1. Epistemic Complexity as a measure of inquiry progress in science education ? Dr. François Lombard Prof Dr. Mireille Betrancourt TECFA – Geneva University

2. Rationale “Educational gains” – Strict statistical significance but… all interventions have an effect (Hattie 2008) Poor scientific understanding of students (PISA, Rocard, 2006) Relevance of what is measured – “the need to develop appropriate and feasible assessments that specifically target inquiry to track changes” Capps, D. Crawford, D. (2013) Process measure vs Curricular assessment – What is measured as progress… Comparison subject-independent

3. Epistemic complexity Epistemic complexity (Hakkarainen, K. 2003, Zhang, J., Scardamalia, M. 2007) ≠ simple/ elaborate descriptions (facts) … -> simple / elaborated explanations Current biology paradigm Explanations of underlying mechanisms (Morange, P. 2003) – Higher level cognitive skills (Bloom, 1956)

4. Research Design Part of a larger (PhD) research Develop IBL design (~10 years) Validate design : – School : adequate curricular / results / – Relevant to biology paradigm – In-depth scientific understanding Analyze design : DBR – Analyze iterations of design / holistic approach – Conceptualization – -> Relevant variables – Validated Design Rules

5. « In other courses, you wait a few moments and the teacher gives the answer, so you write it down and don’t do the effort of thinking, and finally you must redo all the work of understanding at home. '’ A student during the evaluation of the activity 2006

6. Inquiry Based Learning How does the teacher ensure students adress the « good » questions while having them keep ownership of Q° – Under press in JBE What scaffolding / ressources access / social structure guides towards in- depth scientific knowledge ? Findings not discussed here – 34 Design rules – Synthetic abstract model of IBL.

7. Research Q° What measure of student understanding Relevant / Content independent ? Today : “Can epistemic complexity be used as a measure of inquiry progress in science education ?”

8. The design we analyzed

9. Sample 19 year old final higher secondary school students N = 61 Wiki records 10 6 words – Questionnaires End of year 1 year later at university 4 years 2006-2010 Full year inquiry 12-16 students / 4 groups Normal time, curriculum, exams T=R !

10. Coding method – Students write their understanding in a shared wiki space. Documents critical for student exams – One final Wiki document typically 200 EC items 3-4 weeks, 3000 words 3-4 students – Coding of all units of meaning within student text into 4 categories of EC – Dependent on writing of students – assignments -> measure possible at a limited number of moments – Not double coding.

11. Coding scheme : 1/2 1 Unelaborated facts: – Description of terms, phenomena, or experiences without elaboration. 2 Elaborated facts: – Elaboration of terms, phenomena, or experiences. Zhang, J., M. Scardamalia, M. Lamon, R. Messina, and R. Reeve. "Socio-Cognitive Dynamics of Knowledge Building in the Work of 9-and 10-Year-Olds." Educational Technology Research and Development 55, no. 2 (2007): 117-45. Appendix B pp 142-143 “Antigen : Any substance against which antibodies can be produced. Also called Immunoglobulin”” “Antibodies are composed of two heavy chains and two light assembled to form a Y. These chains are joined by disulfide very flexible bridges (= hinge zones on fig.A) between the two heavy chains and between each light chain and heavy chain.”

12. Coding scheme 2/2 3 Unelaborated explanations: – Reasons, relationships, or mechanisms mentioned without elaboration. 4 Elaborated explanations: – Reasons, relationships, or mechanisms elaborated. Zhang, J., M. Scardamalia, M. Lamon, R. Messina, and R. Reeve. "Socio-Cognitive Dynamics of Knowledge Building in the Work of 9-and 10-Year-Olds." Educational Technology Research and Development 55, no. 2 (2007): 117-45. Appendix B pp 142-143 How are the correct type of lymphocytes activated by cytokines, i.e. what is double activation? Double activation. Certain T8 responses require T4 : T8 recognizing antigens on weakly co-stimualtory cells can only be activated in presence of T4 linked to the same APC. This happens mainly by way of a T4 recognizing an antigen on an activated APC inducing high levels of co-stimulatory activity on the APC, which in turn activates T8 to produce it’s own IL-2. (Translated from french) »

13. Investigation progress

14. Inquiry progression / Duration needed

15. Yearlong progress / duration

16. Compare implementations Year 2005-6 Year 2006-7

17. Inform teacher’s intervention

18. Information to discuss phases

19. Potentials and limits – Relevant to biology Coherent with scientific paradigm – Process variable : informs progression – Subject-independant – Comparisons of implementations, interventions, designs etc. – Teacher training : discuss learning effects – - routine class use : simpler version ? – - acceptance in research : not validated – - acceptance in schools : not aligned with frequent assessment.

20. Acknowledgements : Advisor Daniel K. Schneider With the support of Département de l’Instruction Publique Genève, DGPO – TECFA, IUFE University of Geneva – Collège Calvin

21. Thankyou for … For your attention Francois.lombard@unige.ch

22. Define scientific understanding Knowledge justified (Toulmin) – Based on data – Aware of methods and assumptions -> limitations – Debated with community Subjected to peer-reviewing “Deepness” of scientific understanding Knowledge is within student – To understand scientifically ≠ about science – Scientific understanding : potential explanation (of mechanism)