My middle school students frequently ask me “Is this right?” or “What should I do now?” How can I help them become more self-reliant?
Jocelyn, Georgia

I observed a seventh grade teacher at the beginning of a unit as he displayed the learning goals and asked the students to write them in their notebooks. He then asked students to add to the list, with prompts such as “I’d like to know more about…” or “I want to learn how to…” He displayed a separate list of these personal goals and referred to them throughout the unit. “Did we address your goal yet?” “Did you change your goal? Add a goal?” “What else do we need to do?” He encouraged them to self-assess and reflect on their learning of the class goals as well as their personal ones. These self-assessment and reflective activities gave students ownership in the unit, and he provided extra time in class to pursue their personal goals.

Self-assessment is more than students correcting their own papers. When students engage in self-assessment, they reflect on the results of their efforts and their progress toward meeting the learning goals. They look at their own work for evidence of quality, using established criteria on the rubrics.

Students don’t necessarily come to class with this skill, especially if their previous experiences have been environments in which the teacher did all of the assessment. They may initially think that an assignment (such as a lab report or project) is good simply because they spent a lot of time on it, they enjoyed it, or they worked very hard on it.

Students may need to learn strategies for self-assessment through examples and modeling.

Guide students through the process of comparing a piece of (unnamed) student  work to the rubric. You may have to do this several times before students feel comfortable critiquing their own work.

There are many types of activities that can be used as self-assessment strategies. Some double as formative assessment strategies, but in this case, students are using them to monitor their own progress:

• At the beginning of the unit, give each student a copy of the learning goals and a list of ways they can demonstrate their learning of each. Show students how to monitor their progress by checking off goals as they are met.
• Using thumbs up/down and exit tickets students can express the status of their learning and indicate topics on which they are still confused.
• Student reflections are often included in science notebooks. Your modeling and guidance is important. Show students how you would reflect on your own learning.
• I learned that…
• I learned how to…
• I need to learn more about…
• For projects, give each student a copy of the rubric when the assignment is given. Ask them to fill it out and submit it with the project. There could also be a place on the rubric for students to reflect on their projects with prompts such as
  • This is a quality project because…
  • From doing this project I learned…
  • To make this project better, I could…
  • Our study team could have improved our work by…

Honest self-assessment and reflection are difficult processes, even for adults. But they are valuable tools for developing lifelong learners.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rongyos/2686415336/

Our school is facing a budget crunch. Each department was asked for suggestions for cost-saving measures. Do you have any suggestions the science department can add to the list?
— Brenda, New York

It’s heartbreaking (or outrageous, depending on one’s point of view) to see teachers and administrators expected to provide more services with fewer financial resources. I know of several public schools that are even asking parents to donate classroom supplies. This imposes a burden, especially in times when many families also are struggling at home. I’m sure you and your colleagues are thrifty, but I’ve talked with some colleagues for suggestions to supplement your efforts.

• Determine which activities are essential for student understanding.  Make these your non-negotiables—activities that justify the expenses related to them. You also cannot skimp on expenses related to student safety and the safe storage or handling of materials and equipment.
• Prioritize the rest of your requests. For example, you may decide that elaborate decorations aren’t necessary. The classroom could be just as attractive with student work on the display boards or with interesting objects students bring in to share.
• Show your principal or business manager the price of consumables (such as cotton swabs or batteries) in science catalogs compared to the prices at local discount stores. Perhaps a procedure could be established for reimbursing bargain-hunting teachers for purchases of these discounted supplies. (Save your receipts, even if you are not reimbursed. You may be able to deduct out-of-pocket expenses as a teacher.)
• During labs, put out smaller amounts of materials and consider microscale activities. Rather than laminating handouts, use reusable plastic sheet protectors. Be sure students are accountable for materials used in lab activities. Place a list in each group’s box or at each lab station so all materials are returned (tools, reference materials, glassware, and so on). Simulations are not the same as the real experience, but perhaps there are some activities for which they could be substituted.

Paper and copying can be a place to scale back.

