate of Marble Tombstones in Sydney, Australia

To Enable Inquiry

http://serc.carleton.edu/research_education/yellowstone/index.html

A spectrum of inquiry approaches Students engaged in collecting data Students engaged in generating

questions Testing personal data with theory

What are your goals?

What do you want to accomplish? What should students be able to do? What is your measure of success?

From Goals to Outcomes:Designing the activity

Choices, Choices, Choices What kind of activity? Student driven vs instructor driven? Independence vs guidance?

A design strategy Establish goals, measure of success Consider wisdom from research and experience Consider context: who are your students, what are

your assets and constraints Develop activity based on wisdom to meet goals

while exploiting assets and meeting constraints Evaluate results and tune system

Wisdom from Learning Science (How People Learn, NRC)

Learning is additive, it builds on current understanding

Understanding is actively constructed-This requires an engaged learner-Different people construct/learn most easily in different

ways

Learning to learn-metacognition is an important aspect of becoming an expert and is context specific

More Wisdom from Learning Science To develop competence students must:

Have a deep foundation of factual knowledge

Understand ideas in the context of conceptual framework

Organize knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application

Inquiry is Hard

Inquiry is Hard Inquiry and research are complex

learned skills What do your students know that will

help them Ask questions? Find and interpret data? Draw conclusions? Communicate results?

Scaffolding

Supporting structures that help the students develop the expertise needed

to operate independently.

Scaffolding Brainstorm GOAL: You want students to be able to understand the

evidence for X (climate change, plate tectonics, El Nino, global warming)

STRATEGY: Look at data, see fundamental relationships, relate to processes/theory

PROBLEM: We gave the students a lecture about theory and the data to look at. Asked them to make an argument based on the data that supported the theory. They all failed.

How do you scaffold the activity?

Tools and Techniques Learning tools and techniques is different than

developing a conceptual understanding of the science

Match time on tools to objectives of class Develop mastery of tool - can you use it creatively Only master really useful tools-time invested must be on a

par with usefullness Learning tools requires motivation, construction, and

refinement. Provide opportunities for practice outside class or lab

Build in Reflection and Discussion Writing

Journals/Progress Reports/Highlights Papers—a writing process Websites E-mail

Drawing Speaking

Progress reports Final reports Informal conversation

Thinking

How do we tell if it worked? Be thoughtful in your own assessments:

Be a careful observer Collect data to verify your theories Match the assessment to the goal

What is the goal? What do we want the student to be able to do? How can that be measured?

Build on the work of the education research community SLAG/PBS/SIBLE/WISE

Collaborate with resource developers and peers

In sum

Using data is a powerful and flexible tool for learning It can be used to increase motivation for learning and

is a foundation for activities that construct knowledge Using data must be incorporated in well designed

activities that provide for knowledge construction and reflection.

Developing inquiry and analysis skills are significant tasks that must be accounted for in planning

Resources

Teaching with Data Using Data in the Classroom

Portal: data, tools, activities and pedagogy

Starting Point Teaching Entry Level Geoscience: Teaching with Data; Teaching with Models

Earth Exploration Toolbook: Step by step instructions

Integrating Research and Education: Ideas and Resources for Bringing Cutting Edge Geoscience into Teaching

Bringing Research on Learning to the Geosciences: bibliography, on-going research efforts

serc.carleton.edu

NSDL Workshop Report What do we mean by data? Why is using data important? How do we do it? What do we know about how

well this works? What are the implications for

digital libraries and data providers ?

Tips for success Design exercises with student background in mind--an overwhelming

or negative early experience with data can be devastating to student confidence.

Create a safety net to support students through the challenges of research.

Develop a balance between guidance and inquiry that is appropriate for the student and the learning objectives.

Create opportunities for students to work with data and tools outside of class or lab.

Match the time spent in learning tools to the goals of course and student proficiency, being careful not to introduce more tools or techniques than students can master.

Reflection, discussion, and reporting are important aspects of the research experience that need to be incorporated in the planning of the exercise.

Activities Using Data and Models

Learning Goals Context Materials Tips Assessment References and

resources