NSF IMD 0628122

Challenges to Cross-Disciplinary Curricula:

Data Literacy & Divergent Discipline

Perspectives

Phil Vahey, SRIKaren Swan, RCET

www.rcet.org/twd/index.html

TWD Modules & Materials

• Four 2-week, integrated replacement modules

• For implementation in 7th grade social studies, mathematics, science, and English Language arts classes

• Designed to develop students’ deep understanding of data literacy across the curriculum.

• The modules will address issues of data representation, common measure, and proportional reasoning using real data in discipline-specific problem-solving contexts

• Grounded in a preparation for future learning (PFL) pedagogical approach

• An overall data literacy assessment, and “local” assessments

Why Data Literacy?

“We use data every day—to choose medications or health practices, to decide on a place to live, or to make judgments about education policy and practice. The newspapers and TV news are full of data about nutrition, side effects of popular drugs, and polls for current elections. Surely there is valuable information here, but how do you judge the reliability of what you read, see, or hear? This is no trivial skill—and we are not preparing students to make these critical and subtle distinctions.”

-- Andee Rubin

Data Literacy Standards

Data literacy requirement

MS standards– SS (NCSS)

MS standards– math (NCTM)

MS standards– science (NSES)

MS standards– ELA (NCTE)

Formulate and answer data-

based questions

“Formulate historical questions, obtain data, question &identify gaps in data & construct sound interpretations”

“Formulate questions, design studies & collect data about characteristics shared by 2 populations, or different characteristics within 1 population”

“Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations; develop the ability to refine & refocus broad & ill-defined questions”

“Conduct research on issues & interests by generating ideas & questions & posing problems”

Use appropriate data, tools, &

representations

“Use appropriate geographical tools such as atlases, database systems, charts, graphs & maps to generate, manipulate & interpret information”

“Select, create & use appropriate graphical representations of data; discuss & understand the correspondence between data sets & their representations”

“Use appropriate tools & techniques to gather, analyze & interpret data, guided by the question asked & the investigations designed”

“Gather, evaluate & synthesize data from a variety of sources to communicate discoveries in ways that suit their purpose & audience”

Develop and evaluate data-

based inferences & explanations

“Encourage increasingly abstract thought as learners use data & apply skills in analyzing human behavior in relation to physical & cultural environments.”

“Use observations about differences between 2 or more samples to make conjectures about populations, formulate new questions, & studies to answer them”

“Formulate questions, design & execute investigations, interpret data, use evidence to generate explanations; propose alteratives & critique explanations & procedures”

“Use spoken, written & visual language to accomplish purposes (eg. learning, enjoyment, persuasion & exchange of information)”

The Context: World Water Issues

"The Earth, with its diverse and abundant life forms, including over six billion humans, is facing a serious water crisis. All the signs suggest that it is getting worse and will continue to do so, unless corrective action is taken. The crisis is one of governance, essentially caused by the ways in which humans have mismanaged water.”

--World Water Development Report (United Nations, 2000)

Preparation for Future Learning:TWD Across the Middle School Curriculum

Social Studies

English Language

Arts

ScienceMathematics

preparation application communicationformal learning

PFL PFL PFL PFL PFL PFLPFLPFL PFL PFLPFL

Social Studies: Preparation

•Discipline Focus: world water crisis, water in the Middle East, UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses

•Argumentation: as negotiation in the context of developing a treaty for the fair sharing of water in the Tigris/Euphrates watershed

Social Studies

English Language

Arts

ScienceMathematics

preparation application communicationformal learning

Social Studies: Fair Allocation of Water in the Tigris/Euphrates River Basin

•Cradle of civilization

•Water shared by & critically important to 3 countries – not enough water to meet needs

•Ongoing modern conflict around differing notions of water rights – “sovereignty over resources” vs. “historical rights”

(De Villiers, 2000)

Social Studies: Considering Differing Position

StatementsTurkey’s position

Turkey is basing its claims on the sovereignty principle. It is saying that the rivers are transboundary, meaning that it has control over the rivers while they are in Turkey, just like other natural resources such as oil or coal.

Suleyman Demirel (President of Turkey) at the 1992 dedication of the Ataturk Dam: “Neither Syria nor Iraq can lay claim to Turkey’s rivers any more than Ankara could claim their oil … The water resources are Turkey’s, the oil resources are theirs. We don’t say we share their oil resources, and they can’t say they share our water resources.”