• Before going to the copier, consider the value of the assignment. Is a find-a-word puzzle or other busywork worth the paper and the duplicating costs? Other types of vocabulary work such as word splashes or graphic organizers are more beneficial (and use less paper).
• Post newsletters and announcements on the school’s website or other electronic sources.
• Put a box in the classroom to save paper that has a blank side. Cut the paper into halves or quarters for quizzes, exit slips, or practice activities.
• If you teach more than one section of a subject, consider whether it’s necessary to give each student a copy of a multi-page test. Could you make a class set of tests (double-sided) and have the students use separate answer sheets? (This might not be appropriate for younger students.)
• Post your handouts on your webpage so that if students lose them, they can print them at home.
• Have students complete assignments (notes, lab reports, diagrams, etc.) in their science notebooks rather on duplicated handouts.
• If students have access to laptops and the internet, consider Web 2.0 tools for paperless collaboration. (e.g., Livebinders for portfolios, lino for brainstorming, or Edmodo for communicating)

Ask students for suggestions! They may come up with some good ideas that give them ownership in the process. (Keep your sense of humor—my students had suggestions such as Save paper with shorter tests or Save water by not making us wash our hands before lunch.)

Professional development (PD) often is on the budget chopping block, but it’s more important than ever. Rather than listing a series of unrelated events, be sure your activities all connect with your identified goals. Suggest PD activities that are free or have minimal costs: teacher-directed study groups, blogging, action research projects, independent study, presentations by your own teachers, online courses (such as those offered by NSTA), events at nearby museums or science centers, and online collaborations via discussion groups, tweetchats, videoconferencing, or networking sites.

None of these suggestions will save huge amounts of money. However, many of the suggestions may also lead to greener classrooms with less waste.

For more ideas:

Science on a Shoestring—The Science Teacher, July 2011
Professional Development—Science & Children, July 2010
Professional Development on a Shoestring – Ms Mentor, March 2009
NSTA’s Frugal Science Teacher books

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68751915@N05/6736170827/sizes/l/in/photostream/

During class, students seem to understand the concepts. However, they don’t do well on the tests. I offer extra help before and after school and at lunch, but few students take advantage of it. I’m a first-year biology teacher, so I’d appreciate some suggestions on how to encourage students to ask questions or seek help when they need it.
— Alisa, Boston, MA

It sounds like your question has several components. First of all, how do you know your students understand the lesson concepts? Teachers often say “Any questions? Good.” When there are no questions, the teacher assumes that everyone understands. Try to provide a context or focus, such as “Any questions about the difference between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells?” And then wait a few seconds for students to think about their learning and formulate their questions. Frequent formative assessments—bellringers, “ticket out the door,” brief quizzes, responses via clickers or white boards, thumbs up—may also help students to reflect on what they know or don’t know and give you some concrete feedback on their understanding during each lesson.

When can your students get extra help? It’s hard for students who ride busses to come in early or stay late. Many students are involved in extracurricular activities or have afterschool responsibilities. And it’s hard to blame students for not wanting to give up lunch, often the only chance they have to socialize or relax. Some teachers have virtual “office hours” in the evenings or on weekends to provide assistance via e-mail or a discussion forum. But as today’s students seem to prefer social media to e-mail, you could take advantage of this interest. For example, even though Edmodo looks like Facebook, it’s a microblogging site that a teacher can set up for students to collaborate, ask questions, and share resources. Teachers can also post their own resources such as quizzes or study guides. It’s accessible 24-7 via computers or smartphone apps. The teacher can moderate the site and delete inappropriate posts.

The class period may be the only time you can interact with students. Is your classroom a “safe” place for them to ask questions? Do students know how to ask for assistance? Is asking considered a sign of weakness? Are students embarrassed to ask questions? No matter how trivial the question or comment, never belittle it, reply with sarcasm, or allow other students to laugh at it.

After you’ve gone over directions for an activity, it’s frustrating when students raise their hands and ask, “What are we supposed to do?” If you say “I already told you. Figure it out,” students may assume that other kinds of questions will get the same response. Model how to refer to the printed directions or how to ask a partner.

It may also be helpful to model the type of questions students could ask related to understanding: “Could you please explain that again?” “I don’t understand… Does this mean that” “But what about…” “What would happen if… ”

If you notice more than one or two students have the same question during an activity, offer some “group therapy:” meet with a small group of students to go over the concept or procedures. If you find all of the groups are struggling with a concept or procedure, have a brief mini-meeting to review.

Teachers need to walk a fine line between being helpful and taking over a student’s thinking. Some students become dependent on teachers, constantly asking questions for verification (“Is this correct?” “Am I doing this right?”) Show them how to refer to the rubric or to the directions to help them develop initiative and independence.

