Dancing with the Muses: How Educational Technology Might Help Bridge the Gap between Formal and Informal Science Learning

Until recently, formal and informal science learning were considered as being quite different. Each approach was developed by different communities of practice which were relatively isolated from each other. Today, the divisions between these two approaches are blurred, largely due to the impact of information technologies but also due to educational research, which shows that both approaches are based on the same principles of learning. Today, there is a growing recognition that science learning can be advanced by bridging the gap between formal and informal science learning.

Sherman Rosenfeld, PhD.

Abstract

Until recently, formal and informal science learning were considered as being quite different.  Each approach was developed by different communities of practice which were relatively isolated from each other.    Today, the divisions between these two approaches are blurred, largely due to the impact of information technologies but also due to educational research, which shows that both approaches are based on the same principles of learning.   Today, there is a growing recognition that science learning can be advanced by bridging the gap between formal and informal science learning.

How might information technologies help bridge this gap?

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PBL Update from Israel 2010

Bob Pearlman asked me to give an update on the PBL scene in Israel. I’m glad to do so, largely because I’m indebted to Bob’s leadership in promoting PBL for so many years. When Bob was president of the Autodesk Foundation, he organized many national conferences on PBL, allowing me to learn a great deal from my American colleagues.

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PBL in Science and Technology

 

This article and its links originally appeared on http://www.designworlds.com/techscape/Sherm_ArticleLinks.html

PBL IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:
A CASE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Sherman Rosenfeld
and
Yehuda Ben-Hur
Department of Science Teaching
Weizmann Institute of Science
Rehovot, Israel

 

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is “a teaching and learning model that focuses on the central concepts and principals of a discipline, involves students in problem-solving and other meaningful tasks, allows students to work autonomously to construct their own learning, and culminates in realistic, student-generated products” (Thomas, et al., 1999).

Despite the educational potential of PBL, it is clear that without providing proper attention to teacher development and school change, actualizing this potential will remain a dream (e.g., Marx, et al., 1997).

Our case study focuses on one approach to the professional development of science and technology in regard to PBL. First, we present the rationale and goals of our approach. Next, we describe the context, population and methods of our case study.

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Software to Support PBL

This article and its links originally appeared on http://www.designworlds.com/techscape/Sherm_ArticleLinks.html

THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOFTWARE TO SUPPORT TEACHERS AND THEIR
STUDENTS IN PBL: 
“THE GOLDEN WAY”

Loria, Y., Shaltiel, L., Pieterse, E.
Association for the Advancement of
Science Education in the Upper Galilee
MIGAL
Kiryat Shmona, Israel

and

Rosenfeld, S.
Department of Science Teaching
Weizmann Institute of Science
Rehovot, Israel

Background and Aims

During the past 5 years, we have worked with teachers to incorporate research and project-based learning (PBL) in their science classrooms (e.g., Navon, D. and Eylon, B, 1995; Rosenfeld, Pundak and Loria, 1995). Our experience has shown us that, in order to succeed in PBL, teachers need to address a wide range of pedagogical needs.

In trying to meet these needs, we and our colleagues have developed, “The Golden Way: A Software Environment for Project-Based Learning in Science and Technology.” In our paper, we start by describing the design criteria and the software’s actual design. We conclude by discussing the results of a related study and the educational significance of our work.

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An Exploration into the Learning Styles of Teachers and Their Students

This article and its links originally appeared on http://www.designworlds.com/techscape/Sherm_ArticleLinks.html

UNDERSTANDING THE “SURPRISES” IN PBL:
AN EXPLORATION INTO THE LEARNING STYLES OF TEACHERS AND THEIR STUDENTS

Rosenfeld, M.
Department of Psychology
Tilburg University
Tilburg, The Netherlands

and

Rosenfeld, S.
Department of Science Teaching
Weizmann Institute of Science
Rehovot, Israel

Background and Aims

Veteran observers of project-based learning (PBL) have anecdotally noted the phenomenon of student “surprises,” when teachers are pleasantly surprised that some of their academically-weak students perform well on research projects.

The intent of our pilot study was to better understand the nature of these “surprises.” Our guiding questions were, “What characterizes students who perform poorly in conventional classrooms, yet do well in PBL environments?” and “What characterizes teachers who are surprised at the improvement of these students?”

We decided to investigate this phenomenon as a function of the learning styles of teachers and their students (Pask, 1988). We hypothesized that (a) academically low-achieving students who did well in PBL would prefer applied, discovery, technical, or creative (confluent) processing, and that in contrast, (b) their surprised teachers would have learning styles that stressed a preference for acquisition of serialized, factual knowledge.

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Integrating Content and PBL Skills: A Case Study of Teachers From Four Schools

This article and its links originally appeared on http://www.designworlds.com/techscape/Sherm_ArticleLinks.html

INTEGRATING CONTENT AND PBL SKILLS:
A CASE STUDY OF TEACHERS FROM FOUR SCHOOLS

Rosenfeld,S., Scherz, Z., Breiner, A. and Carmeli, M.
Department of Science Teaching
Weizmann Institute of Science
Rehovot, Israel

 

Background and Aims

One of the major challenges associated with project-based learning (PBL) is how to integrate the development of student PBL skills while developing student understanding of related disciplinary (or interdisciplinary) content. To investigate this issue, we conducted an action research study within the context of a long-term teacher in-service. Based on this study, we were able to better understand the nature of the challenge as well as successful strategies to meet it.

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