chemprof on docent science

Steve H on the STEM sessions at the Celebration of Teaching and Learning:

They are mostly about engagement (it's the student's fault and/or responsibility) or about selling something.

chemprof:

and "docent science," which is what my colleagues and I call it. Science appreciation is another good term. I guess I can see that they figure that most students won't actually go on and do STEM in college, but they are really limiting their students' options. Plus, I can't tell you how many students come to college thinking that there are careers in science appreciation. 

I've always had a simmering interest in math, and for years I bought 'math appreciation'-type books, which I always found somewhat unsatisfying and never finished reading.

Finally, after writing ktm for awhile and teaching myself math so I could re-teach math to C., I realized I didn't want to appreciate math. I wanted to learn math.

"Understanding math" - which I think of as a kind of feeling I have at times - is tremendously fun, but it's not fun when I can't actually do the math I'm "understanding." Hard to explain.

I've also learned the importance of "getting used to" math as opposed to understanding it. Or, at least, I've had the experience of learning to do something I can't understand and then, after awhile, coming to feel that it's "natural" and "logical" to do whatever it is I've been doing.

This process is starting to happen a bit with counting, which I have found utterly mystifying. Recently I discovered that a great deal of what I've been doing in counting problems involves the commutative property and the definition of multiplication.

Who knew?

I can't tell if all this self-teaching I've been trying to do is a good thing or a bad thing.

reading workshop

Headline and subhead in the March 31, 2010 issue of Education Week:

Added H.S. Science Courses Said To Yield Mixed Effect in Chicago
Policy did not boost college-going or grades, study finds

Critical thinking challenge: In the two lines above, which word seems out of place?^*


department of silver linings

Apparently, the term 'mixed' refers to the fact that after Chicago public schools required all students to take 3 science courses in order to graduate, many more students did indeed take 3 science courses prior to graduation.

Many students passed their classes with C’s and D’s, both before and after the policy was implemented, the researchers found. That suggests a low level of learning and engagement in the courses, they said.

Only 15 percent of students, the study says, completed three years of science with a B average or higher in those courses after the policy change. That was a modest 4-percentage-point increase compared with the period before the policy took effect.

Prior research, Mr. Montgomery said, shows that students who are truly gaining knowledge in courses earn grades of A or B.

“Before the policy, most students received C’s and D’s in their classes,” he said. “If they weren’t being successful with one or two years of science, why would we think they would be successful with three years of science, if we don’t pay attention to getting the students engaged?”

[snip]

In addition, the study found that students affected by the coursetaking policy were less likely on the whole to attend a four-year college, compared with their counterparts before the policy change. They were also less likely to remain in college.

“It seems clear to us that this was a first step. They now have students enrolled in these classes,” Mr. Montgomery said, noting the required science courses are the kinds that colleges look for on transcripts.

Effect of Chicago's Tougher Science Policy Mixed
By Dakarai I. Aarons
Education Week
Published in Print: March 31, 2010, as Added H.S. Science Courses Said to Yield Mixed Effect in Chicago

I'm sure college-going and grades will soar once they get students engaged.


^* answer: mixed