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Benchmarks Revealed

Week Four

Reading the Benchmarks

Have we finally reached the meat of the benchmarks? Maybe. Most casual readers would tend think so, but actually the real “meat” (or at least 2/3 of it) was in the Constructing and Reflecting sections. It is just that those sections were so small and the Using sections happen to contain all the content that teachers are used to dealing with in the classroom.

Using Scientific Knowledge is the other 1/3 of the scientific literacy strand. (Although, don’t forget that when the Frameworks were produced, the

Reading the Benchmarks (continued)

three strands–Constructing, Reflecting, and Using–became five strands with the original Using broken into three content specific strands). Much can be gained in having students learn how to use scientific knowledge effectively.

Using has a very special meaning in the context of scientific literacy. When you read this strand of the Benchmarks and MEGOSE do not focus too much on the content details, but do focus on the context within which these details have been

Reading the Benchmarks (continued)

placed. In particular, you should be concerned with the definition of Using, the use of real-world context ,in all the objectives/benchmarks and the narrative paragraphs provided in MEGOSE in order to relate the objectives with learning goals and research implications.

The Nature of Science Literacy

Scientific literacy is defined (according to the Michigan Benchmarks) as the activities of Reflecting, Constructing, and Using. Using is an activity that gives purpose to knowledge. What good is knowledge if you are not able to use it? Probably not much. But knowledge is even more valuable if it can be used in a scientifically literate way.

Scientists use the knowledge they produce to describe, predict, explain, and control (design) the world about them. These sub-activities have

The Nature of Science (continued)

been incorporated into the statement of each of the benchmarks (objectives). We will discuss the first two of these sub-activities (describe and predict) now and the remaining two next week.

Using Scientific Knowledge to Describe

One way to Use knowledge is to use it in the sub-activity of describing. It is one thing to describe a falling object in terms of its speed and direction. It is another thing to describe that same object in terms of its acceleration due to gravity. When one learns about gravity, the activity of describing (falling objects) is enriched through the use of the new ideas.

In the life science benchmarks, the 5th content standard concerns ecosystems (p. 77). This

Describing (continued)

standard begins with benchmarks at the elementary through high school levels on relationships between organisms. The high school benchmark states, “Describe common ecological relationships among species.” Note the use of describe in this benchmark statement. This use is intended. It specifies the Use sub-activity of the benchmark/objective.

This means that the classroom learning expectation is one where students will learn about ecological relationships AND that they will

Describing (continued)

be able to USE that knowledge to enrich their descriptions of the real-world. Instead of seeing deer and wolves in a forest of trees, they will see those organisms in terms of competition, carrying capacity, and natural balance (p.77, Michigan Benchmarks). This intent is elaborated upon in the MEGOSE document in the general sense (pp. 6 and 7) and in the specific ecological sense (pp. 72 and 73).

Note that the word describe is used frequently in

Describing (continued)

the life science Benchmarks (III.1.E.1 Describe cells…., III.1.M.1 Describe similarities/ differences between …, III.2.E.2 Describe vertebrates in terms….) and that there are other words that mean describe (III.2.M.1 Compare and classify organisms…., III.5.E.1 Identify familiar organisms…, and in the physical sciences–measure, demonstrate, trace, and distinguish).

Descriptions can vary in sophistication from simple

Describing (continued)

statements of observation to complex statements based on quantitative measurement. Education in science can therefore be viewed, in part, as becoming more capable in description of real-world phenomena by using learned scientific ideas and tools.

Using Scientific Knowledge to Predict

The second Using sub-activity is Prediction. Prediction is more than just guessing, although guessing might be considered some low level form of prediction. Prediction in science is based on knowledge of rules of behavior, such as natural laws.

Rules (laws) permit prediction since the rule is usually stated in the form, If this (is the case), then this (will happen). Rules are constantly

Predicting (continued)

tested and only those that consistently hold are used in science. When students learn these rules, they are empowered with the ability to make useful predictions. Of course, once a prediction is made the opportunity to test the prediction is implied and the outcome used to further confirm (or possibly reject) the rule.

Strangely, the word predict is not used in the individual benchmarks (although it is discussed in MEGOSE). However, the words, relate

Predicting (continued)

changes and relate characteristics, do appear in the physical sciences benchmarks. The intent here is one of prediction and the making of relationships can only be done through the application of rules.

An example would be IV.4.HS.1 (Relate characteristics of sounds the we hear to properties of sound waves). There are known scientific relationships between the pitch of sound and the wave length of that sound. Students should be able to make predictions

Predicting (continued)

relating sound heard to wave length generated, based on those rules. Doing so would demonstrate their ability to Use the knowledge they have learned to make statements of certainty about events have they have not yet observed (and do not have to observe). That is the power of prediction and the reason why it is an important sub-activity of Using scientific knowledge.

Real-World Contexts

By now you have noticed the real-world contexts provided with most every benchmark. These were initially given a separate table column in MEGOSE and were stated a little more extensively. The Benchmarks place the real-world context in parentheses following the statement of the benchmark.

