Misconceptions: Your words matter

I have had an excellent day where I was involved with training educators who teach GET Intermediate Science (roughly ages 9-14/15) in the Western Cape.

We spent time looking at misconceptions in science teaching. It was so exciting to be involved with  group of teachers who were eager to look at how they teach science.

A major conclusion that we drew whilst discussing misconceptions...is that your words matter. Even teaching the younger learners, as a teacher you must be exactly accurate with your terminology.

Poor choices of words when teaching or mixing similar but scientifically different words in your explanations can cause misconceptions in a learner's understanding that you may struggle to shift.  e.g.

• should you mass or weight ?
• should you use respire  rather than breathe?
• how do explain how energy 'works' ?( see an earlier blog post)
• should I use particles/molecules/atoms?

How would you explain the following common misconceptions?

Common misconceptions ( click on the link, you can print them for use)

How many of these misconceptions are due to poor/wrong use of  scientific terms?

Click on the link above and test yourself! Problems...comment on the blog...I'll answer any queries.

(Examples are from UK Dept of Education training on misconceptions)

Fun for Free : part 6

One of my favourite places to find information The Whiteboard blog  has come up with another gem.

e-learning for kids website

This is a free to use website with some excellent Primary numeracy, literacy and science resources. A real benefit for this site is that it has a section on 'Life skills'. The resources can be used with an interactive whiteboard or data projector, but the resources can also be used in a lab for consolidation or as a 'catch up' for learners with gaps.

As ever, a good internet connection is needed to access the resources, but this site is well worth a visit!

Misconceptions: getting inside your learners' minds

In previous blogs I have looked at how focused questioning can help identify misconceptions in learners. But how else can you get inside your learners' minds and really know what they are thinking?

Here are a few options that you could include in your lessons:

1. Flow chart : learners use the information from a text book/teacher explanation to construct a flow chart summarising a process. This quickly shows if they do not understand how the process really works
2. Annotated drawing or poster:  More than just copying a diagram. This requires the learner to combine a diagram and produce summarised note. This encourages learners to process the concepts covered. The activity can be expanded when learners can develop their own diagram/drawing to explain  information that has been gievn to them as text.
3. Concept Map: This really tests what a learner grasps. This can work well as a paired activity, with learners sharing their ideas and explaining to each other.

All of the above can be combined with thoughtful, higher level questions from the teacher. ( see earlier post of questioning for specific examples of types of questions to use)

Health warning: learners can answer recall/knowledge based questions correctly, without really understanding the processes/concepts behind them. This only becomes apparent when they fail to answer the higher level questions, look at the analysis of our exam results at FET!

Revision notes..online help?

It is getting to the time of year when learners are starting to compile revision notes..or at least they start to worry about the topics they have missed or are unsure about.

What is there online to help learners revise?

There are many sites for all topics...but which ones have a South African focus?

Revision notes for Mathematics, Physical Sciences & Life Science can be found on the http://www.skoool.co.za/ site under Exam Focus. There are some very good summary notes (with diagrams) that can be printed out, or used by learners. They can use the lesson activities to recap on topics that they are struggling with.

Skoool.co.za: Exam Focus

Don't forget my favourite: Mindset, apart from the interactive online activities available for most FET subjects...don't forget the catalogue of past exam papers and model answers! This is a fantasic resource for you and your learners.

Mindset Exam papers

Schools have broken up for the Easter Holidays here in South Africa. Have a restful break!

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

How do we encourage our learners to think?

There are some things we do, that do NOT encourage any thought processes at all....the infamous

" just copy this from the board/textbook". Easy to organise...but of no benefit to the learners.

There is information that the learners need to record; for consolidation, for revision; but how can we alter how that information is recorded?

In order for learners to process the information, think about it, they need to make a decision as they record the information. Copying work involves no decision, no thinking at all.

So what can we do, the information needs to be in their exercise books? Here are some simple alternatives to copying!

• leaving out key words from sentences/passages (Cloze execises) that the learners have to fill in
• sequencing a series of sentences, good for a process that needs to learnt
• matching definitions and key words
• matching halves of sentences
• making a flow chart to show how something works/steps in a process
• using diagrams to summarise text
• using mind maps or other summary notes (even taking a page and picking the 5 key points to learn)
• true or false statements, explain what is wrong with the 'false' statements
• ranking factors in order of importance
• making a page summary poster (mixture of diagrams/brief notes) of the notes..easy to revise from

More videos....excellent site not to be missed!

