Scientific Investigation and Self-Directed Learning

Course Level Patterns Constructed by Integrating the Pedagogical Approach Pattern to the Selected Disciplinary Practice

Description:
This is a course (or module or curriculum unit) pattern that specifies a sequence of curriculum components (CCs) that can be used to structure the design of a course that provides a Scientific Investigation experience to learners that adopts SDL as the pedagogical approach. This pattern is very popular with K-12 STEM teachers to provide some authentic inquiry oriented learning opportunities to younger learners. This pattern motivates our young learners and encourage them to understand how scientists work: asking inquiry questions and learning how to design experiments to arrive at rigorous, evidence-based conclusions.
In specifying this course pattern, a simple model of the scientific investigation process is assumed:
– stimulating the setting up of the inquiry question by putting forward a stimulating scenario and getting students to engage in a cycle of “predict, observe, explain”.
– students design an experiment that incorporates the concept of a fair test
– conducting the experiment and collecting the data
– analysing and interpreting the data, and arriving at a conclusion

Curriculum Component(CC) Patterns:
1. Predict-observe-explain for goal setting
2. Design fair test for self-planning
3. Conducting experiments for self-monitoring
4. Data analysis and scientific reasoning for self-evaluation and revision
(5. if time permits and appropriate, can have a fifth CC on revision of the experimental design to improve/extend the findings)