The Scientific Method, De-Jargonized

Jargonized

De-Jargonized

Identify a problem to solve or a question to answer. State a hypothesis about the problem. From the hypothesis, develop a prediction or a set of predictions. Set up and perform an experiment or make systematic observations to establish or refute the predictions. Duplicate the results in a variety of different contexts to establish the hypothesis as a law of nature. Likewise, state related hypotheses about other aspects of the problem and test their predictions. Rigorously verify the predictions under a wide variety of contexts and conditions to firmly establish the set of hypotheses collectively as a theory.

Do you wonder about something? Think of an idea about how it might work – be creative! If your idea is right, what things would happen? Check to see if they really happen. Check to see if they happen all the time in different situations – then you know you can rely on your idea. What other ideas do you have about how the thing might work? Check them out, just like before. Check to see if these things also happen in other situations your ideas apply to, that are kind of different from the thing you wondered about at first. If they do, then you can be sure that your ideas make a good explanation of the thing you wondered about.

Problem-Solving Sessions with my Physics Classes

Here is a mash-up of the problem-solving sessions I had with my physics classes yesterday and today. The conversation was remarkably similar with each class, so there really isn't much mash-up here — actually, the conversation that follows is more like a generic version of the individual conversations that took place.

Enjoy...

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In my physics classroom...

TEACHER: Do you know where the elevator is?

CLASS: Yes.

TEACHER: Do you know where the science department's glass display window is near the elevator?

CLASS: Yes.

TEACHER: Go sit in a circle on the floor in the hallway in front of that display window. I'll meet you there.

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Sitting in a circle on the floor in the hallway with my students...

TEACHER: Physics is about problem-solving. We – have – a – problem. Let's solve it. You already know what the problem is. Can you tell me what it is I have in mind?

CLASS: (Blank looks...) Uh, we talk too much?

TEACHER: I want you to talk! Talking is part of the curriculum!

CLASS: Uh, we don't work enough?

TEACHER: You work very well! Why are students so eager to take the blame for a problem in class? Tell me, what do you do in class?

CLASS: We talk.

TEACHER: What else?

CLASS: We work.

TEACHER: What else?

CLASS: (Blank looks)

TEACHER: Do you ever wait in class?

CLASS: Yes.

TEACHER: What do you wait on?

CLASS: You!

TEACHER: Yes! That's the problem!

A CLASS SMART ALECK: (Light-hearted) You're the problem, Dr. Buckner!

TEACHER: (Smiling) Yes! Yes, I'm the problem. When I tried out the Japanese steakhouse style of teaching at the end of the year last year, this wasn't a problem. Students loved it, and I loved it. So, this year I've switched over entirely to the Japanese steakhouse style of teaching — but I never anticipated that you would go so fast I wouldn't be able to keep up with you! This is the problem we need to solve.

ANOTHER CLASS SMART ALECK: (Grinning) We'll be happy to slow down for you, Dr. Buckner.

TEACHER: (Wryly and playfully) Thank you for your willingness to sacrifice for my sake, but I don't think that will be necessary. (Pause) One way to solve the problem would be to go back to traditional lecture-based teaching...

CLASS: (Unanimously) No, no, no!

TEACHER: Can't we at least consider going back to lecture-based teaching?

CLASS: (Adamantly) No! We love coming to this class! We love how you run it!

TEACHER: Well, let me hear some ideas, then.

CLASS: (A mixture of blank looks and thoughtful looks.)

TEACHER: No ideas? Well, I have an idea: Instead of covering new material with each learning team individually, your teams could each send a representative to me — I could cover the new material with them, and they could bring it back to you.

CLASS: (A few weak nods, but mostly troubled faces) We don't like that idea. How can we be sure we're getting the right information? It's like playing "telephone."

TEACHER: But I would circulate team-to-team to correct misinformation and fill in the gaps.

CLASS: No. We don't want to do it that way. (Pause) When we finish learning one skill, we have to wait on you to circulate around to our team to check us off and give us the packet for the next skill. Why not lay out the packet for the next skill on the front table instead. Then we could come get it and start working on it without waiting for you to come to us.

TEACHER: I like it! Why didn't I think of that! It will take me one or two days to prep for that, but I'll do it!

