experience sharing using investigative study to address...

Experience Sharing – Using Investigative Study to Address Learner Diversity

St. Francis Xavier’s CollegeLeung Yat Yin

Investigative Study (I.S.)

Situation analysis Inquiry-based learning in I.S.Experience of implementationReflections and recommendations

S4 NSS Students…

Low learning motivation (Hea~)“we have 3 years ! S4 is our honey moon”

Learner diversity in a classCompare with AL-S6, they are selected after CE especially for schools that are free to choose electives

Schools in NSS

High expectation from school managementHKDSE as a new measure of school reputation

Insufficient teaching periods

NSS Curriculum

NSS = A-level + CE + 2 of 4 electivesToo challenging for most students?

IES in Liberal StudiesSBA of languages and other electivesOLES4, S5 students are the new school leadersTutorial / re-medial classes…

School:High expectation

Students:Low learning

motivation

Teachers:What can we do?

Curriculum:

Busy, difficult

Investigative study – possible solution?

Curriculum requirement after 2012 ?For my own experience ?As a teacher …

Try to find solution to help my studentsAttitude ?Skill ?Knowledge ?

Implementation of Investigative Study

Factors affecting frictional force

Investigative Study - schedule

1. Task recognition2. Plan an experiment3. Do an experiment4. Observe and record5. Analysis6. Draw Conclusion7. Report writing

Refine the task

Refine the procedure

Stage I

Planning

Stage II

Implementation

Stage III

Report


Investigative Study - scheduleFactors affecting frictional force

Stage I

Planning

Stage II

Implementation

Stage III

Report

1. Introduction of the task

2. Experiment day(s)

3. Do report

Refine the task



Stage I

Planning

1. Introduction of the task Refine the task

Student Teacher

Instruction & worksheets

Plan re-submission

Written/spoken Feedback

Preliminary experiment, Plan submission


Stage II

Implementation

2. Experiment day(s) Refine the

procedure

Student Teacher

Request for assistant

Facilitator/ Technical support

Respond to teacher’s question


Stage III

Report3. Do report

Student Teacher

Submit report

Written/spoken feedback

Planning – example, keep questioningScientific Inquiry

T: What’s the factor that you’re going to study?S: Nature of surface

T: How to measure friction?S: Use inclination and count the time down the slopeT: What’s the relationship between “time” & “friction”?S: s = ut + ½ at2 ?T: Where’s the “friction”?S: F = ma ?T: What’s the meaning of “F” and “m” in this equation?F is net force and m is mass of the object.T: What is the net force acting on the object along the inclined plane ?


Characteristics of students in class

Free to choose elective subjects (3 X)Class size: 40 (10 groups of 4)

They come from 5 different classesLarge individual differences within the class

rank from 21 to 164 in F.34 students rank < 4015 students rank >140

About 15 students do not take extension in Math


Characteristics of students in class

BoysExperience in report writing in F.2Generally fair in language abilityWilling to learn (?)

Free to choose elective, it’s their own choice.Teacher’s belief !


Worksheets

PreparationWorksheet on learning I.S.

PlanningWork plan(s)

ImplementationData record sheets

ReportGuided Full report


Instruction

PrecautionHelpYours (belong to students)Student CenteredInitiativeChoiceSchedule


Suggested Instructions

PlanningRemind the definition of “friction”“What’re the factors affecting frictional force?Choose ONE factor shown or not shown on the blackboard to studyStart planning, submit the plan before the implementation

ImplementationSafety and regulationsA probable set-upA set of reliable data

Report(Further instruction upon students’ response)


Yours

Precaution

Help

Student centered

Initiative

Choice

Schedule

Observations and results obtained from students


Planning – task recognition

What’re the factors ?

Investigative studystudent centered learningExplore and construct by themselves !


fL = µN


I.S. : To explore questions in scientific process


Students : Find something that is likely to be related !

