kitchen science investigators: promoting identity development as scientific reasoners and thinkers
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Tamara L. Clegg School of Interactive Computing Georgia Institute of Technology. Kitchen Science Investigators: Promoting Identity Development as Scientific Reasoners and Thinkers. Candyce. 6 th Grade KSI Participant. Candyce. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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KITCHEN SCIENCE INVESTIGATORS: PROMOTING IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT AS SCIENTIFIC REASONERS AND THINKERS
Tamara L. CleggSchool of Interactive ComputingGeorgia Institute of Technology
Candyce
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6th GradeKSI Participant
Candyce
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Tammy: Okay, and then what do you, what do you want to be when you grow up?Candyce: [pause] I want to be a, well I've been thinking about being a chef now that I'm in KSI. So I think that would be a really interesting job.Tammy: Okay, what makes you think that'll be an interesting job?Candyce: Because, okay, if I'm a chef, then most chefs just put ingredients in there, but if I'm a chef, my food'll turn out like exactly the way I wanted it, and it'll probably be even better than I expected because I'll actually think about the way that I wanted it instead of just putting ingredients in there and following a recipe. Like I can change up the ingredients because I'll know what the thickeners do and I'll know what the, these type of liquids do. Yeah, so I can change it up to get it the way I want it uh, specifically.
Candyce
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6th GradeKSI Participant
Candyce’s Scientific Identity Shifts
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Agenda
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Barriers to Science Identity Development
• Many learners don’t recognize utility of science– Useful only in school
• In school they face– Difficulties connecting science to
• The real world - their everyday lives• Their own interests and goals
(Chinn & Malhotra 2001)– Tensions between science and home community
• Minorities: language use (Brown 2004)• Low SES groups: Silent and obedient in school (Brickhouse & Potter 2001)
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Promoting Identity in Science
• Help learners see themselves as people who can and do use the practices and knowledge of science
• My Approach: Design Transformative Learning Environments– Help learners develop
scientific identity by engaging in scientific practice
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Professionally
Personally
Transformative Learning Environments
• Definition: Environments designed to help learners come to see themselves in new ways by enabling them to identify and explore potential roles for themselves
• Not to be confused with transformative learning theory (Mezirow 1975, Cranton 2002)
My Research Questions• Design-based research aiming to understand
– (Theory) How the development of scientific reasoning identity and disposition happen
– (Practice) How to help kids develop identity and disposition as scientific reasoners and thinkers
• Identity and Disposition?– Identity: how you see yourself– Disposition: the things you take initiative to do– Clearly, they are related
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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
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Scientific inquiry
Disposition
Identity as Discourse Identity• Discourse: Any combinations of social and historical ways of being
that can cause one to be recognized as a certain type of person (Gee 2001)
Discourse:Ways of- Speaking & writing- Acting & Interacting- Using face or body- Feeling, believing, & valuing- Using objects, tools, or technologies
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Scientific Practice
Authentic scientific practice– In the context of real world
problems– Full range of variables can be
tested and outcomes may be unknown
– Procedures for answering questions chosen at least partially by participants
• Chinn & Malhotra 2001; Gleason & Schauble 1999
Definition: The reasoning relevant to the pursuit of explaining, predicting, and controlling of empirical phenomena
Creating and using evidenceDesigning experimentsAccording to scientific standardsChinn & Malhotra, 2001; Osborne et. Al, 2001; Gleason & Schauble 1999
My Hypothesis: Developing Disposition
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Goal for learners:- Recognize when
something is scientific
- In a situation where scientific reasoning is relevant, they engage
Thesis Statement
• Engaging learners in scientific practice in the context of different Discourses they participate in will lead to their development of scientific dispositions, which will in turn promote learners’ scientific identity development.
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KITCHEN SCIENCEINVESTIGATORS
One Transformative Learning Environment
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Starting With Learners’ Interests and Goals - Kitchen Science Investigators
• Design the Context for learning: After-school or summer camp learning environment where kids learn science and scientific reasoning skills through cooking– Intention: Kids will see relevance of science through
experiencing the value of scientific reasoning for them
• Help them see food as an object of investigation through play
• Transition them to engagement in authentic scientific practice
• Analyze development of disposition and what’s causing or prohibiting it
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Kitchen Science Investigators
• Three aspects that help promote identity development and science learning
– Activities– Technology– Facilitation
• Activities– Cooking Experiment – Science
Experiment– Progress to more complex dishes
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Children tend to:
• Role of Technology– Prompt learners to focus on the
scientific reasoning while cooking Gardner, Clegg, Williams, & Kolodner International Conference of the Learning Sciences, 2006
– Structured & Free-form technology support Clegg & Kolodner 2007 Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning 2(3), 239-266
Forget the purpose of experimentationEnd investigations prematurelyFail to recognize importance of scientific situations(Gleason & Schauble 1999, Quintana et al. 2004)
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Comparing Variation Results
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Group Name & Variation
Observation Questions
Free-form Technology Support
Creating stories and explanatoids from experiments and investigations
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Role of Facilitators
• During whole-group discussions– Guiding Conversations– Explaining Science
• During small-group work– Modeling Scientific Reasoning Processes
• Between sessions– Design activities based on learners interests and
understanding
METHODSResearch in this context
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Analyzing Development of Disposition and what’s causing (or inhibiting) it
In the context of KSI:• Q1: What is the range of Discourses learners
are engaging in? • Q2: How is the scientific reasoning Discourse
influenced by participation in those Discourses?
