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A Learning Progressions Approach to Understanding Students Ideas about Plate Tectonics

S
Scott McDonald

Presentation from the Geological Society of America focused on how middle grades students (grades 4-9) understandings of Plate Tectonics develop. Includes an opening section on some traditional assumptions about learning that are challenged by this approach.

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U N D E R S TA N D I N G S T U D E N T S I D E A S A B O U T P L AT E T E C T O N I C S A L E A R N I N G P R O G R E S S I O N S A P P R O A C H S C O T T M C D O N A L D K A T H RY N B A T E M A N A R Z U TA N I S O Z C E L I K H E L E N G A L L A U B R E E W E B B TA N YA F U R M A N
L E A R N I N G P R O G R E S S I O N S descriptions of student learning across multiple years built on contemporary learning theory challenge implicit assumptions empirical accounts for complexity of learning descriptive, compact, coherent and incomplete
C H A L L E N G E A S S U M P T I O N S T E A C H I N G What should we be teaching students? A S S E S S M E N T How do we know they understand it?
A S S U M P T I O N S , PA R T 1 T E A C H I N G Students must be taught the facts, including definitions of key terms and then can assemble them into a explanation (much) later
Hawaii is a chain of volcanic islands.
There is magnetic striping along the ocean floor.
A Learning Progressions Approach to Understanding Students Ideas about Plate Tectonics
A Learning Progressions Approach to Understanding Students Ideas about Plate Tectonics
A Learning Progressions Approach to Understanding Students Ideas about Plate Tectonics
A Learning Progressions Approach to Understanding Students Ideas about Plate Tectonics
E N E R G Y F R O M T H E S U N WA R M S T H E WAT E R A N D L A N D N E A R T H E E Q U AT O R ( W H E R E H A WA I I I S ) , M A K I N G I T H O T A N D C A U S I N G V O L C A N O E S Hawaii is a chain of volcanic islands.
T H E E A R T H H A S A M A G N E T I C C O R E T H AT C A U S E S T H E P L AT E S T O M O V E A R O U N D AT T H E S U R FA C E There is magnetic striping along the ocean floor.
The goal is not correct facts. The goal is increasingly less wrong explanations.
A S S U M P T I O N S , PA R T 2 A S S E S S M E N T If students know the facts it means they know and understand the explanation (you have given them)
A Learning Progressions Approach to Understanding Students Ideas about Plate Tectonics
A Learning Progressions Approach to Understanding Students Ideas about Plate Tectonics
If you want to know in what ways your students understand the facts, your students have to explain them. Ask about the house they built, not the bricks they built it out of.
L E A R N I N G P R O G R E S S I O N S descriptions of student learning across multiple years empirical have a goal (upper anchor) that is a Big Idea doesnt only describe normative ideas considers relationship to teaching descriptive, compact, coherent and incomplete
Volcanoes, earthquakes and mountains are the surface manifestations of large- scale movement of both solid and near- solid earth materials. Such movements can be explained as a natural consequence of the initial formation of the planet, its subsequent differentiation into chemically distinct units (crust, mantle, core), and the continual transfer of heat from the interior of the planet to the surface.
51 interviews 38 15 Hypothetical LP Empirical LP 4 Empirical LP 1 Empirical LP 2 Empirical LP 3 46 pre 46 post video of teaching (2)
A Learning Progressions Approach to Understanding Students Ideas about Plate Tectonics

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A Learning Progressions Approach to Understanding Students Ideas about Plate Tectonics

  • 1. U N D E R S TA N D I N G S T U D E N T S I D E A S A B O U T P L AT E T E C T O N I C S A L E A R N I N G P R O G R E S S I O N S A P P R O A C H S C O T T M C D O N A L D K A T H RY N B A T E M A N A R Z U TA N I S O Z C E L I K H E L E N G A L L A U B R E E W E B B TA N YA F U R M A N
  • 2. L E A R N I N G P R O G R E S S I O N S descriptions of student learning across multiple years built on contemporary learning theory challenge implicit assumptions empirical accounts for complexity of learning descriptive, compact, coherent and incomplete
  • 3. C H A L L E N G E A S S U M P T I O N S T E A C H I N G What should we be teaching students? A S S E S S M E N T How do we know they understand it?
  • 4. A S S U M P T I O N S , PA R T 1 T E A C H I N G Students must be taught the facts, including definitions of key terms and then can assemble them into a explanation (much) later
  • 5. Hawaii is a chain of volcanic islands.
  • 6. There is magnetic striping along the ocean floor.
  • 11. E N E R G Y F R O M T H E S U N WA R M S T H E WAT E R A N D L A N D N E A R T H E E Q U AT O R ( W H E R E H A WA I I I S ) , M A K I N G I T H O T A N D C A U S I N G V O L C A N O E S Hawaii is a chain of volcanic islands.
  • 12. T H E E A R T H H A S A M A G N E T I C C O R E T H AT C A U S E S T H E P L AT E S T O M O V E A R O U N D AT T H E S U R FA C E There is magnetic striping along the ocean floor.
  • 13. The goal is not correct facts. The goal is increasingly less wrong explanations.
  • 14. A S S U M P T I O N S , PA R T 2 A S S E S S M E N T If students know the facts it means they know and understand the explanation (you have given them)
  • 17. If you want to know in what ways your students understand the facts, your students have to explain them. Ask about the house they built, not the bricks they built it out of.
  • 18. L E A R N I N G P R O G R E S S I O N S descriptions of student learning across multiple years empirical have a goal (upper anchor) that is a Big Idea doesnt only describe normative ideas considers relationship to teaching descriptive, compact, coherent and incomplete
  • 19. Volcanoes, earthquakes and mountains are the surface manifestations of large- scale movement of both solid and near- solid earth materials. Such movements can be explained as a natural consequence of the initial formation of the planet, its subsequent differentiation into chemically distinct units (crust, mantle, core), and the continual transfer of heat from the interior of the planet to the surface.
  • 20. 51 interviews 38 15 Hypothetical LP Empirical LP 4 Empirical LP 1 Empirical LP 2 Empirical LP 3 46 pre 46 post video of teaching (2)