As a student, I enjoyed figuring out something for myself. I became annoyed with teachers who hovered over my shoulder, asking if I needed help. You’ll have to determine when students really need help and when they need time to think through a problem themselves. I had a student who constantly asked questions in a soft voice. I thought at first he needed my help, but it turned out that he was thinking out loud. We made a deal—if he did indeed require some help, he would raise his hand. Otherwise, I left him alone with his thoughts.

In the classroom, teachers are usually the ones asking the questions. I’m glad you’re trying to foster students as questioners.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rongyos/2686415336/

My students are asking for “extra credit” work. I’m having second thoughts about doing this, especially since it seems that students wait until the end of the marking period to ask. Is there a good rationale for giving (or not giving) extra credit work?
—Wayne, Kansas City, Missouri

“Extra credit” seems to be part of school vocabulary. When students don’t complete assignments, don’t do well on tests, or are seeking a higher grade, they (or their parents) ask the teacher for additional assignments or activities.

I suspect this is more common in classes where the students’ grades are based on accumulating points. Students may view class assignments or tests in terms of earning these points. Teachers may reinforce this notion with statements such as  “You’re 10 points away from a passing grade” or “Three more points and you’ll have an A+!”

Let’s assume your class activities and assignments such as lab reports, notebooks, or projects align with the unit or lesson learning goals and students are evaluated on the extent to which they meet those goals. It doesn’t seem to be productive to have a student who has not achieved the learning goals or who has not met the course requirements do an unrelated task just to “pull up a grade.” These tasks require time on the part of the teacher to create and assess. Ask yourself if activities such as reading and summarizing an article, completing puzzle sheets, or doing an extra book report allow the students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of a concept.

In previous years, your students may also have been awarded extra points for tasks or behaviors that have little or no relation to learning goals: bringing in classroom supplies, assisting with chores such as cleaning glassware, putting up a teacher-created bulletin board, participating in nonacademic events at school, or their parents attending an open house. These are good activities, but it would be hard to align them with learning goals in science.

The bottom line: Can (or should) students earn a passing grade by doing activities not directly related to the learning goals? Should exemplary grades reflect an advanced level of academic performance or the completion of extra busywork?

If you have students who do not turn in assignments (such as lab reports) and then ask for extra credit, perhaps you should allow them to turn in the original assignments. If a student had a poor test performance, you could offer a retake or an alternative that shows the student has met the learning goals, at least at a minimum level. If projects do not meet the requirements, have the student review the rubric and make revisions.

I know teachers who provide students with a list of the unit’s learning goals and several options or alternatives for each to demonstrate their learning. Having choices can give students more ownership of the learning process and capitalize on their interests. The literature on differentiation has many suggestions, such as choice boards or alternate assessments (NSTA journals have had many articles on the idea of differentiation. Click here to see a few of them. Also check the work of Carol Ann Tomlinson).

Another response would be to put the responsibility back on the students: “These are the learning goals for the lesson/unit. How will you demonstrate you have accomplished them?” If the students give you a blank stare, you could offer suggestions. However, you might be surprised at what some students come up with. Their ideas can become alternative activities in the following year.

Some students who are interested in a topic may ask for opportunities to expand their knowledge, with no thought of earning extra points. (Pinch yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming!) Encourage them to pursue their interests, especially those that relate science to other subjects or personal interests. For example, a student in my life science class was interested in finding words relating to arthropods that had origins in mythologies (e.g., the Luna moth, nymphs, arachnids, the Cyclops copepod). I shared this with the language arts teacher (who did a unit on mythology) and we both encouraged her to pursue this interest. She shared a journal in which she kept her notes on the subject. She had an intrinsic “extra interest” rather than a need for extrinsic bonus points.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/daviddmuir/1410227652/sizes/m/in/photostream/

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1328/1410227652_e0f5cf7f0e.jpg

As a principal, I’d like to work with the teachers to develop some indicators to use during walkthroughs and classroom visits to assess how instructional practices in our science classes are changing as a result of the technology we’re using. Rather than reinventing the wheel, are you familiar with existing protocols we could use?
–Delores from Washington

It’s a good idea to develop a common language regarding what effective teaching could look like, especially when an entire school or department is engaged in a project. This common language clarifies discussions and fosters collaboration. You’re very wise to consider existing resources first to find descriptions and examples of this language.

