Teaching science: we're doing it wrong | Danny Doucette | TEDxRiga

TEDx Talks
8 Mar 201715:55
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe speaker, a high school teacher, highlights the shortcomings of current science education. Using anecdotes and demonstrations, he argues that merely showing exciting experiments and focusing on standardized tests fails to teach students critical thinking and scientific inquiry. He advocates for active learning and alternative assessments to foster curiosity and deeper understanding. He shares a success story of a student who overcame conspiracy beliefs through scientific thinking, urging educators and students to demand a better science education system that emphasizes critical thinking over rote memorization.

Takeaways
  • πŸ“š Many people don't use the science they learned in school in their daily lives, indicating a gap in science education's impact.
  • πŸ‘©β€πŸ« The story of Zaya illustrates how a lack of critical thinking skills can lead to misguided beliefs and conspiracy theories.
  • 🌍 A scientifically literate populace is essential to address global challenges like climate change, healthcare advancements, and rapid technological evolution.
  • πŸ€” Science education should focus on teaching students how to think critically and apply scientific ideas to their lives.
  • πŸ’₯ Fascinating demonstrations, while engaging, are not sufficient to foster genuine curiosity or critical thinking in students.
  • πŸ“ Current science assessments, such as multiple-choice questions and simplistic science problems, fail to evaluate critical thinking and real-world application skills.
  • πŸŽ“ High-stakes standardized exams pressure students and teachers to focus on test preparation rather than meaningful learning.
  • πŸ” Effective science education should involve active learning approaches like modeling instruction, which simulate how scientists acquire knowledge.
  • πŸ“Š Alternative assessments, such as projects, open-ended tasks, group work, lab work, and portfolios, are available and should be considered over standardized exams.
  • 🧠 Encouraging scientific and critical thinking empowers individuals to better understand the world and become more informed citizens.
Q & A
  • What is the main concern expressed by the speaker about science education?

    -The speaker is concerned that science education is not effectively teaching students to think critically or to apply scientific ideas in their everyday lives.

  • Who is Zaya and what did she believe in?

    -Zaya was a 14-year-old student the speaker taught in Mongolia. She was quiet, hardworking, and believed in UFOs and conspiracy theories, influenced by her grandfather's stories of alien abductions.

  • What impact did the Internet have on Zaya's beliefs?

    -The Internet exposed Zaya to more conspiracy theories, leading her to suspect that various aspects of society, including the local and national governments and the world economy, were controlled by extraterrestrial beings.

  • What does the speaker believe is necessary for society to address global challenges?

    -The speaker believes that a scientifically literate populace is necessary to address global challenges such as global warming and rapid technological evolution.

  • What is the issue with using demonstrations like explosions to make students interested in science?

    -While such demonstrations can be fascinating, they do not necessarily promote curiosity or critical thinking unless they are used to teach these skills effectively.

  • What is the problem with multiple-choice questions in assessing scientific understanding?

    -Multiple-choice questions limit the assessment to specific, predetermined answers and do not allow for the evaluation of a student's ability to ask questions, formulate hypotheses, or conduct experiments.

  • What is the issue with science problems that pretend to be real-life situations?

    -These problems often do not provide a meaningful assessment of a student's ability to apply scientific knowledge, as they tend to focus on solving a problem with a specific method rather than encouraging critical thinking.

  • What alternative teaching method does the speaker advocate for?

    -The speaker advocates for the 'modeling instruction' method, which simulates how scientists acquire knowledge and involves students in creating, applying, and refining models based on their own experiments and findings.

  • What is the speaker's opinion on the use of smartboards in the classroom?

    -The speaker views smartboards as a tool that requires students to be actively engaged in the learning process, as they must provide the 'smart' while the board serves as a facilitator.

  • How did the speaker help Zaya overcome her conspiracy theories?

    -The speaker had Zaya apply the scientific thinking she was learning in class to her beliefs about UFOs and conspiracy theories, which gradually led her to reconsider and walk back her ideas.

  • What is the speaker's view on the role of standardized exams in science education?

    -The speaker believes that the reliance on high-stakes standardized exams is detrimental to effective science education, as they divert time and effort away from learning how to think and act like a scientist.

  • What alternatives to standardized exams does the speaker suggest?

    -The speaker suggests alternatives such as projects, open-ended tasks, group work, lab work, portfolios, and virtual labs as more effective forms of assessment that can better evaluate a student's scientific understanding and critical thinking skills.

Outlines
00:00
πŸ“š The Importance of Teaching Critical Thinking in Science

The speaker, a high school teacher, reflects on the lack of practical impact science education has on students' lives. Through the story of Zaya, a Mongolian student who believed in UFOs due to a lack of critical thinking skills, the speaker underscores the need for teaching students how to think critically and use scientific ideas meaningfully in their lives.

05:01
πŸ”¬ The Pitfalls of Current Science Assessments

The speaker criticizes the current methods of science assessment, such as multiple-choice questions and science problems, which fail to evaluate students' ability to think critically or apply scientific knowledge. These assessments reduce science to mere memorization and fail to foster a deeper understanding of scientific concepts, impacting students' readiness for real-world challenges.

10:03
πŸ§ͺ Engaging Students with Curiosity-Driven Learning

Highlighting the ineffectiveness of flashy science demonstrations, the speaker emphasizes the need to stimulate students' curiosity and critical thinking. Through the example of a mystery box and a magnetic field demonstration, the speaker illustrates how engaging students in hands-on, inquiry-based learning can foster a deeper understanding and interest in science.