CLASS: And if you could tell the whole class about the learning packet when we first get it, we wouldn't have to wait for you to circulate from team to team to get us started.

TEACHER: That sounds a lot like a lecture. Is that what you want?

CLASS: (Troubled looks) Hmmmm.......no.

TEACHER: How about this... Instead of a lecture, I could give the whole class a very short introduction — just enough to get you started, not a full lecture with all the information. Then I could circulate from team to team and fill in the gaps while you are working on the packet.

CLASS: (Happy faces all around) Yes! That would be great! Then we could get started right away!

CLASS: (Pause, with thoughtful faces all around) But different teams are on different skills. How can you introduce a new skill to the whole class when we are on different skills. Why don't you just keep the whole class together on the same skill?

TEACHER: I really want to keep the teams self-paced. Last year I kept all the students in a class on the same pace, but here's what happens... I HATE, HATE, HATE to leave anyone behind. If I leave someone behind on one skill, they will not be able to pick up the next skill either. Soon they have dropped by the wayside with no hope of catching up. Since I can't stand to see that happen, I keep the class pace slow enough so that everyone can keep up. (Pause) Since I also can't stand to hold students back who could move faster, I experimented last year with letting teams move ahead of the class pace. It worked very well. There are some teams in this class who can complete two years of physics in this one year. There are other teams who will need to go much slower to get a good understanding of the material — that's just the way it is. Whatever adjustments we make this year, I really want to keep it so that students who can go fast are not slowed down, and students who need more time don't get left behind. (Pregnant pause) Here's an idea... We already have a class pace, the pace most students can keep. I can introduce new skills at the class pace even though some teams are ahead of it and other teams are behind it, if I make the introductions optional instead of whole-class — think of it as optional lectures. If your team wants the introductory mini-lecture, come up front and get it. If your team doesn't want it, stay in the back with your team and keep working together.

CLASS: (Enlightened looks) Optional lectures are a great idea! The teams ahead of the class pace don't need it, and the teams behind the class pace aren't ready for it and they can get it later when your circulate from team to team.

A TROUBLED STUDENT: But while you are circulating around the room from team to team, when we have a question we have to wait a long time for you to get back around to our team. Couldn't you stay up front and be available to answer our questions as they come up?

TEACHER: I really enjoy the interactions I have with you in small teams and I don't want to give that up.

CLASS: (Pleased looks on faces all around) Aw!

TEACHER: How about this... I give a short optional mini-lecture to introduce a new skill, and then I circulate from team to team to fill in the gaps. After two or three circuits around the classroom, I park myself up front to take your questions as they come up.

CLASS: (Excited faces) Yeah! That's perfect. (Quiet conversations all around)

TEACHER: I sense that we are ready to wrap up. Before we do, I'd like to make sure we all agree on the steps we are going to take. I understand the steps to be... 1) I will lay out learning packets for your teams' next skills so that you can begin them when you are ready, without waiting for me to come around and hand one to you. 2) I will introduce new skills at the class pace by using optional mini-lectures, just enough to get you started but not with all the information you would get in a full lecture. 3) After introducing a new skill, I will circulate team-to-team to fill in gaps and work with you at your team's pace. 4) After two or three circuits around the room, I will park myself up front and take your questions as they come up. Do I have it right?

CLASS: (Smiling faces and nods all around) Yes!

TEACHER: Okay. Let's try this and we'll see how it works. If it doesn't work out so well, what shall we do? Go back to traditional lectures?

CLASS: No! If today's plan doesn't work we'll meet together like this again and come up with something new to try.

TEACHER: (Pleased) Good! I'm with you! (Brief pause) For the rest of this class period, would you rather go back to class and get to work on physics right away, or go out to the parking lot to look at my motorcyle first?

CLASS: Motorcycle! Motorcycle!

TEACHER: Okay! QUIETLY go out to the flagpole, and I'll meet you there.

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At my motorcycle...

A PERCEPTIVE STUDENT: Dr. Buckner, you must feel awesome. You're sitting on your motorcycle surrounded by teenagers who think you're cool!

TEACHER: Yes, indeed!

Quiz and Test Generator

I'm transitioning to Standards Based Grading (SBG) this year. One essential element of SBG is allowing students to reassess on any of the standards. I tried SBG last year, but the reassessments were unmanageable.