Syria’s position

Syria argues they've always used the water from the Euphrates and their right to use it should be no different today or in the future. They say it is an international river, and Turkey should not be able to decide on its own how much water from the Euphrates flows into Syria and Iraq. This is called the historical principle.

Syria wants to share the water in the Tigris and Euphrates through a “mathematical formula” with each State shall declaring its demands on the rivers separately.

Social Studies: Considering Differing Position

Statements

Iraq’s position

Iraq also argues the historical principle, that they have been using the water from the Tigris and Euphrates for thousands of years, that they are international rivers, and Turkey should not be able to decide on its own how much water from the Tigris and Euphrates it will let flow into Syria and Iraq.

Iraq wants to share the water using a different mathematical formula. Each country will notify a three-country committee of its water demand for each project that is completed, under construction, or planned. The committee will then calculate the demands for water and decide. In addition, Iraq wants Turkey to release more water in the Euphrates river, to be more “equitable and fair.”

Social Studies: Considering Differing Position

Statements

SS: UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International

Watercourses

GENERAL PRINCIPLES (Article 5):

1. Watercourse States shall in their respective territories utilize an international watercourse in an equitable and reasonable manner. In particular, an international watercourse shall be used and developed by watercourse States with a view to attaining optimal and sustainable utilization thereof and benefits therefrom, taking into account the interests of the watercourse States concerned, consistent with adequate protection of the watercourse.

2. Watercourse States shall participate in the use, development and protection of an international watercourse in an equitable and reasonable manner. Such participation includes both the right to utilize the watercourse and the duty to cooperate in the protection and development thereof, as provided in the present Convention.

Social Studies Module Overview

Mathematics: Formal Learning

•Discipline Focus: proportional reasoning, per capita, percentage

•Argumentation: assessing mathematical arguments for use of factual, relevant and complete data

Social Studies

English Language

Arts

ScienceMathematics

preparation application communicationformal learning

Mathematics: Common Measure, Per Capita

A

C

B

Who has more?

Mathematics: Common Measure, Per Capita

Mathematics: Common Measure, Proportional Reasoning & Mathematical

Arguments

Do states that are more rural grow the most

corn?

Mathematics Module Overview

Science: Application

•Discipline Focus: the water cycle and the science of world water, technologies to redistribute water and unintentional effects, US watersheds

•Argumentation: in search of parsimonious explanations and in support of (or opposition to) hypotheses

Social Studies

English Language

Arts

ScienceMathematics

preparation application communicationformal learning

Science: The Water CycleImplications

Science: The Water CycleImplications

To irrigate or not to irrigate

Science: The Water CycleImplications

Science Module Overview

English Language Arts: Communication

•Discipline Focus: persuasive writing and oral argument

•Argumentation: forms and structure of argumentation

Social Studies

English Language

ArtsScienceMathematic

s

preparation application communicationformal learning

English Language Arts: Persuasive Argument

datadata

datadata

Argument

English Language Arts: Persuasive Argument Presentation

Checklist

Main ideas: • Do you have specific points/ideas that support your argument statement? • Are your ideas connected and presented in a logical sequence? Evidence: • Do you have evidence (data, visual representations) to support each main

point in your argument? • Are your data accurate? • Are your data from a credible source? • Did you remember to cite your source? • Did you provide a written explanation of all data you refer to in your

presentation? Communication skills: • Does your presentation have an engaging introduction that establishes your

argument? • Does your presentation maintain a clear focus on the argument with

supporting ideas and evidence presented in a clear, logical sequence? • Did you provide explanations in your of any data (e.g., charts, graphs,

tables) that you presented as evidence for your argument?

English Language Arts Overview

Timeline

1/07 9/076/07 1/08 6/08 9/08 1/09 6/09 9/09

initial materials development

initial assessment development

Advisory Board input

teacher training & input

refinement of materials

pilot testing in AT&T classroom

further refinement of TWD materials

creation of TPD materials

Advisory Board input

data analysis

final revisions

dissemination

WE ARE HERE

field testing in 2 Ohio middle schools

www.rcet.org/twd/index.html

philip.vahey@sri.com

kswan@kent.edu