These contexts exist to remind the teacher that the activities and the related knowledge do not exist in a vacuum and need to be addressed using situations that students can relate to.

MEGOSE Narratives

While they have been removed from the Benchmarks, the narratives that preceded every content standard in MEGOSE contained some valuable information that everyone interested in interpreting the benchmarks might want to read.

For example, content standard 1 in life science is Understanding Cells. The MEGOSE narrative (p. 48) begins with two questions that frame and provide purpose to the standard. Then the narrative attempts to answer the questions while

MEGOSE (continued)

at the same time indicating where the objectives come into play in providing partial answers. Attainment of all the objectives within the content standard implies an ability to answer the questions originally posed in a scientifically literate way.

In addition, the MEGOSE narratives point out learning difficulties that teachers should be aware of prior to instruction. The example on page 48 of MEGOSE is the statement that

MEGOSE (continued)

students at the elementary level have trouble accepting the idea that cells are too small for them to see. This statement is based on research results from students actually trying to learn this content and is provided to alert teachers to the possibility of learning difficulties that students might bring into the classroom related to that content.

=quiz=

Quiz 4 1. According to MEGOSE and the Michigan Science Benchmarks scientific literacy is defined as

Student Response Value Correct Answer Feedback A. describing, explaining, predicting B. reflecting, constructing, using 100% C. reflecting, constructing, explaining D. explaining, predicting, constructing, and reflecting

Score: 2/2

2. Using scientific knowledge is an activity defined as consisting of which of the following components?

Student Response Value Correct Answer Feedback A. describing, explaining, reflecting, constructing B. reflecting, constructing, describing, predicting C. constructing, using, describing, explaining D. describing, predicting, explaining, controlling 100%

Score: 2/2

3. A benchmark that states, trace the path that rain water follows after it falls, represents what type of scientific literacy activity?

Student Response Value Correct Answer Feedback A. describe 100% B. predict C. explain D. control

Score: 2/2

4. A benchmark that states, relate the changes in the detected frequency of a source to the motion of the source, is what type of using sub-activity?

Student Response Value Correct Answer Feedback A. describe B. predict 100% C. explain D. control

Score: 2/2

5. Education in science can be viewed, in part, as becoming:

Student Response Value Correct Answer Feedback A. more literate in the words that constitute the scientific vocabulary that all scientists speak. B. less willing to accept experimental results unless they have been performed by scientists using national academy standards C. less interested in nonscientific explanations of real-world phenomena and more will willing to assist scientists in interpreting the results of their work. D. more capable in description of real-world phenomena by using learned scientific ideas and tools. 100%

Score: 2/2

6. The narrative paragraphs in MEGOSE that precede the tables of objectives serve what purpose?

Student Response Value Correct Answer Feedback A. The paragraphs describe the meaning of the scientific content in the tables. B. The paragraphs present the context of the objectives so that one can see where they lie in the whole of scientific knowledge. 0% C. The paragraphs are written to answer questions and thus show how the objectives are organized to help students gain the knowledge to answer those same questions. D. The paragraphs provide background information that teachers can use in their instruction to motivate students and promote learning.

Score: 0/2 Comments: See slides 17 through 19 of the presentation.

7. One way that the benchmarks remind teachers that the content they are teaching needs to be related to student personal experience, is to:

Student Response Value Correct Answer Feedback A. Include a separate table of experiences that students should have by the time they have reached any specific level in the benchmarks. B. Separate the more abstract content benchmarks from the more concrete ones and then point out to teachers how best to approach each type of benchmark from a student learning standpoint. C. Provide real-world contexts immediately after the statement of each benchmark. 100% D. Specifically state this in bold print at the start of every content standard.

Score: 2/2

8. Mary is a first year teacher of biology. She has read both the textbook and the Michigan Benchmarks for life science and now feels that she does not have enough time to cover all the content and still do all the using activity required by the Benchmarks. Help Mary. Which is more important to learn, the content expressed in the life science benchmarks or the activity of learning how to use that content?

Student Response: Ultimately, Mary can benefit by learning that the activity (use) of learning the life science, in context, she will be teaching the content. It is not about which is more important, but in which way are they related, so that instruction integrates using and knowing. In using knowledge, I appreciate the distinguished aspects of describing, predicting, explaining, and controlling since this is what research in science needs. Content is derived from the need to use the science. Science literacy is the activity. Content comes from doing. Interestingly enough, I met a researcher who clarified my "application" to learning with "context". After reading the benchmarks, context is a common theme within in the benchmarks. The context is only created within the realm of the activity. Content is the background knowledge that assists in the future activity.

Sample Correct Answer Given that having knowledge is useless without being able to use it and that the using part is tested in the MEAP exam, it is best that Mary de-emphasize the content and placed an equal emphasis on the using activity. General Feedback: Given that having knowledge is useless without being able to use it and that the using part is tested in the MEAP exam, it is best that Mary de-emphasize the content and placed an equal emphasis on the using activity. Score: 6/6