Over the summer I wrote software to automatically make quizzes and tests for me simply by clicking links on my class webpages. The links are set up with parameters specifying what kind of assessment it is, the title of the assessment, the skill or skills to be assessed, and the number of freeform and multiple-choice questions for each skill.

The software reads the parameters, selects skills from a test bank, selects random questions for each skill, and selects random variants of each question. It formats the assessment to be displayed on a screen, so that I can give a randomized quiz to a class on a whim. When I print an assessment, the software formats it differently, optimized for taking the test on paper instead of from a screen. The software will also display and print the answer key for me.

The random selection of questions and the randomization of variants gives me a countless variety of assessments. Even if a test gets out in the public, students who would cheat will see random variations on the questions. They will soon figure out that they must actually learn how to do the problems because the answers on their test will be different from the answers on the test from their friend's class.

You can see the links in the Assessment sections of my lesson plans. My test bank is hidden behind passwords, so you won't be able to see actual assessments by clicking on the links there.

But I have put up a publicly accessible sample so that you can play with it. Try these links to see samples:

• Quiz: Motion Graphs (has a bug making graphics unreliable)
• Quiz: Motion Graphs (with a workaround for the bug)
• Quiz: Triangle Review
• Quiz: Vectors (has a bug making graphics unreliable)
• Quiz: All Three (with a workaround for the bug)

I'm writing the test bank as I go this year. Since I'm writing the questions, they correspond exactly to the specific skills I'm teaching. If I don't happen to like the mix of questions on an assessment, I simply reload the page to get a new randomization.

For One Who is Grieving

You're safe in my arms, daughter — safe to cry.
Cry, daughter. Crying is good. Crying is your love for her.
One day you'll finish crying, but not today. Today, let your love for her cry.

You're safe in my arms, daughter — safe to grieve.
Grieve, daughter. Grieving is good. Grieving is your love for her.
One day you'll finish grieving, but not today. Today, let your love for her grieve.

You're safe in my arms, daughter, — safe to feel the emptiness.
Feel the emptiness, daughter. Feeling the emptiness is good. The emptiness is her love for you.
How she must have loved you to leave such emptiness behind!

One day you'll finish crying.
One day you'll finish grieving.
But you'll always feel the emptiness.
When you feel the emptiness, know that it is her love for you.
The emptiness will remind you that her touch on your life is forevermore.
And the emptiness will remind you that your touch on her life is forevermore,
for how she must have loved you to leave such emptiness behind.

It Wasn't Very Long Ago

For my children on their coming of age

It wasn't very long ago I used to set you in my lap
and read you picture books.

It wasn't very long ago you needed me to hold your hand
to take you to new places.

I wasn't very long ago you needed me to teach you how
to understand the world.

Now look at you.
Now look at you!

A little bit of time went by and now
you stand here facing me, a young adult!

I'm not sure I'm ready.

You're not sure you're ready.

But here we stand together side by side,
a single path behind us,
a double path before us.

Let us reminisce upon the single path
we trod together to this place.
And let us contemplate the double path
we've yet to take into uncertain futures.

May we tarry here a moment — a moment more.

May we tarry here a moment more.

For though we hand-in-hand resume our walk from here,
the windings of our separate paths must
draw and break our grasp.

And from afar I'll watch you tread alone
the way to your success.

And I'll recall the time,
and I'll recall the place,
where our one path became two.

And I'll feel the sadness,
and I'll feel the happiness,
of my love for you.

But I'll be satisfied I knew you when you were a child,
and I'll be proud to know you as adult,
off on your own.

Motivation Research

Ah-hah! This is the first time I've seen results of motivation research. For rote tasks, use the carrot-and-stick approach. For complex tasks, pay enough to take money off the table as an issue, then promote autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

How does this translate to education? Here's how I translate it...

For trainers: Link compensation to trainee performance on a paced, standardized curriculum.

For trainees: Link compensation to good output measured against quotas.

For teachers: Unlink compensation from student performance on a paced, standardized curriculum, then promote teacher autonomy in the classroom, self-directed development of mastery for teachers, and autonomous, self-directed learners as the goal of teaching.

For students: Provide enough success to take grades off the table as an issue, then promote autonomy in learning, self-directed development in the student's desired area of mastery, and learning to learn as the goal.

