Course assignment – Reflection 4

Chapter 1 of this book describes the creation of this book in order to promote informal science education. As well as informing us of the importance of informal science education and its design to engage and increase understanding science, technology, engineering and mathematics, (STEM). Also information is provided highlighting the major role that the Informal Science Education (ISE) program at the National Science that Foundation (NSF) have worked to develop project evaluations over the last decade or so. Also we find that the types of programs have been expanding. Informal education now is taking place at museums, through media, and various types of locations throughout communities. This can make it difficult to create an assessment. Also it takes into consideration the fact that often there’s a diverse audience which makes isolated assessment to be difficult. Also another factor is the fact that informal education can encompass not just K – 12 but also adults and even the elderly. Also we looked at several categories to consider in creating an assessment. These are; awareness, knowledge or understanding (of); engagement or interest (again); attitude (towards); behavior (related to); skills (based on); other. I personally found this very helpful for thinking about creating the assessments as well as information about front-end, formative, remedial, and summative evaluation in guiding the projects. The second chapter giving more information about these above-mentioned types of assessments gives us information about how to read this book. I very much appreciate the fact that it also informed us that each of the chapters in the part II are written to be stand-alone therefore be prepared for little bitter reputation. I thought that was nice. Therefore it’s let us know that this book was designed for us to find the section applies to our project and we can use that in order for us to create our evaluations for our projects. I also got a kick out of the section titled “How to Read This Book” which is followed by a section titled “What This Book Is Not”, followed by this section “Who Wrote This Book?”, Looking at the list of authors was impressive. I thought this was humorous although it actually was very valid. The last chapter is titled “Evidence and Categories of ISE Impacts” beginning with one of my favorite Lewis Carroll quotes, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.” This section gives a very good way to approach, a backwards research design approach which gives us for important questions to ask: What audience impact will this project facilitate? What approach/type of project will best enable us to accomplish these goals and why do we feel that this is the best approach to take? How will we know whether the activities of the project accomplished these intended goals and objectives and with what evidence will we support the assessments that they did? How will we ensure that unanticipated outcomes are also documented?

References:

Friedman, A. (Ed.). (2008) Framework for evaluating impacts of informal science education

projects [On-line]. (Available at: http://insci.org/resources/Eval_Framework.pdf)

This is a video that highlights my intended project. I am recruiting a group of home-school kids as well as parents and even grandparents to attend the project.

Course assignment – Reflection 3

 Chapter 7: The beginning of this week’s reading really hit home for us living here in the El Paso area. In discussing diversity and equity this area has both a wide range of economic levels as well as a diverse blend of cultures and ethnicities. Although this area is predominantly Hispanic, there are populations of Middle Eastern, German and Asian groups within. As stated “Science discourse, teaching, and learning are not culturally neutral, although people tend to see and represent themselves as acultural or neutral or, in the case of science, as representing a unique culture unto itself” (Bell, Lewenstein, Shoure, Feder. 2009, p.210). It is important as educators for us to understand how culture needs to be included into teaching. Sometimes this may be difficult to see how culture can be included in science. With a little creativity local culture can be brought into science. The text relayed the fact that culture is a complex concept. But if we look to local traditions and lower we can sometimes see ways to interweave these into science education. By connecting cultural aspects into our teaching we can give ownership to the learners. Later on in the reading the aspect of gender disparities is brought up. Understanding this it is important to try to develop programs that are gender-neutral. Find ways to include girl’s or women’s interests without turning off the males.

Chapter 8: This chapter discusses media which brought back to mind fond childhood. I grew up in New Mexico in the 60s. At that time our school system, I feel, was quite progressive. We had a television set in every classroom, which now is the norm but back then was very unusual. We actually had two classes that were taught via the television through our local public television station, music and science. I can recall many of the episodes that Dr. Fishbac presented important lessons that I can remember to this day. Nowadays we have the Internet which can provide us with an abundance of information. The one thing though is we need to be careful in using media because there is a lot of that information that is presented. Although this bad information can actually be very teachable just the fact that we have the ability to point out and correct that misinformation. One of my favorite websites is TED.com that feature TEDtalks which are highly inspirational presentations given during the TED conferences. These highlight some of the cutting-edge science and technology with the most forward thinking scientists of our time.

Chapter 9: These are the conclusion recommendations as well as further directions from this work. This section contains 18 conclusions ranging from lifelong learning, from infancy to old age, to the final conclusion which deals with ecology in respect to the informal educational venue. This chapter ends with ideas or recommendations for exhibits and program designs, information on front-line educators, and researchers and evaluators. With the final section on further research directions.