This is a great site with a range of videos.

http://www.neok12.com/

Plus points:

• 
  
  the videos have been vetted by teachers
• 
  
  the videos have been catergorised into easy to search teaching topics
• 
  
  most videos can be downloaded and stored if you have real player installed on your computer (click on video label at end of post for more info on downloading)

Models for the teaching of energy

How do you explain the abstract concept of energy to learners????

You will be totally lost without a model to help you. But which one is sufficiently well thought out so that it doesn't cause more problems than it solves?

Here are two models you can use..

1. Energy transfer: energy is either stored (chemical, elastic potential, gravitational potential) or transfered e.g by an electrical current, light waves,  by heating. Energy can be seen as units or tokens that are stored until they are needed then transferred from place to place.
2. Energy transformation: energy changes from one type to another type e.g. from electrical energy into heat and light energy in a light bulb

Both models have their good and bad bits...you need to use the one with which you are most comfortable. You can use both, as long as you clearly explain that to the learners.

Both types of models can be explained well using

• visual modelling-diagrams
• role play- allowing learners to actually transfer tokens to each other to illustrate how energy can be transferred
• using objects to illustrate the processes.

Models for teaching energy  is a link to a handout with more details on how to use models for teaching energy. It is taken from materials produced by UK Dept Education.

Misconceptions: how questioning can help?

How can we question our leaners in a way that will expose what they are thinking? (Or more importantly 'what misconceptions they have' ).

Bloom's Taxonomy can help us structure our questions to determine just what the learners are thinking. 

Here is a  quick summary on some of the different types of questions:

Knowledge: Knowing facts and describing what is observed

Comprehension: Using ideas in familiar contexts, explaining how and why something happens

Application: Using knowledge and understanding in a new context

Analysis: Breaking information down, contrasting information and seeking patterns

Synthesis: Generalising from given information, linking ideas and making predictions

Evaluation: Comparing and discriminating between ideas, making choices based on reasoned argument, verifying the value of evidence.

If we are really honest...it is far too easy to restrict our types of questions to the knowledge type; it takes a bit more thought to structure higher level questions. We will never get to know what our learners are thinking by just asking them to repeat facts without ever thinking about them.

So how do we ask more difficult questions that make our learners think?

Here's an example, using the story of Goldilocks and the 3 bears.

Knowledge: Whose porridge was too sweet?

Comprehension: Why did Goldilocks like Little Bear’s bed best?

Application: What would have happened if Goldilocks had come to your house?

Analysis: Which parts of the story could not be true?

Synthesis: Can you think of a different ending?

Evaluation: What do you think of the story? Was Goldilocks good or bad? Why?

 (example taken from materials published by UK Dept Education)

This link gives examples of questions using plant growth as an example. Notes and examples

Here are examples of different types of questions that can be used in lessons. Print the question list out and keep it with you...it will help you in the middle of a lesson!! Bloom's taxonomy example questions

HAPPY QUESTIONING

Mindset...the hidden gem!

A Physical science teacher contacted me this week, enquiring about using Mindset in the classroom with a data projector..he reminded me about this often forgotten gem!

Mindset Learn

This resource is designed for the South African curriculum, a great advantage over other web based stuff. The website has recently been revamped to make it much more user friendly.

Each topic has a mixture of:

• 
  
  learner videos ..now with a list of easy download options. This allows you to use the video in a room that does not have internet access. You can share the video between colleagues
• 
  
  interactive lessons...with notes, animations and questions
• 
  
  answers for all questions...a must for busy teachers
• 
  
  learner/teacher notes to support the videos..excellen summaries of the video, often with worked examples
• 
  
  teacher development videos...hints on how to cover particular topics, very helpful if this is the first time you are teaching this topic, or you just want some new ideas
• 
  
  exam papers ( & answers!)

Take time to check this out...it is not to be missed!

P.S. it covers all FET topics not just science...tell your colleagues to have a look as well!!

