How Children Construct Understanding of Science

What is Understanding?

inert knowledge: learner lacks the connection and relationship of between ideas and cannot apply the knowledge into appropriate situations.

Instead of inert knowledge, students have to develop integrated, meaningful understanding.

Understanding is a function of knowledge accumulation and knowledge integration.

Four types of understanding:

1- Inert knowledge, disconnected, unusable fragments of knowledge

2- some accumulated knowledge, integrated

3- accumulated knowledge but little integration

4- accumulated knowledge and developed integrated understanding

Types of knowledge:

Content: central concepts, principles and theories . e.g. force - Newton's first law of motion

Procedural: is necessary to find solutions to problems, e.g. knowing how and when to control variables

Metacognitive: knowledge about cognition, awareness of one's own cognition:

• strategic knowledge: e.g knowing how to use search terms to find something on Google
• knowledge of cognitive tasks: e.g understanding that data analysis might include  transforming the data into a different representation
• self-knowledge: knowing one's own weaknesses and strength in learning

Models of Teaching

1- Transformational: supporting students to make sense of material, e.g Project-based science

2 -Receptional: transmitting info and students receiving it

Social Construction of Knowledge

Stages of the 5E Instructional Model

What teacher does

• Stage 1: Engagement

pick students' interest

determine prior knowledge

invite students to ask their own questions

• Stage2: Exploration

Encourage student to student interaction

Observe students' interaction

Ask probing questions to redirect the students’ investigation and to make sense of their experiences

Give time for students to think through

• Stage 3: Explanation

Let student to use their data and experience to explain

Ask questions to help them express

Provide time for them to compare ideas

Introduce terminology when student shows interest

• Stage 4: Elaboration

Encourage student to use their experience for a new event

Reinforce students to use the terms they learned while explaining

Ask questions to help students draw conclusions

• Stage 5: Evaluation

Observe students' interaction

Let them compare ideas

Interview students to assess their understanding

Encourages students to assess their own progress

What student does

• Stage 1: Engagement

Express curiosity

think about what they already know about this

• Stage 2: Exploration

mess around materials

investigate and try different ways to find answers

compare ideas with others

• Stage 3: Explanation

explain using their own words based on their experience

interact with others

record their understandings

• Stage 4: Evaluation

Make connections between new and past experiences

Use what they have learned to explain a new event

Use scientific terms and descriptions

• Stage 5: Evaluation

Demonstrate what they understand

Compare their understanding with others and revise if necessary

Assess their own progress by comparing their current understanding with their prior knowledge

Ask new questions tfor deep understanding

Perfromance Objectives

Students will be able to (SWBAT)   +  Power Verb          +               Specific description of    assess                                      what the students
combine                 will know or will be able to do

        analyze

       apply

       summarize

     list