Designing Learning Across Settings

Quinn and Bell decide to discuss how the Framework for K-12 can be reached through designing, making and playing. They pushed for students to engage in the material through exploration of phenomena on their own. They advocated for student participation in the design process and active in the decisions that are put into their education. They identify many similar practices that many of the other articles have highlighted are essential to science. Asking questions and defining problems, modeling practices, investigations, etc.

Brand and Reiss talk about how engaging in science outside the classroom is important for the development of science knowledge. These practices are able to authentically immerse the student in a scientific phenomena. For instance, exploring nature to look at similarities between species or organisms and talking about why that may be. Seeing and experiencing science is more powerful because it is able to connect the student to the knowledge. Outside resources that are not authentic can be helpful as well. Field trips to museums, movies, speakers, etc. can provide a different way for the student to interact with information rather than through a textbook, the internet, or a teacher's voice. These practices are interactive and engage the student. They highlight five ways that engaging in science outside the classroom is beneficial: improved concept development, more authentic and practical interactions, new access to science resources, improvement of attitude toward science, and students are able to collaborate together.

These two articles focus on many of the same practices that we have been discussing. It is quite clear that engaging in science as scientists actually do is the best mode of learning. The articles discuss how modeling, engaging the students, posing questions for students to investigate, and evaluation are essential to good science learning. All of this information builds on each other nicely.