The new framework for science education is an important step forward in thinking about how children learn science. One of the key elements of this document is the incorporation of science and engineering practices. In this entry I will describe the practices as they are presented in the framework.
The science practices as presented in the new framework (NRC, 2011) are an attempt to more accurately describe the work of professional scientists and engineers and clarify the “doing” of science in the classroom. The emphasis in the document is on students conducting these practices and not simply passively learning about them.
“Students cannot comprehend scientific practices, nor fully appreciate the nature of scientific knowledge itself, without directly experiencing those practices for themselves” (p. 2-5). The practices are not seen as isolated skills but rather should be integrated with the teaching of crosscutting concepts and core ideas as defined in the framework. “We use the term ‘practices’ instead of a term such as ‘skills’ to stress that engaging in scientific inquiry requires coordination of both knowledge and skill simultaneously” (p. 3-1). Finally the practices while described discretely are seen as interwoven in that they overlap and connect in the process of “doing” science. The practices as presented in the framework are:
- Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
- Developing and using models
- Planning and carrying out investigations
- Analyzing and interpreting data
- Using mathematics, information and computer technology, and computational thinking
- Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
- Engaging in argument from evidence
- Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information (NRC, 2011, p. 3-5)
In the framework the practices are visualized using three spheres of activity (see Diagram). The left side of the diagram represents the investigating sphere. This sphere focuses on asking questions and the planning and carrying out experiments. The emphasis is on students being able to develop their own investigations and think critically about the investigations of others given developmentally appropriate scaffolding. “In a laboratory experiment it is critical to decide which variables are to be treated as results or outputs… and which are to be treated as inputs (NRC, 2011, p. 3-10). The left sphere prepares students to understand the experimental origin of scientific knowledge and the process that scientists and engineers go through from the forming of questions and framing of problems through the gathering of results.
The middle sphere addresses the analysis process where raw data is interpreted and given meaning by organizing it, framing it and defining meaningful relationships. “At the elementary level, students need support to recognize the need to record observations… share them with others… [and] begin to collect … data… in forms that help interpretation, such as tables and graphs” (NRC, 2011, p. 3-12). The emphasis in the practices is on students building meaning from data and using it to answer questions and build understanding.
The third sphere focuses on the development of explanations and solutions. An important component of this sphere is developing and using models. Beginning with labeled diagrams and progressing through conceptual models that help explain complex scientific processes, models are an important emphasis of the practices. “Students should be asked to use diagrams, maps, and other abstract models as tools that enable them to elaborate on their own ideas or findings and present them to others” (NRC, 2011, p. 3-9). The third sphere also incorporates the development of explanations that are formed from models, theories and evidence in hypothesizing and in interpreting experimental results. The explanation practice speaks to the student’s knowledge building process, “They should be encouraged to revisit their initial ideas and produce more complete explanations that account for more of their observations” (p. 3-16).
Many of the practices address multiple spheres as the practices inherently connect to and complement one another. Questioning is important to experimenting but also encourages the development of models and analysis of data. Using mathematics is important in all three spheres from collecting numerical data to using computational thinking to model, analyze and explain evidence. Similarly communication is used all the three spheres of scientific activity. Students need “to describe observations precisely, clarify their thinking and justify their arguments” (p. 3-19). Students are also encouraged to argue and defend their thinking. “The study of science and engineering should produce a sense of the process of argument necessary for advancing and defending a new idea… students should ague for the explanations they construct… meanwhile they should learn how to evaluate critically the scientific arguments of others and present counterarguments” (p. 3-18). Allowing students to debate and challenge ideas in the process of learning is an important distinguishing characteristic of the science practices.
In order to address the wide range of cognitive development that spans K-12 education the practices outline learning progressions for each practice. Although the practices can be used in more sophisticated ways as the learner develops cognitively there is recognition young children can perform all the science practices at developmentally appropriate levels. It states,
Young children [have the capacity to] reason abstractly in a scientific context… [They need] opportunit[ies] to develop scientific thinking, argumentation, and reasoning in the context of familiar phenomena in the K-2 grades, and that is the experience that will best support science learning across the grades (NRC, 2011, p. 2-8).
The practices make clear that the learning progression must begin with our youngest learners and then be expanded and developed over time. This new recognition of young children’s abilities is not only warranted it is necessary to effectively engage our youngest learners in the practice of science.
References:
National Research Council. (2011). A framework for K-12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Science Education. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=13165