References:

Bell, P., Lewenstein, B., Shouse, A. W. & Feder, M. A. (2009) Learning, science in informal

environment: people, places and pursuits. The National Academic Press. Retrieved from

http/www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12190

Course assignment – Reflection 2

In the first section of this week’s reading discussed everyday settings and family activities that involve science. Pointing out an important fact that learning takes place in multiple settings. This is especially important in science learning that, I personally feel, needs to be experienced more than taught. Another important aspect of the beginning of this section is a fact that science learning can be a family experience. Going back to my last blog I remember this being true in my life. I feel that my family gave me a legacy in the love of science. But it also commented about how science can be experienced in multiple settings with young and old alike. One of the things that I got out of this first part was in the section titled, Setting For Everyday Learning, pointed out some facts I never thought about how family learning activities involving science can be everyday activities such as fishing, gardening are great to other activities. These activities often can involve spontaneous informal science experiences. Also I found interesting the section of chapter 4 were stranded 4, reflecting on science, where Sandoval was quoted in regards to the four aspects of science that students have difficulty in understanding. It discusses how they believe that science is constructed by people rather than its people interpreting evidence. Students often don’t see science as it dynamic and changing subject that often what is believed to be true one day can be disproved the next. Also students think of science is being experiments without understanding all of the different methodology involved in science. And finally the last concept is it many students see hypothesis, theory, and law being sequenced in this order. The next chapter titled, Science Learning in Designed Settings, it’s much closer to home in regards to our project. I have decided to do my project at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson desalinization plant off of Montana. I’m in the process in developing a combination of a tour of the plant with explanation of the procedure as well as introducing information in regards to water conservation. This section gave me important things to think about in developing my project. The very end of the section on Strand one talks about comfort which I never thought about having an effect on learning in an informal environment which really makes sense because it’s important informal environment as well. In discussing Strand 3 in this chapter made me think of the importance of creating an interactive educational experience as well as understanding the importance of meaning – making which is making the experience personal to the participant. Participants are involved in doing and saying, questioning and explaining making sense of the natural world. When it came to Strand 5 I found interesting the concept of social interaction and learning multigenerational groups because I believe it builds strong bonds and increase the learning experience for all generations. The last chapter we covered is titled, Programs for Young and Old, which discusses the difference between formal and out of class science learning programs. In this discussion and told about two different points of view of researchers in regards to the program goals and outcomes. Where one group is more concerned with development of positive attitude, skills and social relationships while the others are more concerned with the academic outcome but I personally feel both have equal importance.

Course assignment – Reflection 1

This report begins with the concept that humans are inherently curious beings. This is a simple concept but it is a key in education. Informal science learning experiences hinge on this concept. I is a child growing up remember many times that it seemed I learned much more during the summer vacations than I did during the school year. Every summer our family would embark on a trip off into a national park or historic landmark. I can remember the enjoyment my brother and I would receive posing questions to the tour guides. Even when you are family went to visit other relatives we would find time to take a tour of the museum. I think this helped shape my own personal curiosity and desire to learn more especially in science. Growing up I also remember learning important lessons as the neighbors my brother and myself would build and launch Estes rockets. These were simple rockets made out of cardboard tubing and balsa wood for the nose cone and fans. This gave me a great deal of insight, as a young child, in aerodynamics. At the time I looked at each of these situations as either a fun summer vacation times or fun playing with friends. Now I see that they were wonderful examples of informal learning environments. Also I see that developing a project in an informal learning environment can be a very powerful tool that can impact all participants young and old alike. I also can remember opportunities I had, up in Albuquerque New Mexico where I was born and lived to the age of 13, involved in afterschool activities. I actually built in FM radio by first laying out the components on a schematic glued to a piece of wood. Nails were hammered in at junction points in the electronic components were soldered to these nails. Once the radio was assembled on the board and tested it was then disassembled and reassembled into a radio case. I still think I have that radio somewhere. So I for one can sure identify with the idea of learning outside the classroom.

In looking at the three concepts, lifelong learning, life–wide learning, and life–deep learning I really identify with them. I definitely consider myself a lifelong learner. I think the more I know the more I realize I don't know. Therefore I consider myself a lifelong learner. The concept of life–wide learning to me means that learning happens all around you in every aspect of your daily life there are things to be learned by opening up and realizing this you open yourself to be active in your passive learning. The last concept of a life–deep learning is critical so often we as adults have created an idea that our beliefs are the only ones that count and we often close our minds to others' points of view. I feel by doing this we are robbing others and ourselves the opportunity to learn.

My apologies

I would like to apologize to all of you in class on Wednesday. I have very limited typing skills due to my inability to spell. I am dyslexic and use dictation software when producing work. When I'm unable to use the software I am very limited on my ability to input into a computer. This causes me to become frustrated and aggravates the whole situation, so I apologize for my attitude in class.