Misconceptions...how using models can help

In an earlier post I talked about how pupils' misconceptions can hinder their understanding of science concepts. Once you have identified the misconceptions, how do you start rebuilding their learners knowledge? Using models is one way to help build the learners' understanding.

Why use models?

• 
  
  some ideas are too big or too small for learners to understand without a model e.g. stars, current flow
• 
  
  some ideas are abstract and hard to visualise what is happening e.g. dissolving, energy transfer
• 
  
  some ideas are processes that cannot be viewed  beacuse of location or timescales e.g. mountain building, circulation

How does a model help?

• 
  
  it takes a situation/objects that the learner is familiar with
• 
  
  it then uses relationships and behaviours that learners are familiar with to demonstrate how the scientific concept works
• 
  
  it helps the learner visualise the scientific process.

Models can be:

• 
  
  visual
• 
  
  verbal
• 
  
  3-d ( using actual objects)
• 
  
  computer simulations
• 
  
  role play

It takes time for an educator to think through and explain a suitable model.  How do you explain the following ideas?

• 
  
  energy transfer
• 
  
  cells
• 
  
  particle nature of matter
• 
  
  electricity
• 
  
  photosynthesis

Over the next few weeks I will look at some of these topics in more detail.

Interactive whiteboards: Where can I find GOOD websites?

To help busy educators and department officals....I have compiled a list of some of the best sites!

The list describes whether the sites have interactive content/interactive consolidation activities/videos etc. It covers resources for all subjects and phases.

It is not an exhaustive list...there are some many more out there...it is just the ones I have used so far.

interactive resources list

Dowload the list, explore the resources...most importantly...look at how you can use the resources instead of (rather than as well as) some the things you usually do with your learners.

Fun for free part 5: Interactive primary resources

WOW!

I was pointed towards these resources by The Whiteboard Blog (link at the bottom).

The resources are hosted by the UK's main educational newspaper, TES.

www.tes.iboard.co.uk

They are amazing interactve resources that are well organised for Foundation subjects. They cover the main literacy and numeracy topics as well as science and some social science topics.

As ever, all though they are free, the resources require an internet connection. Be patient as once a resource is downloaded...it runs well.

I don't know about the learners, I had great fun playing the numeracy games.

These activities are very good as group consolidation activities for your interactive whiteboard or as a starter/end to a lesson. Take the time to explore and see how they can add to your lesson.

HAVE FUN !

The Whiteboard Blog

Misconceptions in science teaching

  It is all very well for science teachers to know what it is that we want the children to understand....but we are never starting with a blank slate or an empty mind. Learners bring with them a whole host of ideas, assumptions and ways of processing information. We ignore these ideas at our peril!

Have you ever checked what pre-existing ideas learners have about the topic you are teaching, both before and during your series of lessons. You will be surprised about the amount, complexity and down right weird misconceptions that are present in our classrooms.

As responsible educators we need to familiarise ourselves with the most common misconceptions. Here are a few:

1. An object at rest has no energy.
2. Temperature is a property of a particular material or object. (Metal is naturally cooler than plastic).
3. All metals are attracted to a magnet.
4. Seasons are caused by the earth's distance from the sun. (Scarily I have seen this one in classrooms and even in published materials )

What can we do to stop this happening? First diagnose the problem:

• Research common misconceptions e.g.misconceptions summary ( a quick 'google' is always a easy approach)
• Give our learners a quick quiz (verbal or written) to explore their thinking about a topic. Use very open ended questions.

Then 'cure' the disease

• organise our examples, explanations and questions to confront these wrong (and often strongly held) ideas
• allow children the chance to understand what is wrong about their current ideas (get them talking to each other to explain their thoughts)
• provide a clear explanation that will allow learners to build a correct model in their heads!

Online Interactive Physical Science Resources

Some very good animations and graphics of all the major physical science concepts. There is a search function that makes it easy to find the animation that you need

Yenka free content

The only drawback is that you have to be online to be able to use the resources in your class.

FET Physical Science: Organic chemistry resources

I have had my first request...YEAH! Now I know there is at least 1 reader of my musings...

I was asked to source some resources for Organic chemistry. No sooner asked for, then here we are!

Science 4 You -Organic Chemistry resources

Printable resources, sponsored by Sasol. Very useful in class, there are even practical notes.

I will post more resources as I find them!