I’m familiar with several protocols, including a few relating to science teaching in general.  These protocols do not have indicators for technology integration per se, so you would have to determine how your technology initiative would relate:

• The Science Classroom Observation Guide from the North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership is a user-friendly and concise tool. This one-page document includes indicators (or look-fors) on classroom culture, science content, instruction for understanding, and organizing/applying scientific knowledge. This protocol is different in that it focuses on what the students are doing as a result of the teacher’s instruction, rather than strictly on the teacher’s performance.
• Inside the Classroom Observation and Analytic Protocol from Horizon Research is a comprehensive instrument that can be used in both science and mathematics classes. It’s very lengthy, however, and could be overwhelming for the observer and the teacher. But you might get some ideas from it.
• The Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) is used in many math-science partnership projects. RTOP is divided into five sections with statements related to lesson design and implementation, content (propositional knowledge and procedural knowledge), and culture (communicative interactions and student/teacher relationships). Each of the five sections has statements that further define the section and assist in documenting what was observed in the classroom. RTOP is an excellent tool for understanding the culture of the classroom and what the students are engaged in to enhance their learning experiences. The website includes not only the instrument but also professional development resources, such as videos of classrooms.

The HEAT framework can be used to look at how students are integrating higher order thinking, engaged learning, authentic connections, and technology use. It’s not related to science specifically. The website includes a one-page document that summarizes look-fors.

A tool I’ve recently learned about is the Technology Integration Matrix from the Florida Center for Instructional Technology. The matrix shows the relationship between levels of technology integration (entry, adoption, adaptation, infusion, and transformation) and characteristics of the learning environment (active, collaborative, constructive, authentic, and goal directed). This matrix is applicable to K-12 and includes detailed descriptors and sample lessons in science, mathematics, social studies, and language arts. The samples can be searched by grade level and type of technology. The matrix site also has resources for professional development, including presentations, videos, and handouts of the matrix. I’m considering it for some projects I’m involved with because it considers not just doing things better with technology (taking notes from a PowerPoint instead of an overhead or looking up answers on a website instead of a textbook) but also doing better things with technology (collaborative activities, authentic learning, student reflection, or creative problem solving).

In my experience, however, it’s not the technology itself that changes classroom practices. Providing effective teachers with technology can make them more effective; providing technology to less effective teachers will not guarantee that instruction will improve. The key is focused and continuous feedback and professional development.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nooccar/5495911044/

In my Earth science classes, I require the students to keep notebooks. I give them directions as to what pages to put in the notebook and in what order. I thought this would be an easy grade for the students, but many of the students don’t follow the directions. Short of a failing grade for the notebooks, how can I demonstrate the value of organized notes?
—Sarah, Edison, New Jersey

A traditional approach to science notebooks uses a folder or binder to hold lab reports, homework, handouts and notes, tests and quizzes, and/or completed worksheets. The students are given a list of documents and the order in which they must appear in the notebook. The notebooks are graded periodically on how complete they are and on whether the documents are in the order required by the teacher. But how do students perceive the purpose of a notebook? Is the notebook a means to an end (to use in learning) or an end in and of itself (an archive for the teacher to grade)?

What makes a notebook useful?

Many teachers work with their students to create a personalized learning tool, one that will be used daily throughout the year. These teachers recognize the importance of helping their students to learn organizational strategies, but they also know the importance of helping students become better at recording and analyzing data and at using writing to reflect on and communicate what they are learning. These notebooks are dynamic documents in which students record their lab investigations, vocabulary, class notes, sketches, summaries, and other assignments.

To help students see the value of their notes, you could encourage them to use their notes to complete class assignments and projects. You could also allow students to refer to their notebooks for essay questions on a test.  Giving students choices in what to include and how to organize it may give them more ownership in the process.

As you’ve observed, many students do need some guidance in getting and staying organized, whether they’re using a traditional notebook or an online version such as a wiki or LiveBinders. But how important is it for students to comply with the teacher’s directions on how to organize a notebook? I remember a high school teacher who required us to put the notes in one section, the lab reports in another, and the returned quizzes at the end. This may have been her way to organize her own notes, but it didn’t make sense to me—I preferred having all of the resources for a particular topic in one place. I complied with her directions, but the notebook was an assignment for her to grade, not a useful reference for me.