• Light intensity• Temperature• Relative humidity• Form of applied force

• Mass of object• Weight of object• Contact surface area• Nature of surface• Inclination• Applied force on the object• Shape of contact surface

Planning – factors proposed by students Factors affecting frictional force

Group The factor(s) to be studied Independent variable(s) to be measured

1 Different nature of surfaces Nature of surface

2 Mass Mass of object

3 Inclination and mass Angle of inclination / mass

4 Magnitude of applied force Applied force

5 Length of string used to pull the object Length of string

6 Materials (nature of surface?)

7 Magnitude of applied force Applied force

8 Inclined slope Angle of inclination

9 Surface area of the object Contact surface area

10 Mass Mass of object


Gp 3 : Inclination & massTwo factors to be studied ? (Why not !)

Gp 5: Length of string used to pull the objectUnrelated ? (Who knows !)

Gp 6: (Cannot recognize their exact task)Generally poor learning attitudeNot enough time to push them (Luckily 1 gp only)


Sample work plan Factors affecting frictional force

Workable plan,better to modify

More than one factor to be studied,Task was not clearly identified


Workable plan,Planned well

Suggestion for students to do better


Totally not feasible

No understanding about the task

Planning – plan an experiment

How to measure friction?

Never tell them the “best” method ?


Pull by spring balancePull by known weights

Measure the time ?

Implementation – details

BriefingSchedule of experimentImportant points to notice:

Analyze the first set of data as soon as possible

Do ExperimentSummary of the work

Evaluate students’ strength and weaknessCollect the data sheets and comments


Implementation – students and teacher

SetupData recordingAnalysis


Teacher’s assessment/ facilitation

Refine the setup

• Assessment

• knowledge/concept checking

• Assistance

• Practical operation

• Facilitation

• Further studies/improvement?

• Construct knowledge• Refer to reference

• Learn from peers• Collaboration• Discussion

• Raise learning motivation• Self-constructed set-up• Competing atmosphere

Implementation – Deal with diversified learning (Diversity in the same group)


Gp Factor to study Method of measuring friction

1 Nature of surface Applying fixed weights

7 Nature of surface Time of an object sliding down an incline

3 Inclination/mass Time of an object sliding down an incline

4 Magnitude of applied force

Measuring the stopping distance

Implementation – Deal with diversified learning (Diversity among groups)



6 Not defined yet (not planned)

Data sheets

By the end of experiment, collect data sheetsPhotocopy for group members and keep backup

Distribute back afterwards

Report – Conclusion, report writing

Students:To draw conclusionReport writing as a practice

Teacher:To evaluate the learning outcomeTo assess for learning through written feedback individually


Sample report – Learning outcome

Expected report?



1 Nature of surface

Applying fixed weights

7 Nature of surface

Time of an object sliding down an incline

5 Length of string to be used to pull the object

Pull by spring balance

Sample report – Learning outcomeGp Factor to study Method of measuring friction1 Nature of surface Applying fixed weights

Newton’s 2nd law :

F – fL = 0

F is the applied force acting on the object, which is equal to friction

Tension = applied forceTension = weight

Sample report – Learning outcomeGp Factor to study Method of measuring friction1 Nature of surface Applying fixed weights

Bench is smoother than wooden board, less applied force is required (so smaller friction)

Sample report – Learning outcomeGp Factor to study Method of measuring friction7 Nature of surface Time of an object sliding down an

incline

Different surfaces as the incline

Sample report – Learning outcomeGp Factor to study Method of measuring friction7 Nature of surface Time of an object sliding down an

incline

Take average toMinimize random error

Uniformly accelerating motionNewton’s law

Sample report – Learning outcomeGp Factor to study Method of measuring friction



Newton’s 2nd law :

F – f = 0

Sample report – Learning outcomeGp Factor to study Method of measuring friction



•Trial and error

•Observe and refine the procedure

•Critical on the hypothesis

Sample report – Learning outcomeG p

Factor to study

Method of measuring friction

4 Applied force

Stopping distance

• Is it a poor design?


Factor to study


4 Applied force

Stopping distance

• Data points are not enough

• Poor table presentation

• Poor scale

• No calculation


Factor to study


4 Applied force

Stopping distance

• Experimental set-up refined for >5 times before, during and after the experiment date

• Never give up

• The set-up keeps on improving based on more understanding about stopping distance

• Did they learn well ?

