How would I teach a STEM topic differently?
Curriculum topic
“Educators must develop a toolbox of approaches that is large enough to stimulate the interest of many students and flexible enough to meet the needs of a wide variety of young people, who have a wide variety of motivations”(successfulstemeducation.org, n.d.).I am focusing on High School Statistics.This is one of the topics that allows me to create a space where diverse student groups find space to personalize their learning. ISTE (iste.org/standards, n.d.) standard for Computational Thinking, 5b, talks about collection, analyses and representation of data from real life.
All of us, including our students, have preferences when it comes to choosing how we learn (Seifert & Sutton, 2009) . Combining the need for diversity with the need for data collection and representation, I can develop a lesson from Common Core (corestandards.org, 2010) with the standard given as: HSS.ID.B.6: Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot, and describe how the variables are related. My goals for them are (a) think of a topic with 2 variables that can be correlated, (b) collect data, (c) use technology (excel or a software) to represent data and finally (d) analyze it and draw interpretations. I chose this for Statistics can be applied to all STEM fields (Adams, 2017).
Current approach.
Current approach goes through the following steps: (a) teach them correlation, (b) give some problems to make it clearer, (c) bring in some real life problems, (d) take an assessment from examination based problems and we are done!Students usually have an interactive class, followed by self-work in a collaborative space. They are encouraged to learn from each other especially when they draw the correlation graphs from real world problems(Adams, 2017).As this topic is connected to their own existence, they usually find it interesting and learn it well. This approach brings together a diverse set of strategies and hence works well. There is dialogue, self-work, collaboration and real life connections. The point of dissatisfaction however is that one is still under the box of examination focus. While students take an exam well after such a lesson, they still see it as a math topic and not something that correlates to their own lives. They have not explored anything real as per (iste.org/standards, n.d.)3d or a local or global issue as per (iste.org/standards, n.d.)7d.
Project-based approach.
Project based learning is one of the best ways to differentiate learning in the class (UNESCO, 2004). This is because it gives space for a wide range of strategies to be included. I would follow several steps to turn this lesson into a project based approach.
1. Create your own group to work collaboratively, something given in (iste.org/standards, n.d.), 7b. This would make them think for themselves as to who do they wish to work with. As this group is quite harmonious with each other, I do not foresee issues of bias.
2. Set your own question as a part of defining the problem (Adams, 2017). You have to choose 2 variables that you would correlate to see if there is a relationship between them. Set a clear personal learning goal through this process, as mentioned in (iste.org/standards, n.d.)1a, that covers not only the question but also a judicious use of technology to find the answers.
3. Use web based material to learn about Correlation with your group. This is in order for students to learn about self-learning through technology as given by (iste.org/standards, n.d.)standard 3c.
4. Collect data on the variables chosen. You can use any technology based tool such as Google forms or do it through interacting with people. Decide the sample space and the questions that you would ask.
5. Use Excel or any other software to design the correlation graph and draw the line of best fit. Analyze the graph and explain the level of correlation between the two variables that have been chosen by you.
6. Present to the class your graph, interpretation and rationale behind the relationship inferred. This is to instil data driven decision making (Adams, 2017).
Analysis.
The best part of the new development is that the entire work is student led. They choose the topic, their group, lead the research and find their answers on their own. The number of life skills that are involved in this are quite a few, such as research, team work, analytical thinking and clear communication, a much needed life skill (Adams, 2017).
The challenge I see is for students who are not very tech enabled or interested in it. In the race to be best tech enabled community, we might forget students who may not take to it as others. Hence I have kept the work, keeping the diversity in mind (Adams, 2017), part human and part technology specific.
Conclusion
References
Adams, C. (2017). The 7 most important STEM skills we should be teaching our kids. https://www.weareteachers.com/important-stem-skills-teaching-kids/
Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education (n.d.). Improving STEM Curriculum and Instruction: Engaging Students and Raising Standards. https://successfulstemeducation.org/resources/improving-stem-curriculum-and-instruction-engaging-students-and-raising-standards
International Society for Technology in Education (n.d.). ISTE Standards. https://www.iste.org/standards
National Governors Association (2010). Standards for Mathematical Practice. http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/
Seifert, K., & Sutton, R. (2009). Educational psychology (2nd ed.). The Saylor Foundation. https://www.saylor.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Educational-Psychology.pdf
UNESCO (2004). Changing teaching practices: Using curriculum differentiation to respond to students’ diversity. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001365/136583e.pdf
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