With high school students, they should experiment with different organizational strategies. I would share several examples, and students could choose the strategy that made sense to them. As I met with students, I looked at the table of contents and asked them to explain their strategy. Most chose a topical or chronological strategy, although one student had a notebook that was a total mess—papers upside down and in no particular order. I asked what strategy he used. He thought for a few seconds and said with a sheepish grin, “Would you believe random access?” He was doing very well in class, so I had to laugh with him.

In the NSTA Learning Center, I’ve compiled a sampling of articles from NTSA journals that have examples of how students and teachers are creating and using notebooks.

Photograph: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomsaint/2987926396/

I’m using probes in some of my chemistry labs, although I’m sure I could be doing more with them. In addition, I’m still trying to learn how to enhance lessons with the interactive board that was installed this year. I recently attended a workshop featuring several Web 2.0 tools that look interesting, but I now I’m feeling really overwhelmed. How can I keep up with all of these tools and strategies so I can teach my students how to use them?
—Julia from Oregon

I’m not sure anyone can “keep up with” the evolving tools and strategies in the field of educational technology. (I’ve been trying unsuccessfully for more than 25 years!) When I look at the entries on blogs such as the Free Technology for Teachers or suggestions from other educators via Twitter or the NSTA listserves I feel your frustration—too many cool tools for the science classroom and too little time to explore them! On top of all of the other day-to-day responsibilities of teaching, it seems impossible to learn about all of the available resources for science classes and design activities for students to learn about and use them in conjunction with the learning goals.

My principal had a saying: School seems to be the place where old people do most of the work while young people watch. So maybe it’s time to switch our model from the teacher as the know-it-all “sage on the stage.” If we want students to become lifelong learners, they need opportunities to learn independently and collaboratively with the teacher not only as a “guide on the side” but also as a partner in the process.

For example, when I was teaching a multimedia design elective, we received a multi-user license for a video editing program. I had dabbled with it, but I certainly did not know all of its capabilities. So I decided to get the students dabbling too. After a brief overview of what I knew, I gave each team of students a different section of the user manual. The students had to explore and experiment with the feature, edit one of their videos using that feature, give a demonstration to the rest of the class, and prepare a one-page introductory handout with step-by-step directions. As the assessment, the teams traded handouts and tried to follow the directions their peers had written.

At first some of the students were annoyed that, when they had a question, I replied, “I don’t know but I can try to help you figure it out.” I sat with each team to observe their problem-solving strategies and collaborative skills (and learn from them). I was astounded at what they figured out and produced in a few class periods.

Recently, a teacher did something similar with the Glogster tool. She showed students the site but then they had to figure out how to create a digital poster that summarized a lab investigation. Although this took a little longer than having students use the standard lab report template, the students had a chance to work collaboratively and incorporate their lab findings into a visual format. Next time, they’ll be more at ease, and the teacher learned about the tool from the students. I suspect she won’t abandon the traditional lab report format but will use this as an option.

This kind of strategy puts both the teacher and the students outside of their traditional comfort zones. The teacher is not the source of knowledge and the students are not passive receptacles. It requires some risk-taking to give responsibility for learning to the students. And students may be frustrated by their new role at first, asking, “Why don’t you just tell us what to do?” But these are the same students who—without formal instruction—have figured out the nuances of video games and mastered the art of texting.

Teachers also may be reluctant to try new things because of the time factor and the perceived need to cover a list of topics. But during the year there are pockets of time that students can use to explore new tools and strategies. For example, at the end of a unit when some students are making up assignments or retaking tests, other students could be exploring new uses for the probes, designing activities for the interactive board or web tools, and preparing demonstrations for the other students. The days before a long break can be also used for these explorations, rather than starting a unit and having to re-teach the concepts after the break.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnnieutah/3432012705/sizes/l/in/photostream/

My school is offering “mini-grants” to teachers. It’s not a lot of money, but every little bit counts these days. I want to apply for funds for a digital camera for my elementary classroom. I know it would be useful, but the proposal requires a rationale and specific ideas for science use.
Jennifer, Evansville, Indiana

In the pre-digital age, cameras were a bit of a luxury in the classroom—there was the cost of the camera itself as well as  the costs of purchasing film and developing and printing the pictures. Digital cameras have eliminated these additional expenses, and the photos are readily available to you and your students. You and your students can incorporate images into other digital and print resources, assuming you have the hardware and software in your classroom to download and edit photos or video and to print pictures. The technology keeps getting better and better.

