Solving Relevant Problems Never Science Alone KATS Kamp

Solving Relevant Problems: Never Science Alone KATS Kamp April 21, 2018 Dr. Ken Thompson, Professor, Department of Physical Sciences Emporia State University

1 Context: Never Science Alone STEM Related Standards Information and Information Literacy

2 Some Ways People Address Relevant Problems: Philosophy/Religion Government Society Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics

3 Challenges for the STEM Education Community (Bybee, p. 34) • Economic stability, development of a 21 st-century workforce • Energy efficiency, adequate responses for a carbonconstrained world • Environmental quality, need for evidence-based responses to global climate change • Resource use, need to address continuing conflicts over limited natural resources Bybee, R. W. (2013). The case for STEM education: Challenges and opportunities. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press. ISBN-10: 1936959259

Challenges for the STEM Education Community (Bybee, p. 35) • Mitigation of natural hazards, preparing for severe weather, earthquakes, and fires • Health maintenance, need to reduce the spread of preventable diseases • Public understanding of the role of scientific advances and technological innovations in health and human welfare Bybee, R. W. (2013). The case for STEM education: Challenges and opportunities. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press. ISBN-10: 1936959259

The Case for STEM Education (Bybee, 2013, p. x, xi, 65) “. . . STEM literacy which refers to an individual’s • knowledge, attitudes, and skills to identify questions and problems in life situations, to explain the natural and designed world, and to draw evidence-based conclusions about STEM-related issues. • understanding of the characteristic features of STEM disciplines as forms of human knowledge, inquiry, and design. Bybee, R. W. (2013). The case for STEM education: Challenges and opportunities. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press. ISBN-10: 1936959259

The Case for STEM Education (Bybee, 2013, p. x, xi, 65) “. . . STEM literacy refers to an individual’s • awareness of how STEM academic disciplines shape our material, intellectual, and cultural environments. • willingness to engage in STEM-related issues and with the ideas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as a constructive, concerned, and reflective citizen” (Bybee, 2013, p. 65). Bybee, R. W. (2013). The case for STEM education: Challenges and opportunities. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press. ISBN-10: 1936959259

Common Practices

Science and engineering practices from Brett Moulding • Gather • Reason • Communicate Moulding, B. (2015, December). A Vison and Plan for Science Teaching and Learning. Featured presentation at the National Science Teachers Association Area Conference, Kansas City, MO.

To Gather, Reason, and Communicate: A Two Phase Model Phase 1 Preparation/Literature Context • Topic selection and problem statement – access, retrieve, evaluate, and use information • Observe relevant environments • Articulate questions • Formulate claim or hypothesis Dow, M. J. & Thompson, K. W. (2017). Coteaching across STEM disciplines in the ESSA era of school librarians as teachers. Teacher Librarian: The Journal for School Library Professionals, 44(4), 16 -20.

To Gather, Reason, and Communicate: A Two Phase Model Phase 2 Experimental/Data Context • Design Study • Conduct experiment/Make observations • Analyze data • Communicate findings (presentations, publications) Dow, M. J. & Thompson, K. W. (2017). Coteaching across STEM disciplines in the ESSA era of school librarians as teachers. Teacher Librarian: The Journal for School Library Professionals, 44(4), 16 -20.

Use of the Two Phase Model: • Student curiosity, interests, and observations lead to more unique questions • Students develop skills to identify possible relationships or causes and effects • Students view STEM processes as skills they can use as ways to address problems

Use of the Two Phase Model: • Students seek out and use information • Students are involved in problems that affect society • Students use technology

Solving Problems, Never Science Alone, Related Standards, Information Literacy Examples ESU student Justin Abel installing a 10 foot long gauge made of PVC to monitor water level.

Solving Problems, Never Science Alone, Related Standards, Information Literacy Examples Dr. Roman Polyak Nonlinear rescaling to solve complicated, real-world problems. Applications include improving radiation treatments for cancerous tumors, image processing, and optimal distribution of power across a grid. Courtesy: National Science Foundation

Solving Problems, Never Science Alone, Related Standards, Information Literacy Examples Free image from Pixabay Contributions of drones to solving problems are many and varied.

Visual Summary Solving Problems can include can include reflected in Phil. /Relig. Govt. STEM Society Standards has need reflected aided by Challenges STEM Literacy Info. Literacy Common Practices i n v o l v e s Gathering Reasoning Communicating accomplished through Two Phase Model includes such as Prep. /Lit. Context Exper. /Data Context Abel Polyak drones

Quotations • There’s nothing I believe in more strongly than getting young people interested in science and engineering for a better tomorrow, for all humankind. Bill Nye • We will always have STEM with us. Some things will drop out of the public eye and will go away, but there will always be science, engineering, and technology. And there will always, always be mathematics. Katherine Johnson

Summary • STEM working with other institutions and subjects to solve relevant problems – Never Science Alone • Gather, Reason, Communicate • Common Standards and Practices • Two Phase Model

Acknowledgments • Emporia State University • KATS and Tim Elsen • Institute of Museum and Library Services and Dr. Mirah Dow • Justin Abel • National Science Foundation • Brett Moulding