15:04
πŸŽ“ A Call for Reform in Science Education and Assessment

The speaker advocates for a shift from standardized tests to more meaningful assessments like projects and lab work. He stresses the importance of teaching students to think scientifically and critically, which will enrich their understanding of the world. The call to action is for educators and policymakers to prioritize these skills in education systems, ensuring science learning is engaging, relevant, and effective.

Mindmap
Keywords
πŸ’‘Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is the ability to analyze and evaluate information in a reasoned, objective manner. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of teaching students to think critically as a means to better understand the world and make informed decisions. The concept is illustrated through the story of Zaya, who lacked critical thinking skills and was led to believe in conspiracy theories.
πŸ’‘Scientific Literacy
Scientific literacy refers to the knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes necessary for an individual to participate in society and make informed decisions. The speaker argues that a scientifically literate populace is essential to address global challenges such as global warming and advances in healthcare, and it empowers individuals to understand their world better.
πŸ’‘Conspiracy Theories
Conspiracy theories are explanations for events or situations that invoke a conspiracy by sinister and powerful groups, often rejecting the mainstream or official explanations. In the script, Zaya's belief in UFOs and her susceptibility to conspiracy theories highlight the dangers of not teaching critical thinking, as it can lead to irrational beliefs and fear.
πŸ’‘Demonstrations
Demonstrations in an educational context are practical displays or experiments used to illustrate a concept or principle. The speaker uses the term to describe traditional science class activities, such as chemical reactions, but criticizes them for not necessarily fostering curiosity or critical thinking, which are central to the video's theme of effective science education.
πŸ’‘Multiple-Choice Questions
Multiple-choice questions are a type of assessment where respondents are asked to select the correct answer from a list of options. The speaker criticizes this method of assessment for not evaluating a student's ability to think critically or apply knowledge in real-life situations, which is a key point in the argument for reforming science education.
πŸ’‘Science Problems
Science problems are hypothetical scenarios that require the application of scientific knowledge to find a solution. The script uses these as an example of traditional assessment methods that do not truly measure a student's ability to think scientifically, as they often involve rote application of formulas rather than critical thinking.
πŸ’‘Modeling Instruction
Modeling instruction is an educational approach that mimics the way scientists work, by developing models to understand and predict phenomena. The speaker advocates for this method, explaining how it involves students in the process of scientific discovery, making them owners of their understanding, which aligns with the video's theme of empowering students through science education.
πŸ’‘Active Learning
Active learning is an educational method where students engage in activities that require them to actively manipulate and reflect on new information. The speaker mentions active learning as an effective approach, giving the example of a water balloon activity, which encourages students to apply physics concepts in a practical and engaging way.
πŸ’‘Standardized Examinations
Standardized examinations are tests that are administered and scored in a consistent manner to all test-takers. The speaker argues that the reliance on these exams in science education is problematic because they do not assess the ability to think critically or apply scientific knowledge, which is a central critique in the video.
πŸ’‘Eddy Currents
Eddy currents are circulating electric currents induced within a conductor when it is exposed to a changing magnetic field. The speaker uses the concept of eddy currents in a demonstration to illustrate a complex scientific principle and to highlight the importance of understanding these principles deeply, rather than just performing demonstrations.
πŸ’‘Curiosity
Curiosity is the desire to learn, know, or explore new things. The speaker emphasizes the importance of fostering curiosity in students as a means to engage them with the subject matter. The 'mystery box' demonstration is used to illustrate how curiosity can be sparked in a learning environment.
Highlights

The speaker, a high school teacher, expresses concern about the limited impact of science education on students' lives.

A story about Zaya, a student from Mongolia, illustrates the dangers of uncritical thinking when exposed to the internet and conspiracy theories.

The importance of a scientifically literate populace to address global challenges such as global warming and technological advancements is emphasized.

The speaker criticizes the current state of science education for not teaching critical thinking and the application of scientific ideas in students' lives.

A demonstration with hydrogen peroxide and soap is used to argue that mere fascination does not promote curiosity or critical thinking.

The limitations of multiple-choice questions in assessing a student's ability to think scientifically and critically are discussed.

Science problems are criticized for not being true assessments of a student's ability to apply scientific knowledge.

The reliance on science tests as gatekeepers for graduation, university admission, and career preparation is questioned.

The speaker introduces the 'mystery box' demonstration to inspire curiosity in students, likening it to the pursuit of scientific knowledge.

The concept of science as a collection of knowledge is challenged, advocating for a more inquiry-based approach.

A demonstration involving a magnet and a plastic ball is used to explain the complex nature of scientific understanding and the importance of careful instruction.

The 'modeling instruction' technique is introduced as an effective method for teaching science, simulating how scientists acquire knowledge.

The speaker shares an example of using a water balloon activity to engage students in real-world scientific thinking and prediction.

The story of Zaya is revisited, showing how applying scientific thinking in class helped her overcome her conspiracy theories and paranoia.

A call to action for science leaders to consider alternative forms of assessment beyond high-stakes standardized exams is made.

The speaker encourages students to demand more from their education system, emphasizing the importance of learning to think scientifically and critically.

The talk concludes with a passionate plea for improving science education and the recognition of its vital role in shaping a smarter and more informed society.

Transcripts
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