2:45 PM - 3:00 PM
[G03-05] Route to Astrobiology, a trial of inquiry based learning in high school
Keywords:CO2 concentration, Inquiry based learning class, soil micobiology
The class based on inquiry base learning has been prevailing widely in high school education. Here in this presentation we would like to argue some basic problems faced in performance and explain our trial in the actual class.
The blissful moment for a teacher engaging in inquiry based learning should be the instance to see students` joyful surprise when they find something small but new based on their own-grown curiosity. This experience works as a drug for teachers, which drives them to seek for further improvements of the class. But this might be a paradoxical situation deeply related to the essence of inquiry based learning. The harder to work for improvements, the further away from the concept of inquiry based learning. Well-preparedness is sometimes harmful for autonomous thinking.
Focusing on scientific experimental subjects we heard exploration of suitable subjects for inquiry based learning seems quite difficult in the actual class design. Here are our suggestions;
1: Teachers should not set the final target. Always several routes should be prepared for student's selection. This may cause a great uncertainty in the sequence of class but this "thinking for selection" is an essential part.
2: Low cost versatile experimental set-up easy to use is necessary. When students get inspired in the class the experimental set-up which can be used after class/home is desirable. This is the ones the author repeatedly argued in JPGU sessions of Kitchen Earth Science.
3: IT environment is necessary to promote efficient studies. To retrieve digital data, share the data with members, present/explain the data are essential part of the class activity. Also this is a good occasion for students to study information literacy.
In the following we would like to present briefly our actual trial as an example. Detailed materials used will be shown in the presentation.
The title: Route to Astrobiology The class consists of three day experiments (3hours in each day) number of students about 20 (5 groups of 4 students) Experimental set-up:a CO2 sensor (RATOC Inc. ) for a group, plastic box as a sealed container, a Cell phone battery for the sensor.
Day 1:Learning how to use the sensor and to manipulate the retrieved data
Introductory lecture: what is CO2 in our environment and human health care.
First measurement of CO2 in the window-opened class room: What is ppm, how much CO2 molecules in the class room,,,,Second measurement in the window-shut situation for 20 students sitting still working on some exercise problems. Third measurement in the class room for 20 students performing physical exercise such as dancing.
To compare these measurements biological essential process of respiration is explained. Throughout the measurements students learn how to retrieve the data from the sensor to their own PC making graph and calculate molecule numbers,,,
Day 2:Measuring CO2 from soils. First experiment: 5 samples are prepared for measurement in the shield box: mulch, sand, mulch processed in microwave for 30 sec., mulch irradiated by UV light for 10 min., mulch with cooling agent. Each group selects one of these for their measurement. During 30 minutes of waiting a teacher explain summary of biology topics of respiration process. After 30 min. the data is uploaded at school's web server to share the data with all the members. Comparing the data origin of CO2 emission is discussed. Second experiment: Just adding sugar water to the sample and watch how CO2 emission changes with time.
In these series of experiments students understand soil bacteria/fungi is essential in CO2 emission. This is just a same experiment Carl Sagan conducted in Viking Project to detect life on Mars. But in our experiments how to confirm this? This is the last question teacher posed to students, asking for designing third day's experiment by their own idea in group discussion.
Day 3: What actually comes out? This will be presented in May.
The blissful moment for a teacher engaging in inquiry based learning should be the instance to see students` joyful surprise when they find something small but new based on their own-grown curiosity. This experience works as a drug for teachers, which drives them to seek for further improvements of the class. But this might be a paradoxical situation deeply related to the essence of inquiry based learning. The harder to work for improvements, the further away from the concept of inquiry based learning. Well-preparedness is sometimes harmful for autonomous thinking.
Focusing on scientific experimental subjects we heard exploration of suitable subjects for inquiry based learning seems quite difficult in the actual class design. Here are our suggestions;
1: Teachers should not set the final target. Always several routes should be prepared for student's selection. This may cause a great uncertainty in the sequence of class but this "thinking for selection" is an essential part.
2: Low cost versatile experimental set-up easy to use is necessary. When students get inspired in the class the experimental set-up which can be used after class/home is desirable. This is the ones the author repeatedly argued in JPGU sessions of Kitchen Earth Science.
3: IT environment is necessary to promote efficient studies. To retrieve digital data, share the data with members, present/explain the data are essential part of the class activity. Also this is a good occasion for students to study information literacy.
In the following we would like to present briefly our actual trial as an example. Detailed materials used will be shown in the presentation.
The title: Route to Astrobiology The class consists of three day experiments (3hours in each day) number of students about 20 (5 groups of 4 students) Experimental set-up:a CO2 sensor (RATOC Inc. ) for a group, plastic box as a sealed container, a Cell phone battery for the sensor.
Day 1:Learning how to use the sensor and to manipulate the retrieved data
Introductory lecture: what is CO2 in our environment and human health care.
First measurement of CO2 in the window-opened class room: What is ppm, how much CO2 molecules in the class room,,,,Second measurement in the window-shut situation for 20 students sitting still working on some exercise problems. Third measurement in the class room for 20 students performing physical exercise such as dancing.
To compare these measurements biological essential process of respiration is explained. Throughout the measurements students learn how to retrieve the data from the sensor to their own PC making graph and calculate molecule numbers,,,
Day 2:Measuring CO2 from soils. First experiment: 5 samples are prepared for measurement in the shield box: mulch, sand, mulch processed in microwave for 30 sec., mulch irradiated by UV light for 10 min., mulch with cooling agent. Each group selects one of these for their measurement. During 30 minutes of waiting a teacher explain summary of biology topics of respiration process. After 30 min. the data is uploaded at school's web server to share the data with all the members. Comparing the data origin of CO2 emission is discussed. Second experiment: Just adding sugar water to the sample and watch how CO2 emission changes with time.
In these series of experiments students understand soil bacteria/fungi is essential in CO2 emission. This is just a same experiment Carl Sagan conducted in Viking Project to detect life on Mars. But in our experiments how to confirm this? This is the last question teacher posed to students, asking for designing third day's experiment by their own idea in group discussion.
Day 3: What actually comes out? This will be presented in May.