Report – Learning outcome

Is it valuable to implement Investigative study?Attitude – self-motivated, learn from peers

Modify, refine their own set-upDiscussing, Communicating, Competing

Skill – Practical skills, planning an experimentPropose plan, implement the plan, work distribution

Knowledge – physical conceptsUse concepts in planning, implementation, reports

Assessment in Investigative Study



motivation

Teacher:What can we do?

Curriculum:

Busy, difficult

Learning and Teaching Strategy

唯有教好o的啦… 冇計

To improve learning and teachingContinuous assessment

Many TESTSTutorial and Re-TESTRe-medial and RE-RE-TEST…

Why many tests?

Continuous assessment (持續評估四式)一.

Teach a chapter

二.

Ask students to have revision三.

Quiz / assignment

四.

Mark quiz / assignment

Continuous assessment

Start from teacher:Teach a chapterAsk students to have revisionQuiz /assignmentMark quiz /assignment

L & T process

Assessthe learning outcome

Transmission

Planned and prescribed communicationOne directionIgnore needs of learners

How much did they learn in lessons ?Assessment : testsAssessing their self-study or tutorial ?

Wink, J. (1997)

Generative

Communication between learners and teacherMaintain learners to construct knowledgeMore realistic

How much did they learn?Assessment : communicationsAll students are learning

Wink, J. (1997)

Transformative

Realistic activityTeacher is a partner of learners

How much did they learn?Assessment : real product (setup / report?)Students learn together with teacher

Wink, J. (1997)

From transmission to generative (transformative ?)

Start from students:1. Construct a topic2. Plan a problem solving

procedure3. Carry out the procedure4. Record data5. Analysis6. Drawing conclusion7. Report writing

Modify, refine

All are L&T process !

It is possible to assess for learning in every stages !

Assessment in I.S.

Assessment for learning:To assess in order to improve L&T quality

Assessment of learning:To assess as to grade students

Much more important!


Investigative Study – assessment for learning

1. Task recognition2. Plan an experiment3. Do an experiment4. Observe and record5. Analysis6. Draw Conclusion7. Report writing

Refine the task


Stage I

Planning

Stage II

Impleme ntation

Stage III

Report


Feedback

Feedback

Feedback

Assessment for learning – Scientific Inquiry

Teacher’s roleBrief for the rundown/safetyAsk students’ questions, but not giving the answer directlyEncourage students to construct their own answer

Students’ roleRespond to teacher’s question to find the answers themselves




motivation

Teacher:What can we do?

Curriculum:

Busy, difficult

Students:Self-motivated learner

Curriculum:Busy, difficult


Teacher:Facilitator

Reflections of implementing I.S.

A lot of preparation/workload?Schedule, apparatus, worksheets…Feedbacks in I.S. vs marking assignments/quiz Routine

Time consuming?Are students learning well in normal lesson?Something students can’t learn by lecturing?F.4 students’ view on public exam? Far away?


Teacher’s subject knowledge?Teacher should be able to answer most of the contentsTransformative model : Teacher is also a learner


Teachers’ attitude?When students submit a plan discuss with them in/after lessonsWork WITH studentsTeacher likes to investigative a problem too.(role model)Accept students’ weakness, encourage them to improve

Reflections from students

Survey is conducted to the whole class

Recommendations to further deal with learner diversity

Peer learningPeer presentation before the I.S.,- Learn from peers’ plansSharing of reports

More opened tasksMore choices for students

Time for catering differences between groups1 Group finished data taking right after the 1st period,more than 2 groups “started” taking data after the 2nd periodArrange groups after school?10 groups !!! Too many?!

Recommendations to further deal with learner diversity

Depth of studyQualitatively compare the hypothesis with the result to draw conclusionQuantitatively analyze the data and compare the hypothesis with the result to draw conclusionJustify the result with appropriate error analysisModify / develop an experimental set-upBase on the findings to investigate a further question

Conclusion of I.S. to deal with learner diversity

Key to deal with learner diversity - motivationKeep questioningEncourage students’ initiationChoices

A deal between teaching time schedule and learning outcome

Thank you

[email protected]

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