Students love to take photographs, and many of them may already have their own cameras, including cell phone cameras. However, schools often do not allow students to use cell phones in the classroom, even for academic tasks, and it would be a challenge to collect the images from different phones and cameras for class projects. Teachers sometimes bring in their own equipment for the classroom, but it’s better to keep your personal things at home. (I learned this the hard way when one of my cameras “disappeared” from a locked desk drawer. The school insurance did not cover it, and I’m glad it was an inexpensive one.)

Science classes are great venues for photography. The students are actively learning concepts and skills, and science topics are interesting to illustrate. When students create visuals to communicate, they are developing skills in visual literacy. Some ideas include

• Student presentations
• Field trip activities
• Examples of science fair display boards
• Showing the steps of an investigation
• Illustrations for reports
• Photos for science notebooks
• Photos of lab set-ups
• Virtual albums with examples of simple machines, rock formations, insects, cloud formations, erosion, and more
• Mystery objects (such as the ones on the last page of Science Scope) for discussions or bell-ringers
• Photos of class activities for bulletin boards, instead of commercial posters or other decorations
• Special event “scrapbooks”
• “Good news” photos to send to parents—in print or electronically—showing the students engaged in science activities
• Photos of ongoing observations (e.g., a butterfly in the stages of metamorphosis, the location of the sun during the year, a class garden, crystal growth, plant growth)
• Illustrations of safety rules with students as models or student-created posters of safety rules
• Illustrations for student handouts or assessments
• Illustrations for vocabulary on a word wall
• Photos used with writing prompts
• Incorporate photos into presentations such as wikis, blogs, or Glogster

When you get the camera(s), ask the art teacher to help students learn the basics of photographic design. Establish class guidelines about the appropriate use and care of the cameras. In cooperative groups, one student could be assigned the role of photographer. He or she would be the one responsible for using the camera during the activity. If students are using the cameras in class, be sure they return them to you before you dismiss the class. Check the cameras periodically to delete any inappropriate photos.

Some students may not want to be photographed. Check with your school for any policies about photographing students (parental permission may be required) or posting pictures of students on public websites, including blogs, wikis, social media sites, and online photo galleries.

At an NSTA conference, I saw a technology demonstration that connected cameras and computers wirelessly. As soon as the picture was taken, it was sent to the computer. It was quite a time-saver. Your tech staff may have more information on camera and network compatibility and with this technology.

The NSTA journals have published articles on photography in science classrooms with many more ideas. I’ve assembled a collection of articles in the NSTA Learning Center.

Good luck with your proposal!

My school is planning an Intergenerational Day, in which students invite grandparents or other guests to attend school for part of the day. We’re also inviting residents of a local retirement community. I’d like to participate with my fifth grade science classes, but I want our guests to be more than spectators. Do you have any suggestions for appropriate activities?
—Stacy, Dayton, Ohio

The high school where I taught had a similar event every year. In addition to lunch in the cafeteria with the students and a mini-concert by the band, the guests spent two or three periods in the classrooms. They enjoyed being around the students, and it was an opportunity for them to see what goes on in school beyond what they learn from the media.

The goal should be to get students and guests to interact with each other during the time they’re together in your classroom. Fifth-graders could certainly assume some responsibility for planning activities, giving them ownership in the day.

Rather than seating your guests in the back of the room, include them in small group discussions or activities with students. For logistical and safety reasons, you may want to avoid activities that require goggles or other safety equipment. Check out NSTA’s journal Science & Children for activity ideas. Or you could ask the students investigations they have already done would be interesting to share with the guests. Students could be the facilitators and guide their guests through the investigation.

For example, some activities fifth graders and guests could do together include

• Using microscopes or hand lenses to look at objects.
• Classifying objects such as rocks, shells, or leaves.
• Exploring factors that could influence the distance objects such as marbles or toy cars travel down a ramp (e.g., length of the ramp, angle of the ramp, weight of the object, surface of the ramp)

Your guests may be interested in how students are using technology. Does your classroom have an interactive white board? Your guests may have seen these boards used on television and might be curious about how they work. You could ask students to demonstrate how to interact and provide opportunities for the guests to experience “board time.”

Students could teach their guests about other technologies such as science probes or iPads. If you have an electronic response system (i.e., clickers), you and your students could prepare a survey, game, or other activity that gives the guests a chance to use them. Your and your students could demonstrate video conferencing (such as Skype) with students and guests in another classroom or another school.