• Q3: How does participation in KSI influence learners’ disposition to reason scientifically?
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Study Details• Location
– YWCA – Teen Girls In Technology (TGI-Tech)
– Local Public Middle School• Participants
– 15-20 Minority Girls– 6-8th Grade
• Facilitators – Me, Janet, Christina– KSI research lab
• Duration– After school– 1.5 Hours Weekly– 9 Months (Fall 2007 - Spring
2008)• Multiple Case Study
– 4 Focal Girls– Representing variety along:
• Interests• Participation Styles• (Clegg & Kolodner, 2007)
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Data Collection and SourcesData sources
Video dataSoftware logsFacilitator field notesInterviews
LearnersParentsScience Teachers
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Learner Initial
Learner Middle
Learner Ending
Parent Initial Parent Ending
Teacher Initial Parent Ending
KSI Activities• Fall 2007 - Leaveners
– Day 1: Food Tasting– Day 2: Food Tasting II– Day 3: Pizza– Day 4: Brownies– Day 5: Egg-sploration– Day 6: Cookies– Day 7: BS/BP Experiment– Day 8: Choice I– Day 9: Choice II– Day 10: Choice III and Parent
Presentations
• Spring 2008 - Thickeners – Day 11: Biscuits & Gravy– Day 12: Pudding– Day 13: Good Eats/Pudding
Results– Day 14: Strawberry No-Bake Pie– Day 15: Strawberry Pie Analysis– Day 16: Thickener Choice I– Day 17: Choice I Re-make– Day 18: Choice II– Day 19: Choice III– Day 20: Choice IV & parent
Presentations
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Structured
`Less Structured
Data Analysis• Coding: Discourse
Participation and Development– Scientist
• Chinn & Malhotra, 2001 framework
– Chef• Actions, questions, values,
etc. pertaining to creating and preparing dishes
– Friend• Social conversation or play• Laughter, personal
conversation, playful, arguments, etc.
• Coding Order– Interview data
• Changes, shifts, and developments in Discourses
• Causes– Selected observation
days (5-6 days per learner)
– Coded observation days (active participation) by Discourse
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Discourse Development
Within each Discourse:Ways of- Speaking or writing- Acting or Interacting- Using face or body- Feeling, believing, or valuing- Using objects, tools, or technologiesLooked within each Discourse to understand how
participation shifted over time in each
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Influences of Other Discourses on the Scientist Discourse?
Across each Discourse:Ways of- Speaking or writing- Acting or Interacting- Using face or body- Feeling, believing, or valuing- Using objects, tools, or technologies
Looked for connections from each Discourse to theScientist Discourse to understand how participation shifts in each Discourse influenced Scientist Discourse
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Scientific Disposition
Participation in Scientist Discourse- Amount- Complexity- Contexts- Overarching ideals about,
values of doing science(Bereiter, 1995; Gresalfi, 2006; Katz 1993)
KSI Focal Girls
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Candyce• Hated science class
– Teacher– Experiments– Switched classes
• KSI– Descriptive observations
became goals– Used science experiments
to achieve– Developed “craving for
knowledge”
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6th GradeInterests: Science, Cooking
Participation Style: Quiet/Vocal
Candyce6th Grade
Interests: Science, CookingParticipation Style: Quiet/Vocal
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Okay, what are my strengths as an investigator? I like finding things out because I'm like the type of person who will want to know something and who loves getting information. So I'm good at that. That's what strength [I have]. Yeah, I have a craving for knowledge.
Malaysia• Science class boring
– Stare at teacher– Read book
• KSI– Cooking expertise – pasta
and fruit tart• Understood starch
absorption• Scientific terminology
became goals for dishes– Increased science interest
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6th GradeInterests: Social, CookingParticipation Style: Vocal
Malaysia6th Grade
Interests: Social, CookingParticipation Style: Vocal
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M: Cause, [KSI]'s like ↑fun, but it's educational at the same time. So, and then
it'll help you understand science more, cause kids don't really understand that boring way cause they fall asleep and stuff, so if you do KSI, you can be excited and enthusiastic and then you'll be learning about science at the
same time.T: So, what do you mean by boring stuff?
M: Like sitting in the classroom opening your textbook or sitting there staring at the
teacher.
Analyzing Development of Disposition and what’s causing (or inhibiting) it
In the context of KSI:• Q1: What is the range of Discourses learners
are engaging in? • Q2: How is the scientific reasoning Discourse
influenced by participation in those Discourses?
• Q3: How does participation in KSI influence learners’ disposition to reason scientifically?
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Discourses & Disposition
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Analyzing Development of Disposition and what’s causing (or inhibiting) it
In the context of KSI:• Q1: What is the range of Discourses learners
are engaging in? • Q2: How is the scientific reasoning Discourse
influenced by participation in those Discourses?
