REINVENTING SCIENCE EDUCATION THROUGH VIRTUAL WORLDS Learning to be scientific Diane Jass Ketelhut Temple University

21st Century Society: Are our education systems responding? Geometrically growing amounts of information of varying value A pace of change that requires high degrees of flexibility and tolerance for uncertainty Changes in what we value as ‘expertise’ or ‘knowledge’ Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

Science education issues Career Interest  1/3 high school students take one year of science  Of all doctorate-holding scientists:  5% are either African-American or Hispanic  25% are women Rising above the gathering storm; Nation’s report card /13/2010

Science education needs Conceptual Understanding  31% say humans evolved through natural selection  46% do not know that an electron is smaller than an atom AAAS and Pew Survey 1/13/2010

“WE’VE MANAGED TO TURN PEOPLE OFF OF SCIENCE BY MAKING IT SOME KIND OF ROTE LEARNING EXERCISE” Bruce M. Alberts (1995) Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

How do we fix this? Improve student understanding and self-efficacy in science  Create more scientifically sound citizenry  Improve pipeline How  Teacher education, pre- and in-service  Better understanding of student thinking  Using virtual environments Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

92% of all 2-17 year olds play video and computer games 97% of teens play videogames 45 Million homes own a videogame console National institute on media and the family 2001; Pew Foundation, /13/2010

“When individuals play modern video and computer games, they experience environments in which they often must master the kinds of higher-order thinking and decision-making skills employers seek today.” 1/13/2010 fas summit on videogames, 2006 “…games that incorporate simulations provide …a way to translate what is learned in training to application in the workplace.”

What simulations and games improve science education? can do to do we need to do to Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

Role for sims and games For improving the narrowing of the pipeline  Provide access for all  Model scientific inquiry  Help teach content with inquiry  Increase self-efficacy  Identify formation For improving scientific conceptual understanding  Situated learning  Scientific inquiry  Contextualized assessment  Engagement Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

/rivercityproject/ Not all games are created equal! Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

Two projects River city   collaborative scientific inquiry-based learning  Epidemiology content SAVE science  Series of assessment quests for year old  Assess local school curriculum  Problem-based 1/13/2010 Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University

River City Middle school curriculum  Modeled scientific inquiry for teachers  Integrated content with inquiry  A non-linear approach to learning Immersive  Situated learning experiences without leaving the classroom!  Ability to explore identity as a scientist Outcomes include  Better understanding of student processes  Different patterns of understanding  Engagement and learning Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

Virtual Inquiry Tools Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

Before Change After drying up the bog Controlled virtual experimentation 1/13/2010 Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University

Situated assessment in VEs for science content & inquiry Motivation:  Text based high stakes test  Separation of inquiry and content  “Students do not come to understand inquiry simply by learning words such as ‘hypothesis’ and ‘inference’ or by memorizing procedures such as "the steps of the scientific method” (NRC) Series of modules to assess local curriculum  7th and 8th grades  Integrate scientific inquiry with content Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

Teachers Good games require a teacher to embed in classroom culture and curriculum Requires rethinking pre-service and in-service education 1/13/2010 Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University

Pre-service educators Something like this should be used in classroom “We are currently living in an age where video games, ipods, laptops and cell phones rule. In order to compete schools must find ways to engage and maintain our students' attention. We have to incorporate more computer based research and activities into our lessons.” Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

But beyond the value… “I am a teacher who has two computers at home, I occasionally use my daughter's ipod, I play video games with my son and who doesn't have a cell phone. I have all of these devices at the tip of my hand and yet I rarely use technology in my classroom.” Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

Teachers need models “It is simply my unwillingness to think out of the box when it comes to technology. I'll try the latest teaching strategy or do something out of the norm that my colleagues won't do and yet I refuse to give technology a try. Here I go with the excuses: lack of working computers, time, the curriculum, standardized testing, students' behavior, school walkthroughs, etc, etc, etc. In spite of these I know I have to do better by my students. Hopefully, this summer I'll be able to create some lessons and reformat activities that will incorporate more interactive technology. Sadly, this statement sounds familiar. Oh yeah, I think I said it last spring......” Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010

How do we help teachers? Create models in K-12 and higher ed Time on task Technical and social support Previous Experiences  One on one works best but unsustainable  Fully online sustainable but ineffective  Success with hybrid, teacher videos, stories, collaboration 1/13/2010 Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University

From professors, teachers and scientists The world of the 21st century requires students be able to observe accurately and think critically, and to apply their education in the sciences to pressing social and economic needs. The appropriate assessments for these skills are performance and experience based” 1/13/2010 Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University (King et al, 2005)

Thanks For more information, contact: Diane Jass Ketelhut The instructional practices and assessments discussed or shown in this presentation are not intended as an endorsement by the U. S. Department of Education. This material is based upon work supported under Grant No and and Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Diane Jass Ketelhut, Temple University 1/13/2010