Students could also share how they contribute to a class wiki or blog and invite the guests to contribute. Students and guests could work together with online simulations or with tools such as Glogster to create posters or Edmodo to communicate.

Interviews could be a low-tech activity. Brainstorm ahead of time with your students to prepare questions such as “What inventions or advancements in science do you think have had major effects on our lives?” “What was it like when you studied science in school?” “What was your favorite science topic?” “What is/was your job and how does it involve science?” “Do any of your hobbies include scientific topics?” Students could take notes and summarize their findings.

Afterward, ask students to describe the day and what they learned from interacting with the guests. Perhaps you’ll identify some people in the community willing to volunteer as tutors or mentors for your school or to share their life experiences in more detail.

Reading publications from other organizations related to literacy, administration, and technology provides a context for science instruction. An article I recently read has relevance for science teachers: 10 Things Every Literacy Educator Should Know About Research.

The article, by Nell Duke and Nicole Martin, was in the September 2011 issue of The Reading Teacher. TRT’s editors have provided access to the article here. The authors wrote for an audience of reading teachers, but you can easily substitute “science” or other content areas for literacy.

It seems educators have a hot/cold relationship with educational research. We’re hot on studies validating our experiences and existing practices. And we’re cool toward research whose findings challenge our beliefs or “tried and true” practices. I worked with a teacher who refused to do any cooperative learning, stating it was just play time for students. The department chair showed her many studies demonstrating how cooperative learning (when appropriately implemented) can assist student learning. He offered her an opportunity to observe his students working cooperatively on activities. A colleague’s own action research indicated students enjoyed learning this way, after some modeling and guidance by the teacher. At that point, her response became, “You don’t know my students. They aren’t mature enough.”(She taught 10^th graders.)

The authors, writing in conversational language, demystify research and make the point that educators should be critical consumers of research. The 10 items discussed in the article include a discussion of each:

1. What research can do.
2. What research is.
3. What research is not.
4. The difference between research-based and research-tested.
5. Many kinds of research have valuable contributions to make to our understanding of literacy learning, development, and education.
6. Different kinds of research are good for different questions.
7. High-quality research has a logic of inquiry.
8. Conclusions drawn from research are only as sound as the research itself.
9. Where and how research is published or presented requires particular attention.
10. Educational research proceeds through the slow accumulation of knowledge.

In my conversations with teachers and administrators, I’ve seen some of the misconceptions addressed in this article.

• The word research is often used for anything published in an educational journal. Looking through NSTA publications, we see many articles on lesson plans, position statements, instructional strategies, and descriptions of projects. The ideas in these are very helpful, but they cannot be considered “research” (although the ideas may combine elements from research studies). To identify research articles, Duke and Martin provide a Research Study Summary Sheet with characteristics of true research. This would be helpful if you’re doing a “review of the literature” for a graduate thesis. (Rather than a separate page for each study, I used similar topics as column headers of a spreadsheet and was able to make comparisons of the studies in the document.)

• Publishers and vendors of assessments, instructional materials, and professional development often use the terms “research-based” and “research-tested” interchangeably. The article shows how to differentiate between these two terms. (I saw a website where the vendor used the term “research-inspired”—I wonder what that means?

• I attended a presentation that described a case study of laboratory science teaching. Another attendee was outraged that the study was called research, demanding to know the treatment and control groups. He considered any other experimental design “soft and fluffy.” This article includes an excellent table summarizing 14 types of research methodologies, such as experimental and quasi-experimental, surveys, meta-analysis, historical research, and case studies. These are listed alphabetically, implying there is no hierarchy. The authors point out the methodology needs to match the research question.

This article could be discussed as a professional development activity or at the beginning of a graduate course. It would be fascinating to have a science-related example of each type of research.

Unfortunately, research is often inaccessible to teachers. Studies are frequently published in subscription-only journals (both print and online). They are also written in “scholarly” language that takes a while to process. But there are ways to make research more available to teachers. For example, the July 2011 issue of Science Scope includes Current Research: 2011 Summer Reading Suggestions with summaries of several studies relevant to science teaching and learning.  It might be helpful for reviews such as this to be included more frequently in NSTA publications.

A final point made in the article is that “action research” is not one of the types of research in their table. The authors note teachers can and do conduct classroom-based research that fits into these types. When conducting classroom research, the teacher has expanded his or her role from a consumer of research to a producer. And NSTA publications are often a venue for sharing the results.

Graphic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3914729343/sizes/z/in/photostream/