• Q3: How does participation in KSI influence learners’ disposition to reason scientifically?
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Friend Impact on Scientist Discourse
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Additional Set of Friends: Impact on Scientist Discourse - Malaysia
Friend: Additional Set of Friends• Friends in science class
– Did not participate in science class• Malaysia didn’t either
• Additional set of friends in KSI– Some older and not in science class
(e.g., Amber)– Modeled scientific vocabulary and
practices– Some were in science class– KSI friends participated in science
class– Malaysia began to participate as well
• Closer relationship with teacher
Scientist• Access to others who
participated in science – Began to use scientific
practices (e.g., vocabulary, making observations)
– In science class: helped Malaysia to participate more
– Understood science teacher’s expectations
– Helped science teacher outside of class
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Chef Impact on Scientist Discourse
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Chef Impact on Scientist Discourse: Candyce
Chef• Becoming an expert chef
• Tasting and describing different puddings
• Making pudding with different thickeners
• Achieving cooking goals: More complex dishes with thickeners– Fruit Tarts– Sweet and Sour Chicken– Chocolate cake with cream center
• Cooking accomplishments and ability
Scientist• Use of science to achieve
goals– Descriptive observations– Experimentation and results– Conceptual understanding– Asking questions
• Scientific Expertise: Additional investigations– E.g., Baking soda & buttermilk
experiment
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Analyzing Development of Disposition and what’s causing (or inhibiting) it
In the context of KSI:• Q1: What is the range of Discourses learners
are engaging in? • Q2: How is the scientific reasoning Discourse
influenced by participation in those Discourses?
• Q3: How does participation in KSI influence learners’ disposition to reason scientifically?
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Scientific Disposition
• Relevance of science for achieving goals– Experimentation– Scientific understanding
• Connection of science to real world experiences and interest
• Curiosity – desire to know more
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Discourses and Disposition
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IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DESIGN OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS (TLE)
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Friends & Scientists: Implications for Design of TLEs
• Activities• Real world context allows for
shared experiences - bonding• Whole group & small group
conversations• Combination of diverse learners
– Particularly older learners interested in science
– Didn’t always work
• Offering choice• Promotes working together based
on interests
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Clegg & Kolodner American Education Research Association, 2010
Chefs & Scientists: Implications for Design of TLEs
Activities• Hard to predict when learners
will ask questions or become interested
• All activities designed in the context of achieving learners’ goals– Make them natural to refer back
to• Ability to participate and make
mistakes
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Clegg, Gardner, & Kolodner, International Conference of the Learning Sciences, 2010
Chefs & Scientists: Implications for Design of TLEs
Facilitation• Recognize when learners’
interests are piqued/dwindling• Capitalize on those moments• Find opportunities for learners to
answer their own questions– Unplanned scientific activities– Selecting appropriate practices
• Build off of interest of learners
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Clegg, Gardner, & Kolodner, International Conference of the Learning Sciences, 2010
Chefs & Scientists: Implications for Design of TLEs
Technology• Structured Experiments
– Helped learners measure and compare experiment results
• Use for later recipe decisions• Memorized later• Connected with goals
• Choice Days – Stories and Explanatoids– Helped learners present their unique
experiences and scientific practices– Needed more guidance
• Facilitator prompting with questions & typing responses
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CONTRIBUTIONSPromoting Identity Development as Scientific Reasoners and Thinkers
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Contributions – Transformative Learning Environments
• Implications for design– Small and large groups
• Facilitator and peer support– Contextualized experiments
• Helped learners connect science to their lives• Spaces for developing scientific expertise to share with others
– Fostering social connections • Influences learners’ scientific Discourse participation• Need support for social interactions
• Technology not as central as we expected– But still important– Helped facilitators and learners
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Contributions – Transformative Learning Environments
• Rich descriptions of Scientific Discourse participation and influence from other Discourses
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Discourses & Disposition
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Contributions – Transformative Learning Environments
• Helped learners imagine and align themselves as scientists– (Chapter 12)
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Conclusion
• How does the development of scientific identity and disposition happen?– Engaging learners as scientists and friends in a real
world context helped them to take the practices on, promoting their scientific identity development
• How can we promote it?– Providing opportunities to engage learners in
scientific practice in the context of their goals with peers and mentors who share their interests
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Acknowledgements
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Ms. Ev & Ted CleggGrandparentsTerry & RashidaFaith Christian Center
ChristinaKK, Jakita,Swaroop
Magnia, Na’ilah
Dorn, Lijun, Allison, Betsy, Landry, Jamye, Brad, Jill, Andrea F., Andrea G., Susan, Erika, Valencia, Sheena, Kim, Chandan, Craig, Val, James, Marshini, George
KSIers Past and PresentYWCA, Schools,KSI Researchers, Teachers,Parents
Janet, Mark, Amy
My Own Motivation
• My own experience – one of few African American women
• Grade School: Math & science classes• Balancing tensions – being cool vs. being smart
• Decline of minorities and women in STEM fields through the pipeline
– (Committee on Maximizing the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering, 2007)
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Broader Perspective of Science Identities
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Imagination and Alignment
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Imagination & Alignment: Amber
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