It's no wonder we're not seeing the results we want from education reform. We've set up the incentives to motivate rote learning and to reward drudgery, not to develop lifelong learners.

Ignited and Burning Bright

Some snippets of conversations with a student... (I've embellished it a little bit for readability, but otherwise the dialogue is true to life.)

A couple months ago...

Student: Quantum mechanics is awesome. I've been reading about it. Strange things happen.

Teacher: Yes, quantum mechanics explains and predicts many strange effects. Physicists call it "quantum weirdness."

Student: Dr. Buckner, is there a such thing as a quantum physicist?

Teacher: Yes, there is. Quantum effects are being used more and more in devices. There will be a need for quantum physicists during your lifetime.

Student: How would I become a quantum physicist?

Teacher: Get as much math as you can in high school. Make sure you're strong in it. Major in physics in college. Then go to a graduate school with a strong program in quantum physics and pick a research project that fascinates you.

Student: That's what I want to do. I want to be a quantum physicist.

A couple weeks ago...

Student: Dr. Buckner, would a bowl of cereal with milk be a solid, or a liquid, or a broth?

Teacher: Well, it definitely would not be a broth — a broth is made from meat. (English is this student's second language.) Technically it would be a mixture — but it's just a bowl of cereal. (smiling) I believe you're overthinking it. Why do you want to know this?

Student: I ate a bowl of cereal this morning and I wondered how it would be classified. It had liquid in it, but it was not a liquid. It had solids in it, but it was not a solid. So I wondered if it must be a broth since it is both solid and liquid.

Teacher: The kind of thinking you are doing is important in science. Great scientists can look at the same things everybody else looks at day to day, but they see something new and different from what anybody else has seen before. When I was in graduate school, I was in a meeting with Nevill Mott, a Nobel Prize winner. A student asked him what he got the Nobel Prize for. Mott said, "I created a new field of science." The student asked how he did that. Mott said, "I was looking through a window, thinking of the atomic structure of the glass, and I realized that everything I knew about solid state physics says that this atomic structure should be opaque, not transparent. I set out to understand why glass is transparent instead of opaque, and it led to a new field of science."

Student: (grinning) I'm going to win a Nobel Prize!

Last week...

Student: Dr. Buckner, if you had a beam of light and shined it into a box made of mirrors, could you keep the beam of light forever?

Teacher: Well, if the mirrors were perfect reflectors I suppose you could. But if you had it, how would you ever look at it?

Student: What do you mean?

Teacher: If you made a window in the box to look at the beam of light, wouldn't it escape?

Student: (puzzled) Yeah, I never thought of that.

A few days ago...

Student: Dr. Buckner, if you use a solar panel to power a light, and you shine the light back onto the solar panel, would the light stay on forever?

Teacher: All real systems have losses. Every time the light goes back into the solar panel some of its energy is lost. Every time the electric power goes back into the light some energy is lost. So it would not stay on forever.

Student: How long would it last?

Teacher: A small fraction of a second. It would go too fast to watch it fade.

Student: (Sat down, deep in thought.)

Last class period...

Student: Dr. Buckner, if you put a huge mirror out in space 10 light years away, and looked at it through a powerful telescope, could you look back in time to 20 years ago?

Teacher: Hmmmm. This is something I've never thought of. Let me think about it a minute. (brief pause) Well, of course there would be practical difficulties of ever actually setting a large enough mirror 10 light years away, and of having a powerful enough telescope to see the reflected image, but in principle I don't see any reason why you are not correct. Fascinating. This is a new thought for me. Do you like science fiction? You could write a great science fiction story with this.

Student: (smiling with pride) Yeah!

Sometime in the near future...

This student's scientific curiosity is ignited and burning bright. He is going to bring in some scenario I won't be able to answer. What will I do as his teacher? I will have discourse with him about it, showing him how a scientist might approach and explore an unanswered problem. Together we'll come up with some hypotheses and some testable predictions. He'll experience what it's like to weigh one hypothesis against another on a real unanswered scientific question. He'll sense the eagerness and the drive scientists feel to test their hypotheses by experiment. Most importantly, he will no longer come to me to get an authoritative answer to accept as-is — he'll come to me as a resource from whom he can get information to formulate his own answer.